Alexandria Safe-Zone (TV Series)

"Mercy for the lost. Vengeance for the plunderers."

- Alexandria's motto after the walker invasion

The Alexandria Safe-Zone, or simply Alexandria, is a walled-off community in AMC's The Walking Dead located in Alexandria, Virginia, near Washington, D.C.. It's also one of the three joint communities of the The Militia, the other communities being the Hilltop Colony and The Kingdom.

Pre-Apocalypse
The Alexandria-Safe Zone was established in a neighborhood outside of Alexandria, Virginia, near Washington, D.C.. The neighborhood was a planned upscale community with its own solar grid, cisterns and eco-based sewage filtration with pricing starting at the $800,000 to $1,400,000 range. It was designed for sustainability.

Post-Apocalypse
The upscale planned community was a safe-zone established by the military in the early days of the outbreak, containing a handful of supplies for a large group of people. Ohio Congresswoman Deanna Monroe and her family were attempting to evacuate D.C. and return to Ohio to help handle the crisis in her state. While doing so, they were directed by the military to the neighborhood, among other survivors from D.C., and ordered to wait for their return, which never occurred.

The evacuees used the supplies for their survival, including construction materials from a shopping mall nearby, which were used to build the wall. New survivors joined the community shortly thereafter. Deanna soon became their leader and saw promise and the rebirth of civilization in Alexandria. She believed who people were before the apocalypse mattered in rebuilding and sustaining the community. Reg Monroe, her husband, was a professor of architecture and took charge of building the walls. Her son, Aiden, was in ROTC and was made supply runner while her other son, Spencer, used the church tower as a sniper's post. She put Aaron and his boyfriend Eric Raleigh in charge of going outside to recruit more survivors due to their experience of working together for an NGO in Africa.

Over time, Aaron and Eric recruited enough survivors to establish a thriving community. However, they recruited a man named Davidson who was the leader of a small group. Davidson and his group did not agree with Deanna and could not work in the safe-zone. Deanna had them exiled and driven out by Aaron, Aiden, and Nicholas, another member of the community. Because of what occurred with recruiting a group of survivors, Deanna suspended the recruiting program from taking in larger groups and instead focused on lone survivors. As time went on, Deanna saw that her citizens were not prepared for the outside world and that being inside the walls since the beginning of the outbreak made them weak and inexperienced in surviving. Knowing that this made them vulnerable to the undead and to hostile survivors that wanted to attack the Safe-Zone, Deanna allowed Aaron and Eric to resume recruiting larger groups.

Arrival of Rick's Group
Aaron and Eric came across a group of fifteen survivors from Atlanta, Georgia led by Rick Grimes. They spent a couple of weeks observing them and decided that they were safe and well enough to join the safe-zone. Aaron approached Rick's group and led them back to Alexandria, despite Eric being injured during the recruiting process. All of Rick's group were interviewed by Deanna about who they were, their skills, and what they'd encountered out there.

After surrendering their weapons, they were given two houses. Rick was given the job of constable of Alexandria alongside Michonne. However, their group began clashing with the people of Alexandria. Some of the residents were ignorant of the new world and how to survive in it, causing them to act recklessly, which led to the deaths of Aiden and one of Rick's group members, Noah. Due to a lack of law and order, Rick was not allowed to punish a community member, Pete Anderson, for abusing his wife, Jessie, and their children, Ron and Sam. Rick retaliated by assaulting Pete and threatening the people of Alexandria. Gabriel Stokes, a priest Rick's group had met on the way to Alexandria, warned Deanna that the newcomers were dangerous and that they needed to be exiled from Alexandria before her people died at their hands.

Deanna held a meeting for the residents of Alexandria and Rick's group to decide if Rick and his people should leave their community. Meanwhile, Aaron and his new recruiting partner, Daryl Dixon, were outside Alexandria looking for survivors and came across a dangerous scavenging group called the Wolves. They encountered Morgan Jones, who had been traveling north from Georgia in search of Rick. During Morgan's rescue of Aaron and Daryl, Aaron accidentally left behind his bag of photos and evidence of Alexandria, which was later found by members of the Wolves. Later that night, Rick delivered a speech to the people of Alexandria after he found and killed several walkers that got in the safe-zone. After informing the citizens that their sheltered lives had made them soft and unaware of the real world and that it will get them killed, Pete barged in on the meeting and inadvertently killed Reg. Deanna ordered Rick to execute Pete. Aaron and Daryl returned with Morgan just as Rick was carrying out the execution.

Reforming the Community
Deanna realized Rick was right in every way and the community would listen to him from that point on. After discussing what happened earlier that day with Aaron and Daryl, Rick officially retired Aaron and Daryl and ended the recruitment program, as nothing but dangerous men were out there who would try to kill their people. While disposing of Pete's body miles from the safe-zone, Rick and Morgan discovered a large quarry near the safe-zone that contained thousands of walkers, explaining why the safe-zone hasn't been overrun in the past year and a half. The only blockade that kept the walkers from escaping were semi trucks on a ridge which was beginning to give way. Rick returned to the safe-zone and proposed that the community not only be taught how to defend themselves, but also to help release the herd and divert them away from the safe-zone. Carter, a member of the construction crew, was not accepting of Rick's rule or his plan. Before the community ventured out, Carter attempted to rally other residents against Rick and kill him. Eugene Porter overheard, however, and before he could be killed, Rick intervened and established his rule as a leader of the community, but spared Carter's life.

