Five freakiest moments on 'The Walking Dead' season 6 midseason debut

So they have to keep amping up the zombie counts, amping up the challenges the crew have to overcome.

This was the epic battle to end all battles. There were a few quiet moments and many chances for redemption - for the Wolf, for Enid, for Eugene and yah, even Gabriel. Glenn looked like a goner yet again - just because. And for a moment, it looked like Abraham and Sasha were toast, too.

So here are the five freakiest moments of tonight's hackathon:

1- The opening scene. Full of foreboding. Negan's motorcycle gang stops Sasha, Abraham and Daryl in their fuel truck as they return to Alexandria. The charismatic lead guy forces them to relinquish their weapons. But just as the leader is about to kill Sasha and Abraham after a fake out, Daryl (having killed off one of the gang members behind the truck) surprises the gang with a sudden bazooka strike. Poof! They disappear into flames. He shouldn't have worked his theatrical fake out. It cost him his life!

2. The Anderson family dies but Ron gets his comeuppance. Rick's latest cockamamie idea is to wear zombie suits and walk among them to get to some vehicles in hopes of lead away the walkers away from Alexandria. He's joined by Michonne, Gabriel, Carl, Ron, Sam, Jessie and the baby Judith. Gabriel volunteers to take Judith to safety. Jessie wants Sam to go with Gabriel because Sam is young and not at all ready to handle walkers. Sam, acting all tough and not wanting to be separated from his mom, says he's fine. He wants to keep going. But alas, Sam freezes up later, whimpers a bit and in the arbitrary rules of "Walking Dead" suddenly becomes "human" again to a couple of walkers and gets eaten. Jessie is shocked and for whatever reason, she gets chomped as well. But she won't let go of Carl. Rick has to hack her arm off to free Carl. Then Ron grabs a loose gun and shoots Carl in the eye before Michonne kills him. It's all super macabre. And poor Rick watches his crush Jessie die in front of his eyes as well as possibly see his son perish.

3. The Wolf has a heart? He has inexplicably taken Denise hostage in a situation where he should have just left by himself. Then again, he seems intrigued by her. They have long conversations where he tries to convince her to join him in his escape. She also insists he could change, that he wasn't always this cold, heartless being. She finally joins him in the escape attempt. Naturally, it does not go smoothly. She is about to get attacked and he has a chance to just go up the ladder and just leave her behind as bait. Instead, he saves her and gets bit himself. She says they need to go back to the infirmary so she can save his life. She also notes how he proved he could "change" by saving her. But his redemption is shortlived. Carol - the pragmatist - shoots the Wolf from above and ensures Denise's safety. And thank goodness for that because she can now save Carl's life.

4. Glenn is almost dead -- again? Glenn and Enid have a philosophical discussion in the church about how the people who have died remain in the hearts of those who live. Glenn cites several of the past fallen who are in his soul - his parents, Herschel, Dale, Andrea, Tyreese, et al. Enid - who still keeps her parents in her heart - insists on helping him save pregnant Maggie, stuck on a platform surrounded by walkers. She climbs up to the platform while Glenn tries to guide the walkers away. But there are too many. He's... trapped. He's about to get... eaten. Again. Then Sasha and Abraham start taking down zombies around Glenn, allowing him to clamber to safety. Psych!

5. Humans vs. zombies. Guess who wins? While Carl is being treated by Denise, Rick - in crazy mode- just exists the house to start taking down zombies all by himself in what seems like a kamikaze effort. But he's soon joined by Michonne... and more or less everybody with a machete or sword. Even Eugene takes part. He said at this point, nobody can be left behind - not even him. It's unclear if they'd be truly able to kill all the zombies without more casualties but fortunately, Daryl and his fuel truck arrive. Daryl pours out the fuel into a pond, sets it on fire with the bazooka and hundreds of walkers are led to the light and a fiery death. By morning, all the walkers are dead and the humans are outside on a porch looking zonked out but alive. Rick inside gives an unconscious Carl a pep talk about hope and how happy he is Alexandria came through. Carl then grasps Rick's hand.

So despite all the mayhem, none of the original pre-Alexandria folks died. Not even Gabriel! But we'll now have to start seeing Carl in a Governor-style eye patch.

TALKING DEAD

Anyone who reads my blog knows I follow "American Idol." For the first time there's an "Idol" meets "Walking Dead" moment courtesy of guest Carrie Underwood.

Benedict Samuel - the Wolf - joined the couch. Director and executive producer Greg Nicotero is also there.

Greg said doing night shots was tough because during the summer, nights were only 10 hours long when 12-hour shoots were typical.

What was Carrie doing here? She's a fan. "It's my genre. I like movies. I like shows in this feelings. The story line kept me hooked and interested and coming back for more. We'd be in random cities on tour. We'd make the bus ride around. I had satellite. I didn't want to wait for the next day." She has her own "Talking Dead" with her mom Carol the next day.

Samuel, who is Australian, said fans paid homage by placing a W over their forehead. He said his Wolf character was a "chameleon." "She is the first person who challenges him and he enjoys that interaction," he said.

Host Chris Hardwick wouldn't have given up Judith to Gabriel but Gabriel may have redeemed himself .

Fact: 500 gallons of propane was used to create the lake of fire. It was easier to control and less noxious than gasoline.