Season 9 (TV Series)

Season 9 of AMC's The Walking Dead consists of sixteen episodes; it premiered on October 7, 2018. On January 13, 2018, AMC announced the show was renewed for a ninth season with Angela Kang replacing Scott Gimple as showrunner.

This season adapts material from Issue #127 onward of the Comic Series.

"A New Beginning"
A year and a half has passed since the end of the War.

In a rebuilt and thriving Alexandria, Rick, now with shorter and grayer hair, happily watches Michonne paint with Judith. They go outside the walls to see a flock of birds in the field.

At the Sanctuary, the walker-filled yard has been replaced with crops. Rosita helps Eugene with an experiment while Laura reports something to Daryl, who's now in charge. He goes to the yard and notices Arat and Justin trying to use a walker as a Scarecrow, like they used to do, under the pretense to scare off the crows, but Daryl puts it down.

On the road, Tara is scouting when Eugene radios her, informing her that Daryl will be meeting the rest of the group so they can go to Washington D.C. to search for farming materials.

Elsewhere, Jesus and Aaron kill some walkers. Aaron asks Jesus if he can teach him some of his skills, to which he agrees to teach him in a class at the Hilltop.

A while later, Daryl rides off to meet Rick, Michonne, Carol, Maggie and the others in downtown Washington D.C.

Rick and the group break into the Smithsonian to search for a covered wagon and farming equipment. As they walk over a fragile glass floor, they notice a group of walkers under it. Suddenly, a walker drops from a balcony onto it, cracking the pane, before Daryl puts it down.

Rick tells everyone to be safe and the group separates.

In the basement, Siddiq gets attacked by a walker whose head is full of spiders. He barely manages to kill it and admits to Rick he is more scared of the spiders, to which Enid laughs at.

In a hallway, Gabriel drives a machete into a walker's head and leaves it hanging on a human evolution display. He and Anne smile at the irony of this.

By the stairs, Cyndie sees an old canoe and remembers an experience wwith her brother. Daryl relates to her and the two of them lift the canoe.

Back in the basement, Rick's group finds packages of seeds and beans. Rick thanks Anne for the lead, while she tells Gabriel that she knew of this because she once brought her class back when she was teaching.

While returning to the stairs, Maggie tells Michonne and Carol that Gregory called for an election at the Hilltopand lost, making Maggie the rightful leader. Michonne stops and looks at a display of politics and how to unite different colonies.

Shortly after, the whole group reunites and gingerly uses ropes to drag an old covered wagon down the stairs and over the glass floor. The glass finally gives way and Ezekiel falls through it, dangling by the rope. Before the walkers can bite him, Daryl shoots at one and Rick and the others finally pull him to safety. Carol joyfully kisses him to celebrate.

The group leaves D.C. and prepare to head back to their own communities.

On the road, Alden talks to Ken and Marco about blacksmithing at the Hilltop. In the back, Ezekiel proposes to Carol. She tells him to put the ring away and reminds him she doesn't want to be asked yet, especially on a horse. Ezekiel smiles and tells her he still loves her.

Rosita and Daryl catch up with everyone to inform them that the main bridge is out due to a storm. Rick tells Tara, Gabriel, Aaron and Anne to head back to Alexandria and the rest will go to an alternate route and spend the night at the Sanctuary.

On the woods, the wagon gets caught in the mud as walkers appear from the bushes. It finally budges and everyone rushes to gather the supplies until the walkers overwhelm them and they're forced to leave. Ken runs back to free his horses but is bitten in the arm by a walker and then kicked in the ribs by the horse.

Siddiq and Enid try to save him but Ken succumbs to blood loss and dies from his injuries. A saddened Maggie sobs by his side before putting him down.

At night, in Hilltop, Maggie breaks the news of Ken's death to his parents, Tammy and Earl. An emotional Tammy scolds Maggie for getting her son killed, reminding her that she voted for her in the election. Earl tries to calm her down but Tammy doesn't listen and criticizes Maggie's decision to supply the Saviors. A shocked Maggie offers to help with the funeral but Tammy declines and denies her from being present.

Later, the Hilltop gathers for Ken's funeral. Alden sings as Gregory gives a eulogy. Maggie holds Hershel and watches from the balcony.

At the Sanctuary, Rick and the group arrive to deliver supplies. Michonne points out graffiti that proclaims, "We are still Negan", and Daryl demands Justin to clean it up. Rick promises to the Saviors that he’ll continue to support them so they can get back on their feet. Everyone applauds him and treat him like a celebrity.

Daryl pulls Rick aside to tell him that he no longer wants to lead the place because he doesn't belong there and since it's factory, it can't produce crops. He suggests he return to Hilltop to check on Maggie and Hershel, but Rick argues he should return to Alexandria. "Things have changed," Rick says, but Daryl claims it’s because Rick changed them, before going out.

