AMC
After watching Season 8 Episode 12 of The Walking Dead, many fans are wondering just why the episode was called “The Key.” Tonight, it wasn’t absolutely clear what “The Key” referred to. It’s likely thematic, related to several different storylines that happened tonight, and also related to an actual key we saw in an earlier episode. This article has spoilers for Season 8 Episode 12.
The episode’s title “The Key” could relate to several things. First, now that Jadis has taken Negan from The Saviors, she holds “the key” to peace between The Saviors and The Hilltop. It’s obvious that things are going to get even worse under Simon’s lead, since he simply wants everyone dead. So Jadis and Negan could somehow play a key role in the survival of Rick’s group.
Some viewers think Dwight is “the key” to ending the war between the Saviors and Rick’s crew. Dwight can see both sides. He’s obviously not interested in Simon’s plan to expunge all of Rick’s people. If he took out Simon, he could take over the Saviors himself and end the war.
Other viewers believe the title is connected to the new character’s arrival. Georgie has the key to creating a more modern civilization. She gave Maggie blueprints (keys) to many new technologies and plans that can be used to help The Hilltop community grow and thrive. In fact, Georgie is indeed the “key” that the episode’s title is referencing. When Georgie hands her book to Maggie, we learn that the book is titled “A Key to a Future: Being a guide to the machinery, techniques, tasks, travails, and SOLUTIONS employed by early civilizations to recent times; let this be the path forward from the past to a more advanced NOW.” Georgie transcribed this all from knowledge in her head, and she adds to that knowledge over time.
I cried when Georgie handed Maggie the book. That’s what hope feels like.
#TheWalkingDead
@AMCTalkingDead @andjwest @YNB Georgie giving the book of plans to Maggie! Flaming Lucille is awesome, but hope is so much better.
But there’s also a literal key that the episode might also be referring to. Back when Tara was searching for Oceanside after Heath was lost, she found a key card that was never explained. Some viewers are wondering if Georgie might be connected to that key card.
AMCTara’s keycard
Do you think there’s more to the title “The Key” than just the book that Georgie gave to Maggie? Do you think it could be related to that key card that Tara found? Let us know in the comments below.