Using several teams of Rick's group and Alexandria residents, the community planned to divert the walkers onto a road and lead them away from the safe-zone. During a dry run of the plan, a truck gave way, forcing them to put Rick's plan into action ahead of schedule. Most of the plan goes smoothly until the residents couldn't defend themselves, forcing Rick and his group to kill the walkers. One of the walkers bit Carter, forcing Rick to kill him. Meanwhile at the Safe-Zone, the Wolves, who were led to Alexandria by finding Aaron's bag full of evidence of the community, began their attack, massacring many of the Alexandria residents. As the attack commenced, Carol Peletier, a member of Rick's group, shed her covert identity as a homemaker in order to save the community. Killing one of the Wolves, she donned his clothes and began to take out numerous group members alongside Morgan.

During the attack, the newly appointed doctor, Denise Cloyd, tried in vain to save the wounded citizens. Rosita, Aaron, Eric, and Maggie led the defense as Spencer spotted from the watch tower. A member of the Wolves was arriving with a truck full of walkers from Del Arno, intending to drive it through the walls of the community. Spencer managed to shoot and kill the driver, causing the truck to crash through the side of the watchtower and into one of the wall panels, setting off the horn. The sound attracted the attention of the rear half of the herd from the quarry to the direction of Alexandria. As the fight continued, Enid abandoned the community while Carl kept other residents safe, and Morgan captured the leader of the Wolves, Owen, and allowed a small group of them to flee. The rest were killed by Carol and the others. Morgan's reasoning for imprisoning Owen was to rehabilitate him and teach him to protect and preserve life rather than destroy it.

Walker Invasion
Losing nearly half of their team, only Michonne, Heath, and Scott returned to the safe-zone, followed by Rick, just as the herd began its siege on the community. Inside, tensions grew as residents, deeply troubled by the Wolves attack, became desperate for food, with some even committing suicide, seeing no way out. Relationships formed between Rick and Jessie and Tara and Denise. The community struggled to find ways out of the safe-zone, as it was assumed by many that Glenn, Nicholas, Sasha, Abraham, and Daryl had died outside. Spencer attempted to grapple his way out of the safe-zone, but he fell into the herd and nearly died. However, they received the signal of green balloons from Glenn, who was with Enid and survived the herd because Nicholas died saving him, giving hope to the community for getting out from the herd. However, the church tower that was damaged by a truck during the Wolves' attack collapsed and knocked down one of the panels, allowing the herd to enter the streets of Alexandria.

Meanwhile, Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham were attacked by a group looking for their members: Dwight, his wife Sherry, and her sister Tina who had escaped from the group because of the group's corrupt rule. Daryl encountered the three, with Tina dying, and Dwight and Sherry stealing Daryl's crossbow and motorcycle. Daryl found a fuel truck and picked up Sasha and Abraham. On the way back to Alexandria, they were alerted by Eugene of the herd and were stopped by a group of men who demanded everything from them including the fuel truck, telling them all their supplies now belong to Negan. Before the group could kill Sasha and Abraham, Daryl escaped and used the RPG Abraham found earlier to kill the men. The three then returned to the Safe-Zone.

As the herd filled the streets, Rick and Deanna attempted to cover the citizens while they retreated inside their houses, resulting in Deanna getting bitten. Rick, Carl, Michonne, Gabriel, Deanna, and Ron retreated into Jessie's house where she, Sam, and Rick's daughter Judith were residing. Aaron, Heath, and Spencer retreated into the infirmary with the wounded. Rosita, Tara, and Eugene retreated into the schoolhouse as Eugene radioed Daryl for assistance. Meanwhile, Morgan and Carol retreated into his house. Carol, however, followed Morgan bringing Denise to the prison cell earlier, as Owen had a cut with an infection. Carol went down to kill Owen, only to fight Morgan in order to get to him, prompting Morgan to knock Carol out and Morgan getting knocked out by Owen. He then took Denise hostage as Tara, Rosita, and Eugene entered the cell, taking her with him outside to the herd. As Owen and Denise navigated the herd, Owen was bitten while trying to save her. Carol then recovered consciousness and shot him. Owen sacrificed himself to save Denise as she ran to the infirmary with Aaron, Heath, Spencer, and other wounded members of the community.

In the Anderson house, Ron attacked Carl for everything Rick had done to his family and the safe-zone, attracting the herd to the house and in the garage. As Deanna was dying from her bite, she gave advice to Rick and Michonne to go after what they wanted in life and to lead and protect the Safe-Zone after she is gone, including looking after Spencer. The herd finally broke through the house. Rick's only plan was to cover themselves with the intestines of walkers and walk through the crowd to the armory. Deanna stayed behind, killing as many walkers as she could to distract them from Rick and the others before she died. As Rick, Carl, Michonne, Jessie, Sam, Ron, Judith, and Gabriel walked into the herd in the streets, Sam started crying for his mom, attracting the attention of the walkers.