Outside, Carol follows Daryl and offers to take over the Sanctuary for him. She tells him about Zeke's proposal and says she wants to take her time. Daryl's surprised and asks if he should stay with her. She declines and rests her head on his shoulder.

In their trailer, Tammy mourns her son while Gregory gets Earl drunk and suggests Maggie doesn't have to be the leader anymore.

In the Sanctuary, Rick and Michonne settle into bed and Michonne asks if they did the right thing by letting Neganlive. However, Rick stands by his choice. She then proposes that they create a charter between the communities: laying out guidelines and punishment. Rick agrees and tells her how lucky he is to have found her. They kiss and make love.

Back at the Hilltop, Maggie takes Hershel out for a stroll and runs into Gregory, who tells her someone may have defaced Glenn's grave. Upset, she rushes towards the grave and is attacked by a hooded stranger, who also knocks over Hershel's stroller. Enid intervenes but gets pushed to the ground hard and is knocked out. Alden and Cyndie grab the assailant and Maggie rips off his hood to reveal a drunken Earl.

Maggie rushes over to Gregory's place and accuses him of trying to get her killed. He angrily reminds her that he built this place and tries to stab her with a knife, but she overpowers him and holds it to his neck.

The next day, Carol tells Ezekiel she's staying at Sanctuary and instructs Jerry to take care of him as they head off.

Daryl, Michonne and Rick arrive at the Hilltop to find the workers building gallows. Later, Rick asks Maggie to visit Alexandria but she says she can't because Negan’s there. He asks for her help in fixing the bridge, which includes providing supplies to the Sanctuary. She says she'll only agree if the Saviors agree to provide the labor and fuel. Rick says he can’t and he’s obliged to help, but Maggie disagrees and reminds her that he never ended up following her as he promised, but now he should.

In the night, the residents gather around the gallows as Maggie explains to her people that the punishment fits the crime. She looks on at Gregory, who has a noose around his neck and is sitting on a horse. Gregory pleads for someone to stop this, but no one moves. A couple of kids show up and Michonne yells for Maggie to stop but it’s too late as Daryl smacks the horse and it rides off, leaving Gregory to hang to death to everyone's shock.

Maggie tells her people that she wants this to be the last time they do something like this. A shocked Rick and Michonne look on as Maggie then orders Daryl to cut off the noose.

"The Bridge"
In Alexandria, Rick goes down a basement to talk to someone. He mentions that it been 35 days since Gregory's execution.

He talks about how everything has changed after the war and how the communities are working together on fixing a bridge, which will the link to their future. "We're making a new beginning", Rick says smiling with hope.

At a camp, which the communities have set up in the woods, Ezekiel explains to Henry how vital the bridge will be in connecting the communities. Carol hands Henry his stick, kisses him goodbye and tells Ezekiel she's still going to remain at the Sanctuary.

Rick plans a detonation with Eugene and Rosita that will serve to distract an oncoming herd. Nearby, Siddiq teaches Enid medicine as he stitches Cyndie's hand. Rick orders Siddiq to return home with the next crew and tells Enid he has confidence on her.

At Hilltop, Maggie rides a horse as Michonne arrives. She tells Maggie that a planned food supply delivery hasn't arrived at the Sanctuary, but Maggie claims that the ethanol didn't arrive either.

Jesus confirms they have a surplus of food but Maggie counters that without a working plow it may not last long. Michonne suggests they let Earl out to repair it but Maggie scoffs and says she's fine with waiting for the fuel to show up from the Sanctuary.

On the bridge, Aaron shares with Daryl his experience as a father with Gracie and tells him someday he'll make a great dad. Meanwhile, Henry arrives to give water to the workers. Justin shoves him down for not giving him extra water and starts drinking from the jug. Henry gets angry and knocks him down with his stick. Jed laughs and mocks Justin.

A furious Justin gets up to retaliate but Daryl stops him, saying that the kid’s just doing his job. Justin swings at him but Daryl dodges his swing and punches him in the face. They start fighting.

Rick arrives and stops them. He tells everyone to go back to work. He takes Daryl to his tent to calm him down, reminding him that they need the Saviors to help in building the bridge in spite of several deserters. However, Daryl says that the Saviors won’t fall in line just because he says so.

Rick explains that he wants everyone to be on the same side, and Daryl questions if they actually are, before leaving. Carol advises Rick to talk to him once he has calmed.

