| “ | There's no perfect modeling, no -- no way to predict if today is the last day. If the world lasts a year or two... or forever. Maybe all we get to know is now. And whether we make a small mark on this world... or we change it entirely, it's really about those little pieces of now that get us there, those small steps that move us forward, keep us growing and evolving. 'Cause all of those moments put together, that's a life. And that's everything.
―Elton's closing monologue.[src]
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Elton Ortiz is one of two deuteragonists and a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead: World Beyond. He is the son of Isaac and Amelia Ortiz and the brother of unborn Esmerelda Ortiz. He was a student and a karate instructor at the Campus Colony of Omaha, one of three cities part of the Alliance of the Three.
Elton joins forces with Iris, Hope, and Silas on their quest to search for the sisters' father in New York in order to see the outside world and find purpose in life. He later becomes a resident of the Perimeter where he forms a close bond with Asha.
While evading the Civic Republic Military after the Perimeter's fall, Elton's arm is amputated after being bitten by an empty, though he's able to recover and partake in the Endlings trek to Portland.
Overview[]
Thoughtful, analytical, and intellectually curious, fifteen-year-old Elton is both an utter innocent and a wise old soul. An orphan of the apocalypse, Elton is Zen-like and completely at peace with the statistical probability that humankind is only a few years from extinction.[2]
Amongst his friends, Elton is depicted as being the most scientifically minded member of the group, often taking an interest in nature and documenting it along their journey. Elton is innovative, crafting Iris a weapon out of a dummy S-Pole and a Triceratops horn. He is also one of the most excited to go on the Endlings' cross-country journey to help everyone find out who they are.
However, Elton also has a pessimistic view of the future of the world, believing that his generation is the last of humanity, the endlings of the human race, causing Hope to name their group the Endlings. The journey changes Elton profoundly, giving him a more optimistic view on the future and humanity's prospects.
Amongst the group, Elton is the least prepared to face the dangers of the world at first. Although Elton wears a suit that protects him against walker bites, he chooses to arm himself with a fisherman unlike the other Endlings more practical choices of weapons. While Elton is seen clutching a small knife on a few occasions as well, he never actually makes use of it. While Elton often has his fisherman close to hand, it almost never serves a practical purpose, making it unclear why Elton chose to bring it instead of a more practical weapon. The events at Hvass High School rattle Elton to the point that he initially agrees to join Felix and Huck in convincing the others to turn back, but he ultimately changes his mind.
Elton proves to be the last of the Endlings to kill an empty, finding his courage while defending an injured Percy and improvising to take down a small herd using his fisherman and Silas' Wrench. Following this, Elton becomes more courageous, arming himself with a more practical axe and actively joining his friends in fighting empties. During the Battle of the Perimeter, Elton bravely faces down his execution and grabs a crossbow during the firefight, although he never needs to use it. Elton later risks his life to help Silas break into the research facility to steal antibiotics for Dennis, going so far as to nonchalantly knock Webb out from behind, and throws himself into danger to save Hope, getting bitten in the process.
Pre-Apocalypse[]
Lincoln, Nebraska[]
Elton was born in 2005 in Lincoln, Nebraska to scientist parents Isaac and Amelia Ortiz. He was exposed to science at an early age and inherited his parents perception of the world with statistical probability and objectivity.
In early 2010, his parents became pregnant with their second child, Elton's little sister. Elton thought of baby names for his sister and decided that he wanted her to be named Esmerelda, which his parents disagreed with.
Post-Apocalypse[]
Lincoln, Nebraska[]
In fall of 2010, the outbreak went global. Early in the day, Elton was brought by his parents to his father's storeroom where he kept all of his fossils. Elton went to touch a tyrannosaurus-rex fossil, which worried his father and prompted Isaac to warn Elton to be careful. Elton asked if the fossils were older than his father, to which Isaac answered they were older than anything. Elton then saw a picture of a meteor taken by Isaac when he was 10 years old. His father then explained to Elton that a meteor was a rock from another planet in space and can come to other planets - either burning up in the air or crashing in the planet.
Isaac then elaborated it was a meteor that killed the dinosaurs. Amelia then worried the subject matter would be too dark for a child is age, and then had Elton feel her stomach as his baby sister was kicking. Amelia, however, got a text that her meeting at Nebraska State University had been pushed early, prompting her to leave. After Isaac warned her about the virus and police at the local hospital, Elton revealed he had decided to name his baby sister Esmerelda, much to his parents disagreement. His mother then left, while his father brought him to his desk and taught him how to brush and clean a fossil.
Elton survived the outbreak and apocalypse at only five years old, but his parents (as well as his unborn sister) died during the outbreak - making him an orphan of the apocalypse. In time he came to join the Campus Colony. He later became a karate instructor with a black belt in training. However, due to his scientific upbringing - he believed the human race, statistically, had a few years left before they go extinct.
Season 1[]
"Brave"[]
Elton attends Mr. Kapadia's class where he notices Elton writing in his notebook. When challenged about what kind of monument he wants to be, Elton states that he wants to be complete, aware, kind and never afraid again, although he knows that he will eventually be. He also wants to see what this world is now which is what his parents had spent their lives doing and to be "much, much taller."
Elton later teaches a karate class while Hope and Huck talk in the stands.
Returning to Leo's office, Iris is excited to finally find a message from her father. However, the message reads "my safety not assured" before Silas and Elton enter, having seen Iris walk by the janitor's office. As Iris tries to hide the message, the two boys offer her some cake that they had made using an Easy Bake Oven before Hope arrives and notices that Iris has the cabinet open even with their classmates present. Iris hands Hope the message and Hope, warily eying Silas and Elton, is concerned by what Leo might mean when he says that his safety isn't assured. Silas is surprised that their father is sending them messages and Elton promises that they won't say anything about it. In order to prove that he will keep their secret, Elton admits that he regularly sneaks out which is how he'd found the Easy Bake Oven and why he wears his suit which he calls bite-proof. Elton explains that he's looking for something that he lost and to see how their world is changing. They now have each other's secrets and Silas promises that he won't tell anyone either. Iris insists that the message could meaning anything or nothing and that the CRM has always been very upfront, but Hope reveals that while Kublek claimed that the CRM could only spare one helicopter, there was actually five of them, some of which were carrying shipping containers.
Later, Hope and Iris lay out their plan to go after Leo to Silas and Elton, showing them the route that they have mapped out. Elton points out a couple of flaws in their plan, admitting that he's trying to talk them into letting him go with them, Silas asking to go as well. Elton states that they need help and in the time that he has left on this Earth, he wants to mean something and to see the world outside before he's gone and he knows karate. Accepting this, the girls turn to Silas who simply tells them that he doesn't want to be the person that everyone at the Campus Colony sees him as.
Elton leads the group outside through an old door and they look out over a river together. Crossing under a fence, the group avoids some immobile walkers nearby and walks through the ruined city, coming upon the wreckage of the plane that was brought down on the Night the Sky Fell and at night, continuing across a bridge where Silas and Elton find the dinosaur fossil that Elton had been looking for which was supposed to be a gift for his sister. Elton explains to Silas that his mother was pregnant with his sister on the Night the Sky Fell, they weren't together at the time that it happened and Elton never saw her again. Silas apologizes, but Elton tells him not to be, quoting his mother's saying about nature deciding. With the girls calling for them, Elton tells Silas to go on ahead while he places the fossil in his bag and smiles at a picture of his mother.
The next morning, as Hope plays with the S-pole that they stole from Felix, Elton adds his Triceratops horn to Hope's training pole which Iris excitedly takes for herself as a weapon. Iris happily tells Hope that she was drawing things that she's been thinking about for living in the now and she didn't have any dreams the night before. As the group continues on through an abandoned neighborhood, they spot a lone walker in the distance and Iris decides to deal with it herself. Excitedly, Iris approaches the walker and raises her weapon, ready to put it down.
"The Blaze of Gory"[]
Iris struggles against the walker, repeatedly stabbing it in the wrong place and making mistakes. Hope calls out to Iris that they're not ready, but Iris insists that she is before her fight causes Iris and the walker to fall down a hole, leaving the walker impaled upon a fallen tree. As the others descend to join them, Iris laughs at the fallen walker and Hope makes sure that she's alright before berating her sister for her recklessness. Elton takes pictures of the walker and comments upon its different physiology. Retrieving her weapon, Iris once again tries to put it down, but she ends up throwing up on the walker instead. As the group leaves the walker trapped, Hope tells it that she's sorry. The group continues on through the ruined city with Hope and Iris joking about their memories of their childhood there.
While the group is stopped, Hope bowls into some crates in front of Iris and Silas and notices Elton taking pictures of a walker that has been pinned down by a fallen tree limb. Elton quotes his mom about nature always winning and tells Hope that Amelia was right about them being at the end of the sixth extinction event on the planet. Elton believes that while humanity was killing themselves directly and indirectly, nature made a shortcut with the undead. Based on how long the dinosaurs were around before they went extinct, Elton suggests that humanity has only about 15 years before they are gone too while Hope comments that she would've given them way less time. Elton and Hope acknowledge that unlike most people, they are both at peace with the end of the world.
Staring through a pair of binoculars, Iris notices a plume of smoke rising into the sky and, handing the binoculars to Hope, tells her that it's the Blaze while Elton is amazed that the Blaze of Gory is real. As Silas is confused, Iris, Hope and Elton explain that it's an everlasting fire that has drawn massive amounts of walkers which Elton explains is the reason that they haven't seen too many walkers in the area. Iris argues for them to at least see if they can pass through the Blaze as otherwise, they have to detour 60 miles to get around it. Hope reluctantly agrees to check it out while Elton wants to see it regardless if they pass through it or not. As the others leave, Hope secretly leaves behind an empty can of sliced peaches in the middle of the road.
As they continue towards the Blaze, Elton collects a rock and pulls out a can of spray paint, explaining that he can continue Dr. Bavolar's experiments into studying the walkers migration patterns and Silas agrees to help him. The group stops in front of a walker that is weirdly covered, only to have a swarm of bees emerge from inside of the walker which they had been using as a beehive. While trying to shake off the bees and flee, the walker comes after Elton who falls to the ground. Silas steps up to his defense, but he hesitates to use his wrench on the walker and instead helps Elton up and they flee along with the others. Spotting a treehouse, Elton stops the group for the night.
Inside the treehouse, the group enjoys playing with the bowling ball, Silas with a little reluctance, before they are interrupted by the arrival of the walker that they had earlier encountered. Hope reluctantly agrees to drop her bowling ball on the walker, but while she succeeds in destroying part of its face, she fails to destroy the head completely and put the walker down. As Elton begins looking for something else to throw at it, Silas apologizes for not putting it down earlier. Iris reassures Silas that it's okay, stating that walkers are supposed to get distracted pretty easily and that if it's still around in the morning, they can deal with it then. Elton finds Monopoly in the treehouse and the group enjoys a game before going to sleep.
Half an hour before dawn, the group begins packing up to go into the Blaze. Elton approaches Hope who is sitting on a bench and comments on how nice Hope and Iris' jackets are. Hope explains that Silas' grandmother had taught him how to sew and he was able to fix the jackets up so that they would better fit the girls. Hope asks if it bothers Elton that they are going to end up like the dinosaurs and Elton returns the question. Hope admits that she thinks that she always knew that it was always going to go that way, before becoming suspicious that Elton is dodging her question. Elton states that he was just curious and that it doesn't bother him. There always had to have been a last generation and he wonders if they knew that they were the end and were therefore special. Hope wonders if they're the last generation which Elton calls "endlings" which is what the last of a species is called. Elton calls himself lucky to know that, "to know that I need to make my life count. it's all I can do. Really, it's all any of us can do. We're the Endlings." Hope is intrigued by Elton calling them Endlings, but he corrects himself, saying that he misspoke and the very last member of a species is the endling. Of their group, the true Endling will be the last one alive and it's that person's life and death that will define them all. Hope starts crying and admits that it bothers her and asks Elton for his spray paint. Hope uses it to spray paint a message onto the signs outside of the park: "WE WERE HERE - THE ENDLINGS."
Entering the bus depot, the group sneaks between the vehicles, but the herd is between them and the exit to the east. As they continue to sneak through the bus depot, the smoke gets a lot thicker, blocking out the sun and making it almost impossible to see, causing the Endlings to get lost. As the herd closes in from all directions, Hope finally spots the fence nearby and they run for it, knocking walkers out of their way. After getting through the fence and blocking it behind them, Iris celebrates that they did it, only for them to find that they have reached the heart of the Blaze with burning tires and more walkers nearby.
That night, the Endlings stare at the fire and the building on the other side of it with the sounds of walkers growling. Elton guesses that the airfield must be on the other side of the rest of the Blaze and Iris is dismayed that she didn't think of there being a rest of the Blaze before, but Hope points out that none of them saw it because it was behind the smoke. Elton proposes an idea that he knows will be unpopular: one of them can manually sound the old tornado siren on the building roof and create a distraction for the rest of them, hopefully escaping themselves afterwards. Elton admits that he wants to send someone in as bait, but Iris rejects the idea as too dangerous, stating that they all came in together and they will all go out together. Silas wonders how, but Iris has no answer and she admits that Hope was right to question her as she isn't as ready for this as Iris had believed. While Iris had wanted to be brave like her sister, Hope tells her that she's not brave but rather that she's "a shit person, who does shit things, because I don't give a single shit about anything." On the other hand, Iris had the guts to do something big and crazy that meant something to all of them and she should be proud of herself for that no matter what. Hope decides that they should get some sleep and that they will all do better with fresh heads.
Later, while everyone else is sleeping, Hope sits awake, crying and playing with her bead necklace. Spotting the two radios amongst their belongings, Hope takes her pack and S-Pole, covers her face in a handkerchief and walks off alone into the Blaze of Gory.
"The Tyger and the Lamb"[]
Hope wakes Silas, Iris and Elton up over the radio, announcing that they're doing Elton's plan. Iris refuses to let her, but Hope states that she can get to the factory and sound the siren which is their best chance of getting out alive. Iris points out that they don't know if the tornado siren even works or if they can get it to work and that they had decided against the plan, but Hope states that Iris had decided. Iris pleads for Hope to come back, but Hope tells her that its not so bad further in and jokes that Iris' cooking is worse. Hope refuses Iris' pleas to come back, telling her sister that they knew how it was going to have to be when they left but they did it for their father and this should be her job. Hope suddenly swears and has to go and Iris isn't able to raise her on the radio again.