Later on, Rick changed his plan to finding cars and driving the herd back to the quarry, but Jessie insisted that Judith be left with someone. Gabriel volunteered and took Judith into the church. As the group continued out, Sam had an emotional breakdown and began to cry, attracting the attention of the walkers and was devoured. Jessie, screaming in horror, was also devoured. As she wouldn't let go of Carl's hand, Rick chopped hers off. Ron points a gun at Rick for what happened, but Michonne drives her sword into his chest from behind. Ron's gun goes off and the bullet hits Carl's right eye. Rick and Michonne took Carl to the infirmary where Denise performs life-saving surgery. Eventually Rick led an attack on the Walkers, joined by his friends and the residents of Alexandria. The attack was repelled when Glenn, Enid, Daryl, Sasha and Abraham returned with a fuel truck, filled the lake with fuel and ignited it. The walkers were then drawn to the fire and walked into it, killing some, and providing a distraction for the rest, allowing the inhabitants to successfully rally and fight back, killing the rest of the zombies and liberating Alexandria.

A New World
After the attack, the citizens managed to rebuild the damaged wall panel and cleared the streets of walkers. In time, the expansion was completed and the safe-zone took in more houses and the church. People began to settle and grow relationships, such as Denise and Tara living together and Rick and Michonne growing closer. In time, the community also dug a small trench around the safe-zone blocked with cars and spikes and put up new defenses, giving the residents a new outlook on life in the community. Two months after the invasion, the community started to run low on supplies, prompting Rick and Daryl to go on a supply run for food and other necessities. They found a truck loaded with food, but it was stolen by a survivor the two met out on the road named Paul Rovia, who was nicknamed Jesus. After a spirited chase, the truck was lost in a lake and Rick and Daryl brought an unconscious Jesus back to the community, as Rick suspected he was from a settlement based on his clean appearance.

As Carl healed, he and Enid went into the woods, as did Spencer and Michonne, keeping her promise to look after Spencer. Carl, Enid, Spencer, and Michonne encountered a reanimated Deanna, who managed to escape the safe-zone. Carl believed, like he did with his own mother, that Spencer should be the one to put her down, by someone who loved her. Later that night, Rick returned with Daryl and Jesus, putting Jesus in the community's makeshift prison cell. That night, he and Michonne realized their love for each other and the two kiss and have sex. The next morning, while they are lying naked in bed, Paul escaped his cell and confronted Rick and Michonne.

Jesus revealed to Rick and the others that he saw potential with Alexandria and that they could help provide weapons and security for his settlement, as well as the others his group had been trading with. Jesus took Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, and Abraham to his colony, but not before rescuing members of his own group who were crashed and stranded, including Harlan Carson, a doctor. The group eventually arrived at Jesus's settlement, the Hilltop Colony. Jesus introduced the group to his leader, Gregory, to which Rick led Maggie to act on his behalf, like a leader. A small team of Hilltop then returned but with a message from Negan and an assassination attempt on Gregory's life. Jesus defended Rick's team after killing the assassin and explained to them that Negan is the leader of a group calling themselves the Saviors, and that they arrived at the Hilltop shortly after the completion of the walls. He says that they demanded half of their supplies for insurance that the Saviors would not kill them. After Daryl proposes the idea, Rick and the others agree to save Craig and eliminate Negan and the Saviors, thereby ensuring the continued safety of both the Hilltop and Alexandria.

Upon returning to Alexandria, Rick calls a town meeting and lays out the plan to the community. He says that if they do not act, it is only a matter of timer before the Saviors find Alexandria, just like the Wolves did. With food low and a new alliance on the table, there are no objections to the plan from the Alexandrians, except Morgan. He suggests trying to peacefully negotiate with the Saviors, but he is overridden by the majority. Later that evening, Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, Jesus and Andy, a Hilltop resident, draw up plans for the impending attack. Andy is able to provide a rough plan of both the interior and exterior of the Saviors' compound, having been inside to deliver supplies on one occasion. Although unsure about their exact numbers, Andy says that there are always at least 2 guards on duty and that there is no way in except the front door. The plan is to get in and out as quickly as possible and secure the weapons armory in order to ensure victory. Rick begins to formulate a plan to get in. Meanwhile, Tara and Denise discuss the goings on, and Tara decides to go on the planned supply run with Heath and admits her anxiety over Rick's plan. That same night, Abraham breaks up with Rosita and leaves her for Sasha, a relationship that had been brewing two months prior.

