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"Rest in Peace" is the twenty-fourth and final episode of the eleventh season of AMC's The Walking Dead. It is the last episode of the series overall. It premiered on November 20, 2022. The episode's teleplay was written by Corey Reed & Jim Barnes, from a story by Angela Kang and directed by Greg Nicotero.
Plot
Daryl and Carol rush Judith to the hospital. Rosita, Eugene, and Gabriel search for Coco. Maggie and Negan take arms against Pamela. As the citizens of the Commonwealth deal with the herd, our heroes assemble for one last stand to save their future.
Synopsis
Carrying the badly injured and half-conscious Judith, Daryl bursts into the Commonwealth Hospital, desperately yelling for help. Daryl lays Judith down on a stretcher and continues looking for help as the dazed Judith witnesses two Commonwealth soldiers rushing by carrying a box of medicine. Encountering Daryl, the two men knock him unconscious and leave. Judith spots the herd approaching the hospital and stumbles to her feet and begins closing the still-open doors. Struggling against a walker, Judith manages to brace the doors shut with a desk before passing out on the floor next to Daryl.
In the streets, the Coalition desperately fights off the herd as they try to escape from the walkers swarming around them, those armed with guns shooting the undead while the rest stab at them with knives, including Max. However, Jules misses the head of one walker, instead stabbing it in the shoulder. The walker bites Jules in the arm and Luke rushes to his girlfriend's aid, stabbing the walker in the head and yelling for help as he supports Jules. However, walkers swarm the couple from behind with one tackling Luke to the ground and biting him in the leg as Jules is dragged down and devoured. Seeing Luke's predicament, Connie shoots the walker in the head and Luke is dragged to safety by Kelly and Yumiko, yelling in desperation for his girlfriend as Jules is devoured, beyond the ability of any of her friends to try to save her. Shooting at a smaller group of walkers coming down an alleyway, Carol orders her friends to follow her down it and everyone flees as the herd overruns the streets.
At the hospital, a bandaged and bruised Daryl regains consciousness in a bed with Carol at his side and Magna's group nearby desperately trying to save Luke's life, having amputated his bitten leg. Getting to his feet against Carol's objections, Daryl checks on a pale and unconscious Judith who is lying on a nearby stretcher, noting with concern that Judith has lost a lot of blood. Looking at their friends' desperate attempts to save the dying Luke, Carol informs Daryl that all of the doctors, nurses and medicine are gone, taken by Pamela Milton to where she's holed up in the Estates, leaving the rest of the Commonwealth to fend for itself. Daryl decides that they need to get to the Estates, but Carol informs him that there's too many soldiers and they're hoping to find somebody who can get them in without a fight. Daryl suggests that Mercer can help as he knows people on the inside and Carol tells him that Max thinks so too and that there's a team after him while some of the others are looking for the missing kids with everyone planning to meet back at the hospital. Daryl hates the idea of just waiting, but Carol corrects him that they're going to take care of Daryl and Judith while the others are gone.
Near death from the bite and blood loss, Luke has his friends remove a harmonica that he's kept from his pocket and Yumiko promises him that they'll keep the music alive for him. With his last words, Luke asks everyone to promise him, and they all do so. Luke dies in his friends' arms as they all sob at losing him. Taking a knife from Kelly, Magna stabs Luke in the head to prevent him from reanimating and the group sobs over his corpse. Watching the others' grief, a determined Daryl decides to give Judith a blood transfusion, explaining that he's a universal donor and that Merle had used to make him sell his blood when he was a kid as a way of making money. Carol helps Daryl set up the transfusion as they watch the others cover Luke's body in a sheet. Hearing loud noise and shouting, Carol and the others leave to sweep the hospital for walkers and to make sure that the others are okay while Daryl remains with Judith.
At the Commonwealth Jail, which has been overrun by walkers, Mercer paces in his cell, safe but trapped due to the thick door blocking his exit. Suddenly, gunfire echoes through the hallways as all of the walkers are shot down. Princess yells for Mercer to get back and cover his head and, once Mercer is clear, the door is blown off of its hinges. Princess and Max enter, and Mercer embraces his sister and his girlfriend.
At the police station, Mercer, Ezekiel, Max, Princess and Dianne load supplies onto a truck while Maggie loads a sniper rifle. Negan asks if Maggie intends to use it on Pamela and states that his offer to her still stands, but Maggie refuses. The herd begins to approach the police station and Maggie tells the others that they have to go. Mercer raises his gun to shoot at the walkers, but Ezekiel stops him, recognizing Aaron and Lydia walking amongst the herd, covered in walker guts. Ezekiel runs to help the injured Lydia, asking about Jerry and Elijah, but Aaron tells him that they're still out there. As the herd overruns the police station, the group loads up onto the truck with Aaron promising to fill everyone else in on the way. The group drives off to meet up with the others at the hospital.
