Season 9 of AMC's The Walking Dead consists of sixteen episodes; it premiered on October 7, 2018. On January 13, 2018, AMC announced the show was renewed for a ninth season with Angela Kang replacing Scott Gimple as showrunner.[1]
This season adapts material from Issues #127-144 of the Comic Series.
Plot
"A New Beginning"
A year and a half has passed since the end of the War. In a rebuilt and thriving Alexandria, Rick, now with shorter and grayer hair, happily watches Michonne paint with Judith. They go outside the walls to see a flock of birds in the field.
At the Sanctuary, the walker-filled yard has been replaced by crops. Rosita helps Eugene with an experiment, while Laura reports to Daryl, who's now in charge. He goes to the yard and notices Arat and Justin trying to use a walker as a scarecrow, like they used to do. Daryl puts it down.
On the road, Tara is scouting when Eugene radios her, informing her that Daryl will soon meet the rest of the group so they can go to Washington D.C. in search of farming materials.
Elsewhere, Jesus and Aaron kill some walkers. Aaron asks Jesus if he can teach him some of his skills. Jesus agrees to lead a class at the Hilltop.
Daryl rides off to meet Rick, Michonne, Carol, Maggie and others in downtown Washington D.C.
Rick and the group break into the Smithsonian Institute to search for a covered wagon and farming equipment. As they walk over a fragile glass floor, they notice a group of walkers under it. Suddenly, a walker drops from a balcony onto it, cracking a pane of the glass. Rick tells everyone to be safe, and the group separates.
In the basement, Siddiq gets attacked by a walker whose head is full of spiders. He barely manages to kill it, and admits to Rick he is more scared of the spiders.
In a hallway, Gabriel drives a machete into a walker's head and leaves it hanging on a human evolution display. He and Anne smile at the irony of this.
By the stairs, Cyndie sees an old canoe, and remembers a pleasant childhood experience with her brother. Daryl relates to this, and the two of them take the canoe with them
Back in the basement, Rick's group finds packages of seeds and beans. Rick thanks Anne for the lead. She tells him that she knew of the location because she once brought her class there when she was a teacher.
While returning to the stairs, Maggie tells Michonne and Carol that Gregory called for an election at the Hilltop, but lost. Maggie is now the rightful leader. Michonne stops and looks at a political display, showing how the different American colonies were united.
The entire group reunites, and gingerly uses ropes to drag an old covered wagon down the stairs and over the glass floor. The glass finally gives way, and Ezekiel falls through, dangling by one of the ropes. Before the walkers can bite him, Daryl shoots one, and then Rick and the others pull Ezekiel to safety. Carol joyfully kisses him to celebrate.
The group leaves D.C. and prepares to head back to their separate communities.
On the road, Alden talks to Ken and Marco about blacksmithing at the Hilltop. At the back of the convoy, Ezekiel proposes to Carol. She tells him to put his ring away, and reminds him that she'd previously said that she doesn't want to be asked yet. She especially doesn't want to be asked while riding a horse. Ezekiel smiles, and tells her he still loves her.
Rosita and Daryl catch up with everyone, and inform the group that the main bridge is out due to a storm. Rick tells Tara, Gabriel, Aaron and Anne to head back to Alexandria. The rest plan to take an alternate route and spend the night at the Sanctuary.
In the woods, the wagon gets caught in the mud. As the group struggle to pull it out, walkers appear from the bushes. The wagon finally budges, and everyone rushes to gather the supplies. The walkers are too numerous, and the groups is forced to flee. Ken turns back to free the horse, and is bitten on the arm by a walker, and then kicked in the ribs by the horse. Siddiq tries to save him, but the boy succumbs to blood loss. A saddened Maggie sobs by his side, turning his head and stabbing him to prevent him from reanimating.
That night, back at the Hilltop, Maggie breaks the news of Ken's death to his parents, Tammy and Earl. Tammy refuses to accept that Ken's death was an unavoidable accident, caused by the boy's rash behavior. She reminds Maggie that she voted for her in the election. Although Earl tries to calm her, Tammy doesn't listen, going onto criticize Maggie's decision to help supply the Saviors. A shocked Maggie offers to help with the funeral, but Tammy declines. She also forbids Maggie from being present for the service.
Later, the Hilltop gathers for Ken's funeral. Alden sings, and Gregory gives a eulogy. Maggie holds Hershel and watches from the balcony.
