The Walking Dead season 7 finale, titled “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life,” is everything we needed to see this entire season and also further highlights what’s going wrong with this once great show since last year in season 6.

The episode sums up the Sasha plot arch that has been dragged out since “The Other Side.” It also has a new plot twist concerning the alliances of the groups and puts many of the characters in danger.

The Cell

After Rosita saw the figure in “The Other Side,” she figured out it was Dwight (Austin Amelio). The two went to Alexandria, where Dwight waits in the cell that Morgan made last season and awaits Rick. Rick pulls his gun, forcing Dwight to get on his knees before asking him why he wants to fight with them, he says “I want Negan dead.” Dwight offers an opportunity to kill Negan and take him by surprise, making distractions to keep The Saviors distracted and buying the Alexandrian’s time while Rick and company prepare to kill them back home. From there, Dwight wants to ambush the remaining Saviors outpost by outpost.

Someday We’ll All Be Free

Before leaving The Sanctuary, Sasha Williams (Sonequa Martin-Green) is handed an iPod by Eugene Porter (Josh McDermitt), Sasha listens to the song “Someday We’ll All Be Free” by Donny Hathaway while she contemplates her suicide by the lethal cyanide pills Eugene gave her in “Something They Need,” Sasha got these when she said she wanted a way out of this life under Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) rule, but in reality wanted something to kill Negan. When Eugene gives her the pills she is backed into a corner. On the ride to Alexandria, Sasha has a flashback to her last real talk with Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz) (yay, Abraham is back!) where the two talk about going to get Maggie help at The Hilltop. Sasha says that Maggie’s problem is not their problem and that Maggie has to look out for “Maggie.” Abraham says he knows that Sasha doesn’t mean that and that she’s still thinking about it, so the two decide to go. Sasha comments before this that she dreamed that Abraham had died, he drowned on the beach. Sasha inevitably takes the capsules and will turn inside the coffin.

The Scavengers

Jadis and her group help Rick set up for the ambush on Negan and his people. Wiring explosives to a truck by the gates. When The Saviors arrive, Eugene pleads with his friends to give in. Rosita is given the signal by Rick to blow up the truck, but it doesn’t blow up. Jadis and her people turn their guns on Rick and the others, and Jadis shoots Rick and pushes him off of the tower he is on. War begins with The Saviors after a reanimated Sasha attacks Negan and nearly, but somehow doesn’t, kill him.

The Lineup

Negan takes Rick and Carl,”lining” them up and he prepares to kill Carl, but before doing so, he taunts Rick, who responds by saying “You’re already dead, you just don’t know it yet.” Negan prepares to kill Carl with Lucille before Shiva saves the day by leaping at a Savior and not Negan of all people, stopping the near execution.

Alexandria will not fall!

Ezekiel and The Kingdom arrives, as does Maggie and The Hilltop, to fight against The Saviors and The Scavengers. Jadis and her people flee, as do Negan and his people. Back at The Sanctuary, Negan declares war on the survivors. Back at Alexandria, Maggie gives a speech relating to Glenn and we see Jesus pin a reanimated Sasha down and Maggie puts her down.

What is the show doing wrong now?

There are several glaring problems with The Walking Dead since season six kicked off, but what are these problems? I will cover that in another article.