At the Commonwealth Children's Home, walkers devour a couple of corpses while two more corpses lie in the hallways. Rosita, Eugene and Gabriel enter and Rosita is frantic for her daughter's safety upon seeing the corpses. Hearing the sound of crying, Rosita runs off while Eugene and Gabriel use the bayonets on their AR-15s to dispatch the walkers eating the bodies. In the nursery, Coco, Mariam and Adam are protected by an upside-down crib that has been placed over them while three walkers try to get at the children. Rushing in, Rosita is grabbed by a walker that surprises her, but she manages to break free and put all three down, saving the children. Rosita embraces her daughter as Eugene and Gabriel rush in, relieved to find the children alright and Eugene soothes Mariam while Gabriel joins Rosita with Coco. Ezekiel radios in that they've got Mercer and asks for any updates on the kids. Gabriel reports the good news and Ezekiel promises to see them at the hospital.
At the hospital, a confused Judith wakes up and panics that she's going to die when Daryl informs her that Judith's at the hospital. Daryl tries to reassure Judith, but she feels like she's going to die, worrying that "Mom's gonna find Dad and we're gonna be together. We're all gonna be together," but at the moment it feels like she's going to die instead. Although visibly shocked by the implication that Rick's still alive, Daryl reassures Judith that she's going to be fine. Judith starts to quote something that Michonne had used to say to Rick, but she passes out again as banging and screaming sounds in the background. Reentering the room, Carol tells Daryl that walkers have breached the hospital and they have to go. As Daryl tries to wake Judith up, Rosita calls in with the news that her group is in the alley behind the hospital, but they wrecked their ambulance going through the herd which is now surrounded by walkers.
Daryl begins wheeling Judith's stretcher out, but stops after seeing walkers pounding on the glass at the front doors of the hospital. Disconnecting the blood transfusion, Daryl barricades Judith in the room and rushes to help in the lobby where walkers drag Adrienne outside and devour her while the group barricades the doors again. Looking at the numerous walkers outside of the windows, Carol and Daryl shocked to see a variant walker breaking the glass with a brick while Connie spots more walkers coming down the hallway from the other direction. The variant breaks through the glass and is immediately stabbed in the head by Carol, but more walkers break in from the other side and drag a man outside and devour him. With walkers converging from the three sides, the group attempts to fight them off, only to have more walkers break through the barricaded door as well. Racing down a clear hallway, the group grabs Judith's stretcher while Magna radios the others to warn them that the hospital has been breached and they're leaving out the back. The group races through the hospital towards an exit as walkers close in on them from multiple directions.
In the alleyway, Rosita, Eugene and Gabriel burst out of the ambulance, each carrying a child in slings, but find themselves surrounded on all sides by walkers. Fighting back-to-back and saving each other when they fall into danger from walkers, Rosita orders everyone up a nearby drainage pipe to a window. However, while Eugene and Gabriel make it safely, but the walkers drag Rosita backwards and she falls into the herd with Coco. As Eugene and Gabriel mourn for her apparent loss, Rosita suddenly breaks free, slicing a walker's head in two, getting back to her feet and taking out several walkers as they all try to swarm her. Rosita manages to climb on top of the ambulance, followed by two climbers, and successfully makes a jump to the drainpipe where she climbs into the window.
At night, outside of a loading dock, Mercer observes a crowd of desperate Commonwealth residents demanding to be let into the Estates. Mercer reassures Maggie that they will be able to move soon while Aaron tells Ezekiel that he saw people on the higher floors and rooftops begging for help, but he wanted to make sure that Lydia was safe first. Ezekiel reassures his friend that he did the right thing. Hearing screams in the distance, both men are determined to do more, but they need to take care of Judith first. Lieutenant Rose arrives in another truck and reports to Mercer that they're all set: everyone is in the back and there's no one to check. The doctors have set up a safe house, but they have to hurry. Mercer calls for everyone to go, stating that they need to get Judith to Tomi. Everyone boards the truck with Princess, Max and Dianne pushing Judith's stretcher.
At the safe house in the Estates, Daryl lays Judith on a bed and Tomi immediately begins tending to her. Tomi informs Daryl that Judith is in a fragile state, but he did a good thing by giving her blood. Tomi promises to do what he can and enlists Ezekiel's help. Ezekiel orders the others to clear the room, promising to get them when Judith is stable. In another room, Aaron wraps up Lydia's stump and offers her some advice based on his own experience with losing an arm. Having learned of Luke and Jules' deaths, Lydia is upset and believes that the still-missing Elijah and Jerry are dead too. "That's just what happens. You know, people die. Cities fall. And things just don't work out. People tell me they do, but they don't." However, Aaron refuses to give up hope that their friends are still alive somewhere and he promises that they will find them both. A concerned Maggie enters, looking for Negan, but nobody has seen him in awhile.
Maggie finds Negan outside, carrying the sniper rifle, and confronts him. Negan explains that he was going after Pamela himself, asking what it matters as long as it gets done. Maggie demands to know what Negan's angle is, but he insists that there is no angle: Negan is doing this for Maggie. Negan knows that if Maggie kills Pamela, it will most likely be a suicide mission that she won't return from. Maggie needs to come back, so Negan is going to do it instead. Getting emotional, Negan explains that when he was in the Warden's lineup the night before, about to lose his wife and everything, Negan finally understood what Maggie must've felt when he killed Glenn. Negan tearfully apologizes to Maggie for what he took from her and Hershel. Stunned, Maggie takes the sniper rifle and begins to walk away, but pauses and invites Negan to join her which he does.