After a few minutes of trying, Iris finally reaches Hope again who explains that for a second there, things had gotten hairy. Hope reveals that she's in an office in front of the factory, one that is a straight shot from the entrance with not too many walkers in the way. From there, Hope will be able to use the siren to clear a path to the exit. Iris orders her to wait and that they are on their way, but Hope tells her sister that she will be gone by the time that they arrive and that they just need to get there. Hope orders Iris to stay put once they get there, wait until she hears the siren and then make a run for the exit where Hope will meet them. Iris tries to get her to wait so that they can go together, but Hope knows that she will move faster and quieter alone and she insists that Iris just needs to trust her. Iris reluctantly agrees to do as Hope wants and Hope tells her that she needs to turn off her radio until it's safe. In goodbye, Hope tells Iris to grin and that she loves her. Iris flips Hope off through the radio and claims to be grinning, but Hope knows that she's lying and gets Iris to grin for real.
Studying the factory through the binoculars, Elton reports that he can see the office, which is a straight shot just like Hope had said, but he warns that while most of the walkers are being drawn by the fires to either side, they still might run into a few. Iris decides that they should leave now and the group gathers their belongings. Elton notices Silas staring worriedly at his wrench and while Elton hopes that they don't have to kill any, he asks if Silas thinks that he can do it. Flashing back to his bloody hands, Silas doesn't answer, putting away his wrench and offering to carry his friends' bags so that they both can kill if the need arises. When Elton hesitates to give Silas his bag, Silas tells him that he's strong and this is the best he can do for now and they will also go faster this way. Elton hands over the bag, and the three put handkerchiefs on their faces as makeshift masks in order to protect themselves from the smoke and head out through the tire junkyard towards the office. After getting separated in the smoke, Iris and Felix find Silas standing over a walker and hesitating to put it down and, although confused by his strange behavior, lead him through the smoke to the office.
Inside the office, a concerned Iris asks if Silas is alright and he claims that he simply got turned around, obviously shaken up by his experience. Iris decides that until they hear from Hope, they should search the office for anything that they can use. As Elton and Silas start searching, Iris looks out through the window at the growing herd milling around in concern.
Having trouble opening a door, Elton calls out to Silas for help and when he gets it open, to everyone's shock, Felix and Huck appear on the other side. Felix and Huck demand to know where Hope is and the group tells them the story, although Iris claims that she had talked her sister into going. Felix asks if it was Silas and Elton then who had left the breadcrumbs and when they are confused, Huck explains that they had found an empty can of peaches on the street and graffiti sign - the trail one of them had left behind to get Felix and Huck there. Iris denies the fact that Hope would've left those clues behind for the two as Hope wants to find Leo as much as Iris does. Felix pressures Iris to tell him where Hope has gone and where the siren is, but she refuses, believing that if they go after her, Felix and Huck will only get themselves killed. Iris defiantly states that they have a plan and that this part of it is Hope's. While Iris hates it, right now it is their best chance of getting out of the Blaze alive and Felix will just have to trust Hope like the rest of them. Looking out the window, Huck agrees as there is a herd incoming and without some kind of distraction, they will never get out alive. As Felix and Huck talk to each other quietly, Elton reassures Silas that they can still get out of this and that it's not over, but Silas states that he knows that it will now go the same way that it always goes.
As the group waits to hear from Hope, Felix looks out the window at the large herd milling about and questions why Hope, who had wanted Felix and Huck to find them, would suddenly go on an apparent suicide mission into the Blaze. Iris explains that it's to spare Iris the responsibility of having to do it herself and she admits that while she doesn't know what's going on with Hope, it's not just about their father. To the interest of everyone, Silas admits that he thinks that he knows why: at the treehouse, the walker hadn't gone away by itself but rather Hope had led it away and then she had told Silas not to tell anyone else as well as the fact that their mistakes shouldn't have to follow them. When Felix wonders the point of this, Silas quickly states that it's because sometimes their mistakes do follow them and he thinks that Hope has done something that she feels badly about. Huck asks if Silas is out there because he's trying to get away from the things that he's done, but Felix admonishes Huck for her harsh words while Silas walks away followed by Iris.
Silas angrily bangs his fist on the table, making a dent and startling Elton and Iris. Suddenly, Hope contacts the others and informs them that she found the siren, but the crank was broken so she took the whole thing apart and now she can't figure out how to put it back together again. Iris gives the radio to Felix who demands to know where she is. Hope is surprised to hear from Felix who tells her that Huck is with him too. However, Hope refuses to tell Felix where to find him which would put him in even more danger. Hope resumes work on the siren and tells Felix that the second that she sounds the siren, it'll clear a path for them, but they need to haul ass. Elton is confused by Hope's terminology and, annoyed, Hope orders him to just run to the exit and she promises to meet them there. Hope has Felix give the radio back to Iris and Iris reassures her that she can do this, just like when they were kids. Hope asks Iris to promise not to come back for her if she doesn't make it to the exit in time and Iris makes that promises because she's sure that Hope is going to make it. Hope states that she wishes that she hadn't had a stupid fight with Leo before he left and that while she still wants to find him and see him, she didn't think that they'd be any good to him dead. Iris knows and promises that they will talk about it and make it out of the Blaze and she orders Hope to haul ass to the exit or Iris will kill Hope herself. Agreeing to no goodbyes, Iris flips Hope off again through the radio which Hope appreciates while Elton finally understands what she had meant by haul ass.
Felix orders everybody to get ready to move while Huck provides Silas and Elton with some extra masks that she and Felix had brought along. A distressed Silas tells Elton that he doesn't think that he can do it, but Elton and Iris express confidence in him. Elton hands Silas his bag and as Hope begins sounding the tornado siren, the group heads for an exit at the rear of the office. With the siren drawing most of the herd to the wall of the factory, the group runs through the mostly cleared path, Felix and Huck putting down a few walkers that get in their way with their S-Poles. When Hope struggles to make it due to injuring her leg, Iris rushes to her sister's rescue and they put down a pair of walkers together. Elton runs to support Hope's other side, helping her to run to the exit. However, while putting down a walker, Huck knocks into a wall of tires, causing it to collapse. Silas holds it up while the others rush through the gap between it and the wall next to it. Elton suddenly runs back through for his bag and gets back just in time before the wall collapses, the tires forming a blockade that prevents the herd from following the Endlings any further.
After escaping from the Blaze, the Endlings relax on a dock while laying most of their clothes out where Silas naps and Elton fishes. Later, as the Endlings eat, Felix approaches and tells them that they should pack up and leave. Iris questions where he wants to go and Felix informs them that they aren't going back through the Blaze and with the other options on foot not being much better, they head up to Omaha and resupply. The group can then return to the Campus Colony with the next transfer in about two weeks. However, Iris refuses to go back and Silas backs her up, telling Felix that this is the fresh start that he had promised him. Felix tells Silas that his uncle is worried sick about him, but while Silas misses his uncle, Silas believes that he's supposed to be out there and his uncle would want him to be where Silas is supposed to be. Elton declares that he's where he's supposed to be too and Hope agrees with the others. Hope tells Felix that if he really wants to keep his promise to their father, he will help the Endlings find him. Leo is in New York and Kublek has given them the map. Felix already knows this, but he's convinced that the Endlings are only going to get themselves killed trying like they nearly did back at the Blaze. Hope implores both Felix and Huck to come with them then, telling Felix that while he keeps saying that there's nothing that he can do to help their dad, he can help the Endlings help him. However, they are going with or without Felix's help or approval. Huck agrees that Hope has a point, telling Felix that they can't turn them around at least for the moment and that all they can do right now is to keep them safe "till there's something more we can do." While he's not happy, Felix reluctantly agrees and walks away.
Later, Felix leads the Endlings, now including Felix and Huck, in continuing their journey. Hope questions why Elton went back into the Blaze to save his luggage and he explains that it was to save his mother's unfinished manuscript which Elton intends to finish himself. While they both acknowledge that it was kind of irrational for Elton to go back for it, Hope calls it badass as well.
"The Wrong End of a Telescope"[]
Walking down a path, Elton tells Iris that based on the coded map that she was given, the Civic Republic Research Facility is somewhere in New York, but she points out that they don't know where exactly it is yet. Felix calls out that it's all the more reason to turn around, but Hope simply calls it a nice try. Iris states that they might've taken a wrong turn, but this path should still lead to the interstate. Felix states that the bad news is that they are almost out of supplies and rain is coming. Huck states that it would've been one thing if the waystation that Will mentioned had panned out, but it didn't. Silas reassures the others that they will figure something out, surprising her with his smiling even in this situation.
Elton wonders where the Civic Republic itself is, but Iris points out that it's called the Hidden City for a reason and states that she had always pictured it as being underground. Elton agrees with her, but he points out that they refine their own fuel, fly helicopters and grow their own crops which can't all be done underground. Iris points out their research facility where Leo is located isn't actually where they are and that maybe the Civic Republic does all of that other stuff elsewhere too. Elton states that regardless, the Civic Republic's high resource output suggests that they have a large population, which causes their security approach of not saying where they are is understandable. Hope calls it shady which Elton agrees with along with the fact that the messages from Leo are certainly a cause for concern. However, if the Civic Republic has technology and agriculture and sophisticated governmental systems, it would be smart to stay hidden even if it makes others question their motives. Elton concludes that they should feel lucky that the Civic Republic hasn't taken over or taken things. Hope states that they don't know that, but Felix insists that they do since they trade with the Civic Republic as does Portland and Huck reminds the group of their joint protection agreements. Iris simply states that the CRM has their father and Felix acknowledges that they don't know anything about them at all. "Ergo the long walk, Champ," Hope sarcastically quips to Felix. The others walk ahead of the two adults and Iris finds and breaks the chain on a gate leading into a high school. Felix suggests that a place like this which is hidden from the world could be a good place to find supplies while Huck points out that it could also be a good place to ride out the rain and Iris is excited about the idea of being inside of a real high school for the first time.
Elton and Silas enter the auditorium with a large round trophy which Elton says that they can use to collect rain water. Entering, Felix tells the others that the school is huge with no sign of any walkers, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any around. Huck states that their priorities are food, clothes for Hope and anything that they can use to collect water as they can take advantage of the downpour outside for that. Huck agrees that the trophy that Elton and Silas have found is a good idea for catching rain and Iris suggests that they should split up in order to cover more ground. When Felix and Huck hesitate, Iris states that they can handle themselves and she quotes Felix's own words in class right back at him. Amused, Felix agrees and orders Silas to keep his radio on and takes Elton with him to collect water. Hope tries to talk to Iris as they haven't really spoken since the docks and she promises that they can talk later and states that she and Silas will take the first floor. Felix orders the others to keep their eyes open and their weapons drawn and to run if they see any walkers and to be careful. The Endlings split up with Hope pairing off with Huck, although she's not happy that her sister is avoiding her.
Elton watches as Felix tries to pick the lock on the chemistry lab with a paperclip and asks where he had learned how to do it. Felix simply says that he didn't learn it in high school as he gets the door open and bangs on the wall in order to attract any walkers that might be inside. With the room proving to be clear, Felix orders Elton to look for anything that can hold water for them. Elton takes a picture of a science fair sign and confirms that science is "pretty much my raison d'être, yeah." The two find a couple of boxes that they begin loading up with containers to hold water and Felix tells Elton that there's a lot of research going on back home, but Elton is more interested in seeing the world and studying it first hand instead of in books and laboratories. Felix questions where helping Iris and Hope find Leo fits in and Elton states that he's all about that too and that he is worried about Leo and he doesn't want them to worry. Felix points out that Elton barely knew them before and Elton jokes about just how much he knows about the girls now, including the gross details. "A monumental shared experience like this pretty much bonds you for life." Elton is excited when he finds a bottle of iodine which is great for water purification. Pleased, Felix tells him to grab the iodine and they are good to go.
Exiting the lab, the two find a trail of blood outside that wasn't there before. Elton speculates that its from a walker that was injured and dragged itself away, but seeing that the blood is fresh and uncoagulated, Felix is unconvinced. Felix tries to contact Silas and Iris on the radio without any success and he orders Elton to stay behind him as they follow the trail of blood. Unnoticed by the two, a walker crawls out of a nearby classroom behind them before suddenly being dragged back inside by a snarling animal.
Elton and Felix follow the blood trail and Elton suggests that instead of turning a blind corner and facing an unknown threat, they draw it out and face it on their turf instead of its. Felix simply chuckles and orders Elton to stay behind him before banging his S-Pole against a wall. In response, the two hear a banging noise and walker growling from a nearby locked locker. As Felix checks out the lockers, Elton is sent into a flashback of sitting inside of a small box as a young boy and he reveals to Felix that he's claustrophobic. Felix quickly determines that the trapped walker isn't going anywhere and he tells Elton that they should get moving. The two race down the hallway where Felix offers the panting Elton some water which he accepts. Felix acknowledges that Elton has his reasons for being out there, but none of them are ready for this. Felix admits that he's not even sure if he's ready for this himself. While there may not be something around the corner right now, sooner or later there will be. Crying, Felix shows Elton the tattoo that he got to remember everyone that he's ever lost including his parents and the person who taught him how to pick a lock. Felix refuses to lose anyone else and he states that he needs Elton's help to convince the others to turn around and Elton agrees to think about it.
Following the trail, the two find a wrecked classroom with a nest in it and a few torn apart bodies, including one that is a still-growling walker. Elton nervously asks if a walker was responsible for this, but Felix tells him that it wasn't. Elton takes a picture and Felix tells him that they need to get out of there and find the others as whatever was responsible might not be alone. Continuing down the hallway, Felix keeps trying to raise Silas and Iris before Elton spots them through a window in the gym. Felix calls out to the two, but the door is stuck and Iris tells him that there's no way of opening it. Iris and Silas inform Felix that there's a back way out that leads to the basement, but there's a walker there. Felix decides that he and Elton will go down and come back up through the other door and he will take care of the walker for them. However, Felix needs them to stay put until then as there is something else roaming the hallways and he doesn't think that it's friendly. Elton and Felix then leave to find the basement. The two arrive in the fallout shelter's pantry just as Hope and Huck are trying to get into the shelter itself where Iris and Silas are trapped with several walkers. Felix manages to break through the door and the group witnesses Silas violently beating a walker to death with his bare hands. As Felix puts down the other walkers, Elton tries to stop his best friend, only to get thrown to the floor by him before Felix manages to snap Silas out of it. Everyone stares at Silas in shock while Silas, staring at his own shaking hands, apologizes to his friends.
