'The Walking Dead' Premiere Was One of the Best Episodes Ever

Is it OK to cry during a zombie show?

It's weak, I know. But how was I expected to react during a sweet reunion and a gooey moment where a father got to hold his previously missing baby daughter?

The two scenes that came at the end of this season premiere — both detailed below — are the kinds of moment that breathe life into a show about death. Mixing the two is a fine art, as you run the risk of displeasing the core group of fans, who love the action and horror. But this episode balanced it all not just well but expertly.

Also, we sort of earned those two heartwarming episode codas, considering what we had to witness in order to get there

Rick and Co. Vs. Terminus

The battle we'd all been waiting for — the gang's escape from the cannibals at Terminus — was expectedly bloody and terrifying. But even my most deranged thoughts couldn't have compared to what actually happened.

After trying but failing to stage a coup, Rick, Daryl, Glenn and Bob were led with a few others to a killing room, where they were placed on their knees in front of a trough, where they'd be bled. Upon entering, a bleary Rick, who'd been smacked over the head, looked up and could make out three bins in the corner that had the words "Burn" "Feed" and "Wash" written on them. (Vomit.) This was not a good situation — as some other poor dudes soon found out.

They were almost in major trouble, but then Gareth walked in like a psycho Costco manager and interrupted his goons' killing for paper work. The banter among the baddies, Bob's pleas for mercy, and Rick "I know which machete I'm going to use to kill you" Grimes' threats were enough to buy them some time. And luckily, before they could make their next kill, a boom shook the compound.

For family and friends

That boom was Carol. Well, Carol's firecracker+gun life hack meeting the side of a propane tank.

You see, Carol had Tyreese at a cabin with Judith and some man from Team Terminus who was jaded, missed football Sundays, and considered his group "assholes [to] stay alive with." She covered herself with dead goo, gathered her guns, and led a one woman army to save her friends, which is honestly what sets everyone in this group apart from the others they encounter. They're not traveling with assholes — they're friends, they're family.

Protecting that family is priority No. 1, as Tyreese proved when their captive broke loose and threatened to snap Judith's neck. Monster.

In exchange for her safety, Tyreese had to leave the cabin and throw himself to a gang of walkers who'd gathered outside. The walkers lost — and so did the man, who Tyreese beat to death. The sickening sound echoed in my head for several minutes.

Earlier in the episode, Tyreese had hesitated when he was in the position where he had to kill a walker, to which Carol told him "You're going to have to be able to." She did it for him — and probably won't have to again.

Carol to the rescue

At Terminus, the battle raged on.

Carol found herself having to fight off Gareth's deranged mother in an entirely scary scene, and Rick freed the rest of the gang and instructed them not to hesitate killing a person if they encountered a non-zombie blocking their way. Some did, and were quickly exterminated.

Once over the fence, the team reconvened to retrieve their weapons from the place they'd buried them. Rick wanted to go back and kill the rest of the cannibals ("they don't get to live") but the others wanted to move on. Before he could pull another Ricktatorship card, he locked eyes with Carol.

Daryl turned and instantly ran into an embrace with her. (And the world lost its s—t.)

He picked her up, caressed the back of her head lovingly and slightly lifted her from the ground in the intense hug. He briefly pulled away, but then put his head in her shoulder, overcome with emotion.

Rick approached as they separated, and in a broken voice asked, "Did you do that?"

She said nothing and they hugged. "Thank you," he whispered, only so quietly I almost couldn't hear it. This is what forgiveness looks like in a zombie apocalypse.

In the next scene, she led him to the cabin where he laid eyes on Judith, dropped his weapons, and ran to her.

I know I'm far too sensitive to ever fare well in an actual zombie apocalypse, but, you know, I'm cool with that.

If it's wrong to love the Season 5 premiere of The Walking Dead — which had all the action and gore we've come to expect, mixed with themes of love, friendship and hope — then screw everything.

Thanks :)

How will the show build off this momentum? Is Eugene going to make it to the end of the line so he can do some "tweaking on the terminals" and "flip the script" for the world? Or are we going to have decipher a cure from his obscure "fire with fire" speech? And did the bookend flashbacks make you feel for the cannibals? Sound off in the comments