Inside, Eugene sits next to a sleeping Max, but he gets up after noticing how upset Rosita looks as she plays with Coco nearby. Eugene offers to take Coco off of Rosita's hands for a bit so that she can get some rest, but Rosita kindly refuses his offer. Eugene brings up plans for the future, such as teaching Coco how to swim at Oceanside, but Rosita doesn't respond. Eugene begins to go into a scientific explanation as to why teaching Coco to swim as an infant is a good idea, but Rosita continues to fail to respond to him. Rosita wipes away a tear as Eugene asks her if she can't wait for summer and Eugene realizes that something is horribly wrong. Rosita shows Eugene a bite mark on the back of her left shoulder, having been bitten by a walker when she fell. Eugene breaks down in tears, knowing that there's nothing that can be done to save Rosita. Accepting of her fate, Rosita orders Eugene to pull himself together as she doesn't want the others to know yet and she's still there and Eugene will be fine. Eugene admits that he loves Rosita deeply, a sentiment which she returns. Working to compose himself, Eugene returns to Max where he hides the truth, complying with Rosita's wishes.
Her injured arm now in a sling, Judith wakes up as Daryl and Carol watch over her, much to their relief. Judith admits that she doesn't feel great, but she's fine like Daryl had promised her. Daryl asks if what Judith had said about Rick and Michonne was true, and Judith reveals that it's why Michonne had never returned. Daryl and Carol are stunned by this, and Judith apologizes for not telling them earlier, having been afraid that Daryl would leave too if he knew that Rick is still alive somewhere. Daryl reassures Judith that he's still there, before they are interrupted by shouts outside and two gunshots. Looking outside, Mercer sees a man trying to climb the wall, only to be shot by Commonwealth soldiers on Pamela's orders. Mercer tells the others that the soldiers are shooting anyone that climbs the gates and grabs a gun, unwilling to just stand by as people are dying. Mercer informs the Coalition members that the truck is gassed up with enough reserves in the rear to get them home. Mercer and his men can sneak them out the back as Mercer believes that this isn't their fight or their people. "Yes, they are. And so are you," states Ezekiel. Addressing the others, Ezekiel tells them that "you may not think this place is worth saving, and I get that, given how they treated us. But it's worth it to me. The people are worth it, and I'm not gonna allow them to fall without a fight. Not today. I'm with you. Who else?" Aaron immediately agrees, stating that they can do more than just save themselves and they need to. Following Ezekiel's lead, everyone agrees to fight to save the Commonwealth.
At the gates of the Estates, the crowd desperately begs Pamela to be let in, amongst them Mr. Martens, Mrs. Martens and Mei. On a balcony, Maggie lines up her shot on Pamela, but Negan tells her to hold on as Mercer and his loyalist forces move in, ordering Colonel Vickers and her men to lower their weapons. Pamela orders Vickers to arrest them, but the Coalition forces join Mercer's troops from another angle, creating a standoff. Pamela accuses Mercer of being a traitor, but Mercer states that she's the true traitor and lists Pamela's crimes: disappearing hundreds of citizens, leading the dead to their doorstep, shooting a child and now leaving thousands to die.
The banging on the gates grows more frantic as the herd begins to approach the Estates, meaning that the people will die if they're not let inside. Gabriel moves towards the gates despite Vickers orders to stop. Gabriel announces that they're opening the gate and letting everyone inside, threatening to kill anyone who tries to stop him. Vickers threatens to shoot him, but Carol warns her that they will fire back if she does. Pamela orders her men to shoot Gabriel as he reaches the gates and one of them points a gun at his head. Suddenly, Daryl yells for them to stop. "What the hell you doing?" Daryl demands. "We all deserve better than this. You built this place to be like the old world. That was the fuckin' problem." Pamela states that if she opens the gates, the dead will get in too, not just the living. Daryl tells her that if she doesn't, Pamela will lose everything anyway. "We got one enemy. We ain't the walking dead."
Realizing that Daryl is right, Vickers orders everyone to lower their weapons and give Gabriel the key to the gates. Everyone stands down and Vickers defers to Mercer's command who places Pamela under arrest for high crimes against the people of the Commonwealth. As everyone rushes to help let the people in, Maggie informs Negan that Pamela is getting arrested and Negan tells her that prison is a fate worse than death for someone like Pamela, causing Maggie to relent in shooting her.
The crowd rushes in just in the nick of time, amongst them Jerry and Elijah, before the gates are closed, keeping out the herd. Elijah reunites with a relieved Lydia while Jerry desperately looks for his family before Ezekiel reassures his friend that they're safe back in Alexandria and that they will get back out there to help the people that still need their help. Approaching the gates, Pamela notices a zombified Lance Hornsby, Carol's arrow still in his neck, at the front of the herd, reaching through the gates. Pamela approaches Lance, baring her neck and intending to have Lance bite her as a form of suicide. Judith begs Pamela not to go through with it as it's never too late and they have to help everyone still out there. Before Lance can bite Pamela, Maggie shoots him in the head with her sniper rife, putting Lance down. Maggie states that it's time to take the Commonwealth back.