Later, Elton plays with his flashlight while holding an ice pack to his injured shoulder while Felix and Huck prepare their supplies nearby, including all of the water that they have collected. Huck compliments Elton's toughness and Elton thanks her, but he admits that he's more worried about Silas. After Huck leaves the room, Elton asks how Felix's plan to turn around would even work as going back through the Blaze of Gory would be suicide. Felix states that depending on how long it takes to convince everyone, there's ways around. Their last best chance is at the Mississippi River and Felix tells Elton that he and Huck could really use Elton's help on this one. Stating that this is how they keep everyone alive, Felix asks if Elton is in, but he doesn't answer.
In the auditorium, Felix checks that Silas, now cleaned up, is good which he confirms. Patting Silas on the shoulder, Elton reassures his best friend that he is before having the Endlings line up for a group picture together, much to the surprise and teasing of Iris due to Elton only ever using his camera to document things.
"Madman Across the Water"[]
Elton smiles at a sign for Daiquiritown on the side of the road. As the others walk by him, Iris and Silas, talking and laughing, Elton turns and follows his friends, smiling at Iris and Silas' jovial mood. Elton looks back at Felix who gives him a nod as they continue their journey.
That night, as the Endlings camp out and Felix and Huck set up protective netting, Elton works on continuing his mother's manuscript. Iris informs Hope that, according to Huck, the U.S. Military had blown up all of the bridge crossings over the Mississippi River when things went bad, meaning that the group will need a boat in order to get across. Huck warns the others that the crossing is going to be tough and the terrain on the other side of the river will be worse than anything that they've encountered so far and asks if they are ready to do this. Recognizing that Huck is once again trying to get them to turn back, Iris and Hope sarcastically agree with her that they aren't ready and that they should turn back. As Huck walks off, the two girls exchange fist bumps in victory while Elton chuckles.
Felix calls for Elton's help in untangling the lines of his net, but Elton knows that it's just a deception to get him alone. Showing Elton their map, Felix shows him what Felix believes to be the easiest route back around the Blaze of Gory. Felix and Huck plan to bring it up to the others soon and he wants Elton to lay some groundwork for them with the girls and Silas. Elton nervously points out that he had never actually agreed to the plan, but Felix counters that he had never actually said no either. Felix insists that the Mississippi is their last chance to get home safe and he needs Elton to get Silas, Iris and Hope to see that. Elton questions why they would listen to him and Felix tells Elton that they will because his friends care about Elton just as much as Elton cares about them and that has to count for something. Felix walks away, leaving Elton considering his words.
The next day, as the group continues their journey, Elton takes a picture of a decomposing walker that has plants growing out of it. Walking past a destroyed bridge and half-sunk boats, Hope sarcastically comments on their many options. Reaching the end of the wharf, Elton suggests that the locals had used the boats kept there to evacuate when things got bad and that they are likely looking at the last of them. Iris decides that they will get creative and build their own boat which Hope supports. Felix is incredulous at the idea, but Iris suggests remodeling an old trailer nearby into a boat. While Elton tries to downplay the suggestion, Silas thinks that it could work if they fix it up and add stuff to it while Hope suggests that they can look for parts at a warehouse further north. With everyone else agreeing, the Endlings head for the warehouse, although Felix is visibly unhappy at the idea.
Arriving at the warehouse, the group taps on the outside in order to confirm that it's empty of walkers before entering. Hope is discouraged by the state of the warehouse, but Iris isn't quite so pessimistic about their chances of finding anything there. Iris and Hope find a few boxes of nail polish and Iris has the Endlings split up and keep looking for anything that might be useful to them. As Elton searches, he comes across the dead body of a walker against one of the shelves.
In a flashback, Elton and his parents enter Isaac's office at the Nebraska Natural History Museum. A five-year old Elton is drawn to a dinosaur fossil, but his father warns Elton to stay away as the fossil is very, very old. Elton asks if it's older than Isaac and Isaac admits that it's older than pretty much everything. Elton looks at a large photograph of on the wall and Isaac explains that one night when he was ten years old, he was trying to take a photo of Mars and the meteor flew across the sky. While a smiling Amelia watches, Isaac explains to Elton what a meteor is and how one making to the ground had rendered the dinosaurs extinct.
As Isaac starts to go into detail, Amelia stops him, reminding Isaac that their son is only five. However, Isaac encourages his son's interest in science, telling Amelia and Elton that it is never too early for him to learn if Elton is interested. Amelia calls Elton over to her and has him feel his unborn sister kicking. Amelia gets a text notification that her staff meeting at the university has been moved up and she has to go. Isaac warns his wife to be safe due to reports of something going on near the hospital with a lot of police activity. Elton plays with one of the beads on his mother's bracelet and tells his parents that he wants to get a bracelet for Esmerelda as Elton has decided to name his sister. Amelia promises that they can talk about the name later and that a bracelet is a very sweet gift for his sister. After Amelia leaves, Isaac and Elton begin working together on cleaning up a Triceratops horn fossil.
In the present, Elton snaps out of his flashback and joins the others in going over what they have found: barrels for flotation, straps for binding and fastening, a fan blade that could make a good propellor and a lot of pallets outside that can be broken up for wood as well as a tool box full of tools. Felix points out that they don't have an engine and that without that, they have nothing to fight the river's current. Elton states that there's not much left in the warehouse other than some long-dead batteries, a huge broken air conditioner and a couple of bags of sand. Iris comes up with the idea of using the air conditioner's parts to make some kind of steam boiler like how Hope had created a still back at the Campus Colony. Silas states that the steam boiler would be like the dorm furnaces that he had to fix and Hope figures that it's worth a shot. While Felix remains visibly unhappy, Huck agrees to try out their plan.
On the banks of the river, the Endlings work together on building their boat using the parts that they have gathered, even Felix despite his reluctance to go along with the plan. Hope tells Elton that working on their boat is making their mission to find her dad really seem possible now, especially because the river is the last big thing in their way and once they cross it it's all downhill from there.
After overhearing Felix and Huck discuss Felix's plan to get them to turn around and Elton's part in it, Hope angrily confronts him about it. Elton admits that he has been working with Felix kind of and Hope flatly rejects to hear Felix out and accuses him of planning to sabotage the boat if he can't change their minds. Elton tells Hope that he's been listening to Felix and a lot of what he's saying about going back makes sense, but Hope angrily reminds him of how Elton had wanted to see the world from start to finish. Felix reveals that he had wanted them to take the boat downriver and then back up the banks of the Missouri River until they reached the Campus Colony. Felix calls this plan safer than cutting through the Blaze and the smartest thing for them right now, reminding Hope that they don't know where they're going, what they're going to do if and when they get there and they don't even know that Leo is really in trouble. Getting heated, Felix suggests that Leo could've sent them ten messages that he's fine since their departure. However, Hope knows that Felix doesn't really believe that last statement. Felix angrily tells Hope that it doesn't matter what he believes as Felix had made a promise to Leo to keep her and Hope safe and that is exactly what he intends to do. Hope accuses Felix of caring more about his promise than Leo's life, leading to an increasingly-heated exchange before Iris breaks it up, telling the two that they don't have time for this as there is still so much left to do. Iris orders them to "leave your shit at the door, because without each and every one of us giving 100%... we're not making it across that river." The argument ends and the Endlings go back to work.
Later, Hope, Elton and Silas watch as Huck loads driftwood into their makeshift steam boiler. However, Huck warns them that the fire's not hot enough and the driftwood isn't cutting it. Hope objects that it's the best that they could find and that there must be something else. Silas remembers that the boxes containing the nail polish back at the warehouse said that it was flamable and Huck sends Elton and Silas to take care of getting that while she, Felix, Iris and Hope remain behind to finish work on the boat. With a storm coming in, Hope suggests that the two boys double time it.
At the warehouse, Silas and Elton pour the nail polish into some buckets. Noticing Silas staring at him as they work, Elton explains to his best friend that he just doesn't want anybody to die and while he knows that death is inevitable, Elton questions if it's so horrible to put it off for just a little bit longer. His hands shaking, Elton rationalizes fear to both himself and Silas.
In a flashback, as the sounds of chaos and gunshots echo in the background, Issac places a terrified young Elton into a box and tells him to stay there, be as quiet as he can and don't leave no matter what. Isaac tells his son that he's going to find them a safe way home and lock the door to his office from the outside so that nothing can hurt Elton. Isaac gives Elton his Triceratops horn fossil, promising him that it's a very special horn that keeps anyone holding it safe forever. Elton tells his father that he's terrified, but Isaac claims not to be scared and that Elton shouldn't be either, promising that it will all work out the way that it's supposed to. Isaac and Elton hug, expressing their love for each other, before Isaac locks his son in the box.
Running back to the boat carrying buckets of nail polish, Elton sees a strike off in the distance and he explains to Silas that it's a plasma strike which can happen up to 20 miles away from a storm's center. Elton guesses that, from the wind direction, they are only minutes away from being in the line of fire. As they continue running, Elton trips and spills most of one of his buckets of nail polish. Elton promises Silas that it wasn't on purpose and Silas helps them up and they continue running.
Hope, Felix and Huck frantically rush to finish the boat, causing Hope to accidentally cut her hand in the process. Felix gives her a rag to wrap it up with as Silas and Elton finally arrive with the buckets of nail polish. Iris pours the nail polish into the steam boiler, causing the drive belt to begin spinning before fire comes out of the boiler and the drive belt stops moving. Spotting the herd approaching, Felix borrows Elton's fisherman and uses it to string up a makeshift net between two trees, holding back the herd temporarily. Looking under the boat, Iris discovers that the drive belt has come loose and it can only be fixed if someone can fit under the boat and reattach it. Iris turns to Elton, the only one small enough to fit, but he refuses as Elton is claustrophobic. Iris pleads with Elton to do it anyways as it is their only chance. Closing his eyes, Elton remembers cowering, scared, in the box ten years before. Finally, Elton agrees and begins to crawl under the boat with a screwdriver.
As Elton crawls under the boat, he repeats the names of the planets to himself as a calming technique while flashbacks show him doing the same thing while locked in the box in his father's office as, outside, he hears the sounds of banging, screaming, gunshots and walkers growling. Elton manages to fix the drive belt, causing the propellor to start turning again, but he becomes stuck while trying to get out from underneath the boat and he panics, calling out for help. Clutching his screwdriver, Elton remembers what his father had told him about the Triceratops horn and Elton manages to calm himself down before Hope and Iris finally pull him free.
Running out of time with the herd approaching and their limited fuel, Iris, Hope, Huck, Elton and Silas work together and attempt to push the boat into the river. However, they are unable to move it at all. Feeling that they have no other choice, Hope decides that they need to abandon the boat and make a run for it against Iris' objections, but Felix appears with a plank of wood to use as a lever. As the herd closes in on them, the Endlings successfully launch the boat and set sail across the Mississippi River to Illinois.
That night, after Huck leaves on her scouting mission, Elton walks away from the fire and, holding his mother's manuscript, starts crying as he remembers the happier times with his parents before he lost them both. Opening the book, Elton begins adding to it, writing that nature had accounted for everything about the human race except for its self-awareness and how this affected humans ability to survive.
In a flashback, a young Elton checks his watch and uses his Triceratops horn to poke at the box before covering his ears again at the sounds of screams, gunfire and banging which finally stops before a soldier declares that its all clear. Elton emerges from the box and finds that the museum is now in ruins. Outside of the office, Elton discovers his father's body, Isaac having been turned into a zombie and then shot in the head by the soldiers. Grabbing a messenger bag from an overturned cart, Elton places his Triceratops horn inside of it and, with a final look at Isaac's body, he leaves the museum. Outside, Elton picks up an evacuation notice showing a route from the museum to the future Campus Colony and he begins following the path that it shows.
In the present, Hope approaches Elton and asks if he's okay. Shakily, Elton tells Hope that on the Night the Sky Fell, his father had told Elton not to be scared and that he wasn't scared and that Elton shouldn't be either. However, Elton now knows that Isaac was in fact scared, probably more than he'd ever been in his entire life. However, that didn't stop Isaac from doing what needed to be done and he was brave because he was scared, not in spite of it. Putting her hand on Elton's shoulder, Hope tells him that she wishes that she could've met Elton's parents, calling them pretty cool to have had a kid like him. Looking at the picture of his mother, Elton admits that even though he knows that the odds against it are astronomical, he sometimes thinks that his mother is still out there somewhere with his sister Esmerelda, both surviving together. Hope tells him that she doesn't think that its crazy before seeing the picture and realizing that Elton's mother is the woman that she had killed on the Night the Sky Fell.
The group is disturbed by a branch breaking nearby and Elton and Hope rejoin the group. Believing it to be a walker, Iris goes to take care of it with Hope, Silas and Elton right behind her. However, a boy emerges from the woods instead holding a stick.
"Shadow Puppets"[]
Aiming his stick at the Endlings, the boy demands that they stay back as Hope tries to get answers from him. The argument turns into a standoff before Felix come up from behind and holds the boy at gunpoint. Felix forces the boy to disarm himself and sends Elton and Silas to check the perimeter just in case there is anyone else with the boy. Iris pats him down for weapons and the boy insists that he was alone and taking a leak in the bushes when he heard voices. Hope asks if his intention was to rob them while Hope determines that the boy is unarmed. Iris asks where his food is, but the boy tells them that he doesn't have anything. Silas and Elton confirm that there are no signs of anyone else and the boy introduces himself as Percy.
Iris invites Percy to have something to eat and he tells them a story about two guys that he had met, Mike and Tony, who had robbed Percy a couple of days before. They had gone to a settlement that they'd heard was friendly to newcomers, but they had heard wrong. Hope sarcastically suggests that the people there might've just not liked Percy, but Percy ignores her and explains that they had found a place to camp out and when he woke up, Mike, Tony and his stuff were all gone. Percy thinks that they are in Andersonville, Illinois down the road and he intends to go there and get his stuff back. Felix suggests that Percy just be grateful that they left him with his life and move on, but Percy responds that "this isn't a vigilante type deal and it ain't about the principle of it all either. Some things just can't be replaced" which Elton understands.
Aside from Felix and Silas, the Endlings sit around the campfire and Percy tells them a story about a time in Wyoming during a snow storm when he got caught by a herd on an overpass and, unable to run away climbed on top of a car and closed his eyes, waiting for the end. However, the herd turned out to be of 200 bison rather than walkers which was the most beautiful thing that Percy had ever seen. The Endlings, Iris in particular, are enamored by Percy and his stories and Percy mentions another time when he saw a Ferris Wheel in the spring in Orlando that had been turned into a pelican nest.
