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Last night's episode of The Walking Dead continued to increase the focus on the theme that has pervaded the Alexandria episodes: some people are just too broken to live in civilization anymore. Given that, it was surprising that neither Gabriel nor Maggie even appeared in the episode; you'd think she'd have run straight to the group with news of what she overheard at the end of the prior episode. But there still were a handful more character vignettes to explore before the final big blowout in next week's season finale.

Sasha's story was a particularly interesting one, as you could probably read it a few different ways. Taking her words at face value, she's just out for blood now, on a blind quest for vengeance against however many zombies she can possibly lay eyes on. Below the surface, you might also read that she has a death wish. She's not willing to turn a gun on herself, or walk unarmed into a group of walkers, but some part of her knows that her behavior will result in her eventual suicide by zombie -- and she's just fine with that. Either way, she's a hollowed out shell; either avenue is an interesting direction for her.

Carl found a kindred spirit in Enid. (Though what they did not find was a smart hiding place. A hollowed out tree with no other exits? Bad freaking idea!) We learned that Enid spent time out in the world before finding Alexandria, though we don't get the specifics of what happened to her. And while whatever it was isn't likely as bad as Carl having to shoot his own mother in the head, the point was clearly made that the two of them had their childhoods cut short by the apocalypse, and that there's no reclaiming what was lost.

Rick has lost something even more basic: any sense of decency and humanity. There's no doubt that Deanna -- aware of the way Pete was abusing his wife Jessie -- wasn't on the moral high ground either. (Though her cold pragmatism about protecting the settlement's only doctor certainly makes her more of a calculating survivor than anyone else in Alexandria. Hence why she's the leader.) But Rick -- and Carol too -- sees no solution for the problem short of execution. What has happened to a former law enforcement officer that the notion of "prison time" (or some confinement) doesn't even occur to him? Or hey, sure, resources are what they are -- maybe you get a bit medieval and come up with some sort of corporal punishment? But no, Rick is one revealing outfit away from a corny Star Trek episode where society in his mind has death as the one and only punishment for every crime.

Michonne's story was an interesting intersection of Sasha's and Rick's. Rather than taking on Sasha's melancholy, Michonne rededicated herself to making Alexandria work more than ever at the end of the episode. Recognizing that Rick had gone off the deep end, she snuck up behind him to knock him out cold. Whether this is a more enduring wedge between them will remain to be seen.

The Alexandria continues to serve up solid episodes. I'd give this one a B+. Next week, we'll see if the 90-minute finale manages to punch out strong.