At the Sanctuary, Rick and the group arrive to deliver supplies. Michonne points out graffiti that proclaims, "Saviors save us!", and Daryl demands that Justin clean it up. Rick promises to the Saviors that he’ll continue to support them so they can get back on their feet. Everyone applauds him, treating him like a celebrity.
Daryl pulls Rick aside to tell him that he no longer wants to lead the place, because he doesn't belong there. He is also worried about the Sanctuary's future. Since it's factory land, it doesn't efficiently produce crops. Daryl wants to return to Hilltop to check on Maggie and Hershel, but Rick argues he should return to Alexandria. "Things have changed," Rick says, but Daryl says it’s because Rick changed them.
Outside, Carol follows Daryl and offers to take over the Sanctuary for him. She tells him about Zeke's proposal, and says she needs some time to think. Daryl is surprised, and asks if he should stay with her. She declines, and rests her head on his shoulder.
In their trailer, Tammy mourns her son, while Gregory gets Earl drunk. Gregory slyly suggests that Maggie stole the election, and that she doesn't have to be the leader any more.
At the Sanctuary, Rick and Michonne settle into bed. Michonne asks if they did the right thing by letting Negan live. Rick stands by his choice. Michonne then proposes that they create a charter between the communities, laying out guidelines and punishments for rule violations. Rick agrees, and tells her how lucky he is to have found her. They kiss and make love.
Back at the Hilltop, Maggie takes Hershel out for a stroll and runs into Gregory, who tells her someone may have defaced Glenn's grave. Upset, she rushes towards the grave and is attacked by a hooded stranger, who also knocks over Hershel's stroller. Enid intervenes, but gets pushed to the ground hard and is knocked out. Alden and Cyndie grab the assailant. Maggie rips off his hood, to reveal a drunken Earl.
Maggie rushes over to Gregory's place and accuses him of trying to get her killed. He angrily reminds her that he built Hilltop, and tries to stab her with a knife. She overpowers him and holds the knife to his neck.
The next day, Carol tells Ezekiel she's staying at Sanctuary, and instructs Jerry to take care of him..
Daryl, Michonne and Rick arrive at the Hilltop to find the workers building gallows. Rick asks Maggie to visit Alexandria, but she says she won't because Negan is there. Rick also asks for her help fixing the bridge. She says she'll only agree if the Saviors agree to provide the labor and fuel. Rick says the Sanctuary simply can't afford to give up anything at the moment, as they are the weakest of the communities. Still, he feels that they are obliged to help. Maggie disagrees. She reminds Rick that once he promised that someday he would wind up following her. That never happened, but now it should.
That night, the Hilltop residents gather around the gallows, as Maggie explains to them that the punishment they're about to witness fits the crime. She looks on at Gregory, who has sitting atop a horse and has a noose around his neck. Gregory pleads for someone to stop the execution, but no one moves. A couple of kids show up, and Michonne yells for Maggie to stop. It's too late, however, as Daryl smacks the horse and sends it riding off, leaving Gregory to hang to death.
The people are shocked. Maggie tells them that she wants this to be the last time they do something like this. Rick and Michonne look on, as Maggie orders that Gregory's corpse be cut down.
"The Bridge"
In Alexandria, Rick goes down a basement to talk to someone. He mentions that it been 35 days since Gregory's execution.
He talks about how everything has changed since the war, and how the communities are working together on fixing a bridge that will be will the link to their future. "We're making a new beginning", Rick says, smiling with hope.
At a camp which the communities have set up in the woods, Ezekiel explains to Henry how vital the bridge will be in connecting the other communities with the Sanctuary.
Eugene and Rosita help Rick plan a detonation that will serve to distract an oncoming herd of walkers. Nearby, Siddiq teaches Enid medicine, as he stitches Cyndie's hand. Rick orders Siddiq to return home with the next crew, and tells Enid he has confidence on her.
At Hilltop, Michonne arrives. She tells Maggie that a planned food supply delivery hasn't arrived at the Sanctuary. Maggie claims that the ethanol they were supposed to receive didn't arrive either.
Jesus confirms they have a surplus of food, but Maggie counters that without a working plow, that may soon change. Michonne suggests they let Earl out to repair the plow, but Maggie scoffs and says she's fine with waiting for the fuel to show up from the Sanctuary.