Hope becomes suspicious of Percy's story, wondering how he had gotten from Wyoming to Florida in just a couple of months. Percy quickly tries to claim that he misspoke, but as Felix and Silas rejoin them, Hope accuses Percy of lying about someone stealing his supplies and, as Iris and Felix try to calm her down, she accuses Percy of having his car stolen which instead which is what he really wants back. After a moment of silence, Percy finally explains that a year before, he had found a truck that had skidded onto the ice. The accident must've just happened since the engine was still warm and the driver was becoming a walker. Silas asks why Percy had lied and he explains that it's not just a working truck, it's one that's carrying barrels of refined fuel which is worth a lot in the current world.
Iris offers Percy a deal: the Endlings help him to get his truck back and Percy drives them where they need to go. Felix believes that it's too risky, but Iris points out that with the truck, they will get there in half the time and they can avoid walkers and running out of supplies. Hope suggests that they wait for Huck to return as backup, but Iris points out that Mike and Tony could be gone by then. Iris believes that the six of them together can overpower the two men and although Felix is worried that they might have guns, Percy states that he had never seen any guns with them. Silas worries that they will have to hurt Mike and Tony or get hurt in return, but Elton states that they have the element of surprise on their side which will give them an advantage. Percy questions how he knows that they won't just steal his truck and leave him in the dust, but Iris promises that they won't which Silas reinforces. However, Percy is skeptical as that doesn't mean much out here. Iris pleads with Percy, telling him that they need to get where they're going fast and it could be the difference between their dad living and dying. Felix points out that if they had wanted to steal Percy's truck, they would just do it with or without his help, reminding Percy that he's already told them where to look. Felix proposes that at dawn, they go and find the truck.
In the morning, Elton spray paints a message for Huck on the Endlings' boat telling her that they will be back soon. As they walk, Elton takes a picture of something on the ground and writes in his mother's manuscript. Looking at Amelia's picture, Hope asks what she was like and Elton tells Hope that Amelia was great, describing how she would sometimes sing as she made breakfast despite being terrible at it. Hope is surprised to find out that Elton is named after Elton John, calling the singer an icon. Elton considers his mother to be the coolest, her manuscript having helped Elton to get to know her. Elton explains that Amelia had seem death and decay as no better or worse than any other part of the life cycles and she wasn't afraid of it. Hope asks what Elton intends to do with the manuscript once he finishes it and Elton states that he'd like to pass it on so that it can help somebody with the big questions, help to make them less confused and alone just like it had done for Elton. In that way, Amelia will never be forgotten and Hope offers to help Elton finish it which, although surprised, Elton accepts.
The group reaches Andersonville where, hiding beside a building, Felix spots a curtain blowing in a nearby window before Percy's truck comes down a nearby street and passes in front of them. Percy confirms that it's his truck and the Endlings follow after it. Observing where the truck has been parked, the group discusses possible options and, while Felix wants to get eyes on both men before they move in, Percy just wants to smash and grab it back, stating that even without the keys, he can still hotwire the truck. Silas objects to doing this at all and Hope states that they need to make a decision either way. Felix decides to have the rest of the group stay in their hiding spot while he covers Percy.
Percy and Felix make their way to the truck and, as Percy opens the door, Felix keeps a lookout. Percy suddenly swears and reveals the body of Tony in the front seat. Percy and Felix pull Tony's body from the truck and place him nearby with Percy suggesting that the bickering between Tony and Mike had gotten much worse. Percy discovers that a plate has been bolted over the ignition wires and he begins searching for the keys in the truck and on Tony's body as the rest of the group joins them. Percy is unable to find the keys, but he retrieves a knife from Tony's body and insists on getting the keys back from Mike, stating that he's going to get the keys back with or without their help. While Hope and Felix want to go back to the campsite, Iris decides to go and help Percy. After Iris refuses to relent, Felix gives Iris his bag and decides to go in her place. Elton suggests keeping a lookout at the front of the building in case Mike isn't there and he decides to come back. Hope changes her mind and decides to come with Elton and Felix as backup while they leave Iris and Silas behind to look after their gear.
Finding a clothing store to be the only one not boarded up, Felix orders the other two to stay outside while he enters and meets up with Percy. While they wait, Hope argues that they were doing fine on foot, "slow and sore, but fine." Elton points out that anything that gets them to Leo faster is worth it. Elton reveals to Hope that he had actually met Leo before he left for the research facility, having gone to ask him if Leo would read Amelia's writing which he did. To Hope's surprise, Elton states that Leo was the one to encourage him to finish the manuscript and that even though Leo had never met his mother, he admired her research. Leo had kind of reminded Elton of Amelia in the similarities between the little things that Elton doesn't want to forget. Hope begins to tell Elton something, but she changes her mind and merely states that they should focus instead of talking.
Everyone is shocked to suddenly hear a gunshot which draws Silas' attention towards the front of the store. As a result, he fails to notice Tony getting up from the ground and stealing their bags. As Tony drives off in the truck, Silas runs towards Elton and Hope yelling that Tony had stolen their bags. After Iris gets trapped in a dumpster chasing after Percy, Felix, Elton and Silas work together to use Silas' Wrench to break open the gate on the dumpster's enclosure. With a herd approaching, Felix orders Silas and Elton to hold them off while he manages to open up the dumpster and put down one of the walkers attacking Iris. Percy suddenly returns and saves Iris from the second one while Tony returns in the truck, running over several walkers and yelling at the Endlings to get in. The group quickly jumps in the back of the truck and Tony drives off as the herd closes in, running over the head of a fallen walker in the process.
After reaching safety, the Endlings confront Percy and Tony about their con. Percy admits that they did in fact con them, but he states that they came back to help them when they saw the herd coming. Hope argues for just taking the truck and leaving Percy and Tony to the walkers, but Tony angrily reminds them that they had just saved their lives, explaining that when they saw the herd coming, Percy, who is his nephew, had him turn around. Felix asks if they should just be grateful that the two grifters had changed their minds, but Tony states that "out here, that's pretty much as good as it gets."
Later, the Endlings sit around their campfire where Tony displays a magic trick to them, much to the amazement of Elton, Silas and Felix while Iris is despondent over the events. Hope asks if Tony is just a professional scammer and Tony introduces himself in a grandiose fashion as Tony Delmado, the resident illusionist at the Paradise Lounge in Las Vegas for fifteen years. Tony is impressed with Elton's knowledge of magic and tells everyone that he had dabbled in a lot of things including illusions, card tricks and ventriloquism, the latter of which comes in handy with the state of the world as it is. As far as Tony is concerned, he's still in show business: for a small fee at friendly settlements Percy and Tony will perform which is why his makeup job to look dead is flawless. Hope asks if Percy is Tony's protegee and he explains that Tony had raised him after Percy's mom took off. Tony calls Percy a quick study who was grifting kids in the sandbox and Percy tells everyone that it's how they get what they need without hurting anyone. Upset, Iris sarcastically tells them that they deserve medals or something and leaves.
As Elton picks up his mother's book, Iris tells him that she'd love to read it sometime if Elton will let her. Elton is surprised and tells Iris that he might be the only person left in the world who knew and saw Amelia, but at least now someone else will know her too. Elton gives Hope the book and, after staring at Amelia's picture for a moment, she walks away with it.
That night, Iris leans against Hope as Percy and Tony set up a shadow puppet show, but she is still obviously upset when she sees Percy. Watching Percy, Silas comments to Felix that some people make it look easy starting over. Iris admits to Hope that she wishes that she knew which part of Percy is the lie and which is real, but Hope calls Percy the same as them, everyone having parts that they want people to see and other parts that they want to hide, but it's all real. Percy and Tony put on a show depicting the end of the world which the Endlings enjoy, although they grow somewhat more somber and Hope starts silently crying as the story gets sadder and sadder.
"Truth or Dare"[]
Tony teaches a magic trick to an impressed Elton who calls Tony a wizard and asks him to teach another one. Tony tells Elton to master that trick first and only then will Tony show him more, levitating a matchstick as he says this. "I mean, entertainment like this has just not been available," says an awed Elton as he watches Tony.
That night, Tony dramatically presents a CRM map to the Endlings which has no landmarks designated or points of interest labeled. While the map, to all appearances, looks to be useless, looks can be deceiving. Percy brings his uncle a wooden box with a few plastic squares and Tony holds one up, explaining that when Percy first discovered them in the truck, they had reminded Tony of the colored lenses that he used in his Prism of Light illusion. As a result, Tony has discovered that you set the squares up at proper distances, shine a beam of light through them and symbols appear on the map, in this case, oil drops, which Tony identifies as hidden CRM fuel caches and all of the gas that they need. Percy adds that the ones that he and Tony have hit so far have mostly just been shacks with landing pads and they were all unmanned and unguarded where helicopters touch down, refuel and take off again. Huck is excited, stating that she can't believe it, while Iris becomes intrigued.
Later, the Endlings gather around the table where Iris shows them the CRM map that Kublek had given to her and Hope before they left the Campus Colony. While some of the markings on the decoder overlays didn't form symbols on Tony's map, when she tries them on this map, they do. Iris points to a symbol on the map that Elton recognizes as a DNA strand. Felix realizes that Iris thinks that it's the research facility and she asks him what else it could be. Hope is excited that they now know where to find their father and while Silas smiles at first, he gets upset and jealous when he sees Iris and Percy smiling at each other.
Upstairs, Percy offers Elton, Silas, Hope and Iris a drink which everyone but Silas accepts. Hope calls it not as good as her own, but agrees that they should party. Taking seats in a circle, Percy gives Iris some gloves for her cold hands and suggests that they play truth or dare. When Iris chooses truth, Percy asks what she would do right now if she could and Iris responds that she would hit the Louve and see some good art, but Percy fakes falling asleep out of boredom as Iris starts to go into more detail. Laughing, Iris insists that the Louve has the best art in the world, and, although she knows that it probably isn't even standing anymore and that even if it were, she doubts that she'd ever get to see it, Iris still dreams of going there which Percy calls fair enough. The Endlings, aside from Silas, share a toast to dreaming and never saying never while Silas only just watches Iris and Percy.
As the game continues, Hope chooses truth and Percy interjects to ask her what the worst thing that Hope has ever done is. Defensively, Hope asks what kind of a question it is and points out that it isn't even Percy's turn. Percy presses her and, taking a drink, Iris tells him that back at the university, she locked the faculty bathroom and spiked the teachers' coffeemaker with laxatives. Everyone but Percy laughs with Iris confirming that Hope really did do that. However, Percy isn't satisfied and he asks Hope for the truth and while she insists that it is the truth, Percy doesn't buy it, asking if Hope thinks that she can con a conman. Percy continues to press Hope and Silas angrily orders him to stop. Having had enough, Hope tells Percy that the worst thing that she's ever done is agree to play the game and she storms off, followed by Elton. Percy insists that he was just playing around and Iris tells him that Hope knows.
Catching up to Hope in the stairwell, Elton stops her and admits that it is just a stupid game and he starts to explain why he was playing before stopping himself and hugging Hope instead. Hope thanks Elton, but tells him that she thinks that Elton is drunk and she just needs to be alone before walking away while Elton returns to the others
The next day, the Endlings drive to the CRM fuel depot where Hope, Iris, Felix, Huck, Percy and Tony stand outside of the entrance while Silas and Elton wait by the truck. Tony tells the others that there is a stash of refined CRM fuel just ripe for the taking somewhere inside and Huck notes that it's a big place, deciding that they will split up, start at the bottom and work their way up. Felix asks if these places are clear of walkers which Percy confirms as far as they can tell since the CRM keeps their things locked up pretty tight. However, this isn't a problem for them as Percy, Tony and Felix are good at lockpicking. Iris tells the others that they should still stay alert nevertheless and they head out with Hope taking a moment to look back at Silas and Elton.
After the Endlings stop at a recreation center for the night, Iris stops Silas in the hallway, telling him that Tony has something that he wants to say to the group. Tony announces that after talking it over with Felix, he and Percy have decided to extend the terms of their agreement with the others. Percy states that instead of just dropping them off, he and Tony want to stick around and do what they can to help them find Leo. Felix orders everyone to get some sleep as they leave first thing in the morning and Tony heads off to charge up the radios and top off the tank while Hope and Iris hold each other's hands for a moment. Percy asks Iris to see her by the truck in an hour, telling her that it's just gonna be him there and that he needs to get his gloves back. Iris tries to give Percy back his gloves immediately, but he claims that his hands aren't cold now but that they will be in about an hour. Iris agrees and she walks off while Silas watches jealously and eyes Percy's liquor.
Awhile later, looking for Percy, Iris finds Tony with his head bashed in in one of the bathrooms. Calling for help, Iris notices Silas' Wrench lying bloody next to Tony's dead body and a trail of blood leading to a broken window that she realizes must've come from Percy. Felix runs in and stares at Tony's body in shock while Hope, Elton and Huck run in and join them. Drawing his gun and having Huck cover him, Felix makes his way to where somebody is visible in a stall. Opening the door, Felix is shocked to find Silas passed out with a bottle of liquor next to him and covered in blood. Silas wakes up and looks silently at Felix.
"The Sky Is a Graveyard"[]
As Silas sits tied up outside, Hope, Iris, Elton, Felix and Huck argue about Silas' culpability in Tony's murder and Percy's disappearance. Iris insists that someone else must've been responsible and that Silas isn't a murderer, but Huck points out that they've seen Silas lose control before and that Silas was drunk, blacked out and woke up covered in Tony and Percy's blood. Iris argues that Silas could've stumbled on Tony and Percy just like them, but Felix states that Silas has told them that he doesn't remember. While Felix believes Silas, they have to look at the hard facts: Silas was angry and he didn't like Percy. Iris points out that Tony and Percy were grifters who must've had enemies and she suggests that someone that they had ripped off came back for revenge. However, Huck informs Iris that they have turned the recreation center upside down and found no sign that anyone else was ever there and if someone was, they would've taken Tony and Percy's things. In contrast, Silas was found passed out at the scene, his wrench covered in Tony's blood. While Hope doesn't want to believe it either, she reminds Iris that Huck is right and they've seen Silas lose it before and they've all heard the stories about Silas' dad. Elton sides with Iris, telling the others that Silas is their friend and he has earned their trust. Elton believes that there must be another explanation of some kind such as wild animals or marauders even. Iris states that they never found Percy's body and he may still be alive and need their help and Elton hopes that Percy could tell them what actually happened. However, Felix states that they had searched for Percy for hours and only found a trail of blood that had stopped at the river. Even if Percy had survived his injuries, Felix doesn't think that Percy could fight the current and has most likely drowned. Elton questions why Silas would attack the people that were trying to help them and Huck states that she has an idea of why and leaves the room. Returning inside, Huck starts going through Silas' belongings against Elton's protests. Huck pulls out several drawings, telling the others that she had seen them when they were camped out a few nights before and that it wasn't her business until now. While Elton is confused by the significance of the drawings, Iris recognizes them as her own.
