The fifth season of AMC’s The Walking Dead concluded with aplomb, buoyed by the triumphant return of elusive fan-favorite, Morgan Jones.

The last time Morgan (played by Lennie James) appeared, way back in season three, he teetered on the brink of insanity following the death of his son. Fast forward two seasons, and he comes across as an entirely new person. Infinitely more zen and focused, with a certain goal fueling his motivation to survive, Morgan automatically proves one of the show’s more intriguing characters heading into its sixth season.

His long-awaited return, teased throughout the season, proved more satisfying than one could have reasonably expected. Alone in the woods and wielding nothing but a walking stick as his weapon of choice, Morgan renders two armed ruffians unconscious (more on them later) before rescuing two strangers from their walker-infested trap. It just so happens that these strangers are none other than Daryl and Aaron, who we know as Alexandria’s recruiters. When Daryl discovers Rick’s map of Washington D.C. in Morgan’s possession, everything starts to come together. Morgan has been on Rick’s trail for quite a while, intent on reuniting with his former friend. Daryl and Aaron judge Morgan to be a capable survivor, and invite him back to Alexandria, presumably to see Rick.

The once idyllic safe haven remains in turmoil, however, after Rick exchanged blows with town drunkard/surgeon Pete and subsequently frightened the citizens with a crazed speech about survival. Rick’s intentions remain pure, as the despicable Pete is a known wife beater and Rick has taken a liking to his wife, Jessie.

Diplomatic leader Deanna, opposed to Rick’s preference of executing Pete, calls a town forum, and is prepared to send Rick packing, despite his elite survival skills and experience outside the gated community. Rick’s loyal group members make a pitch for him to stay, an effort that appears futile, as the Alexandrians simply remain too naive to understand the harsh realities of the new world.

Everything changes when Pete himself makes a climactic appearance. Disorientedly seeking to kill Rick, he accidentally slits the throat of Deanna’s husband, Reg, in the attempt. Devastated, Deanna gives Rick her approval to kill the lowlife Pete, which he does without hesitation. Morgan, Daryl, and Aaron arrive at this very instant, setting the stage for next season’s premiere.

While some believed that season four meandered around at times, while focusing too much on character development, season five was a high-octane, breakneck journey that saw Rick and Co. leave Georgia for the first time since the apocalypse. The three major arcs of the season— encountering the cannibals of Terminus, plotting to rescue Beth from Grady Memorial Hospital, and being introduced to the Alexandria Safe-Zone— all proved compelling.

Not to say that character development was completely non-existent. Abraham, Eugene, Beth, and Tyreese  were among those who witnessed stark changes in their personas

Season five also provided a consistent set of 16 episodes with minimal lulls in plot or drama. Few episodes stood out as filler, while “No Sanctuary,” “Self-Help,” “What Happened and What’s Going On,” and “Conquer” profiled as the top installments this season.

Sadly, keeping consistent with the morbid nature of the show, several characters met their end in season five. Bob, Beth, Tyreese, and Noah all bit the dust, to the dismay of fans everywhere. However, the deaths of cannibal leader Gareth, the tyrannical ex-cop Dawn and her band of loathsome officers, and the aforementioned Pete throughout the season somewhat compensated for this.

Heading into the sixth season, one cannot help but get the feeling that the show is at its peak. The plot remains gripping, the writing remains first-rate; even the special effects continue to improve from season to season. The superb cast remains largely intact, and already, several storylines capture the attention of fans. The ruffians described earlier, known as “The Wolves” seem destined to pose a threat to Rick and Alexandria. Morgan’s entrance into the fold will surely fascinate. And with Pete out of the picture, Rick’s path to Jessie is now clear, setting the stage for a rare romance on this show of perpetual misery.

There is still time to jump on The Walking Dead bandwagon; watch the first five seasons this summer in time to catch up for season six!

The Chant’s grade: A