"Open Your Eyes" is the seventh episode of the tenth season of AMC's The Walking Dead. It is the one-hundred and thirty-eighth episode of the series overall. It premiered on November 17, 2019. It was written by Corey Reed and directed by Michael Cudlitz.
Plot[]
Carol pushes boundaries that make Daryl uncomfortable. Alpha and Beta have reservations about someone.
Synopsis[]
Siddiq wakes up after experiencing horrific flashbacks of Alpha killing his friends at the barn, while remembering the phrase "Open your eyes" being said to him. He finds Cheryl shaking from her fever, so he gives her a glass of water and covers her body with another blanket. He then checks up on Rosita and brings water to the other sick residents. While looking at his patients, he hallucinates seeing Alpha outside the window wearing her outfit from the fair. At night, Siddiq reads some medical books and takes notes until he falls asleep. He then imagines himself waking up to several hands grabbing him from under the couch and covering his mouth.
The next day, Lydia is trying to read a book in her cell when Daryl arrives and signals her to get out while Carol escorts the captured Whisperer inside. Outside, Carol questions Lydia about their new prisoner and she reveals he is one of the Whisperers in charge of herding the walkers. Carol also asks if he knows where Alpha's horde is and Lydia reckons that he does. Gabriel marches over and scolds Carol for risking the safety of the community with the hostage. He then orders that the Whisperer's wounds be treated first and demands to be present during the interrogation.
At his house, Daryl sets the double acorn down and takes off his shirt. He then cuddles with his Dog on the couch. On a balcony, Lydia tells Carol she doubts the man will betray Alpha because he is loyal, but if they show him that a place like Alexandria can survive, there's nothing Alpha can do to stop the idea from spreading among the group. Back in the cell, Siddiq and Dante arrive to tend to the Whisperer's wounds. After he is ordered by Dante not to try anything, the Whisperer tells Siddiq he remembers him from the barn and starts to taunt him. Siddiq becomes nervous so Dante suggests him to head outside. As he leaves, Siddiq looks at the pointed spikes on the stairs and has a flashback to Alpha brutally decapitating D.J. in front of him.
Meanwhile, Aaron and Gamma meet at one of the borders on a bridge. She questions how his community is full of supplies like bread. He offers her some but she turns him down. Gamma then notices a drawing by Gracie in his bag and he reveals he has a daughter. She is surprised to hear that they have children in the community and explains that children hold you back. When Aaron asks about siblings, Gamma lies and tells him she's an only child. Back in Alexandria, Carol brings the Whisperer a tray with a sandwich and offers him any flavor he wants as well as having salted fish for lunch. When she says she just wants to talk, the Whisperer refuses so she just hands him the bread. He slowly starts to eat it before being overcome with emotion. Suddenly, he spits it all out onto Carol's face.
In the infirmary, Siddiq tends to a bedridden Rosita and two of them reflect on them being parents in the new world. He nearly kisses her until she has a coughing fit so he gives her more water before leaving to check on his other patients. Back in the cell, Carol presses her finger in the Whisperer's wound, demanding to know where the horde is. When the Whisperer implies that he would rape her if they were out in the wild, Carol puts on her ring and punches him repeatedly in the face. "You're all weak," he tells them in response. Daryl pulls out a knife and threatens to cut off his fingers, ears, and teeth. The Whisperer says they are lying to themselves and he wouldn't betray Alpha because she loves her people so much she sacrificed her own daughter.
Carol sprints out of the cell and Daryl catches her, begging her not to involve Lydia because she has been trough enough. "This is the only way and you know it," she says in response. Meanwhile, Siddiq checks in on Cheryl again in her own bedroom. She beckons Siddiq over and they chat about how he needs to remain strong for the others. At the bridge, Aaron tells Gamma she can keep the drawing and tries to ask about her past. When she doesn't answer, he calls her out for digging for intel and thinks he should be doing the same. He then opens up about his younger brother and tries for her to the same. Before she can give in, Gamma leaves while repeating the Whisperer motto to herself.
Back in the cell, the Whisperer is shaking and talking to himself. As the group enters the cell to help him, he starts convulsing and spits up blood onto Dante's shoulder before succumbing to the poison and dying on the floor. Carol and Lydia enter the room but Daryl tries to shield the view and has them leave. Siddiq then finds a jar of hemlock in the medical backpack and accuses Dante of killing him. However, Dante lies and says he was responsible for packing it.