Back at Hilltop, Tammy begs Jesus to see Earl but he says the time isn't right, reminding her he tried to kill Maggie. Tammy grabs a stool and says she’s not moving until Maggie allows her to see him. Michonne overhears and tells Jesus to consider talking to Maggie about it, but he says it's not her concern. Michonne disagrees and proposes that they need to build something bigger than all of them.

At the camp, Anne draws a picture for Gabriel and laments that no one trusts her except him and Rick. Gabriel tells her that at first, no one trusted him either until Rick made it possible. She strokes his hand and thanks him for staying on her side.

At Hilltop, Maggie plays with Hershel while Jesus tells her that they should consider implementing official rules to handle situations like Earl, Negan and Gregory. She finally agrees.

After the conversation, Tammy is allowed to see her husband. She talks to him about his mistakes and forgives him. Maggie listens on and gets a little emotional. Later, she talks to Earl herself. He mentions how he became an alcoholic and doesn't remember seeing his son for the first time.

On the woods, Rosita and Arat blow up some explosive to lure a horde of walkers to another direction, far from the camp.

Elsewhere, Tara sits on a crane and radios Rick to update him on the walker distraction plan, before radioing Jerry, so he could turn on a siren.

Alden arrives to inform that Rick that none of the deserter Saviors made it back to the Sanctuary and their families are worried. Tara radios Rick again to warn him that the second siren didn't go off and the herd is coming.

Suddenly, the walkers arrive at the labor site and a commotion ensues. Jed panics and lets go of one of the giant logs, making it fall onto Aaron’s arm, crushing it. Daryl yells to the crew to lift the log while he double-knives the walkers around him. They lift the log but Aaron's arm is crushed. Daryl carries Aaron to the camp as Rick and the others arrive to hold off the walkers. Rick shoots the log pile, which crushes the remaining walkers.

Daryl rushes Aaron to the infirmary and Enid quickly decides they need to amputate. Aaron reluctantly agrees as Daryl ties the tourniquet. Enid amputates his arm.

Daryl angrily goes to confront Justin on why the second siren wasn't sounded. Justin claims the radio wasn’t charged and Daryl leaps at him, punching him repeatedly and hitting him with a frying pan. Carol begs for him to stop as the rest of the camp watches.

Back at Hilltop, Maggie tells Michonne she's open to creating common laws. She explains that her father, like Earl, used to drink and also deserved a second chance but Gregory got several chances and didn't change.

In the camp, at night, Rick tells Justin to take his things and leave and if he sees him again, a couple of stitches won't fix what he would do to him. He then goes to Enid and says that she did a good job with Aaron. Rick apologizes to Aaron for what happened. Aaron says that he couldn't know and claims that thanks to Rick: "It's not the end of the world anymore... We start a whole new one.".

Nearby, Anne asks Gabriel who the woman she drew for him was, and he says she was his organist that he loved and lost. She asks him if he is still afraid but is cut short when he kisses her. They smile and start to make out until Gabriel remembers he's supposed to be on watch. Anne replies that then he can watch, as she starts to unbuckle his pants.

In the camp, as everyone laughs and talks, Carol asks Ezekiel for the ring. He gets excited and is about to give a speech but she tells him that he can tell her the speech later. She puts on the ring and they hug and smile. Rick happily watches them from his tent.

Back in Alexandria, Rick finishes narrating his story to a locked up Negan.

Negan taunts him with Carl but an angry Rick shuts him up. He says he should be quiet and listen, but Negan says "You're not saving this world, Rick. You just get it ready for me".

On the guard post, Anne spots the helicopter from the crane and looks nervous.

In the woods, Justin hears something and sees someone he recognizes. He asks what they’re doing out here but is violently pulled aside.

"Warning Signs"
In a field, a group of walkers devour Justin's body. The walkers leave as he reanimates and meanders past a building with the words "Final Warning" painted on the side.

The next morning, Rick wakes up and kisses Michonne. He places his hand over Carl's handprint, before taking a stroll through Alexandria.

Later, he returns to his house and thanks Michonne for being amazing and for everything she does. He suggests that they could find other ways of building for the future, implying having a baby. Michonne kisses him and they make love.

On the road, Maggie and Kal are bringing food to the Sanctuary when they are stopped by a small group of Saviors, who question her about their missing people. Jed steals a tomato out of the back and takes a large bite. Maggie says she'll mark him down for it while the other Saviors let her pass. Suddenly, they notice a zombified Justin stumbling onto the road.

Back on Alexandria, Rick and Michonne spend a family day with Judith playing, having a picnic and reading stories. Suddenly, Scott runs up and informs them that Maggie found Justin as a walker, but it doesn't look like an accident.

At the camp, the Saviors are furious with the news of Justin's death. Alden promises they'll get to the bottom of it but is punched in the face by Jed, who claims he isn't one of them anymore. Carol steps in with her gun at her hip, stopping Jed.