With the variants being too dangerous to just lead away, Mercer outlines a new plan as everyone rushes to carry out his orders. As they need to get a vehicle out of the Estates, a mixture of Coalition forces, Commonwealth soldiers and Commonwealth residents, led by Aaron, rush out of the Estates, armed with melee weapons and riot shields with the aim of drawing the herd away and clearing a path, although Mercer warns them not to engage the walkers more than absolutely necessary. Working together, the group holds the line against the herd while Mercer calls in that the vehicle is out of the back gate and on its way to the town square, asking them to let him know when they're clear. Magna reports that they've diverted the walkers and its clear as it's going to get, ordering them to move out. As the combined group continues to fight the walkers, the truck by through the cleared path to the fuel depot where Vickers, Ezekiel, Jerry, Dianne and several Commonwealth soldiers collect the fuel. Max reports in that they've got fuses running to the private sewers under the Estates and they'll finish wiring the rest once they get the fuel back while Princess goes to start the PA system to draw all of the walkers to the Estates.
Using Pamela's record player, the song "Cult of Personality" is blasted throughout the Commonwealth from the Estates, drawing all of the walkers overrunning the Commonwealth towards it. Elijah helps set up speakers throughout the Estates as Jerry, Ezekiel and Lydia pour fuel down into the sewers and the walkers fighting the forces outside of the Estates begin moving towards it as well. Mercer brings out some dynamite which Eugene and Yumiko help to wire up to drums of fuel placed throughout the Estates and Connie helps to wire up more speakers, unharmed by the loud music due to her deafness. As Max helps to coordinate the efforts, Mercer calls in that they're prepared to open the gates and to let him know when they're ready. Max calls in that they're good to go before she joins the others in retreating to the rendezvous point, the two women acknowledging that they're dead if this plan fails. The gates are opened and the herd floods into the Estates. Once the song ends, the fuses connected to explosives inside of Pamela's house are ignited, detonating the fuel in a chain reaction that obliterates the Estates and the entire herd, saving the Commonwealth.
Sitting in a jail cell, Pamela tells Daryl and Carol that it's not easy to have so many lives in your hands. You will have to make ugly decisions such as picking who will do the jobs that no one wants and who gets the nicer house. Carol tells Pamela that they've already had to make an ugly decision by keeping Pamela alive even after everything that she's done because they've all done things. Carol promises Pamela that they will figure it out and Carol will make sure of it. Pausing on her way out, Carol quips that "at least we don't have to worry about who gets your house." Daryl and Carol leave and Mercer locks the cell, leaving Pamela facing a lifetime in prison for her crimes.
In Alexandria, Negan looks at his old Whisperer mask before tossing it away. Sitting across from Negan, Maggie tells him that she's been thinking about what he said. Maggie thanks Negan as she can stop wondering if he will ever apologize to her and if she can ever forgive him. Maggie knows now that she can't forgive Negan and she emotionally describes Glenn and her love for him to Negan who listens silently as he learns about the incredible man that he took from the world. However, when Maggie looks at Negan, all she can see is Lucille coming down on Glenn's head, blood running down his face and she hears Glenn calling for her while Negan mocks him as Glenn is dying. Negan starts crying as well as Maggie tells him that, due to all of that, she can't forgive him even though she's incredibly grateful that Negan saved Hershel and even though she knows that Negan's truly trying to change. Maggie admits that she's trying too as she doesn't want to hate Negan anymore because she doesn't want to hurt like that or for her son to see that anybody has that kind of hold over her. Maggie states that Negan and Annie have earned their place if they want to stay, but if Maggie can't look at Negan some days, work with him and can't move on, that's why. All Maggie has are her memories and she doesn't want to remember Glenn like that. Maggie walks back inside the house, leaving Negan alone outside.
Inside, everyone enjoys a celebration and feast, joined by Mercer, Max and Tomi. Judith gives Dog some of her food and Yumiko raises a toast to Luke. Looking out the window, Daryl sees Negan walking away and the two men exchange a smile and a nod, parting on good terms. Yumiko turns to Magna, telling her "same" and Magna kisses her, the two women resuming their romantic relationship. Sitting down, Rosita smiles as she watches the celebration before becoming somber. Noticing Rosita's somber mood, Gabriel joins her, and Rosita tells him that she just wants to remember this perfect moment. In a whisper, Rosita reveals her bite and impending death to Gabriel. Noticing Rosita's behavior and crying, Judith realizes that something's wrong with her and becomes upset, apparently deducing the truth.
Weak and near death, Rosita is led to bed by Maggie and Carol where Coco is laying. With everyone now aware that Rosita's dying, a tearful Maggie gives her a hug and kiss goodbye and Carol hugs her before the two women leave. As Daryl watches from the doorway, a barely composed Gabriel performs Last Rites over Rosita. Rosita kisses Coco for a final time and Gabriel promises that they will see her again someday. Gabriel carries Coco out as Eugene takes a seat next to Rosita's bed. Eugene tearfully tells Rosita that he wouldn't be the man that he is today if he hadn't met her. Taking Eugene's hand, Rosita tells him that she's glad that it was him in the end who will be there to make sure that she won't reanimate after she's gone. Rosita peacefully passes away with her oldest living friend at her side and Eugene breaks down completely.