The next morning, Rick and a number of his best people including Michonne, Daryl, Abraham, Glenn, Rosita, Sasha, Carol, Aaron, and Maggie, as well as Jesus and Andy, head out in an RV and some cars. They stop along a road and use the vehicle horns to lure zombies<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> into<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> the area t o<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> decapitate<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;">. They<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> select the head<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> that<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> looks<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> most<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> like<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Gregory,<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> intending to use<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> it<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> as a decoy to trick<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> the Saviors<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;">. Glenn<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> and<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Heath<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> admit t heir<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> nerves<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> about the mission<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;">, having<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> never<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> killed<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> someone<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> before<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;">, and<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Carol<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> questions Rick's<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> decision<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> to<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> allow<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Maggie<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> on the mission. When<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Rick<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> punches<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> the<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> fake<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Gregory<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> head<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> to give the illusion<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> of<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> a<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> struggle<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;">, Andy<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> remarks<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> that<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> the<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Saviors<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> may<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> be<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> scary, but they<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> have<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> nothing<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> on Rick.The<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> group<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> goes<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> over the plan;<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> they<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> will<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> attack<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> just<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> before<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> dawn when<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> most<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> of the Saviors<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> will<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> be<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> asleep and the guards<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> will<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> be<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> tired<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;">. Rick reminds<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> them<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> that<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> this<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> is<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> how they protect<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Alexandria and ensure<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> they<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> have<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> enough<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> food<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> to<span style="color:rgb(45,45,45);font-size:14.08px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> eat. That night, using a Walker's head to imitate Gregory's, Andy allows access to the compound as the group covertly kills the Saviors, taking Craig back alive. The others then quietly infiltrate the building killing the Saviors in their sleep. While trying to open a locked door, Sasha and Abraham are attacked by a Savior who manages to sound the alarm before being killed. A furious shootout ensues. Carol prevents Maggie from joining the fight, while Jesus infiltrates the compound covertly. By sunrise, over 20 Saviors are dead, with no losses on Rick's side. Shaken from the experience, Heath immediately leaves on the supply run with Tara. As Michonne wonders which of the dead Saviors is Negan, a lone survivor attempts to escape on Daryl's stolen motorcycle but is shot off by Rosita and beaten down by Daryl. Over the walkie-talkie, it is revealed that a group of Saviors nearby have captured Carol and Maggie. Negotiations fail, and the Saviors take the two women hostage to another location. There, Carol struggles with her growing guilt over the number of people she has killed. Together, they are able to overcome their captors and kill all of them, including burning alive reinforcements that arrived on the scene.

Having killed almost twice the largest number of Saviors previously seen, the Alexandrians assume that the Savior threat has been eliminated, and the community settles into easy routines. Rosita begins a relationship with Spencer and Carol with Tobin, while Gabriel and Eugene take up guard duty and Rick and Michonne grow even closer. About a week after the attack on the Saviors, Denise persuades Daryl and Rosita to take her on a supply run to a nearby apothecary, and Eugene shows Abraham a factory where he plans to manufacture bullets. During the trip, Denise tries to demonstrate her readiness to confront the word, but on the way back, she is shot through the eye with a crossbow bolt, killing her. A group of a dozen Saviors including a scarred Dwight swarm out of the woods, with Eugene as a hostage. Dwight, clutching Daryl's crossbow, demands access to Alexandria and their supplies as retribution for their previous actions. Eugene spots Abraham hiding nearby, and diverts one of the Saviors towards him, before biting Dwight in the crotch. This creates a distraction and allows Abraha, Daryl, and Rosita to fight back, killing most of the Saviors and driving the rest away. Eugene is struck by a bullet in the crossfire and is taken back to Alexandria for medical attention.

The next morning, Michonne expresses Maggie's concern about an impending attack by the Saviors, but Rick is confident that if any surviving Saviors attack the community, they'll be ready. Carol, burdened by her past, quietly slips out of Alexandria early in the morning. Daryl, enraged by Denise's death by his own crossbow, hastily leaves Alexandria to exact revenge on the Saviors. Glenn, Michonne and Rosita follow him back to the area where Denise was killed, but all four of them are ambushed and captured by Dwight and 4 other Saviors. Daryl is shot in the process. Morgan and Rick take a car in pursuit of Carol and find that she has killed 4 Saviors that attacked her on the road. Rick realizes that the Saviors were dangerously close to Alexandria and not only are they aware of its location, but they are greater in number than previously thought. He laments that they didn't end the conflict when they attacked the compound, but rather, as Morgan said, they "started something".

Eventually, Rick leaves Morgan to find Carol alone, and head back to Alexandria. There, Maggie suffers complications with her pregnancy. With Glenn, Daryl, Rosita and Michonne still gone, Rick takes as many able bodies as he can with him in the RV including Carl, Sasha, Abraham, Eugene, and Aaron to escort Maggie to Hilltop to Dr. Carson, and leaves Gabriel in charge of Alexandria. They head for the Hilltop to get Maggie medical attention but find that whatever road they take, their path is blocked by Saviors. Each time, their numbers increase, their roadblocks and diversions becoming more elaborate and indicative of their vast manpower. Rick becomes increasingly concerned with the situation. Unable to return to Alexandria, they devise a plan to get to the Hilltop on foot, but are herded by the Saviors in a large circle, ending up back on the road and surrounded by over 100 men. Forced to their knees and joined by Glenn, Daryl, Michonne and Rosita, they are confronted by Negan face to face. Negan berates the Alexandrians, particularly Rick, for their actions, notably their ruthless plunder of the Savior compound and murder of around 50 Saviors in total. As punishment, Negan selects one of the group at random and beats them to death with his baseball bat, Lucille.