The Saviors start accusing Daryl and Anne of being the culprits. They grab axes to retaliate when Rick rides in the middle of the group with his gun drawn and warns everyone to back off. Arat and Laura help to disarm the Saviors.

After they disperse, Rick questions Gabriel on where Anne was last night when Justin disappeared. Gabe vouches for her but Rick instructs him to keep an eye out for her.

Alden asks Rick if some of the Saviors can receive guns but Rick says they need to figure out what happened first. Maggie asks Rick who he thinks killed Rick, and he looks at Daryl.

Inside a tent, Gabriel tells Anne about Rick's suspicions and asks if she knows anything about Justin's disappearance, but she denies this asking him if he thinks she is hiding something before leaving.

Meanwhile, Rick confronts Daryl about Justin, suggesting he might have been shot with an arrow or bolt. "If I was going to kill him, I'd a done it in plain sight," he counters before saying the Saviors don’t deserve to have a new beginning while their dead friends didn’t get a chance.

Rick ends the conversation asking Daryl to try, reminding him that he once spared the man who left his brother on a rooftop to die. Daryl is left in thought.

In the woods, Maggie and Cyndie head to an abandoned house with a noisy roof which has attracted a small group of walkers. Maggie distracts them as Cyndie investigates. Another group of walkers breaks out of the barred-up front door and Maggie runs over to kill them. Cyndie nearly gets bit until Rick, Daryl and Rosita arrive to save her.

They check on Beatrice over the walkie but receive no response, so they try to find her and locate her unconscious in the woods. When she wakes up, she tells them she was attacked from behind and that Arat is missing.

Later, at the camp, Rick implores his team to find Arat before the Saviors find out and leave, delaying the bridge construction.

On the woods, Rick and Carol are searching for Arat. He says he's constantly tempted to kill Negan but stops himself by reminding himself to build life, not take it.

Elsewhere, Maggie admits to Daryl that what Rick’s doing is right for the future. They find a walker with a bolt in it and Daryl says, "I know who took Arat."

At night, Anne returns to the Junkyard and retrieves walkie. She radios the unknown man from the helicopter. He asks her if she has an "A or a B." She claims she's paid her dues but the man say for their deal to be on she'll need an A, and she promises them one tomorrow. Suddenly, Gabriel appears behind her and asks who she was talking to and if she had anything to do with Justin.

Anne admits she's been trading people for supplies and she was planning to trade Gabe and Rick back when she abducted them. She asks him to leave with her to a new place that is much better and is far away, but that he can't tell anyone. Gabe says he has to tell Rick, but she says, "All this time, I thought you were a B," before knocking him out with her walkie.

Back in the woods, Jed and D.J. ambush Carol and Rick. He holds Carol at knifepoint while Rick points a gun at his head. Jed explains to Rick that this is about getting their guns back for protection before leaving. Carol sneakily pulls a knife out of her sleeve and stabs him in the shoulder while Rick forces D.J. to his knees.

Meanwhile, Daryl and Maggie arrive at the "Final Warning" building to find Cyndie and a group from Oceanside holding up Arat. Cyndie emotionally reveals that this was their former settlement and recalls how Arat and the Saviors wiped out her people. Justin killed Beatrice's husband while Arat killed Cyndie's brother without mercy.

Cyndie says that they went along with Rick's rules because they thought they had to, until Maggie executed Gregory, "showing them the way". Since that moment, they have been killing the Saviors responsible for wiping out Oceanside.

Arat starts crying, claiming she had no choice but Cyndie reminds her how she smiled when she killed her brother. Arat begs Daryl and Maggie to help her but they walk away as Cyndie stabs her through the back of the head with a spear.

The next morning, the Saviors leave the campsite. On the road, Maggie tells Daryl that they gave Rick's way a chance, but it's time to see Negan.

"The Obliged"
In Alexandria, Michonne spends her days doing various errands around the community before going out in the nights to kill walkers on the woods. One night, she finds a walker hanged on a tree, shocking her. She tears up and almost gets killed by another walker, but kills it with a bat. She looks at the bat in horror, reminded of Negan.

In Hilltop, Maggie looks from her balcony with Hershel and then passes him to the babysitter. Later, she grabs a backpack and sneaks a crowbar into it, planning to head to Alexandria to take care of Negan. Jesus tries to convince her not to go but she instructs him to look after the Hilltop while she is gone.

At the camp, Eugene updates Rick on the status of the rising river in relation to their bridge construction. He apologizes for the bad news but Rick reminds him how valuable he is to them, making him smile.