Hope and Iris look at the drawings which Hope finds messed up since Iris had thrown them away and Silas had dug through their trash for them, but Elton reminds Hope that as a janitor, it was Silas' job. Iris agrees with Elton, stating that it doesn't have to mean anything. Hope points out that Silas liked Iris and that they could all see it as well as the growing romance between her and Percy. Hope suggests that Silas was jealous of Percy and Elton argues that they should put the drawings back, stating that even if they weren't important to Iris, they were to Silas, enough so that he had brought them with him on their journey. Standing by the wall, Elton overhears Felix and Huck discussing Silas' fate and the possibility of leaving Silas behind.
As a despondent Silas sits against the swing, Elton approaches the playground. Spotting him, Silas tells his friend that he shouldn't come in there as he's not safe. Ignoring Silas' warnings, Elton enters and sits across from, pointing out that the only times that he's seen Silas engage in violence, it was either in self-defense or the defense of others. Silas reminds Elton that he had hurt him back at the school, but Elton knows that Silas was just defending Iris. While Silas wants Elton to be afraid of him, Elton reassures Silas that he isn't. Elton doesn't believe that Silas would ever hurt anybody without just cause and he reminds Silas that Silas himself had said that he doesn't remember what happened. Elton wonders if Silas really finds it so hard to believe that he's actually innocent. Elton promises that if Silas won't believe in himself, Elton will do it for him. Elton will need to find proof that Silas is not involved and he warns Silas that if he can't, the others are going to leave him behind before Elton leaves.
Inside, Felix chastises Elton for going outside alone, reminding Elton that they don't need anyone else getting killed. Hope enters, asking where Elton was and Felix explains that he had found Elton down by the river and he asks Hope to keep an eye on him as he walks away. Elton explains to Hope that he had followed Percy's trail in search of evidence to exonerate Silas, but he doesn't know forensics and it's dark so Elton had no luck. Hope questions why Elton is fighting for a lost cause, but Elton insists that they don't know what happened and all that Elton knows is that he hasn't had a family in a long time, but he has one now in the Endlings. Elton believes that even if Silas is actually guilty, he deserves their help because that's what family does. Hope wonders if Elton will just forgive Silas and let him get away with murder, but Elton doesn't think that it's something that you just get away with as you still have to live with what you've done. Hope insists that they need to focus on the greater good, what's best for everyone, but Elton believes that to be staying together.
As Felix patrols sometime later, Elton lies next to Iris and asks her if she's asleep. Iris tells Elton that she doesn't think that anyone can sleep and that she keeps thinking about something that Hope had used to say when they were kids, that the sky is full of stars that have died, their light carrying on even after they are gone and that "it's a graveyard up there." However, Elton corrects Iris, telling her that stars visible to the human eye are only a couple of hundred light years away and they'd be able to tell if the stars were in the early stages of death. As a result, the stars that Iris is looking at are still very much alive. Iris admits that it does in fact make her feel a little bit better and she asks how Elton is doing with everything. Elton states that he's been thinking and that with the lack of laws out in the wild, there is nothing specifically empowering the adults to decide Silas' fate. With Iris being the closest thing to a leader that the Endlings have, Elton thinks that she should have equal say in what happens to Silas and so should Elton and Hope. Iris doesn't think it's so simple, but Elton tells her that if she votes against exiling Silas, they would need just one more vote in favor and Silas can stay. However, Iris knows that Hope won't and while Elton doesn't think that Hope won't either, he knows that Felix doesn't want to leave anybody behind and believes that Felix would vote with them if Iris and Elton present a united front. However, it's up to Iris.
The next morning, Iris informs the others that Silas has left, having exiled himself from the Endlings in order to protect his friends. Elton packs up Silas' belongings and informs Hope that he has come to a very difficult decision: he is leaving to join Silas. Elton knows that Silas' survival odds are increased with supplies and someone watching his back. Hope protests Elton's decision, but Elton knows that if he doesn't go after Silas, his best friend will spend the rest of his life thinking that nobody believes in him which is a lie. Elton asks Hope to give his best to the others as he knows that it will just be too hard to say goodbye. Hope is shocked that Elton is really leaving, pointing out that they could never see him again and asking about the family that the Endlings are to each other. Elton reminds Hope that Silas is family too and he hugs Hope. Elton believes that everything happens as it's supposed to and that maybe Elton is supposed to find Silas and then his mother and his sister too. Hope reveals that she had lied to him, telling Elton that she had thought that she was protecting him from the truth, but she had only made it worse. Unwilling to let Elton keep searching for someone that's not there, a crying Hope gives Elton her bead necklace, hoping that he can someday forgive her like he forgave Silas. Hope finally reveals to Elton that she had accidentally killed his mother on the Night the Sky Fell.
Carrying both his own belongings and Silas', the grief-stricken Elton sets off on his own, tripping and falling near a walker that has been pinned to the ground by a fallen rose trellis. At first terrified, Elton realizes that the walker is harmless in its current state and pulls out his mother's bead and starts crying as he holds it. His hand shaking, Elton puts on the bead necklace, gets up and resumes chasing after Silas.
"The Deepest Cut"[]
Sitting on top of an old shipping container where he had spent the night, Elton folds his blanket and holds the necklace made out of his mother's bead. Elton picks up Amelia's manuscript and reads her dedication to him. After a moment, angry and upset, Elton rips out several pages and scatters them to the wind.
Walking down the road, Elton collects the pages that he had scattered, but the page with the dedication blows away from him and lands in a blood trail. Following the blood trail, Elton comes across a walker who is put down from behind by an injured Percy. Percy recognizes Elton and asks how Elton found him before collapsing. Elton rushes to the unconscious Percy's aid, but hears the sound of more walkers growling in the distance.
Elton drags the unconscious Percy across a field near a river, struggling on his own with how heavy his friend is on top of the belongings that Elton is also carrying. Elton finally stops and Percy gets up and asks Elton why he's doing this as Percy is going to die. Elton admits that he needs to try and save Percy because he takes the wind leading Elton to Percy as a sign that he's supposed to save him. Percy says that he can't fight that and that it took Elton's dad and his mom who had freaked out and started shooting people. Elton angrily orders Percy to shut up, insisting that he is nothing like his mother and Percy asks if Elton is like Hope. Elton shakily defends Hope, stating that Hope was little while Amelia has no excuse for what she did. Percy suggests that if Elton really is hell-bent on saving him, Elton needs to find where Percy is leaking and patch him up before Percy bleeds out.
Elton realizes that he's hallucinating Percy talking to him out of stress and tries to shut him up, but Percy suggests that Elton's scared to find out what Silas did to Percy with his wrench. After a moment, Elton declares that he's not scared and checks out Percy's shoulder wound which is revealed to be a bullet wound. "Surprise, Rocket Man. I got shot," states Percy.
Elton treats Percy's wound, begging Percy to wake up and tell him who shot him. Sitting up, Elton's hallucination of Percy asks if it even matters who did this and what he's putting on the wound. Elton explains that it's a poultice to draw out the infection, assuming that Percy didn't get something serious like staph or MRSA. As Elton wraps up his shoulder, Percy insists that Elton is wasting his time and that Percy is dying. Elton refuses to give up, but Percy draws his attention to a small herd of four walkers making their way across the field towards Elton and Percy.
Elton desperately tries to drag Percy away without much luck while his hallucination of Percy insists that it's useless as Percy is just going to die anyways. Percy reassures Elton that it's okay for Elton to walk away and save himself, but Elton refuses, insisting that he's not his mother. Percy tells Elton to look around and that it's over for him, but not for Elton. With a little bit of time before the herd reaches them, Elton sits next to Percy who calls it a crazy world "full of good people who sometimes disappoint us, but stand beautiful." Elton is no longer just the guy behind the camera, he's a part of the world now. Elton tells Percy that that wasn't what this was supposed to be and Percy comments that it never is.
Percy calls Elton not wanting him to die a noble thing, but states that trying to save a guy who's probably already dead is not worth it. Percy encourages Elton to live and save other people down the line who can live to change the world. Elton believes that they only have 15 years before they go extinct, but Percy challenges his belief in this. Elton insists that his mom believed it to be true, but Percy suggests that Amelia had more faith in people than he thinks because if Elton is right, why would she have had children in that case. Percy thinks that despite what she wrote in her manuscript, deep down Amelia believed that people still stood a fighting chance. Percy encourages Elton to experience the world and to fight for it and be brave like Amelia knew that he could be. As Elton starts crying, his hallucination of Percy vanishes.
After looking at his bead necklace for a moment, Elton gets up to leave as the walkers close in. However, suddenly filled with a fierce determination, Elton stops and changes his mind, dropping his and Silas' belongings. Grabbing his fisherman and Silas' wrench, Elton faces off against the herd to protect Percy. Elton kicks one of the walkers to ground and ties two of the others together with his fisherman before facing off against the last one with Silas' wrench. Elton bashes the walker's head in with the wrench, falling to the ground in the process. Standing, Elton looks over the aftermath of his fight and smiles, having put a walker down for the first time.
The next morning, Elton continues to sit in the field with an unconscious Percy as a storm starts up. Adjusting Percy's jacket to make it warmer for him, Elton finds a radio in the pocket and attempts to raise his friends. Elton manages to raise Huck and tells her that he's with Percy who's hurt. Huck asks Elton to tell her where they are, but as he starts, Percy wakes up and stops Elton, revealing to Elton's shock that Huck was the one who shot him.
"In This Life"[]
Dragging a wagon carrying Percy and their belongings, Elton makes his way to an old factory, having been drawn by the smoke from the fire outside. Silas emerges and tells Elton that he shouldn't have come and Elton hugs Silas, stating that he'd followed the smoke hoping that it was Silas. Elton excitedly tells Silas that he brought Silas' bag and his headphones and cassette player which Elton had retrieved for him. Elton draws Silas' attention to the wagon and the injured Percy who sarcastically tells Silas that he's doing great.
Sitting inside the factory, Percy explains to Silas and Elton that Huck shot Tony and Percy just ran, thinking that he was next and that he couldn't yell for help because of the rest of the Endlings were all in on it. Huck is the one who has blood on her hands after what she did to Tony and Percy. Silas is confused as to why Huck had murdered Tony and framed him, but neither Elton nor Percy know. Elton tells Silas that all they know is that it wasn't Silas who starts silently crying with relief at the knowledge that he isn't a monster and he never was. After a moment, Silas becomes concerned, realizing that Hope and Iris are still with Huck and he tells Elton and Percy that they have to save them.
Studying a map, Elton tells Silas and Percy that the others have to be a ways ahead of them by now and Percy states that they are a hundred miles ahead and gaining which is more than a ways. Silas promises that they will figure it out and Elton begins packing away the map. Noticing Percy in pain from his shoulder wound, Silas offers his condolences about Tony's death and tells Percy that he's glad that Percy is okay and apologizes for his earlier behavior. Percy just wants to focus on catching up to the others and finding Huck, promising that Huck will pay for what she did and it's going to be him that does it.
Hearing a truck engine, Silas, Elton and Percy go to the window and spot a CRM truck pulling up and CRM soldiers get out. Percy suggests that since they are close to the fuel depot that the Endlings had raided, the CRM must've been there and seen the smoke from the fire just like Elton had. With the soldiers heading for the factory, the three quickly flee.
Sneaking outside at night, the three find the factory surrounded on both sides by CRM soldiers. Elton reminds the others that they have the CRM's truck, their maps, stole their gas and Elton radioed Huck on an open channel. As a result, the CRM might've overhead the radio conversation and put two and two together that the people at the factory are the ones responsible for everything. Silas tells the others that he might know a way out and to follow him. Silas leads Elton and Percy to a gate with Percy's wound reopening and bleeding badly along the way. Percy orders the other two to leave him behind because his wound is slowing them down and the blood will just lead the CRM right to them. Elton refuses to give up on his friend and gets them through the gate.
Looking back, Silas has a flashback to Iris telling Silas that he'd saved them twice now, Felix promising him a fresh start, Elton reassuring Silas that he isn't a monster, putting down a walker at the high school, holding up the rack of tires at the Blaze of Gory and playing in the treehouse ending with Iris telling him that Silas saving them is what matters. After Elton and Percy get through the gate, Silas tosses his belongings through after them and closes it. Elton asks what Silas is doing and, cutting his hand, he explains that he's saving them so that they can save the others. Silas tells them not to worry about him, promising that he will be okay no matter what happens. Both Elton and Percy protest that Silas doesn't have to do this, but Silas explains that the CRM doesn't know that Elton and Percy are here and getting Silas will slow them down. Silas orders Percy to protect Iris and keep her safe, but to not be the monster no matter what Huck did to him. Silas thanks Elton for believing in him when he didn't and calls Elton his best friend. With the CRM trucks approaching, Silas orders the two to go before they are seen and walks away. Percy tells Elton that there's nothing that he can do and they have to go. Reluctantly, Elton picks up Silas' belongings and follows Percy away.
The next day, Elton and Percy walk through a field and Percy wonders where the CRM took Silas and how they're going to find the others, and what they're going to do, but Elton doesn't know the answer to any of his questions. Elton knows that they're going to figure it out and that while what lies ahead won't be easy, they're a part of it now. While Elton used to think that they were the last of the species, so much has changed and he's seen the impossible happen which is how Elton knows that they're going to find the others and save them. Elton is confident that they can do the impossible and that they are going to make their lives count, not because they're the last generation, but because they're the beginning.
Season 2[]
"Konsekans"[]
Elton briefly appears in a flashback to when he and Silas were in the Bennett Family Apartment.
"Exit Wounds"[]
Riding a horse with Percy, Elton looks at a map and tells his friend that they can still find their friends and that losing Silas' belongings wasn't an omen. Percy wonders who said that it was an omen and Elton tells him that they had no choice but to ditch the bag or get eaten by walkers. However, Elton thinks that it worked out because they found Teresa, as Elton has named their horse, out of the blue shortly thereafter. Elton optimistically states that they are gaining ground now and can catch up to the others, but Percy is much more pessimistic about their chances, especially after what Huck did. Noticing a plume of smoke, Elton and Percy dismount and find Asha and Dev eating beside a fire. Hungry, Elton and Percy make their way towards the two.