On the bridge, Aaron shares with Daryl his experience as a father with Gracie, and tells him that someday he'll make a great dad. Meanwhile, Henry arrives to give water to the workers. Justin shoves him down for not giving him extra water, and starts drinking from the jug. Henry gets angry and knocks Justin down with his staff. Jed laughs and mocks Justin. A furious Justin gets up to retaliate, but Daryl stops him, saying that the kid’s just doing his job. Justin swings at Daryl, but Daryl dodges his swing and punches him in the face. They start fighting.
Rick arrives and stops the scuffle. He tells everyone to go back to work. He takes Daryl to his tent to calm him down, reminding him that they need the Saviors to help in building the bridge, especially since some of them have already deserted the repair crew. However, Daryl says that the Saviors won’t fall in line just because he says so. Rick explains that he wants everyone to be on the same side. Daryl questions if they actually are, before leaving. Carol advises Rick to wait until Daryl has calmed down before talking to him again.
Back at Hilltop, Tammy begs Jesus to see Earl, but Jesus says the time isn't right, reminding her that Earl tried to kill Maggie. Tammy grabs a stool and says she’s not moving until Maggie allows her to see him. Michonne overhears, and tells Jesus to consider talking to Maggie about it. Jesus says it's not her concern. Michonne disagrees, and proposes that they need to build something bigger than all of them.
At the camp, Anne draws a picture for Gabriel, based on a description he's given her. She laments that no one trusts her except him and Rick. Gabriel tells her that at first, no one trusted him either. Eventually, Rick made it possible. She strokes his hand and thanks him for staying on her side.
At Hilltop, Maggie plays with Hershel, while Jesus tells her that they should consider implementing official rules to handle situations like those raised by Earl, Negan, and Gregory. She finally agrees.
After the conversation, Tammy is allowed to see her husband. She talks to him about his mistakes and forgives him. Maggie listens in, becoming guardedly emotional. Later, she talks to Earl herself. He mentions how he became an alcoholic, and how he doesn't remember seeing his son for the first time.
In the woods, Rosita and Arat blow up some explosives to lure a horde of walkers in another direction, far from the camp.
Elsewhere, Tara sits on a crane and gives Rick a walkie-talkie update on the walker distraction plan. She then radios Jerry, so he can turn on a siren.
Alden arrives to inform Rick that none of the deserter Saviors made it back to the Sanctuary. Their families are worried. Tara radios Rick again, to warn him that the second siren didn't go off, and the herd is coming.
Suddenly, the walkers arrive at the labor site, causing a commotion. Jed panics and releases a giant logs that was being used in the repair. It falls onto Aaron’s arm, trapping it. Daryl yells to the crew to lift the log, while he double-knives the walkers around him. They lift the log, but Aaron's arm is crushed. Daryl carries Aaron back to the camp, as Rick and the others arrive to hold off the walkers. Rick shoots the log pile, causing it to roll down and crush the remaining walkers.
Daryl rushes Aaron to the infirmary. Enid quickly decides they need to amputate. Aaron reluctantly agrees, as Daryl ties the tourniquet. Enid amputates his arm.
Daryl angrily goes to confront Justin on why the second siren wasn't sounded. Justin claims the radio wasn’t charged. Daryl leaps at him, punching him repeatedly and hitting him with a frying pan. Carol begs for him to stop, as the rest of the camp watches.
Back at Hilltop, Maggie tells Michonne she's open to creating common laws. She explains that her father, like Earl, used to drink. Like him, Earl also deserves a second chance. Gregory, on the other hand, got several chances and didn't change.
In the camp that night, Rick tells Justin to take his things and leave. If he sees the man again, a couple of stitches won't fix what he will do to him. He then goes to Enid and says that she did a good job with Aaron. Rick apologizes to Aaron for what happened. Aaron says that Rick couldn't know, and says that thanks to him, "It's not the end of the world anymore... We start a whole new one.".
Nearby, Anne asks Gabriel who the woman she drew for him was, and he says she was his organist, who he loved and lost. She asks him if he is still afraid, but is cut short when he kisses her. They smile and start to make out, until Gabriel remembers he's supposed to be on watch. Anne replies that he can watch after, as she starts to unbuckle his pants.
In the camp, as everyone talks and laughs, Carol asks Ezekiel for the ring. He gets excited and is about to give a speech, but she tells him that he can save the speech for later. She puts on the ring, and they hug and smile. Rick happily watches them from his tent.
Back in Alexandria, Rick finishes narrating his story. It turns out he was speaking to a locked up Negan.
Negan taunts him with memories of Carl, but an angry Rick shuts him up. He says the man should be quiet and listen, but Negan says, "You're not saving the world, Rick. You're just getting it ready for me".