Inside the main tent, Carol tells Rick she's taking her people back to Kingdom while the Sanctuary figures out who they want to be. He tearfully accepts her decision and looks down with sadness. Suddenly, Jerry arrives to warn Rick about Maggie's march to Alexandria. He immediately radios Rachel to warn his people not to let Maggie into the community, but Rachel picks up a magazine and ignores the request. Daryl overhears Rick and tells him he'll take him to Alexandria himself.

At Alexandria, Nora warns Michonne that Negan has been refusing to eat and she promises to handle it.

On the road, Daryl rides past the right turn and Rick angrily tells him to pull over. Rick asks what is he doing and Daryl reveals he messed with the relay so Maggie will be allowed into Alexandria to kill Negan. Rick jumps at him and the two wrestle until they roll into a giant ditch.

Back in Alexandria, Michonne brings Negan a meal and he says he'll only eat if she stays to talk to him. She agrees to stay for an hour.

In the ditch, Rick and Daryl argue over the merits of keeping Negan alive. Daryl reminds Rick how Negan turned him into a slave and how no one's on board with him sticking around. Rick says if they martyr Negan then Carl will have died for nothing. Daryl tells Rick he'd die for him and he would have for Carl too, but he has to just let him go. Rick says he never asked anyone to follow him, and Daryl says, "Maybe you should have."

In Alexandria, Negan tells Michonne he's not meant to be in the cell just as she's not meant to be doing random chores and looking after kids. Michonne shoots back that she's helping rebuild civilization. Negan admits he's happy his wife never got to see him like this, revealing that they wish they had a kid like Carl, but his wife got cancer and the world changed. Michonne says she sees Carl everywhere, and when Negan asks about her own kid, she angrily says Andre didn't make it. Negan says it’s better this way because his wife wasn't made for the apocalypse. "We were built for more," he says. Michonne reacts in anger and storms off.

At the junkyard, Anne kisses a tied up Father Gabriel before rolling up one of her walker experiments to kill him. He wakes up and begs her to stop before telling her he forgives her. She leans the walker over him and then stops, before putting another chloroform rag over his mouth to knock him out.

At the camp, Carol packs up to leave for the Kingdom when an armed Jed and several Saviors return. He reveals he knows that Oceanside's been killing the Saviors and he needs her to step aside so he can enact his revenge. Carol attacks him again, but more Saviors show up and a shoot-out ensues.

Rick and Daryl hear the shots from the ditch and are forced to help each other escape.

In Alexandria, Michonne returns to Negan's cell and acknowledges that they're similar but distinguishes that her worldview is a lot more positive than his. She finally gets him to eat, and as she leaves he asks her to see Lucille. Michonne tells him they don’t have the bat anymore, which causes him to violently bang his head against the wall.

In the ditch, walkers slip into as Rick and Daryl struggle to climb out. Rick finally crawls out of it and uses a tree branch to get Daryl out as well. With a horde building near the camp, Rick concocts a plan to lead them away while Daryl heads for the river.

Back in the junkyard, Gabriel wakes up untied and alone. He finds a note in his pocket from Anne telling him, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. I want to go fast." He breaks down in tears.

In their house, Michonne reads to Judith about baseball and gets triggered by a picture of a bat. On the way to Alexandria, Maggie notices the several walkers killed before by Michonne.

Elsewhere, as Rick is leading the horde away, he gets surrounded by another horde. Rick's horse panics and throws him into a pile of rebar, which stabs him through his side. Rick cries in pain but loses consciousness as the walkers close in.

"What Comes After"
In a dream state, Rick talks to his past self in the hospital room from when he was in a coma, telling him to “wake up, it’s time to go.” Suddenly, Rick sees a flock of birds outside transform into helicopters, and then looks down to find his abdomen covered in blood. His past jokingly tells him to wake up.

Back to reality, Rick wakes up, still pinned to the rebar. With walkers closing in, Rick uses his belt to painfully lift himself off of it. He miraculously crawls himself back on his horse and barely escapes the herd.

Elsewhere, Anne’s van breaks down on the road and her helicopter contact radios to see if she has the “A.” She lies and confirms she does, saying they’re ready for transport.

On the horse, Rick tells himself he needs to keep the horde close to lead them away. He goes in and out of consciousness and briefly dreams up an image of Hershel’s farm. He rides to an old shack and finds a tablecloth he uses as a tourniquet before passing out.

Back in Alexandria, Michonne spends time with Judith when Scott arrives to inform her that Maggie has arrived.

In another dream, Rick rides on horseback to Atlanta and finds Shane in their old police car. Suddenly he’s inside and they’re back at the field on the day he was shot, eating burgers. Rick tells Shane he’s looking for his family, and Shane jokes that it’s technically his family and asks if he is taking care of her daughter. Rick jokingly calls him an asshole. Shane compliments him for killing him in that field, biting Joe’s throat out, but then asks why he let Negan live. He encourages him to find his rage and “get it done.”