Getting close, Percy comments on the homemade nature of Asha and Dev's weapons and the signs that they're alone and camped there overnight meaning that they're pretty far from home. Elton wonders how Percy knows that Asha and Dev have a home and Percy points that their turnips are all the same shape and size and are harvested. Percy thinks that conning them out of their food should be a piece of cake and the two argue about stealing the food rather than just asking for some of it. Although Elton believes that Asha and Dev seem like good people, Percy points that Huck did too and it "turned out she was only good at shooting people." Citing the fact that he's been out there a long time, Percy tells Elton that "the world does shit to people. Even the good ones." However, Elton refuses to stoop to that level and tells Percy to wait while he goes to Asha and Dev alone.
Elton approaches Asha and Dev, telling them that he comes in peace. As Dev holds Elton at knifepoint, Asha pats him down. Dev asks if Elton is alone and he admits that he has a traveling companion named Percy who's a good guy and hung back. With Elton coming up clean, Dev goes to look for Percy while Asha asks what Elton is doing out there and Elton explains that he was looking for his friends who were heading east looking for their father but instead might've run into trouble. Asha wonders if Elton and Percy intend to save their friends by themselves and Elton agrees that they will if they find them. They've been traveling for awhile now and came across Asha and Dev's camp and while avoiding people is the smart move, Elton and Percy haven't eaten in days. Elton starts to ramble a bit about having decided to ask for help out of hunger before Asha stops him. Dev rejoins them, having failed to find Percy and Asha tells her brother that Elton claims to just be looking for food.
Asha gives Elton a canteen and some food before introducing herself and Dev. As Elton starts to introduce himself, he gets distracted noticing Percy rummaging through Asha and Dev's wagon and stealing food from it. Noticing Percy too, Asha grabs her axe and Elton tries to defuse the situation as Asha realizes that they are a couple of conmen. Elton admits that technically, Percy was a conman and Percy runs off with Elton, chased by Asha and Dev, Asha flinging her axe at them and hitting a tree instead.
Elton and Percy flee through the woods and hide as a herd emerges. Percy tells Elton that they will wait for the herd to pass and then circle back to the horse. Watching as Asha and Dev fight the empties with their axe and spear respectively, Percy decides not to wait and runs off with Elton. As they run, Elton trips and falls. Looking around, Elton and Percy realize that the clearing is filled with empties buried in leaves and flowers with Elton laying on top of one. Elton backs away from one towards a tree stump while another one trips Percy. Elton inadvertently backs into an empty that is by the stump and while he and Percy struggle with the empties, Asha takes out one of the ones menacing Elton with her axe while Percy manages to stab the one that he's fighting in the head before it's pulled off of him by Dev. Asha kicks another empty to the ground and curb stomps it while Elton, after a struggle, manages to reach Asha's axe and put down the other empty menacing him. As Asha begins to help Elton up, a previously unseen empty emerges from the ground next to him and bites at Elton's left arm before Asha smashes its head in with a log.
Asha pins Elton down to have Dev amputate his arm, but Elton shows them that he is not bitten as his suit protected him. Taking an interest in the suit, Asha steals it for herself and she and Dev tie up Elton and Percy. Asha removes an empty's eyes and replaces them with flowers before she and Dev pray over the bodies.
With Asha riding Teresa, she and Dev transport Elton and Percy in the back of their wagon, ignoring Percy's questions about their destination. Percy wonders what Asha and Dev had been doing and Elton tells him off for trying to steal from the siblings. "The world's a shitshow. I told you, you either accept it or you die. That's just how it is," states Percy. As they start to pass toxic warning signs, Dev stops the wagon and covers Elton and Percy's heads with hoods as he and Asha don gas masks.
After reaching their home, the Perimeter, Asha cuts Elton and Percy loose, addressing them both by name, leaving Elton confused as he had never told Asha his name. Dev leads a confused Iris over and she hugs Elton and Percy, shocked and relieved to see the latter, having feared that Percy was dead. Iris explains that she and Felix had found Will and Felix and Will are currently out on patrol. Retrieving Silas' Wrench from the wagon, Dev explains that he and Asha had found it while looking for their missing horse - Teresa the same horse that Elton and Percy had found. Elton realizes that Asha and Dev had known who they were the entire time and Asha explains that their mom runs the Perimeter and Iris had told her how the Endlings got separated. Asha and Dev were originally just going to bring Elton and Percy to the Perimeter, but when Percy had tried to steal from them, the siblings had decided to have some fun. Annoyed, Percy tells Asha that she has a really screwed up way of having fun. Elton asks Iris about Hope, causing her to become somber.
Iris informs Elton and Percy about the destruction of Omaha and the Campus Colony, the CRM's attempted murder of Will and her belief that the CRM is responsible for the destruction of their home. Reeling from the news, Elton wanders through the Perimeter where he witnesses Brody arguing with Asha and Dev. Brody berates Asha and Dev, stating that it was supposed to be a routine assignment to put up signs and they instead brought back two more strays. Dev explains that Elton and Percy had gotten split up from their friends and they had brought them together. Robin suggests that they get Indira since Elizabeth Kublek is looking for them. Agreeing, Brody states that they're putting the whole community in danger and reminds Asha and Dev of the agreement that the Perimeter has with the CRM. Asha angrily tells Brody that the CRM makes the Perimeter live in their shadow and play by their rules while the community was there first so "screw the agreement." Furious, Brody tells Asha that it's not for her to decide and he storms out. As Brody leaves, Asha notices Elton watching them through the window.
Near sunset, Elton sits on a bench looking at a sculpture near the entrance of the community. Joining him, Asha tells Elton that the sculpture is Verite and it was made by an artist who died at the start and it now serves as a reminder of all that they've lost. Asha expresses her condolences for Elton's losses such as his friend Silas and his home. Elton hopes that they're not causing too many problems by being there, but Asha tells Elton that the problems were already there. Asha's mother founded the Perimeter before the world changed and then the CRM came and offered them supplies to let them live. As part of the deal, the Perimeter residents post the hazard signs and keep people from finding the research facility. If they come across anybody, they pretend the whole place is contaminated. Elton asks if the flowers in the empties eyes were all for show, confusing Asha that he thinks that the undead are empty. Asha clarifies that her people call them vessels and that some of them think that the undead's souls are stuck between here and the next life and killing them helps the soul move on. Elton asks about the flowers and Asha calls it her little personal touch, "a little beauty in the darkness left behind." Elton asks if he can have his Tuffy Stitch suit back, but Asha merely tells him that they'll see.
That night, Elton, accompanied by Asha, spots Hope and Huck being escorted into the center of town by two guards. Upon seeing them, Elton ducks further behind a house.
"Family Is a Four Letter Word"[]
Hiding behind a house, Elton watches the reunion of Hope, Iris, Felix and Huck. Asha is confused by the presence of Staff Sergeant Mallick with Elton's friend, but Elton is confused as well. Watching the growing confrontation between his friends, Elton begins to have a panic attack, worrying Asha. Looking at Hope, Elton is afraid that she knows that he's there despite Asha reassuring him that the others can't see them behind the house. Overcome by fear, Elton heads off into the woods, experiencing flashbacks of Hope confessing to accidentally killing his mother. Spotting a small structure in the distance, Elton heads for it.
In a flashback, Silas purposefully injures himself so that Elton and Percy can get away from the CRM.
In the present, Elton enters the structure, and he finds a chair set up with boxes of CR medical supplies nearby which he goes through. Exiting, Elton is found by Asha who wonders what is up with him and warns Elton that he shouldn't be out there. Elton demands to know what this place is, but Asha claims that it's just an old hunting blind. Not buying it, Elton demands answers about the medical supplies and asks if someone in Asha's group is sick. Asha nervously attempts to convince Elton that this has nothing to do with him and to forget that he saw anything, but Elton deduces that this is a part of some secret side deal and asks if Indira shouldn't know about this. Asha finally admits that her mother already does know about it and claims that Asha herself is the one that's sick. Asha explains to Elton that as long as she keeps the dialysis going, she feels fine. Nobody else knows aside from Indira and Dev and while it sucks that they have to rely on the CRM, she doesn't want people looking at her different like Elton is now doing.
Elton apologizes and Asha asks why he had run away before. Elton admits that things with Hope are messy and scrambled and, showing Asha his bead necklace, explains that he had used to believe that his mother and sister were still out in the world somewhere, but it was just a dumb story that Elton told himself in order to feel better. Asha asks what Elton thinks happens to things when they die, and he tells her that they break down into their original compounds. Asha asks what about what happens after they're absorbed into the ground and points out that they're absorbed by other things and continue to live on like that. However, Elton points out that while their matter lives on, there's no proof that their consciousness does. Asha has faith that it does and, before leaving to find her mom, thanks Elton for keeping her secret. Elton admits that he thinks that Asha is very brave, and she encourages him to talk to Hope, suggesting that Hope can make things a little less scrambled for him.
Returning to the Perimeter, Elton sees Hope and Huck leaving. After a moment, Elton walks away, deciding not to talk to Hope.
Later, Elton lies in bed playing with his bead necklace.
"Quatervois"[]
Iris, Percy, Felix, Will and Elton make their way through the woods towards the culling facility where Silas works, putting down several empties as they go. Elton, now armed with an axe, asks if Iris really thinks that their plan is going to work and she says that she does, but Elton doesn't respond when Iris asks about his thoughts on the success of their plan. Elton asks how Hope is and Iris says that she's good and that Elton can ask her himself this time tomorrow.
The group spots a large herd moving in the same direction that they are, and Will confirms that the facility should be just over the upcoming ridge. Loud music begins drawing the herd towards the facility and Felix warns the others that it won't be long before the music fills the whole area with empties. Seeing that the area is filled with empties, Will comments that they are going to need an exit strategy. Spotting a creek bed filled with the undead, Felix decides to lure as many as he can into it and keep things clear while everyone else keeps moving. Will argues with Felix about Felix remaining behind alone and Iris tells them both to stay while she, Felix and Elton go on ahead. Percy adds that they'll go in, make contact and get out. If the things get dicey, they'll split, and Elton promises that they'll be "smart and safe. Just like you taught us." With Will agreeing with them, Felix gives in and provides final instructions to stay low and watch for spotters which Iris finishes for him. Left alone, Felix and Will begin luring empties in and knocking them into the creek bed.
Closing in on the facility, Iris, Percy and Elton stop as they see Grady and Tiga emerge through a break in the fence, followed by Silas. Grady and Tiga give Silas instructions on how to fix the fence and leave to cover the north end until Silas is back. Once they're gone, Iris moves to greet her friend despite Percy trying to get her to wait. As they approach, Silas puts down an empty with his kill stick and is surprised to see his friends there. Telling Silas that he's glad that he's okay, Elton hugs Silas while Percy pats him on the back, telling Silas that it's good to see him before moving towards the break in the fence and Iris just smiles at him.
Inside Dennis' workshop, Iris, Percy and Elton catch Silas up on the destruction of Omaha and the Campus Colony. Silas is shocked and upset to hear that everyone, including his uncle, is dead and Elton apologizes, knowing that it's a lot, but the Endlings had never thought that it would all be gone. Silas asks if the CRM took Hope and Percy reveals that Huck is one of them and had been playing the group the whole time for the CRM. Percy wonders if they're safe there and Silas reassures his friends that Dennis left for the research facility and the others don't come into the workshop much. Silas optimistically suggests that since he's treated okay at the culling facility, Hope and Leo are treated okay too. Iris reminds Silas that an entire city is gone as well as the university and if they are right about this, then the CRM has committed genocide. Iris admits that they don't have proof, but they know that the CRM did it.
Elton explains that they have a way in, and Will knows a way out and shows Silas a map. Pointing out a location on the map, Iris explains that it's the Detritus Service Terminal where all of the biohazard waste gets taken out. According to Will, Dennis has access to it, a keycard. Percy tells Silas that the next day he needs to take the card and one of the facility's trucks, make his way to the terminal and open the door at exactly 2 p.m. Iris adds that they will time it so that they're ready on the other side at that time. They'll take off and head right for Portland. They can tell Portland what happened, and they can keep them hidden. However, Silas will only have a 20-minute window at best. As soon as he's a mile out, long-range security will spot him and call it in to the gate guards. If Silas hasn't checked in with official business by then, they'll come looking.
Silas asks what if he can't, pointing out that he's just starting to be trusted at the culling facility. However, Iris tells Silas that he's the only chance that they have. Silas suggests asking Dennis for help, thinking that Dennis can be trusted, but Percy tells Silas that Dennis is part of the CRM, the enemy, and he just wants Silas to think that he can be trusted. Silas insists that Dennis is not like Huck, believing that Dennis couldn't know that the CRM committed genocide and be alright with it. However, Percy believes that Dennis will betray them and get them killed, stating that the CRM are liars and the reason that the only family that they have is dead. Iris knows that it's a lot, but time isn't on their side, and they can't do this without Silas' help. Iris asks if Silas is in, but Silas, overwhelmed, just walks away without a word.
Iris and Percy impatiently wait for Silas to make a decision and Elton reassures them that Silas will come around. Iris reminds Elton that they exiled him, but Elton points out that Silas had exiled himself. Unable to take it any longer, Iris goes to talk to Silas, leaving Elton and Percy behind. Iris tells Silas that she felt sick when she heard that Silas had turned himself in and both admit that they weren't sure if they were going to leave him alive and Iris only let him away because she thought it was what he wanted. Silas tells her that's not why he's hesitant to help, it's just a lot to take in which Iris acknowledges. Iris confirms that she's sure that it was the CRM that destroyed their home, and they have to get Hope and her dad out and Silas too. Iris pleads for Silas to help them, and he finally agrees. Elton and Percy join them, having been eavesdropping and Silas promises to be at the Detritus Terminal at 2 p.m. the next day. Iris tearfully hugs Silas and thanks him, ordering to leave if something happens and they don't make it there in time. If Silas waits for them, he'll get caught. Iris wants Silas to take care of himself and not worry about them if something happens. Silas agrees and Elton and Percy leave after saying their goodbyes. Before she leaves, Iris hands Silas a drawing that she had made of the Endlings and he smiles at the picture.
At the Perimeter, Indira is surprised to learn that their plan is to turn themselves in. Iris clarifies that it's just her and Felix and Dev asks about Elton and Percy. Elton explains that they're not the CRM's priority and it's better if they stay on the outside, although Percy is less than happy about it. Felix states that they are going to approach from the south so that it doesn't look like they crossed through the Perimeter's territory. Indira worries that a willing surrender may draw suspicion, but Asha suggests instead that they turn Iris and Felix in and make it look like the Perimeter caught them. Indira agrees that it would look less suspicious, and it would show the CRM that the Perimeter is honoring their agreement.