Life Under Negan
After an elaborate game of eeny meeny miny moe, Negan randomly selects Abraham from the lineup and savagely beats him to death with Lucille. Delighting in the deed, Negan further antagonizes the group, particularly Rosita. With the last of his strength, Daryl leaps to his feet and punches Negan in the face, but is quickly subdued by Saviors and put back in line. In retaliation, Negan brutally smashes Glenn over the head, grievously injuring him. He subsequently beats him to death. After taking Rick on a journey to the road block of logs and then back again, he succeeds in breaking Rick down and leading him to submission. With the group shaken and traumatized, Negan dedicates his rule over Alexandria and promises to come soon for their supplies, taking Daryl with him as a prisoner. After the Saviors leave, a distraught Maggie struggles to her feet and demands that Rick and the others go back to Alexandria to "get ready" for war. Rick tells her that they would all die against such a powerful opponent. Sasha volunteers to take Maggie to Hilltop and keep her safe. After loading Abraham and Glenn's bodies in the RV, the rest of the group returned to Alexandria.

A few days later, Negan arrives at Alexandria with over 30 Saviors and a captive Daryl, to pick up half of Alexandria's offerings. He meets Spencer at the gate, who was preparing to leave the safe zone with Rosita to scavenge for supplies. Rick meets Negan and notes that he came earlier than planned and opens the gate for him. Negan strides into Alexandria and thrusts Lucille into Rick's hands, saying, "Hold this." While Negan exclaims at the beauty of the town, Rick tries to check in with Daryl, whose face is swollen and bruised, but Negan forbids Rick or any of the Alexandrians from speaking to him, otherwise they will face consequences. Rick tells Negan that they already set aside half of their supplies, but Negan says he'll be the one to decide which supplies to take. Arat, one of Negan's lieutenants, orders the Saviors to start searching the houses. Dwight confiscates Rosita and Spencer's guns and taunts them by taking Rosita's hat and pouring her water out. He orders them to bring back Daryl's motorcycle. Rosita and Spencer leave Alexandria.

Back in Alexandria, Saviors haul furniture and other valuable supplies out of residents' homes. Negan asks Rick about Maggie's whereabouts, but at Gabriel's silent prompt, Rick implies that she didn't make it. At the graveyard, Negan reveals Rick his plans about making Maggie his "wife" but is interrupted by a gunshot from Carl who gets into a heated argument with a savior. After Negan successfully negotiates with Carl, he orders them to give the saviors all their guns and ammunition.

After taunting Rick multiple times inside and outside the Armory, Arat arrives with Olivia, stating that two of the guns went missing. Negan, orders Rick to find them or he will kill Olivia. While Rick, Gabriel, and Aaron search Spencer's house for the missing guns, Rick commends Gabriel on his Maggie ruse with Negan earlier at the graveyard: "It was quick thinking. Thank you." Gabriel is optimistic that they will prevail in the end, despite Rick's insistence that there is no way out. Rick then finds the missing guns stashed in the floor air vent of Spencer's house, along with stolen food and liquor. After Rick gives Negan the missing guns, including Michonnes secret rifle, the Saviors leave Alexandria, burning all the matresses on their way back.

Later that day Rick is confronted in his bedroom by a frustrated Michonne, who wants to fight the Saviors. Rick confesses that Judith is Shane's child and not his, but that he came to terms with it in order to protect her. He says that they must learn to accept the Saviors' authority if they are to survive. After returning Daryl's bike to Dwight, Rosita demands that Eugene makes her a bullet.

The next day, Enid leaves Alexandria to look for Maggie and is followed by Carl. Together they make it to the Hilltop during a "visit" of a large group of Saviors, led by Simon. Enid sneaks inside the Hilltop and stays there, while Carl, along with Jesus, hides in one of the Saviors' truck to get into their compound.

Meanwhile, Tara returns without Heath after spending two weeks on a supply run, only to be informed about what happened since she left after the attack on the Satellite Station Outpost. While mourning Denise, Rosita asks her if she found a place with weapons, with Tara replying in the negative, concealing the fact that she had found one.

Rosita and Eugene leave to go to the bullet factory, Spencer and Gabriel to scavenge. When they all return, they find the saviors back in Alexandria, with Negan having Carl with him after he got into the Sanctuary. They go to Rick's house where Olivia is taking care of Judith. Earlier, when he arrived with his Saviors, Olivia nervously tells Negan that Rick is out scavenging and might not return that day. Negan crudely proposes sexual relations with Olivia while they wait for Rick; Olivia slaps him, though he laughs if off. Negan then takes a tour at rick's house, eventually finding Judith. He is then sitting on Rick's porch with Carl and Judith and thinking about killing Rick and Carl to settle with the saviors into Alexandria.

