The end is in sight; here’s Article Eight as we prepare for All Out War.

Welcome to day nine of the JustUs Geeks War Report countdown to All Out War. Tomorrow is the big day! One more day and we can get our hands on the the first issue of All Out War. Today Jamey Nunley once again joins us to tell us exactly what got us to this point.

All Out War has been a long time coming. We have know since issue 96 when Gregory, the leader of the Hilltop Colony, made a deal with Rick that there was going to be a fight. What we did not know is that Rick wasn’t just on another hunting mission like the cannibal outside of DC. The events that have happened since then have proven one thing: Negan and Rick have always underestimated each other.

The first time we saw Negan’s men was on the return from Hilltop after the deal had been made. It was just a few guys on bikes declaring to Rick and his group that they belonged to Negan. About three seconds and a dead group of bikers later, Rick gave the last remaining man a message and ordered him to leave. How did the men reply? With a surprise arrow into the back of Abraham’s head. While the rest of their plan to take over did not work due to a shocking nut-cracker routine from Eugene in issue 98, they managed to take out the muscle of Rick’s group.

Negan was finally introduced in issue 100 and to celebrate the landmark, Kirkman decided to change the game. Negan, probably never having had this much of a struggle taking someone over, tactically showed Rick how helpless he was against them. With fifty armed men visibly surrounding them, Rick’s group was forced to watch Glen beat to death by Negan in front of his family. Upon his return home, Rick saw damage to his community’s defenses that suggested an attack of at least equal size. This is when Rick starts to take Negan seriously due to the numbers at Negan’s disposal. However, this time Negan underestimated Rick’s will to fight back. While Rick has been playing obedient, he has been waiting for the opportunity to strike back.

Negan has taken an interest in Carl since he first saw him in issue 100 pointing out the look in Carl’s eye. So when Carl sneaks a ride on a Savior’s truck and is captured after an adventure that would make Rambo pee himself, what does Negan do? The only logical thing, take him on a grand tour. After messing with Rick to get a rouse out of him, Negan gives Carl back without a scratch in an attempt to convince Rick that he can be “completely ******* reasonable.” Afterward, Carl was debriefed of what he had learned while he was there. With the information of Negan’s hideout and the knowledge that there were not as many men or arms as they originally thought Jesus takes Rick to recruit some help.

“King” Ezekiel was first on Jesus’s list. This Tiger befriending leader of The Kingdom has both added warriors with swordsmanship on or above the level of Michonne’s and exceptional battle strategy stating that it would be best to attack the outposts to weaken his forces little by little. The biggest surprise Ezekiel had to offer to the war was a traitor among Negan’s ranks, Dwight. Dwight is the same guy that shot Abraham and held Eugene hostage outside Alexandria Safe Zone’s gates which leads to some complaints from Rick. Even though Rick still is not sure of Dwight’s treachery, Ezekiel is sure that he has more reason to be against Negan than for him. With everything worked out with Ezekiel, Jesus heads back to the Hilltop to find everyone that is willing to help in the upcoming war.

Upon Rick’s return he discovers that Negan has been waiting for him and has killed one of the residence. Even though it was Spencer, who was trying to convince Negan to overthrow Rick, Rick will not listen to Negan’s explanation and sets Andrea up in the sniper tower in order to kill him while he is leaving. Once again Rick had underestimated Negan. Shortly after the attack began, Negan revealed that he had more men than he let on and still has the upper hand. Luckily, Jesus arrived with Ezekiel and chased his men off, but not before Andrea is discovered and nearly killed, possibly taking her off the front lines for the upcoming events. Rick has lost his biggest advantage by attacking rashly, and Negan is just as ready for war as they are.

As it stands, Neither side has a clear advantage over the other, but what we do know is we will lose people in the fights to come. Ezekiel called Michonne out on never having formal training with a sword which could be a way of foreshadowing her on the battlefield. Andrea is injured and will probably stay at the Alexandria Safe Zone with Carl, but the battle is not limited to outside the walls. Kirkman has even told us that no one will see it coming when he kills Rick. What if that time is now? No one is safe in the issues that will make up All Out War.