A year later, Eugene visits a memorial plaque for those lost in the walker invasion bearing Luke, Jules, Rosita, and Marissa Berot's names and lays down flowers for his lost friends before pressing a kiss to Rosita's name. Eugene joins Max, who is now his wife, and takes their daughter Rosie from her and puts Rosie in her stroller. Ezekiel, now the governor of the Commonwealth with Mercer as his deputy governor, gives a speech attended by Eugene, Max, Princess, Daryl Judith, Kelly, Connie, Magna and Yumiko amongst many others, the latter two now happily married to each other. When Ezekiel introduces Mercer as his deputy governor, Princess loudly cheers for her boyfriend, much to the amusement of Ezekiel, Mercer and the crowd.
Spotting Daryl, Connie rushes over and hugs her friend. Connie asks Daryl how the frontier is and Daryl, now completely fluent in sign language, responds that it's quiet for now and asks how work is. Connie tells him that it's great and she's keeping the new administration honest which Daryl agrees has to be her. Daryl notices that Connie seems to be happy, and she confirms that she is, causing Daryl to laugh with pleasure.
Judith spots Elijah and Lydia and greets her friends who now work as couriers for the combined communities while continuing to date each other. Lydia, who has a prosthetic left arm now, hands Judith a package that she says is supposed to be a surprise before she and Elijah walk off together. Inside, Judith finds her old compass that she had given to Negan and a letter from Negan reading "Judith, this has always helped me find my way. I'm returning it to you now in the hope that it can guide you to your dreams. Thank you for letting me use it."
In Alexandria, Daryl and Carol, who is now wearing her hair short again as she did before Rick's disappearance, look at the old memorial wall of the people that the community had lost. Alexandria has been fully rebuilt and is thriving again with the residents enjoying everyday life together. Aaron, Gabriel, Coco, and Gracie greet Lydia, Elijah, Judith and R.J. and Lydia gives Gabriel a package from Father Grant and his old congregation. Daryl and Carol join them while Jerry and Nabila, walking through town as their daughters play outside, smile at them. Aaron admits that he never thought that they'd get back to any of this, although he had hope. Aaron calls them all very lucky, but Gabriel corrects Aaron that it's effort rather than luck. They have a lot to be proud of in their family, community, and future.
The group from the Commonwealth next visits a rebuilt and thriving Hilltop where Maggie and Hershel watch as Adam plays. Carol asks Maggie what she had wanted to talk about, and Maggie reveals that she wants to talk about the future. "There's a lot out there to find out about. And I think it's time we did."
Sitting on a bench next to a river in the Commonwealth, Carol calls it a beautiful day to head out. Daryl wishes that Carol was coming with him which Carol agrees with, but she feels that this is going to be good for both of them. Daryl tells Carol that he's proud of her, she has taken Lance's job, made it her own and made everything better for her and the kids and Carol will keep making everything better. Carol becomes emotional, telling Daryl that he will too, and Daryl reminds Carol that it's not like they won't ever see each other again. Crying, Carol tells Daryl that she's allowed to be a little sad and that he's her best friend and Daryl holds her.
At the side of the road, Judith, R.J. and Ezekiel join Daryl and Carol as he prepares to depart on his motorcycle. Daryl hugs the kids and R.J. promises him that he will be good while Judith promises to keep an eye on Dog for him. Daryl asks Judith to keep an eye on Carol and promises her that if he sees or hears anything about Rick and Michonne while he's out there, he will find them both and bring them home. Calling him Uncle Daryl, Judith states that Daryl deserves a happy ending too and Daryl promises to come back. Daryl hugs Ezekiel goodbye and he leads the kids to the top of the wall to watch Daryl's departure. Daryl and Carol hug and admit that they love each other before Daryl drives off on his motorcycle through the Commonwealth gate, setting off through the countryside on his new journey.
Sitting by separate fires, Rick and Michonne imagine themselves sitting across from each other as they write letters to each other and a montage plays of various moments over the years and many of the people who have been lost over time.
Michonne sits in a barn wearing a suit of armor and writing to Rick. Michonne looks at the iPhone and Rick's belongings that she had found on Bloodsworth Island, now addressing her letter to Judith, expressing certainty that her family is still out there and vowing to find Rick who she knows is trying to find them before packing up her stuff and leaving.
On a riverbank just outside of the Civic Republic of Philadelphia, Rick, wearing an Alliance of the Three jacket and armed with a Kill Stick, sits on a log and writes his own letter before packing his iPhone into his bag.
Michonne rides through her horse through dense fog, slicing the head off of a walker that she rides past.
Putting his message in a bottle, Rick throws into it into the river, only to panic when he hears the sound of a CRM helicopter nearby. Rick throws the bag containing his belongings onto Boat 672 which is beached nearby and where Michonne and Virgil would later find them. Addressing Rick as Consignee Grimes, the CRM pilot orders him to surrender.
Spotting something in the distance, Michonne stops her horse.
Rick angrily uses his kill stick to put down a walker buried in the riverbank. "Come on, Rick. It's like he told you. There's no escape for the living," urges the pilot.
As Michonne charges at a massive herd in the distance and Rick looks up at the helicopter, Michonne finishes out her letter by reminding Judith to remember what she and Rick had said. Over a montage of many moments from over the course of the show, the characters of The Walking Dead, both past and present, all repeat what Rick had told Michonne: "we're the ones who live."