Rick looks down at the burgers, which are now dust, and apologizes to Shane for what he did to him. Shane forgives him and furiously tells him to wake up, waking Rick back into reality long enough to avoid several walkers on the shack. He barely escapes out the back and gets back on the horse.

Back in Alexandria, Maggie arrives outside Negan’s cell with a crowbar before getting stopped by Michonne. She tells Michonne that Negan should have died under that tree and Michonne asks if this is what Glenn would have wanted. “I don’t know what he would want, because I never got to say goodbye,” Maggie says. Michonne eventually gives her the keys to his cell and Maggie walks in. Negan chuckles at her as Maggie demands he get on his knees.

Negan taunts Maggie about killing Glenn and begs her to kill him. She opens the cell and slams him against the wall as he begs for death. He sobs and admits he wants to be reunited with his wife Lucille. She tells him to get back to his cell because he’s already worse than dead. Maggie walks outside and Michonne seems pleased she didn’t kill Negan. Suddenly, they get word about the shooting at the camp.

On the road, Rick clings to life as the herd continue to follow him. He hallucinates again and this time he’s back at the farm. Hershel greets him and boasts he has his leg back. Rick embraces him and apologizes for what happened to him and his family, but Hershel reminds him Maggie’s strong. Rick tells him he has to find his family but Hershel tells him he doesn’t and just has to wake up.

Rick wakes up before hallucinating again. He’s back in the hospital and sees a similar door, this time reading, “Don’t Open, Dead Outside.” He walks through it and finds a pile of dead bodies of all his friends, dead and alive. Rick walks among them until he sees Sasha. She tells him none of this is real and it’s time for him to wake up. ''“When you put all of us together, your family, you’re not going to find them because they’re not lost. And you’re not lost,”'' she tells him. Rick wakes up again and is thrown off the horse near the, now abandoned, camp as it runs off.

Rick finds a gun and shoots at a reanimated Norris and Kathy. The noise attracts the herd, so he summons the strength to limp away before collapsing near the bridge. Suddenly, Maggie, Carol, Ezekiel, and the others rush past him to kill the walkers. Michonne stops and sees Rick’s wound. She reminds him she fell in love with him because he’s a fighter. After killing the walkers, everyone stops to watch them. Michonne tells Rick how much she loves him and he tells her, “This isn’t real.” Michonne tells him to wake up and he does, now alone on the bridge.

The walkers approach as Rick hobbles away. He makes it across the bridge and turns around hoping to see the walkers fall through, to no avail. A walker makes its way inches away from Rick before getting shot in the head by a crossbow bolt. Rick watches as Daryl, Michonne, Maggie, and the rest arrive nearby.

Maggie and Michonne hatch a plan to divert the walkers but Rick won’t allow it. He notices the dynamite on the bridge, takes aim, and says to himself “I found them,” before shooting and igniting the dynamite. The bridge ignites and explodes as Michonne and the rest can only watch in horror. Assuming Rick is dead, Michonne screams out while Maggie and Carol comfort her. Daryl weeps and then walks away.

Nearby, the helicopter arrives to pick up Anne and her supposed “A.” She pulls out her gun but suddenly spots a wounded Rick on the riverbank, still alive. She quickly radios that she has a B but he’s strong and needs help immediately. She promises it’s not a trick and explains she’s just trying to save a friend who once saved her. They agree to her deal and lower the helicopter. Rick wakes up in the chopper hooked up to medical equipment and Anne assures him he’ll be fine and that “they” will save him. The helicopter flies away as the area below time lapses into decrepitude.

Sometime in the future, Magna’s group take on a herd of walkers. They quickly get overwhelmed but they get saved when the walkers around them get shot from the trees. Magna and her group escape into the woods to find a 9 year-old girl who asks for their names. They introduce themselves and ask what her name is. The girl picks up Carl’s hat and introduces herself as Judith Grimes.

"Who Are You Now?"
In the woods, Michonne talks to Rick's presence at the destroyed bridge about the future and how life continues and time passes by. Elsewhere, an older Daryl spearfish in a lake and watches as nature takes over walkers. In the Kingdom, a longer haired Carol wakes up next to Ezekiel and admires as everyone works in the community. Michonne finds a toy sheriff figure in an abandoned car that reminds her of Rick and grabs it before leaving the place.

Meanwhile, Rosita, Eugene, Laura, and Aaron find Judith in the woods along with Magna’s group. Wanting to take them in, Judith declares she won’t go return to Alexandria until they accept them. Rosita and the others reluctantly agree.

