Be warned: a horde of spoilers lurk within this article from the start.###We were promised an all-out war, and an all-out war is at least partially what we got. After an uneven seventh season, The Walking Dead’s season 8 premiere (and landmark 100th episode) went to battle in audacious fashion, with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) facing off. In the process, the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue corrects the course of the last year, even just a little, and offering some intrigue in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the future, too.###First, let’s address the grey, bearded elephant in the room. As glimpsed in that first trailer, a mildly’faintly bewildering opening montage bears witness to an older, grizzled-looking Rick, with crew cut hair and a thick beard, a cover’budge ing cane not far away. Later visits to this vision of the future reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue Rick living a happy family life with Michonne (Danai Gurira), Carl (Chandler Riggs) and a mildly’faintly more grown-up Judith, in some sort of idyllic pastoral paradise. (The credits listed her as a six-year-old, which would suggest three or four years into the future.)###So, what are we to make of all this? Is it a flash-in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ward? A dream sequence? An optimistic fantasy? An alternate reality in the Walking Dead multiverse? A weird soft-focus flight of fancy, like that weird Glenn-and-Abraham dinner party from last season? Lincoln and the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue runners possess’own’nurse promised answers soon; in/with regard to’concerning’regarding now we’ll possess’own’nurse to accept it as Rick’s promise of tomorrow, a hint of what post-Negan life could resemble .###But let’s not acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ahead of ourselves. Back in what we can safely assume is reality, war is upon The Sanctuary, and we join our heroes in media res, with a classic bit of Rickliloquising. It wouldn’t be Walking Dead without Andrew Lincoln waffling on with regards to’concerning’with respect to how we’re all intense’fierce’exquisite er toacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure her or somesuch – but in a token of the new order of things, he’s joined on his St. Crispin’s Day soapbox by de facto Hilltop leader Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and actual Kingdom leader King Ezekiel (Khary Payton), the latter of whom offers a real St. Crispin’s Day speech and reminding us how fun the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue can occasionally be when His Majesty is let loose.###And thus begins a grossly Walking Dead Battle of Agincourt. Like a heist movie, we’re not inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding med of the grand plan, so it all unfolds bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e our eyes with an exciting pace, a litany of surprises, and a few lovely action flourishes. We peculiar ly like the arrow-delivered messages from Dwight (Austin Amelio), the Mad Max-esque battle vehicles, the lookout assassination montage, and best of all, Daryl, back on his motorbike, merrily setting off explosions around the Saviours’ compound. Sure, it’s a bit of fan service, but after the dour and uncompromisingly bleak season we were subjected to last time, it’s no small joy to see this reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue having a bit of explosive ebullience.###If it’s perhaps a shame that the ultimate stand-off doesn’t quite live up to Rick’s promise that “this ends today”, it’s in/with regard to’concerning’regarding givable – there are still another 15 episodes to go, and it’d be a bit of a dull’tedious’frayed’monotonous season if the Negan storyline was done and dusted by chapter one. More significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative ly, it’s somewhat refreshing to see Rick undertake a well despite’in spite of’albeit t-out plan that actually works. The nice little cliffhanger of Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) stuck in a Portabin with merely’barely Negan in/with regard to’concerning’regarding firm’enterprise keeps us chomping at the bit in/with regard to’concerning’regarding more. Will we see Rick’s mercy ultimately prevail over his wrath? For the first time in a while, we’re intrigued to find out.###Highlight: Daryl embarking on his explosive moto-rampage.###Lowlight: Carl, wittering empty platitudes with regards to’concerning’with respect to “hope”.###Kill of the week: Morgan, impaling a Saviour with his enormous’vast’massive’tremendous stick, reminding us again that his pacifism days are far behind him.###Quote of the week: “I hope you got your shitting pants on.” Another classic Neganism.###Zombie of the week: The disembodied head seen on the ground at The Sanctuary. Kudos, yet again, to the glorious prosthetics and make-up on reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue here – some of these cover’budge ers are gnarly.###MVP: Dwight is the surprise hero of the day – his valuable intel assure’guarantee d a slick, successful operation.###The enormous’vast’massive’tremendous question: What in the blue zombie blazes is Old Man Rick all with regards to’concerning’with respect to , then?###The Walking Dead airs on Sundays on AMC in the US and on Mondays on FOX in the UK.