On the riverbank, Rick raises his arms in surrender with a smirk on his face.
Looking out over the fields of the Commonwealth, Judith tells her brother that "we get to start over. We're the ones who live."
Other Cast
Special Appearances
Co-Stars
- Kien Michael Spiller as Hershel Rhee
- Antony Azor as R.J. Grimes
- Chiara Misawa as Mei
- Monique Grant as Colonel Vickers
- Dexter Tillis as Lt. Rose
- Preston James Hillier as Mr. Martens
- Korbi Dean as Mrs. Martens
Uncredited
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Deaths
- Jules Butler
- Luke Abrams
- Adrienne
- Lance Hornsby (Zombified)
- Rosita Espinosa
- Marissa Berot (Confirmed Fate)
- Many unnamed Commonwealth residents
Trivia
- Only appearance of Rosie Porter.
- Rosie is the last named character introduced in the TV Series.
- Last appearance of Jules Butler.
- Last appearance of Luke Abrams.
- Last appearance of Adrienne.
- Last appearance of Lance Hornsby. (Zombified)
- Last appearance of Sebastian Milton. (Photograph)
- Last appearance of William Milton. (Photograph)
- Last appearance of Rosita Espinosa.
- With Rosita's death:
- Rosita is the last living named character to die on the TV Series.
- Eugene is the only remaining character introduced in Season 4.
- With Rosita's death:
- Last appearance of Rick Grimes.
- This episode marks his return, who hasn't been on the show since "What Comes After".
- Last appearance of Michonne Grimes.
- This episode marks her return, who hasn't been on the show since "What We Become".
- Last appearance of Daryl Dixon.
- Last appearance of Carol Peletier.
- Last appearance of Maggie Rhee.
- Last appearance of Eugene Porter.
- Last appearance of Gabriel Stokes.
- Last appearance of Aaron.
- Last appearance of Ezekiel Sutton.
- Last appearance of Jerry.
- Last appearance of Yumiko Okumura.
- Last appearance of Connie.
- Last appearance of Judith Grimes.
- Last appearance of Magna.
- Last appearance of Lydia.
- Last appearance of Kelly.
- Last appearance of Juanita Sanchez.
- Last appearance of Michael Mercer.
- Last appearance of Pamela Milton.
- Last appearance of Negan Smith.
- Last appearance of Maxxine Porter.
- Last appearance of Tomichi Okumura.
- Last appearance of Elijah.
- Last appearance of Dianne.
- Last appearance of Nabila.
- Last appearance of Gracie.
- Last appearance of Hershel Rhee.
- Last appearance of R.J. Grimes.
- Last appearance of Adam Sutton.
- Last appearance of Douglas.
- Last appearance of Papa Bear.
- Last appearance of Ross.
- Last appearance of Lim.
- Last appearance of Garcia.
- Last appearance of Zell.
- Last appearance of Katz.
- Last appearance of Lewis.
- Last appearance of Murphy.
- Last appearance of Mei.
- Last appearance of Vickers.
- Last appearance of Baker.
- Last appearance of Rose.
- Last appearance of Mr. Martens.
- Last appearance of Mrs. Martens.
- Last appearance of the Civic Republic Military.
- Last appearance of Carl Grimes. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Lori Grimes. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Shane Walsh. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Dale Horvath. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Theodore Douglas. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Glenn Rhee. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Abraham Ford. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Andrea Harrison. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Bob Stookey. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Siddiq. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Paul Rovia. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Hershel Greene. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Beth Greene. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Tyreese Williams. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Sasha Williams. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Tara Chambler. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Enid. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Alden. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Deanna Monroe. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Cole. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Morgan Jones. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Shiva. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Jimmy. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Patricia. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Doug. (Flashback, Corpse)
- Last appearance of Louise Bush. (Flashback, Corpse)
- Last appearance of Laura. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Nora. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Kyle. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Ezra. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Aliyah. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Anne. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Alfred. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Marco. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Cyndie. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Rachel Ward. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Margo. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Gage. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Earl Sutton. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Karen. (Flashback, Corpse)
- Last appearance of David. (Flashback, Corpse)
- Last appearance of Lizzie Samuels. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Mika Samuels. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Noah. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Heath. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Eric Raleigh. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Bruce. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Olivia. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Spencer Monroe. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Scott. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Barbara. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Oscar. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Simon. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Dwight. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Keno. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Bob Miller. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Tobin. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Agatha. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Duncan. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Frost. (Flashback)
- Last appearance of Kim. (Flashback)
- This episode marks the end of the Commonwealth Conflict.
- The title of the episode, "Rest in Peace", comes from Gabriel's prayer at Rosita's deathbed.
- This is the only episode of Season 11 to not be released a week earlier on AMC Premiere.[1]
- This is the fourteenth episode to share the same title of a Comic Series volume, after "Days Gone Bye", "Made to Suffer", "This Sorrowful Life", "Too Far Gone", "No Way Out", "A New Beginning", "What Comes After", "The Calm Before", "Lines We Cross", "What We Become", "A Certain Doom", "Here's Negan", and "The Rotten Core".
- This episode, along with "Days Gone Bye", "No Way Out", "A New Beginning", "A Certain Doom", and "Here's Negan" are the only episodes to be directly adapted from the respective comic volumes of the same name. The other eight used the titles for episodes that are not directly related to the source material from that volume.