At the Kingdom, Carol and Jerry find a teenager Henry trying to fix the pipes. Ezekiel arrives and Henry sasses him about their deteriorating community, but Ezekiel warns him to watch his tone. Shortly after, Carol reminds Ezekiel that Henry isn’t wrong and he could benefit by moving to Hilltop and become Earl's apprentice.

In Alexandria, Magna’s group arrives at the gates and Judith assures them they’ll be safe. They get escorted inside, where Gracie runs over to Aaron. Rosita updates Siddiq on Yumiko’s condition and he escorts her to the infirmary. Magna tries to tag along but is stopped by D.J.

Michonne arrives on horseback and doesn’t look pleased to see the new arrivals. She frisks Magna and asks Eugene why they’re here. Aaron claims it was his call but Michonne reminds him it’s not his call to make. “I decided,” Judith tells her. Michonne scolds her but Aaron says they’re here now and they should decide their fate together, while Gabriel suggests they vote tomorrow. Michonne agrees and instructs her people to put them in holding. She leaves as her sheriff figurine falls out of her pocket and Judith picks it up.

Back in the Kingdom, Ezekiel bids farewell to Henry as he and Carol prepare to trek to Hilltop. Henry assures him they’ll see each other before the fair. Carol tells him that Henry inherited the dream part from him and Ezekiel mentions that the fair is his way to reunite the communities.

The next day, Magna’s group stands before the Alexandria council for questioning. They ask who their leader is and Magna claims they’re a team, while Luke explains their group used to be bigger. Gabriel asks about their former professions. Luke was a music teacher, Magna was a truck stop waitress, Connie was a journalist and Kelly was a high school student. Luke says they should trust them, but Michonne isn’t done with questions. She stands up and asks Magna to see her left hand, which has a prison tattoo. Michonne then calls her out for the hidden knife on her belt, which she puts on the table. Michonne storms out, saying she’ll second any of their motions. Magna tries to question her but is shut off.

In another room, Gabriel tests out the radio he found in the woods and tells Rosita he thinks there could still be more survivors out there they could help. He suggests they set up a remote amplifier to boost the signal and find new communities, and Rosita instructs him to stay in town while she and Eugene set it up. Rosita then kisses Gabe and he tells her she’s amazing.

In their house, Judith overhears Michonne pretending to talk to Rick, but Michonne catches her and tells her to do her homework and that they will train later.

On the road, Carol tells Henry they have to take a detour before going to Hilltop. Suddenly, they hear a woman scream and Henry runs over to help but finds Regina with a group of former Saviors. Carol runs over with a bow and arrow as Jed walks up with a gun and smiles.

On the way to set up the amplifier, Eugene questions Rosita about her fling with Gabe and reminds her some men prefer facts over fairy tales, implying he has feelings for her.

Back in Alexandria, Siddiq updates Magna’s group on Yumiko’s condition. Luke asks him if he has been since the start there but Siddiq confesses that he was also found in the woods but things were different in the past.

Elsewhere, Jed tells Carol and Henry that since the Sanctuary was abandoned they’ve had to get more desperate. He tells her he’s going to let them off since she spared him back in the day, but he’s taking all their stuff, including her ring. This angers Henry, who kicks up his stick and knocks Jed down. Jed throws Henry to the ground and Carol jumps in and gives him her ring. Jed thanks her and leaves with his people.

Outside of Negan’s cell, Judith reads off a math problem to him about two planes on a collision course. He stops her and asks if she’s ever seen a plane and she says no, so Negan suggests she worry about problems that apply to the real world. Judith then tells him that Michonne wants to make Magna’s group leave but she doesn’t want them to. Negan uses an anecdote from his childhood about a seemingly nice stray dog that turned violent, meaning just because someone looks nice doesn’t mean they are. Judith brushes it off and says the numbers don’t care if someone’s good or bad on the inside. Negan smiles as she leaves.

On top of a water tower, Eugene places the amplifier and begins to climb down before seeing a walker herd head toward them. Rosita screams for him to climb down as his pack falls and the horses get spooked. Part of the ladder falls so Eugene jumps down, injuring his knee. Rosita runs over with a makeshift crutch and the two run off into the woods.

At night, in Alexandria, Magna is scoled by her group for ruining their chance to stay. Luke asks Magna to hand over her necklace, which also doubles as a knife, but she’s reluctant. Magna says they should fight their way through Alexandria to take their supplies before heading out, but Connie tells her to leave Michonne and Judith out of it. Luke says they save the fighting for people who deserve it, and Magna finally surrenders the necklace.

In the woods, Carol and Henry camp inside an abandoned vehicle. Henry scolds her for not defending herself but she says that she couldn't risk him getting hurt. However, a while later, Carol returns to the Saviors camp. She lights a match and reminds Jed that they hurt her son. She drops the match, igniting and killing all the Saviors she poured gasoline on, including Jed and Regina.

