Issue 66

Issue 66 is the sixty-sixth issue of The Walking Dead and part five and the finale of Volume 11: Fear the Hunters.

Plot Synopsis
Realizing Rick's group has the advantage, Chris is begging Rick to leave them alone. Rick reminds Chris he wasn't saying that a few minutes ago, when he admitted they were intending to kill all of Rick's group. Rick taunts the Hunters that perhaps his group would eat them instead. Telling Gabriel not to watch, he commands the others to put Chris on the picnic table and hold him down.

The comic shows a show-reel of a massacre, with the Hunters being killed with knifes, Michonne's katana, and Rick's axe, with their bodies being burned. Gabriel is horrified by what they have done.

Abraham states that they had to kill the Hunters, otherwise they would still be after them. Rick agrees, and says that doesn't mean that have to like what they did. Gabriel disagrees, and says there's no way to justify the slaughter. Abraham gets angry with Gabriel, but Rick calms him. Rick reminds Gabriel that the Hunters ate their children, and they were after his people too. He points out to Gabriel that not letting people inside his church before meant they were prey for the Hunters. Rick suggests they go back to the others.

When they arrive back, a sobbing Maggie is delighted and relieved. Andrea asks what's wrong and asks if Dale is dead. He isn't, she was crying for Glenn's pain and the situation with the Hunters. Rick states it's over, and doesn't reply when she asks what he meant by that. Rick meets Carl, who blames him for leaving again. Rick apologizes and hugs him.

Andrea and Dale are in the bedroom. Dale says he would've given anything to see Chris' face when Rick jumped him. Rick shows up and Dale wants to talk with him. Andrea takes Carl and Sophia to another room. Dale wanted to thank Rick for being a leader in their group. He apologizes for his past accusations, saying that it may be Rick's fault that lot of people are dead, but he also knows that Rick's the reason anyone from their party is alive at all. Having made their peace, Rick leaves Dale, who asks for Andrea. Michonne asks about Dale, and Rick responds that he can't hold on for long. Rick says they're here again, the never ending cycle of death. Michonne says they should leave this place, as their food is running out. Rick agrees and says they'll deal with it the next day.

In the night, Andrea begins to cry. Dale has died, and Rick wakes up to a gunshot. When he realizes what had happened, he sits to think about it.

In the morning, everyone has gathered in front of Dale's grave. After awhile, everyone leaves, except Rick. He assumes that Abraham is behind him, and begins to talk about the massacre of the Hunters. He says it haunts him, and can't imagine what would happen if Carl were to know. He then turns, and realizes Carl is standing behind him instead of Abraham, and they both start to cry. Carl reveals that he killed Ben.

Credits

 * Rick Grimes
 * Carl Grimes
 * Morgan Jones
 * Michonne
 * Glenn
 * Maggie Greene
 * Sophia
 * Andrea
 * Dale
 * Sgt. Abraham Ford
 * Rosita Espinosa
 * Dr. Eugene Porter
 * Fr. Gabriel Stokes
 * Chris
 * Theresa
 * David
 * Albert
 * Greg
 * Charlie

Deaths

 * Dale
 * Chris
 * Theresa
 * David
 * Albert
 * Greg
 * Charlie

Trivia

 * This issue is one of the few issues with no zombies, including the cover.
 * This issue has the most deaths (7), since Issue 48.