- This is the last episode of the TV Series.
- It is also the second series finale in The Walking Dead Television Universe, after "The Last Light".
- Alex Sgambati (Jules Butler) and Anabelle Holloway (Gracie) are upgraded from "Co-Stars" to "Also Starring" in this episode.
- This episode marks Melissa McBride's 125th appearance on the TV Series. She is the second Actor to reach 125 appearances, the first being Norman Reedus.
- It also marks Sonequa Martin-Green's 50th appearance on the show. However, her appearance is only archive footage.
- It also marks Chad Coleman's 25th appearance on the show. However, his appearance is only archive footage.
- Jules and Luke's last names are revealed in a memorial at a park in the Commonwealth in the one year timeskip.
- There are several callbacks to previous seasons.
- The variant walker smashing the glass door with a brick is a callback to "Guts".
- Aaron, Lydia, Elijah, and Jerry traveling by covering themselves in walker guts is also a callback to "Guts".
- Daryl pushes a stretcher in front of the door to Judith's hospital room to protect her. Shane did the same thing for Rick in a flashback in "TS-19". It was still there when he woke up in "Days Gone Bye".
- Negan returns Judith's compass to her. Judith had given it to Negan in "Adaptation" when he briefly escaped from Alexandria.
- The feast mirrors Rick's dream of a peaceful dinner from "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be".
- Rick is shown using a Kill Stick, a CRM weapon for killing zombies used primarily by the workers of their culling facilities. It was previously featured in Season 2 of World Beyond as the preferred weapon of Silas Plaskett.
- Daryl is shown using his crossbow for the first time since "New Haunts". For the majority of Season 11, Daryl used an AR-15 instead, even after retrieving his crossbow in "A New Deal".
- Dog appears for the first time since "New Haunts".
- Rick gets the first and last kills in The Walking Dead, putting Summer down in the opening scene of the series and putting an unnamed walker down in the final scene of "Rest in Peace".
- During the airing of this episode on AMC, five specially filmed commercials aired during ad breaks, starring Joe Ando Hirsh, Dallas Roberts, Andrew J. West, and Laurie Holden as their previous characters on the show, only as walkers. Laurie Holden starred in two commercials, while the others got just one each.
- Andrea's first commercial officially confirmed her surname as Harrison, which was first mentioned in The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct though at the time, its canonicity was unclear.
- Chandler Riggs surprised the cast and crew by showing up on the final day of filming. He was offered by Greg Nicotero and Denise Huth to play a background role for the Hilltop scene where he was a farmer working as Daryl, Carol, and the others visited Maggie. He is hunched over wearing a red shirt and his face is obscured by a box and black hat.[2]
- Chandler has previously "confirmed" his appearance in the finale as an April Fool's joke.[3]
- With the appearance of Rick Grimes, Andrew Lincoln is the only actor from the original pilot to appear in the final episode as the character he originally played.
- Additionally, Chandler Riggs makes an appearance in this episode, having first appeared in the pilot episode. Riggs plays a farmer. This means that both Riggs and Lincoln are the only two actors to appear in both the pilot and series finale.
- A scene involving Laurie Holden (Andrea), Chandler Riggs (Carl), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham), Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha) and Steven Yeun (Glenn) was originally considered to be shot for this episode, however lack of time amid production prevented this from occurring.[4]
- The memorial wall in Alexandria was finally shown again since its introduction in Season 6. However, the wall had not been updated since "No Way Out" and no casualties from the All Out War onwards were added. At the same time, Glenn's name was restored, although it was erased in "The Next World".
- In reality, the painted names on the wall panels had become very faded over the years of filming, resulting in special effects to make the paint look fresh and easy to read.
- This implies that the walls are regularly upkept within the world of the show.
- The original ending featured another timeskip of at least 10 years and a grown up version of Judith, R.J., Gracie, Socorro, and others in a van looking for survivors to bring back to their community. On the radio, R.J. calls out "If you can hear me, answer back. This is Rick Grimes." to which a survivor replies "...Hello? If you can hear me, answer back. This is Rick Grimes."
- This is the only episode in Part 3 of Season 11 to feature the entire main cast, although Lance only appears as a walker.
- In an interview, when asked about Rick smiling at the end, Scott Gimple explains that "Rick still has some fight left in him. Rick is not yet broken, Rick is defiant. And Michonne is defiant. These people draw strength from this continuum of love that they have created out of nothing, or even out of tragedy and loss. And so he is totally screwed there — and I'm speaking like Ezekiel here — and yet he smiles, because he still has some fight in him, and he is not yet laying his head down. And what gives him that is the same thing that gives Michonne the strength to go into that walker herd. And that gives Judith the strength to look at that future and say, 'We're the ones who live.' It's the strength that's going to get her through. So that smile is indicative of the strength that is drawn through 11 seasons of The Walking Dead."[5]
- On Netflix, the episode lacks the One Year Later title card that pops up when Eugene is next to the memorial plaque.
- This is the only episode of the series to have two f-bombs, with Rosita saying "Our ride is fucked!" and Daryl saying "That was the fuckin' problem."