Back in Alexandria, Magna sneaks around outside of Michonne’s house with another knife. She opens the door slightly but sees Michonne hug a toddler, and leaves. A moment later, Magna goes over to the door and hands Michonne her knife, telling her she was right about her. Michonne tells her they all have done things to survive. She closes the door and then turns around to find Judith on the staircase with her father’s gun. She says her dad would have wanted her to do what she did, and Michonne agrees.

Michonne tells her she’ll understand one day why she’s making Magna’s group leave. Judith reveals she knows Michonne still talks to Rick and Carl while she’s beginning to forget their voices, shocking her. As Judith leaves, Rick’s son runs up to Michonne and asks for food.

In the woods, Eugene slows down as he and Rosita keep running from the walkers. He suggests he stay behind to distract them and reveals he has something to tell her. She tells him not to make it weird and forces him to keep going.

Elsewhere, Carol and Henry find Daryl and ask him to come along.

In Alexandria, Michonne smells one of Rick’s old jackets and puts it on. Outside, Magna’s group prepares to leave by thanking everyone for their hospitality. Michonne rides up and says she’s going to instead escort them to Hilltop with Siddiq.

Back in the woods, Rosita and Eugene slide down a ditch and cover themselves in mud as the walkers get closer. They stay still but get shocked and horrified as the walkers pass by and whisper to themselves: ''“Where are they? ... They must be close... Don’t let them get away.”''

Cast
Season 9 (TV Series)/Starring|Starring Season 9 (TV Series)/Also Starring|Also Starring Season 9 (TV Series)/Co-Stars|Co-Stars Season 9 (TV Series)/Uncredited|Uncredited

Deaths

 * Bob Miller (Confirmed Fate)
 * Kenneth Sutton
 * Gregory
 * Justin (Alive and Zombified)
 * Beatrice's Husband (Confirmed Fate)
 * Arat
 * Kathy (Alive and Zombified)
 * Norris (Alive and Zombified)
 * Bernie (Confirmed Fate)
 * Jed
 * Regina
 * At least 1 unnamed Kingdom resident (Alive and Zombified)
 * At least 33 unnamed Saviors

Trivia

 * This season is mainly based on "Volume 22: A New Beginning" and "Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams" from the Comic Series.
 * This is the first season in which Angela Kang is the showrunner for The Walking Dead.
 * This season features a new opening sequence.
 * This season features two time skips:
 * "A New Beginning" takes place a year and a half after the events of All Out War.
 * Hershel Rhee, Maggie's son, is one year old at the start of the season.
 * The second time skip takes place at the end of "What Comes After", jumping about 6 years into the future.
 * With this, the current year of the apocalypse may be deduced to the year 2020, considering the year the outbreak began was 2010.
 * This is Andrew Lincoln's final season portraying Rick Grimes.
 * His last appearance is in episode 5, "What Comes After".
 * It is also the final episode this season featuring Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee.
 * As of "Who Are You Now?", Andrew Lincoln and Lauren Cohan have been removed from the opening credits.
 * Below are the changes made to the main cast in this season.
 * Katelyn Nacon (Enid) and Tom Payne (Jesus) have been added to the opening credits after being listed under "Also Starring" in previous seasons.
 * Lennie James (Morgan Jones) has been removed from the opening credits following his crossover to Fear The Walking Dead.
 * Callan McAuliffe (Alden) and Avi Nash (Siddiq) have been upgraded to series regulars after recurring appearances.undefined
 * Despite their status as series regulars, they are listed under "Also Starring".
 * Austin Amelio (Dwight) is no longer listed under "Also Starring".
 * Samantha Morton (Alpha) has been cast as a series regular for her first appearance this season.
 * Xander Berkeley (Gregory), Khary Payton (Ezekiel), and Pollyanna McIntosh (Anne) are still listed under "Also Starring", despite being credited as series regulars in previous seasons.
 * Following his character's death in "A New Beginning", Xander Berkeley has been removed from the credits.
 * Due to her character's departure in "What Comes After", Pollyanna McIntosh has been removed from the credits.
 * Starting with "Who Are You Now?", Khary Payton has been added to the opening credits.
 * Jon Bernthal (Shane Walsh), Scott Wilson (Hershel Greene) and Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha Williams) have returned for a guest appearance in Rick's final episode.
 * This is the final appearance of Wilson, due to his death on October 6th, 2018.
 * Michael Cudlitz directed the seventh episode of this season.undefined
 * The soundtrack used in the Season 9 Comic-Con trailer is "Take What's Mine" by Future Royalty.