Iris is surprised that Indira would be willing to do that, but Indira is more worried about her friends: escaping will be dangerous and from what she saw, Hope wasn't too eager to leave. However, Will tells her that that was before Hope knew the truth and Iris adds that Hope is her sister and she'll leave. Will adds that once they're out, they'll pick up him, Elton and Percy a mile west of the Perimeter. The Endlings will lay low - possibly at the underground mall near Cornell that Dev had mentioned to them - and then once things blow over, they'll head west. Indira warns them that things don't just blow over with the CRM and they'll be all alone if they need help on the inside. Percy reveals that he and Will have found a way to get a message out if the plan changes through a dead drop. The Perimeter's supplies come in late in the day on the first Wednesday of every month which is the next day.
Walking outside together, Elton suggests to Asha that if this plan works, the Perimeter will finally have the Endlings out of their hair. However, Asha tells him that it hasn't been so bad having them in their hair and he'll get to see Hope. Indira checks with Will that he's sure that this is what he wants to do knowing what he could lose, but Felix tells her that it's the CRM's turn to lose and Felix intends to make damn sure that they do.
That night, as Iris, Felix, Indira and Dev prepare for departure in a wagon, Iris returns Elton's Triceratops horn to him, having dismantled Shiloh as the CRM will take their weapons away from them when Indira turns Iris and Felix in. Iris tells Elton that it got her over a thousand miles and helped her to feel brave and strong. Elton reassures Iris that she already was, and the horn was just there to be what she needed it to be. Iris suggests that it can now be whatever Elton needs it to be and he thanks her before walking away.
Sitting by a fire, Elton stares at his Triceratops horn before he's joined by Percy. Having noticed the romantic interactions between Iris and Percy, Elton tells him that it's cool and Percy asks Elton about his own relationship with Asha. Elton immediately and unconvincingly denies that there's anything between him and Asha and tells Percy that they're leaving the next day and Asha's got a lot going on before trailing off and admitting that "shit's messy." Percy is upset that they don't seem to be making their lives count, but Elton thought that that's what they were doing. Staring intently at Elton suddenly, Percy tells him that he'd thought so too. Elton is confused by his friend's behavior and why people keep looking at him like that. At Percy's request, Elton lends him his jacket so that Percy can pose as Elton in order to infiltrate the research facility alongside their friends.
The next day, Elton sits on a doorstep and is joined by Asha who tells him that Indira is not too thrilled about Percy's stunt. Elton admits that Will's not too thrilled that Elton let him go, but they've all got their choices to make. Percy's choice was to go while Elton's was to stay back with Will and someone who has only been honest with him and has made everything seem like a little bit less of a mess. Shaken by Elton's words and trust in her, Asha reveals that it's actually Indira who's sick, not Asha and she had lied to him. Asha did it to protect her mother's secret as some of the people at the Perimeter have different ideas about how it should be run. If Brody or anyone else found out that Indira had a private agreement with the CRM, it would be used against her, and Indira is the only thing keeping them together. Asha apologizes for her lies, and she asks Elton to promise her not to tell anyone. Concerned, Elton asks if Indira is going to be okay and Asha reassures him that she will be as long as Indira keeps getting what she needs from the CRM. Asha sadly contemplates that maybe it's all a mess and that maybe there's no avoiding it and that they are idiots to think that they can. Elton tells Asha that if it helps at all, Elton has come to realize that he's that kind of an idiot all of the time. Elton gets up to leave and Asha states that it was nice meeting him, a sentiment which Elton returns before he leaves.
Later, Elton and Will wait for their friends to show up at the rendezvous point.
"Who Are You?"[]
Dev gives Elton Iris' coded message from the dead drop. As Dev, Asha, Indira and Will watch, Elton decodes it and immediately becomes worried. Elton reveals that the others aren't leaving and Will snatches the message to read it for himself. Dev points out the others are supposed to get in, grab Hope and Leo and get out and wonders what else they could be doing. Angry, Will gives the message to Indira which reveals that the others intend to burn the research facility to the ground. "They're gonna start a war," Indira realizes.
As the Council debates on what to do, Elton sits on the stoop outside and an agitated Will paces, upset that Felix hadn't stuck to the plan. Elton tells Will that it's worse and admits that Indira is sick from kidney failure and saline dialysis and blood thinners are all that's keeping her alive and all of those meds come from the research facility. Indira has kept it a secret from everyone but her family with Elton having only found out by accident. There's no way that Iris and Felix know as burning down the facility, if they really intend to do it, means destroying everything that Indira needs to live. As Will processes the news, Dev and Asha emerge from the house and tell Will and Elton that they're good. While Brody tried to pull some shit, it didn't work and they can stay, at least for now. Will thanks the two, but he announces that he's not staying, he can't, and he needs to get back inside of the facility.
That night, looking at Will's map of the facility, Dev tells Will that he can cut him through Larkin Notch which will get Will a half mile from the research facility without the long-range patrols spotting him. Elton asks what Will's next move will be and he finds a holding pen on the fence line where the scientists keep the empties that they use for study. Security will be laxer there, but Elton points out it's because the CRM assume that no one's actually crazy enough to cut through. Elton and Asha exchange concerned looks as Will states that it's how he gets in and once he finds the others, Will will tell them about Indira and make sure that whatever they're up to doesn't jeopardize the medicine that she needs. With Indira having risked everything for them, Will owes her this. Asha pleads with Will to at least take her and Elton with him, but if the others make it out or things go sideways, Will needs them both safe. Dev teases his sister about her being worried and Asha claims that she just doesn't want to get stuck holding the bag if Indira finds out. Dev suggests that Asha tell their mother that, instead of Indira taking care of everyone else, someone's off taking care of her for a change. Dev jokes that it's also pretty fun leaving his little sister holding the bag sometimes. Will and Dev leave with Dev playfully punching Asha's shoulder.
Alone, Elton apologizes for breaking his promise to keep Indira's illness a secret. Asha knows that Elton's just worried about her mom and that that's the thing with secrets: they almost never want to stay secret. Asha starts to leave to pray for Dev and Will's safety and Elton asks to come with her. Asha is surprised that Elton wants to pray, and Elton explains that the last time people that he cared about most in the world left him, they never came back, and Elton would just rather not be alone right now. Asha agrees to let Elton come with her.
In the woods, Elton and Asha put down two empties with their axes. As Asha prepares for the flower ceremony, Elton asks how this is going to work exactly. Asha explains that they free the empties' souls and pray that a little bit of the positive energy finds its way to Dev and Will. Elton and Asha place flowers in the empties eyes and, holding hands, pray together.
"Returning Point"[]
A devastated Will returns to the Perimeter carrying Dev's spear. Based on the look on his face and Will's possession of Dev's spear, Indira and Asha realize that Dev is dead and break down in each other's arms as Elton, Will, Brody and the other residents watch.
In Indira's house, she stares at a picture of the globe sculpture outside of the research facility and Will tearfully explains that he hadn't wanted to leave Dev, but he knew that it would be bad if the CRM saw them together. However, the CRM might've seen them together and Will apologizes, blaming himself for Dev's death. However, Indira states that Dev was out there because of her. Indira explains that she was dying, and Elizabeth Kublek offered her treatment so that Indira could live. Indira was too selfish and too scared to let go of her life, community and children. Addressing Elton, Asha, Brody, Robin and the other gathered council members, Indira reveals that Dev had died helping her to get medicine so that Indira could hold onto things that she had no right to still be holding onto. Indira handed the CRM control of her life, and, because of that, the CRM took the life of her son and now they could lose everything.
Ignoring Will's attempts to comfort her, Indira tells the others that they need to assume that the CRM knows that her son trespassed and that the Perimeter's non-aggression pact with the CRM is nullified. Things are escalating and they all know what the CRM is capable of. It is no longer safe for anyone at the Perimeter, and they have to leave. Robin agrees that they will gather what they can carry and head to the waystation near Cornell and go from there. Indira orders him to let the others know and announces that she will step down as their leader once they get to safety. Furious, Brody storms out of the house without a word. Indira, Robin, the rest of the council and Will follow her, leaving Elton and Asha behind.
Elton offers Asha his condolences, but she's not sure that there's anything that Elton can do to him. Asha states that Dev was a lot like Elton, questioning everything and she thinks that he was still trying to figure it out too. Asha wonders if her brother ever did in the end. Elton suggests that, for some people, it takes facing the end for them to ever really know. Asha silently leaves as Elton watches her go.
An alarmed Elton, Asha and Robin run up to Indira and Robin reveals that Brody had split off from the first caravan and headed east, ranting about making things right with the CRM. Three CRM vehicles arrive, carrying Sergeant Mills' team who round up the Perimeter residents aside from Will who manages to hide behind a house. Mills tells Indira that they took out a good sized piece of the Perimeter's wall on their way in, but they won't need it after today.
As everyone else kneels and Will observes from his hiding spot, Indira begs Mills to let her speak with Elizabeth. Contacting Mills, Jadis orders him to put her on with Indira. Indira pleads with Jadis to call off her soldiers and take Indira while letting her people live. Jadis admits that she's impressed with the globe sculpture that Elizabeth had commissioned from Indira years before, acknowledging that the kind of welding involved is tricky which Jadis knows personally. "I was like you once. Leading a community of artists, but they never really stood a chance, as yours don't now," Jadis reveals. Jadis believes that larger, more powerful communities overtake smaller ones and that it's become their responsibility to. The larger communities are ascendant because they've adapted and equipped themselves for survival not just through might, but by seeing the world for what it is and what it must be. While Indira's vision is lovely, it doesn't portray what is. Indira doesn't and can't see it which is why the CRM can't let her people live. Making Indira kneel, Mills reports that the hostiles are secured and his team is awaiting Jadis' orders. Huck objects that the Perimeter provides a valuable service to the CRM and are a resource, but Jadis orders Mills to kill everyone.
Will draws the gun that Dev gave him as Mills' squad assumes firing positions. Kneeling next to Asha, Elton sees a leaf float by on the breeze. Interlocking his pinkie with Asha's, Elton promises her that it's going to be alright. As the soldiers prepare to execute everyone, Will opens fire, wounding Mills before he runs out of bullets. As the soldiers fire at Will, Dennis suddenly opens fire, killing one and engaging in a firefight with the rest, joined by Silas, much to Elton's amazement, who kills two more soldiers. Dennis calls orders into his radio for the squad to fall back to the mill, confusing them and causing them to fall back. Crawling over to Mills and grabbing a CRM gun, Indira orders her people to arm themselves and find cover. As Elton, Asha and Robin take cover together, Mills draws his pistol and kills Robin, but Indira shoots him in the head from behind before he can kill Elton and Asha.
While Dennis continues to exchange fire with the soldiers, Perimeter residents arm themselves and try to join the fight with Elton grabbing a nearby crossbow. However, two of the residents are killed by the soldiers' gunfire. Silas grabs one of the soldier's rifles and, along with Indira, gives Dennis covering fire. With Silas and Indira's covering fire, Dennis is able to grab a grenade off of a dead soldier and he uses it to blow up the mill and the surviving CRM soldiers while Elton covers Asha from the blast.
In the aftermath, Indira and Asha embrace each other while Elton hugs Silas. Elton asks Silas how he and Dennis knew to come, but Silas explains that they didn't, they had been on their way to tell everyone about the plan. A confused Will asks what plan Silas is talking about and Silas explains that the others are escaping. Dennis orders Silas to get his friends and the supplies to the rendezvous and to be ready. Will asks what they need to be ready for and what the plan is before Dennis discovers that he's been shot in the side and severely wounded. Dennis falls to his knees as Silas rushes forward, worried about his friend.
"Death and the Dead"[]
At the culling facility, loud music draws a herd into the kill zone while Silas tends to Dennis' gunshot wound. Elton rushes in carrying Dennis' medical kit and vodka, but Dennis is out of antibiotics. Dennis directs Elton to sterilize the forceps in the fire and pours the vodka over his wound, causing Dennis a lot of pain. Dennis tells Silas that he's going to have to hold him down while Elton digs out the bullet. Silas is reluctant, but Dennis tells Silas that he needs to hold Dennis down tight as, if Dennis moves an inch, Elton will nick his intestines and it will be over for him. Silas holds Dennis down and, after taking a sip of the vodka, Elton moves to pull out the bullet. Stopping him, Dennis reminds Elton to get a good grip before he pulls it out. Although it causes Dennis a lot of pain, Elton manages to remove the bullet from his abdomen. After Dennis is bandaged up, Silas examines the removed bullet. Dennis tells the two that the kill zone should be at capacity, to stick to the plan and find their friends. Silas stares at the medical kit, but Dennis tells him to go, reassuring Silas that he'll be fine.
Driving towards the research facility in a jeep, Elton uses firecrackers to keep the herd gathered at the culling facility following them. Elton tells Silas that they're about a mile out now which means that they're clear to peel off and meet the others. Silas asks if Elton still has Will's map of the research facility and, after Elton confirms that he does, tells his friend that they're making a stop before meeting up with the others. Silas and Elton continue leading the herd towards the research facility with more empties emerging from the trees to join the ones that are already following the two.
Entering the research facility, which is being overrun by the herd, Elton checks the map and tells Silas that the medical supply room should be right in front of them, meaning that the way in is through one of the doorways to either side of them. The two decide to split up and Silas thanks Elton for doing this instead of just going with the others. Elton tells his best friend that while so much hasn't worked out, this will.
As Webb apologizes and prepares to shoot Silas, he is suddenly hit over the head from behind by Elton with his axe. Elton asks a slightly stunned Silas who Webb was before dismissing it as unimportant and informing Silas that Webb will be unconscious for awhile. Elton has found the way into the medical supply room, although he complains that it wasn't easy to find as the signage in the research facility leaves something to be desired. Reminding Silas that he told him that it would work out, Elton leads Silas, who retrieves his kill stick, to the supply room.
In the supply room, Silas locks himself and Elton in and quickly locates the antibiotics. As Silas loads up the medical supplies for Dennis in Elton's backpack, Elton finds and steals the drugs that Indira will need to survive. The two are startled by a recovered Webb banging on the door and demanding to be let in. However, the commotion that Webb makes causes empties to break through the window into the hallway and devour him despite Webb's attempts to defend himself. Looking at the pool of Webb's blood spreading under the door, a despondent Silas tells Elton that they're not going to make it back to the jeep. Looking for a way out, Elton sees the herd overrunning the grounds outside with one even coming up to the other side of the window. However, spotting the Perimeter's globe sculpture nearby, Elton comes up with an idea for how they can escape.