- The only other episode of the TV universe to have multiple f-bombs is "Evie / Joe", which has three.
- A scene revealing an alive and well Oceanside was originally written for the episode, though it was forcibly cut before it could be filmed due to unforeseen issues during production.[6]
- In "Who's There?" of The Walking Dead: Dead City, Oceanside is mentioned by Mr. Aizawa, confirming its survival.
- In "Years" of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, it's revealed that the "he" that the CRM pilot had mentioned was Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor. It's also revealed that Rick was on Rat Island and that it was his third escape attempt, occurring within the first 5 years after Rick's departure.
- This places the scene as taking place during the time skip following Rick's departure in "What Comes After".
Comic Parallels
- Mercer getting broken out of his cell by Max and Princess is similar to Mercer getting broken out by Laura and George in Issue 189. However, the difference is that Princess warns Mercer to take cover first so that he doesn't get showered with debris like he did in the comic series.
- Rosita's death is somewhat similar to Andrea's death in Issues 165-167. Both of them are bitten by a walker (shoulder for Rosita, neck for Andrea) and dying peacefully in Alexandria only to be put down by their loved ones. (Eugene for Rosita, Rick for Andrea).
- Daryl's speech is similar to the one given by Rick Grimes in Issue 191.
- Mercer arresting Pamela is similar to Mercer taking her into protective custody in Issue 192.
- Pamela attempting to allow a zombified Lance to bite her is similar to Carol's suicide in Issue 41.
- Pamela being arrested for her crimes is a reference to Issue 192, where Sebastian was arrested for killing Rick.
- Lydia getting a happy ending with Elijah is a reference to Lydia being happily married to Conner in Issue 193. In addition, Lydia ending up with Elijah is a nod to how Lydia and Carl didn't end up together in the end. Furthermore, Lydia handing Judith a letter from Negan and a package from Father Grant to Gabriel could be a nod to Lydia's job as a messenger for the Commonwealth in Issue 193.
- Negan keeping in contact with Judith through letters is similar to how Carl kept on visiting Negan after the big time skip in Issue 193.
- Mercer and Princess' continuing relationship after the timeskip is a nod to how Mercer and Princess are still together years later in Issue 193.
Episode Highlights
- Jules and Luke are killed in the walker invasion of the Commonwealth while Tomi is able to save Judith's life.
- Judith reveals the truth about what Michonne had told her about Rick's disappearance and her search for him.
- Pamela is overthrown and put into jail for her crimes after a failed attempt at suicide by Pamela attempting to allow a zombified Lance to bite her.
- The Commonwealth and the Coalition work together to destroy the herd by luring it into the Estates and blowing it up.
- Finally understanding the pain that he caused her, Negan apologizes to Maggie for his actions. While Maggie can't forgive him, she decides to try to move on from her anger and hatred. Negan is allowed to remain at the Hilltop and keeps in contact with Judith.
- Maggie returns to the Hilltop to finish rebuilding it.
- Having been bitten during the herd attack, Rosita succumbs to her bite and dies peacefully in Alexandria.
- After the revolution, Ezekiel becomes governor of the Commonwealth with Mercer as his deputy governor. Carol has taken on Lance's old job as Director of Operations and improved it.
- Yumiko and Magna resume their romantic relationship, while Eugene and Max have a daughter named Rosie and Mercer and Princess remain together.
- Aaron and Gabriel continue leading Alexandria together which is fully rebuilt within a year of the revolution.
- Daryl departs to search for other survivors and to try to find Rick and Michonne.
- Rick is revealed to still be alive in what appears to be a flashback. However, he is recaptured by the CRM who address Rick as Consignee Grimes.
- Rick tosses his belongings onto Boat 672, presumably explaining how Virgil and Michonne later found them.
- This presumably explains the "B"s: They are people who are conscripted into the Civic Republic of Philadelphia.
- Michonne is shown to be continuing her own search for Rick, no longer with the column of survivors from "What We Become".
Goofs/Errors
- Eleanor Matsuura's baby bump is visible during her last scene as Yumiko following the one year time jump.
- Eleanor alluded that given the Commonwealth's healthcare and her brother, Yumiko may have received in-vitro fertilization to have a baby with Magna.
- When Rosita falls from the building, a landing pad is visible underneath her. However, seconds later, it is gone.
- This is most likely just a production goof, the landing pad having presumably been to make it easier for the actress' fall.
- When Rosita climbs on top of the ambulance, two variant walkers follow her, climbing onto the front of the vehicle. However, both are suddenly gone in the next shot after Rosita jumps to the drainpipe.
- At least four extras who were last seen at Alexandria in "Family" and an extra last seen captured in Oceanside in "Acts of God" were among the crowd of Commonwealth citizens gathered at the Estates' gates begging to be let in.
References
- ↑ Tweet by Julian Cannon.
- ↑ Chandler Riggs on his Walking Dead cameo you didn't see on Entertainment Weekly.com
- ↑ Tweet by Chandler Riggs
- ↑ How The Walking Dead brought Rick Grimes and Michonne back for the final episode on digitalspy.com
- ↑ The Walking Dead finale ending with Rick and Michonne explained on yahoo.com
- ↑ Screenshot of Angela Kang talking about Oceanside's planned appearance in this episode