Elsewhere, Gamma weeps to herself when a walker suddenly attacks her and she manages to kill it. She is then shocked to see Alpha standing nearby waiting. Alpha questions her about Aaron and Gamma says she learned his name and that he has a daughter. Alpha wonders if she asked about her sister's child but Gamma swears she didn't. Alpha then tells her to remove her mask and proceeds to whip her arm so she can remain strong. She goes on to tell Gamma that Aaron is tempting her with lies and she shouldn't be seduced.
In the cell, Daryl prevents the Whisperer from reanimating and Gabriel offers to help him hide the body. Outside of Alexandria, Carol rides a horse with Lydia after asking for her help in something. Meanwhile, Siddiq finds Cheryl's room empty and encounters Dante digging a grave as her covered body lays nearby. He walks away upset and then experiences more flashbacks from the pikes. Unable to stop them, Siddiq jumps into the pond. He remembers being told to open his eyes as Enid is decapitated. Rosita then jumps into the water and pulls him out.
Shortly after, Rosita questions Siddiq about what's really going on in his mind. He breaks down and explains he can't escape his memories about the night their friends were killed by the Whisperers. She assures him that he is doing everything he can but he says he feels he failed Enid and that he misses her. Rosita demands he pull through and fight it for her and Coco and everyone else. While talking about the sickness, Siddiq realizes that the water is what is making people sick. He heads to inspect the water pumps and after discovering one of the levers had been tampered with, he begins throwing things around out of frustration and anger.
That night, Gamma meets with Aaron again. She hands him back Gracie's drawing and when he reaches for it, she grabs him from behind and puts a knife to his neck to question him. Suddenly, Carol emerges from the woods with her arrow pointed as Lydia also arrives. Gamma panics to see Lydia alive and runs off into the woods. Carol tries to explain to Lydia that Alpha lied to the Whisperers about killing her but Lydia compares her to Alpha. She then says she chooses her own side and hits Carol with her staff before crossing into the border as well. Nearby, Gamma has a breakdown and cries.
Back in Alexandria, Siddiq gazes out the window in his house. Dante arrives to comfort him. He explains that everything is going to be okay because Alexandria is a special place, before declaring that Siddiq is his friend. He then starts clicking his tongue, which triggers Siddiq back to the beheadings and makes him realize that Dante was the Whisperer forcing him to watch as his friends were killed. They soon start fighting in the room as Siddiq tries to reach for a machete. Dante tackles him to the ground and puts him in a chokehold. "I didn't want this! Not you! Not like this. Close your eyes... Close your eyes," Dante tells Siddiq in sorrow as he chokes him harder until he falls dead.
Other Cast[]
Co-Stars[]
- Matt Mangum as D.J.
- Rebecca Koon as Cheryl
Uncredited[]
- Seven as Dog
- Katelyn Nacon & Unknown as Enid (Archive Footage)
- Jimmy McAfee as Coalition Soldier
- Chris Hodge as Alexandria Resident
- Chuck Hollywood as Alexandria Resident
- Jeff Stancil as Alexandria Resident
- Kristen DeSantis as Alexandria Resident
- Mario Williams as Alexandria Resident
- Reba Varnadoe as Alexandria Resident
- Russ Milheim as Alexandria Resident
- Teri Stewart as Alexandria Resident
- Tia Davis as Alexandria Resident
- Tim Carr as Alexandria Resident
- William Herlth as Alexandria Resident
- Laura L. Anderson Weber as Alexandria Baker
- Karen Turvey as Alexandria Wrangler
- Bruce Greene as Highwayman
Deaths[]
- Captured Whisperer
- Cheryl
- Aaron's Brother (Confirmed Fate)
- Siddiq (Alive)
Trivia[]
- Last appearance of Cheryl. (Alive)
- Last appearance of Siddiq. (Alive)
- This episode marks Avi Nash's 25th appearance on the TV Series.
- The title of the episode, "Open Your Eyes", refers to Siddiq remembering Alpha and Dante telling him this during his PTSD-fueled flashbacks.
- It is also a reference to Dante's final line to Siddiq as he is killing him, "Close your eyes".
- It could also be taken as a metaphor for Siddiq to open his eyes about Dante and for Gamma to do the same about Alpha.
- This episode's title is nearly identical to the title of the Fear the Walking Dead episode, "Close Your Eyes".
- This episode was made available for streaming to subscribers of AMC Premiere on November 15, 2019.
- Aaron reveals he had a younger brother.
- Alpha's lie about Lydia being killed by her is revealed to Gamma and Lydia.
- Siddiq fixes the water supply that Dante sabotaged.
- Dante is revealed to be a spy for the Whisperers.
- Despite being mentioned in the episode description, Beta does not appear in this episode.
Episode Highlights[]
TBA