Later, Negan shaves his beard off and makes pasta with Carl, while Olivia is making him lemonade. After waiting at the table with Carl, Judith and Olivia, Negan puts Lucille on Rick's chair, saying he won't wait for him any longer before they eat.

In the church, Gabriel urges Rosita to refrain from attacking Negan by herself. He recommends she wait for the right moment so the community can take him down together, assuring her that they need her. Spencer meanwhile cleans up his house and dresses in nice clothes. On his way to Negan he stops by Rosita’s house and reveals that he’s planning to get close to Negan so he can strike against him at some point in the future. Rosita agrees to join him for dinner afterward.

Aaron and Rick arrive then at the gate after finding supplies in a houseboat. Aaron then gets severely beaten by the Saviors while Rick has to watch in distress. After the saviors are done, Rick helps Aaron on his feet and they both go to inner Alexandria.

Spencer and Negan meet and share a drink on the porch, and Negan starts to become sympathetic for him. Spencer then offers him a game of pool. During the game, with most of the community members including Rosita watching them, Spencer tries to convince Negan to kill Rick and put him in charge. After listening to his plan, Negan confronts him outright, asking why he's not doing it himself. He suggests a reason, telling him he has no guts. In that moment he stabs Spencer in the waist and guts him on the street in front of the shocked Alexandrians. "You did have guts!" he exclaims in amusement as Spencer clutches his innards, "I've never been so wrong in my whole life!"

As Negan retrieves Lucille and playfully asks if any of the onlookers wants to finish the game of pool, Rosita snaps and tries to shoot Negan with the bullet Eugene made for her but hits Lucille instead. Negan rages at her, while Arat wrestles Rosita to the ground threatening her with a knife. Negan finds the bullet casing and identifies it as home made. He demands to know who made the bullet. Rosita lies and claims she made it herself as she presses her cheek against Arat’s knife, cutting her own face. Negan calls her bluff. He orders Arat to kill someone; she turns and shoots Olivia dead as Rosita screams, “It was me!” Rick shows up at the scene and is gleefully greeted by Negan, who explains to him the preceding events, including Carl's rampage at the Sanctuary, claiming that he has in fact been reasonable with Rick and his people. Rick struggles to contain himself and demands that Negan leave. Negan agrees to go as soon as he learns who made the bullet. Tara falsely confesses to making the bullet. As the Saviors turn their guns on her, Eugene steps up and admits it was him. Negan and his crew leave with Eugene in tow. Upon seeing that Spencer is reanimating, Rick angrily stabs him in the head.

That night, Michonne informs Rick that there are more Saviors than they thought, having witnessed a huge army of them on the road, but that they should still fight, for Judith, for Carl, for Alexandria and the Hilltop: “For all of us.” “I know that now,” Rick agrees. The next day they depart to the Hilltop alongside Tara, Rosita, and Carl and are reunited there with Maggie, Sasha, Daryl, Jesus, and Enid. Rick tells Maggie that she was right; they need to fight the Saviors. With everyone freshly motivated, they stride towards the mansion with renewed purpose, determined to organize a resistance movement to fight and ultimately defeat the Saviors for good

That night, Gabriel is watched by an unknown figure with binoculars as he stands guard at Alexandria.

The March to War
As he stands watch at Alexandria, Gabriel hears something from within the safezone. Investigating, he makes his way through the pantry, where he is ambushed by a hidden assailant. He is forced to take all the food and supplies and leave the town in a car. The figure is later revealed to be Tamiel, one of the members at the Junkyard, and she forces him to raid the pantry, and they drive to the Junkyard.

At the Hilltop, Rick and the group argue with Gregory over fighting the Saviors. He rudely declines to get involved, and the Alexandrians leave the house in frustration. Nevertheless, around a dozen people at the Hilltop volunteer on their own to help them fight the Saviors. Rick says that they need more people, despite Daryl's suggestion that they simply blow up The Sanctuary. Jesus tells them that they should talk to Ezekiel. He leads them to the Kingdom to try and convince Ezekiel to fight the Saviors with them. Rick and his people are impressed by the numbers the Kingdom has, but Rosita is sceptical of their fighting capabilities. They reunited with Morgan who takes them to see Ezekiel, and they present their case before him. Despite being told of the fates of Glenn and Abraham. Morgan is unwilling to support an assault against the Saviors.The next day, Ezekiel announces that the Kingdom will not join Alexandria in their fight for fear of the loses they would incur. He offers to let Daryl stay at the Kingdom to avoid capture.

When Rick and the rest of the group return to Alexandria, the a group of Saviors led by Simon arrive in search of Daryl. After they turn the town upside down, Simon goes to the pantry to find it completely empty. Aaron lies about it, saying that it's getting harder to find things for themselves since their priority is finding things for Negan. Simon mocks them and reminds Rick that their next offering is due soon. When the Saviors leave, Rick and others are told about Gabriel's dissapearence. Rosita is convinced be betrayed them, but Rick is certain he wouldn't do that. They investigate the pantry, where Rick finds a notebook and a note that reads "BOAT". Rick, Michonne, Tara, Rosita, and Aaron go to the boat and search for Gabriel. After following tracks, they end up being surrounded by a large group of people, armed with melee weapons. Rick smiles confidently.