Entering the globe sculpture, Silas and Elton roll it across the empty-infested grounds, rolling over a number of zombies in their way while remaining completely safe at the same time. Reaching the road at the bottom of the hill, Silas and Elton exit the globe and run off down the road to safety.
Silas and Elton arrive at the rendezvous point and Hope, reunited with Elton for the first time she confessed to accidentally killing Elton's mother, breaks down in tears as she hugs him. Elton tells Hope and Iris that they've got the meds for Dennis, but they need to stop by the outpost before they meet up with Indira. Noticing that Hope and Iris are alone, Elton asks where everybody else is while Silas asks where Percy is. Iris breaks down crying and Silas realizes that Percy is dead from her reaction. Hope explains that Leo is in trouble and that Felix has gone to help him. However, even if Felix makes it, even if they make it, the gas is probably already on its way to Portland. The CRM won: they're going to destroy another city and there isn't anything that the Endlings can do about it. Devastated by their losses, the four enter into a group hug.
As Hope, Iris, Silas and Elton break their group hug, Huck calls out over the radio and Hope answers her. Stating that she thinks that she's found something, Huck asks if the others still have the C4. Looking at her bag lying on the ground, Hope confirms that they still have it and asks what Huck found and where she is. At the culling facility, Huck stands in front of a shipping container that she had opened, the missing chlorine gas concealed inside of it, giving the Endlings one last chance to stop the genocide in Portland.
"The Last Light"[]
Two months ago, on Monument Day, Elton and Silas wait for Hope and Iris near the door leading out of the Campus Colony. Hope comments on Elton's Tuffy Stitch Suit while Elton comments on the size of Silas' Wrench. Iris asks if this door is how Elton sneaks out all of the time and Elton explains that both of his parents used to teach at the university and his father would use this door to smoke so that his mother wouldn't catch him. Elton acknowledges that what they're about to do is slightly more dangerous than that and Hope asks if they're really going to do this: the four of them going 1,100 miles on foot.
Silas asks if Hope is having second thoughts, but she isn't, stating that their dad's in trouble and they need to find him, but, once they go through that door, there's no turning back. Elton points out that there's also no way of knowing how this is going to end for any of them. Iris suggests that they make a promise to have each other's backs no matter what and all four promise to be there for each other until the end, "whatever the end turns out to be for us." Elton begins to open the door, but stops to remind his friends of Felix's first rule of survival in case they encounter any empties: engage only as a last resort while avoidance is key. With the acknowledgement of the others, Elton opens the door.
In the present, Hope, Iris, Silas and Elton fight their way through a herd as they make their way to the culling facility. Hope complains about going on foot, but Elton tells her that a vehicle would be too easy to spot from the air and this is safer. Putting down another empty, Hope sarcastically comments that it's really safe. Elton points out that the Endlings made it halfway across the country on foot, so they can do this. As Iris aggressively puts down an empty, Silas asks if she's alright, but Iris states that they need to move faster as everything is riding on them.
Continuing on, Silas asks what happens after they blow up the gas and Iris states that they will meet up with the others and some of them will head for Portland. Silas wonders if Iris will go and she sadly states that it was something that she and Percy talked about. Silas offers his friend his condolences for her loss and Iris tells him that Percy was going to kill Huck, but he didn't and then Huck risked her life trying to save his, but she couldn't and none of them could either. Iris guesses that she just wanted to make some kind of sense and Silas tells her that Percy was lost until he met Iris, suggesting that that's the part of this that makes sense. Wiping away tears, Iris moves to join the others as Elton puts down another empty.
Arriving at the culling facility, Hope, Iris, Elton and Silas are greeted by a relieved Huck who tells Elton that's it's good to see him, having not encountered Elton since the Endlings split up. Iris tells Huck that they had tried to radio her and Huck states that she had tried the same thing and that the CRM must be jamming the comms. Silas gives Dennis the antibiotics, stating that he grabbed as many as he could. Dennis thanks Silas for not listening to him, warmly telling his friend that what Silas did means a lot to him. Huck removes the C4 from Hope's bag and, pleased, congratulates the group on their success.
Elton asks else what they can do and Huck orders them to head back and meet up with the others. It's still going to be safest to move on foot and minimum safe distance is going to be about 3 miles once the culling facility blows. Hope worries about what will happen to Huck since the CRM knows that she helped them escape. Hope suggests that Huck can come with them, but Huck tells the group that the people inside of the CR don't know what their military's been doing outside of their walls and they need to. Huck and Dennis are going to see to it that they find out. Hope tells Huck to get there safe, a sentiment that Huck returns, stating that "for what it's worth, I'm proud of you. You're the future kid. Never forget that."
Elton urges the others to leave, but Silas hesitates after looking at the badly wounded Dennis. Much to everyone's surprise, Silas announces that he's going to go with Huck and Dennis instead. They are going to need someone to help them get to the Civic Republic and they need to get there and warn everyone. While the others say their goodbyes to Silas, Huck goes to set the charges on the gas. Hugging Silas, Hope tells him that he's gotten really good at being a hero, but Silas states that he's not. Silas is just helping a friend, and Silas didn't even have any friends to say goodbye to when he left the Campus Colony like he does now. However, Elton doesn't think that this is goodbye and hugs his best friend, reminding Silas that they found each other twice before and they will again, something that Silas agrees with. Iris and Silas share a warm hug and Iris thanks him for coming with her and Hope when he barely knew them, saving her life at the high school, and for dancing with her when Iris wanted to dance. Silas tells Iris that he was just following her lead the whole time, just like everybody else. Looking at Dennis, Silas tells the others that it won't be long before Huck has the charges set and they should go. After a final goodbye from Elton, he, Hope and Iris depart.
On the road, the Endlings fight their way through a herd, but Hope tells the others that they're not far enough away from the culling facility yet and they need to move faster. More empties approach from the direction that they need to go in and as the three move to engage them, a CRM jeep pulls up. Initially worried, they're relieved to spot Asha in the passenger's seat. Manning the mounted machine gun, Indira orders Hope, Iris and Elton to get clear before gunning down the herd. Moments later, the C4 detonates, creating a green mushroom cloud that is visible for miles. With more empties approaching and the group not yet at a safe distance, Indira yells at them to hurry up and get in while Asha rushes to bring them gas masks. An empty emerges from the woods suddenly and nearly gets Hope, but Elton jumps in to protect her, getting bitten in the arm in the process. Looking at his bite wound in horror, Elton screams.
That night, Felix stands guard with a pair of binoculars outside of Dolsons. Walking inside, Felix approaches the cot where an unconscious Elton is laying with Asha at his side and Leo tending to him following the amputation of part of his left arm due to the bite. Leo leads Felix over to where Hope and Iris are standing and tells him that Elton's breathing shallow and has lost a lot of blood, maybe too much to survive. Leo suggests that they should secure Elton just in case he dies and Hope tells Felix that Elton had saved her life. Will calls Indira over and hands her two boxes of vials that were in Elton's bag which Elton had stolen from the research facility. Indira tells the others that it's the medicine that she needs to live with her kidney failure.
Later, Iris approaches Hope as she sits vigil at a still unconscious Elton's bedside, reading a book. Hope tells her sister that the book is Elton's and that he had started writing a book. Leo approaches his daughters and Iris tells him that she was talking with some of Indira's people and a bunch of them want to leave and head to Portland to warn them once it's safe in a few days. Leo asks if Iris wants the scientists to go with them, and Hope objects that they can't leave Elton. However, Iris isn't suggesting that they should. While Iris knows that the underground mall isn't permanent, it seems safe, and Cornell University is nearby and there must be lab equipment there. If the scientists stay, they can keep working on this place and the science for years.
Leo realizes that Iris wants to go with the people that are leaving, and she admits that she thinks that it's what she's supposed to do. Iris knows that she might not be making any sense right now, but Hope feels that she is: this isn't about them, but the future. Not the CRM's future, but the future of everybody. That's how Hope feels and she's sure that it's how Elton feels too. Leo tells Iris that he loves her, but he can't just let her go. Iris promises that she'd come back with reinforcements from Portland. Will suggests that maybe he and Felix can go with Iris too, but Iris refuses as there's too much at stake here, too much that needs to be protected. Felix agrees with Iris, stating that the CRM's close and the scientists aren't fighters, but Iris is.
A few days later, Iris and several people prepare to depart for Portland while Hope, Indira, Felix, Will, and some of the others stay with Leo. Indira reassures Leo that Iris is in good hands with her people and vice versa as they watch Iris say goodbye to Felix and Will. Iris gives Will a map showing her route to Portland in case he needs to find her for any reason and Felix asks Iris to take care of herself to which Iris returns the sentiment, asking Felix and Will to take care of each other. Iris tearfully turns to her sister and Hope remembers how she said that they would save the world together. Hope still thinks that they could with Iris adding that they can even if they're not together anymore. "All this... it didn't change us. It just showed us that who we are is who we were," comments Iris. Hope and Iris hug each other and exchange I love yous before Iris begins to leave. Stopping Iris, Hope gives her a double middle finger, causing Leo and Indira to laugh. Hope tells her sister to "grin, girl" and Iris returns the middle finger with a laugh. Leo waves goodbye with Will blows Iris a kiss and she begins ascending the escalator out. Suddenly, Asha runs in with the news that Elton is awake, stopping Iris' departure. Elated by the news, everyone rushes to Elton's side.
Later, taking advantage of the mall's dark room, Hope develops Elton's pictures from the Endlings' cross-country journey to New York, including the group photo of Huck, Hope, Silas, Iris and Felix at the high school.
In a voiceover, Elton muses that "there was a time I thought that I was gonna die... that we were all gonna die... because I believed that we were the last generation. The Endlings. And then, for awhile, I thought we were the beginning. But that ignores everything that came before, everyone who came before. What I know for sure is that there's a lot that's tough about the world, a lot that's harder than I ever thought it could be. Those things have left their mark on us... on all of us -- in ways that I-I never could've expected. I also know there's a lot that good, that's beautiful. A lot that brings me hope. But maybe there is no beginning. Maybe there's no end. Maybe there just is... and "is" is whatever we make it. 'Cause really, we don't get to know. There's no perfect modeling, no -- no way to predict if today is the last day. If the world lasts a year or two... or forever. Maybe all we get to know is now. And whether we make a small mark on this world... or we change it entirely, it's really about those little pieces of now that get us there, those small steps that move us forward, keep us growing and evolving. 'Cause all of those moments put together, that's a life. And that's everything."
Months later, Iris, now armed with a bladed staff, arrives outside of Portland, which is still intact, joined by a number of Indira's people, Asha and a recovered Elton. Relieved that Portland has survived, the group moves towards the city.
In a flashback to the Endlings' departure from the Campus Colony, Elton opens the door to begin their journey, telling the others "so, let's see who we really are, shall we?"
Killed Victims[]
This list shows the victims Elton has killed:
- Webb (Caused, alongside Silas)
- Possibly several unnamed CRM soliders (Caused, alongside Silas)
- Numerous counts of zombies
Relationships[]
For a more in-depth look at Elton's relationships, read here; Elton Ortiz (World Beyond)/Relationships
Allies[]
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Enemies[]
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Appearances[]
World Beyond[]
Season 1[]
- "Brave"
- "The Blaze of Gory"
- "The Tyger and the Lamb"
- "The Wrong End of a Telescope"
- "Madman Across the Water"
- "Shadow Puppets"
- "Truth or Dare"
- "The Sky Is a Graveyard"
- "The Deepest Cut"
- "In This Life"
Season 2[]
- "Konsekans" (Hallucination, No Lines)
- "Exit Wounds"
- "Family Is a Four Letter Word"
- "Quatervois"
- "Who Are You?"
- "Returning Point"
- "Death and the Dead"
- "The Last Light"
Gallery[]
- For more images of Elton, please visit Elton Ortiz (World Beyond)/Gallery.
Trivia[]
- Elton suffers from claustrophobia, as highlighted in "Madman Across the Water".
- Elton was named after Sir Elton John.
- In "Shadow Puppets", Elton John was briefly mentioned when Elton Ortiz was telling Hope about how his mother would sing along to "Tiny Dancer" on the record player, and that he was named after him.
- Elton is one the four characters to appear in all ten episodes of season one. The other three being Iris, Hope, and Felix.
- Elton is one of the five characters in The Walking Dead universe who survive a zombie bite due to amputation and confirmed to be alive, others being Lilly Caul, Clementine, Lydia and Alicia Clark.
- Elton's hair grows significantly over the course of the series.
International Dubbers[]
| Language | Dubber | Other Characters Voiced |
|---|---|---|
| Czech | N/A | N/A |
| French | Jean-Stan DuPac | Henry Sutton (Older) Ben Krennick |
| German | Cedric Eich | N/A |
| Hungarian | N/A | N/A |
| Italian | Lorenzo D'Agata | N/A |
| Japanese | Ryoki Ogawa | N/A |
| Portuguese | Bruno Camargo | Ron Anderson |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Diego Becerril | N/A |
| Spanish (Spain) | Alex Molina | N/A |
References[]
World Beyond Characters
| |
|---|---|
| Campus Colony | Iris • Hope • Silas • Felix • Elton • Will • Leopold • Romano • Marco • Mr. Kapadia • Dani • Phoebe • Jan • Dr. K |
| Lincoln | Isaac • Amelia • Kari • Cliff |
| Civic Republic of Philadelphia | Elizabeth • Tiga • Grady • Mason • Terry • Ian • Diane • Marjorie • Amanda • Tucker • Jadis • Dr. Ebersol • Cohen • Robertson • Lowery • Armadi • Nolan • Betts • Murrow • Dennis • Jennifer • Frank • Webb • Lyla • Samuel • Mills • Barca |
| Illinois | Percy • Tony • Walter |
| Military Personnel | Dawson • Drake • Owens • Wilkins • Powlowski • Farmer • Simms |
| Omaha | Mrs. Plaskett • Ruth • Galbraith • Daniel • Margaret • Gary |
| The Perimeter | Indira • Asha • Robin • Brody • Dev |
| Miscellaneous Survivors | Candice • Beta • Edwin • Sabina • Mr. Mallick |
| Animals | Teresa |
| Alive characters appear in green. Unknown characters appear in blue. Dead characters appear in red and italics. Undead characters appear in gray and italics. | |