After being escorted into a clearing in a large Junkyard, Rick meets Jadis, the leader of the new group. He about how everything they do is for the Saviors, and tries to convince them to join them and fight the Saviors. Jadis refuses, and signals her people to attack Rick and the group. Gabriel, who was brought out for Rick to see, holds Tamiel hostage and tells them that if they join the group in fighting them, they will be rewarded with whatever they desire. Jadis tells Tamiel and Brion to show Rick "Up Up Up". He is taken onto a large mound of trash and pushed into a pit. There, he is forced to fight Winslow, a severely decayed walker with spikes pierced into its body, to prove that he is worthy. After a struggle, Rick decapitates Winslow and Jadis tells him that if Rick and his people finds enough guns, Jadis and the Scavengers will fight with them.

Rick and Michonne go out to find weapons. After two days, Michonne tells Rick that they should get back to Alexandria. Rick wants to stay out a little longer. They eventually find a school once used as a temporary military base, filled with walkers that are still wearing their guns. The two fall through the roof and discover crates of unopened food and water, courtesy of the US Military. The next day, they make a plan to close a gap in a fence and kill all of the walkers. While pushing the car, a walker stuck on metal attempts to walk forward, causing the trigger of the gun to be pressed, and the weapon fires towards Michonne. She jumps in the trunk and is able to get out of the car through the roof. They fight off the walkers by splitting up and taking out two groups of walkers. Rick sees a deer and attempts to shoot it but falls off the ferris wheel he had climbed. Surrounded by walkers, he runs out of bullets and uses the deer to distract them as he hides. Michonne, thinking he's dead, drops her sword and begins to cry. Rick emerges out of a box and the two start killing walkers. They collect all the guns and pack up. Michonne is sullen and quiet on the trip home. Rick tells her that she was right when she said they needed to fight, and that what he thought they could live like under Negan's rule wasn't living at all. He says that they need to be prepared to lose one another in the upcoming war, because their struggle is n o longer about themselves, but about building a future worth living. They deliver the guns, 63 of them, to the Scavengers. Jadis tells Rick that they will need twice the amount of weapons that were given to them. They go back to Alexandria, where Tara tells Rick about Oceanside.

The Wall
The safe-zone walls are made out of mostly corrugated iron sheets, supported by steel tubing, which act as braces supporting the structure. The structure was erected by Reg Monroe and his sons using various materials gathered from the surrounding area, notably a shopping mall construction as noted by Deanna. Other residents also helped them.

Reg Monroe was the person behind the engineering of the wall, designing it to be strong enough to withstand the walkers.

However, even with all of the braces and supports used, the charred watchtower toppled over and the wall was unable to withstand the force of impact and gave way, allowing the large herd of walkers to enter the community.

Following the events of "No Way Out", the survivors worked together by rebuilding walls as well as completing the expansion, adding more houses into the community, plus a church.

Inhabitants
In "Knots Untie", Paul Rovia asks whether if the population of Alexandria is 54, to which Maggie quickly replies that there are more. It is unknown whether 54 is accurate, but the population appears to stand around that number.

Grimes Family

 * Rick Grimes - Leader of the community
 * Carl Grimes - Student
 * Judith Grimes

Monroe Family

 * Deanna Monroe - Former leader of the community; bitten and then put down as a walker by Spencer
 * Reg Monroe - Community architect; killed by Pete Anderson
 * Aiden Monroe - Supply runner; impaled on metal bars and devoured by zombies
 * Spencer Monroe - Lookout; gutted by Negan, later stabbed by Rick after reanimation

Anderson Family

 * Pete Anderson - Community doctor; killed by Rick Grimes
 * Jessie Anderson - Pantry worker; killed by zombies
 * Ron Anderson - Student; killed by Michonne
 * Sam Anderson - Student; killed by zombies

Miller Family

 * Bob Miller
 * Natalie Miller - Killed by an unnamed Wolf

Supply Runners

 * Scott
 * Tara Chambler
 * Glenn Rhee - Killed by Negan
 * Nicholas - Committed suicide
 * Annie - Killed by zombies
 * Noah - Killed by zombies
 * Will - Killed by zombies, later stabbed by Nicholas

Construction Crew

 * Tobin
 * Bruce
 * Francine
 * Jake
 * Abraham Ford - Foreman; killed by Negan
 * Tommy - Killed by zombies
 * Carter - Bitten by a zombie, stabbed by Rick Grimes

Other Residents

 * Michonne - Former constable
 * Rosita Espinosa - Medical assistant
 * Gabriel Stokes - Priest
 * Aaron - Former recruiter
 * Eric Raleigh - Former recruiter
 * Mikey - Former student
 * Kent
 * Barbara
 * Anna
 * Rosemary
 * Olivia - Armory/inventory chief; shot by Arat
 * Denise Cloyd - Community medic; shot through the eye socket by Dwight
 * David - Killed by zombies
 * Sturgess - Gardener; killed by zombies
 * Barnes - Killed by zombies
 * Holly - Guard; stabbed by an unnamed Wolf and bled to death
 * Shelly Neudermeyer - Killed by an unnamed Wolf
 * Erin - Gutted by Aphid and stabbed in the back of the head by Carol Peletier
 * Richards - Guard; burned to death by unnamed Wolf
 * Betsy - Committed suicide
 * Stacy - Killed by an unnamed Wolf
 * Michael - Killed by an unnamed Wolf
 * Alexandria Resident 1 - Either killed by Wolves or zombies
 * Numerous other residents

Former Residents

 * Carol Peletier - Former cook; moved to The Kingdom
 * Morgan Jones - Moved to The Kingdom
 * Daryl Dixon - Former recruiter; moved to The Kingdom, later to The Hilltop
 * Maggie Greene - Former assistant to Deanna; moved to The Hilltop
 * Enid - Student; moved to The Hilltop
 * Eugene Porter - Former engineer; taken captive to The Sanctuary
 * Davidson - Exiled, fate unknown
 * Heath - Former supply runner; dissappeared, fate unknown
 * Sasha Williams - Former lookout; moved to The Hilltop, committed suicide
 * One Woman - Exiled, fate unknown
 * One Man - Exiled, fate unknown

Deaths

 * Carter Dilley - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Jeremy Freeborn - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Alvin Gerry - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Annabel Culver - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Elizabeth Browne - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Jessica Molla - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Kim Myso - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Lucy Wong - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Brian Struzan - Died before Rick's group showed up.
 * Reg Monroe - Throat accidentally slit by Pete in front of the community in a drunken rage.
 * Pete Anderson - At Deanna's order, shot in the head by Rick as retribution for Reg's death.
 * Shelly Neudermeyer - Slashed in the head by an unnamed Wolf.
 * Richards - Burnt to death by a Molotov thrown by an unnamed Wolf; later put down by Maggie.
 * Aphid - Stabbed in the head by Carol.
 * Erin - Gutted by Aphid and stabbed in the head by Carol to prevent reanimation.
 * Holly - stabbed by an unnamed Wolf and died of blood loss.
 * Natalie Miller - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Michael - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Stacy - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Bobby - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Dinesh - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Dan - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Samantha - Killed by the Wolves.
 * O'Hara - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Charlyne - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Jeffrey - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Park - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Adrian - Killed by the Wolves.
 * Many unnamed Wolves - Many died during their assault on the Alexandria Safe-Zone.
 * Betsy - Committed suicide after learning of her husband's death.
 * Deanna Monroe - Bitten and then put down as a walker by Spencer Monroe.
 * Sam Anderson - Devoured by walkers when they break into Alexandria.
 * Jessie Anderson - Devoured by walkers when they break into Alexandria.
 * Ron Anderson - Stabbed by Michonne, devoured by walkers when they break into Alexandria.
 * Owen - Shot by Carol; bitten by walkers, then put down by Morgan.
 * Maya - Killed when walkers break into Alexandria.
 * Ted - Killed when walkers break into Alexandria.
 * Pascal - Killed when walkers break into Alexandria.
 * Lucy - Killed when walkers break into Alexandria.
 * Spencer Monroe - Gutted by Negan; stabbed by Rick after reanimation.
 * Olivia - Shot by Arat.
 * Roy - Eaten alive by the zombified Sasha.
 * Farron - Thrown off the balcony by Michonne.
 * At least 3 unnamed Saviors.
 * At least 20 unnamed Scavengers.
 * At least 1 unnamed Kingdom soldier.
 * At least 2 unnamed Alexandria residents.

Appearances
{{scroll
 * content ====TV Series===

Season 5

 * "The Distance"
 * "Remember"
 * "Forget"
 * "Spend"
 * "Try"
 * "Conquer"

Season 6

 * "First Time Again"
 * "JSS"
 * "Thank You"
 * "Here's Not Here"
 * "Now"
 * "Heads Up"
 * "Start to Finish"
 * "No Way Out"
 * "The Next World"
 * "Knots Untie"
 * "Not Tomorrow Yet"
 * "Twice as Far"
 * "East"
 * "Last Day on Earth"

Season 7
}}
 * "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" (Dream)
 * "Service"
 * "Go Getters"
 * "Swear"
 * "Sing Me a Song"
 * "Hearts Still Beating"
 * "Rock in the Road"
 * "Say Yes"
 * "Something They Need"
 * "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life"

Trivia

 * The neighborhood used for filming is in the town of Senoia, adjacent to where Woodbury was filmed. In fact, the water tower and the Governor's apartment building can be seen in several episodes.
 * AMC put up a virtual tour of the set online. It can be found here.
 * In "Knots Untie", it was confirmed by Maggie that the Alexandria Safe-Zone has over fifty residents living in the community.