At the crane guard post, Anne again spots the mysterious helicopter that she once saw at the junkyard. She looks nervous.
In the woods, Justin hears something, and sees someone he recognizes. He asks what they’re doing out there, but then is violently dragged offscreen.
"Warning Signs"
In a field, a group of walkers devours Justin's body. The walkers then leave, as he reanimates and meanders past a building with the words "Final Warning" painted on the side.
The next morning, Rick wakes up and kisses Michonne. He places his hand over Carl's handprint, before taking a stroll through Alexandria. Later, he returns to his house and thanks Michonne for being amazing and for everything she does. He suggests that they could find other ways of building for the future, implying having a baby. Michonne kisses him, and they make love.
On the road, Maggie and Kal are bringing food to the Sanctuary when they are stopped by a small group of Saviors, who question her about their missing people. Jed steals a tomato out of the back and takes a large bite. Maggie says she'll mark him down for it while the other Saviors let her pass. Suddenly, they notice a zombified Justin stumbling onto the road.
Back in Alexandria, Rick and Michonne spend a family day with Judith playing, having a picnic and reading stories. Suddenly, Scott runs up and informs them that Maggie found Justin as a walker, but it doesn't look like an accident.
At the camp, the Saviors are furious with the news of Justin's death. Alden promises they'll get to the bottom of it, but is punched in the face by Jed, who claims he isn't one of them anymore. Carol steps in with her gun at her hip, stopping Jed.
The Saviors start accusing Daryl and Anne of being the culprits. They grab axes to retaliate, when Rick rides in the middle of the group with his gun drawn and warns everyone to back off. Arat and Laura help to disarm the Saviors.
After the crowd disperses, Rick questions Gabriel on where Anne was last night when Justin disappeared. Gabe vouches for her, but Rick instructs him to keep an eye out for her.
Alden asks Rick if some of the Saviors can have guns, but Rick says they need to figure out what happened first. Maggie asks Rick who he thinks killed Rick, and he looks at Daryl.
Inside a tent, Gabriel tells Anne about Rick's suspicions, and asks if she knows anything about Justin's disappearance. She says she didn't do anything, then, hurt, asks him if he thinks she is hiding something. She then leaves.
Meanwhile, Rick confronts Daryl about Justin, suggesting he might have been shot with an arrow or bolt. "If I was going to kill him, I'd a done it in plain sight," Daryl counters, before saying the Saviors don’t deserve to have a new beginning, Rick and Daryl's many dead friends didn’t get a second chance. Rick ends the conversation by asking Daryl to try. He reminds him that he once spared the man who left his brother on a rooftop to die. Daryl is left in thought.
In the woods, Maggie and Cyndie head to an abandoned house. It has a noisy roof, which has attracted a small group of walkers. Maggie distracts the walkers, as Cyndie investigates. Another group of walkers breaks out of the barred-up front door, and Maggie runs over to kill them. Cyndie nearly gets bitten, but Rick, Daryl and Rosita arrive to save her.
They check on Beatrice over the walkie, but receive no response. The go out to find her, and locate her in the woods, unconscious. When she wakes up, she tells them she was attacked from behind, and that Arat is missing.
Later, at the camp, Rick implores his team to find Arat before the Saviors find out and leave, delaying the bridge construction.
In the woods, Rick and Carol are searching for Arat. Rick says he's constantly tempted to kill Negan, but stops himself by reminding himself to build life, not take it.
Elsewhere, Maggie admits to Daryl that what Rick’s doing is right for the future. They find a walker with a bolt in it, and Daryl says, "I know who took Arat."
At night, Anne returns to the Junkyard and retrieves a walkie. She radios the unknown man from the helicopter. He asks her if she has an "A or a B." She claims she's paid her dues, but the man say for their deal to be on she'll" need an A". She promises him one tomorrow. Suddenly, Gabriel appears behind her and asks who she was talking to, and if she had anything to do with Justin.
Anne admits she's been trading people for supplies. She was planning to trade Gabe and Rick, back when she abducted them. She asks him to leave with her to a new place that is much better and far away, but which they must keep secret. Gabe says he has to tell Rick, but she says, "All this time, I thought you were a B," before knocking him out with her walkie.
Back in the woods, Jed and D.J. ambush Carol and Rick. Jed holds Carol at knifepoint, while Rick points a gun at his head. Jed explains to Rick that this is about getting their guns back for protection before leaving. Carol sneaks a knife out of her sleeve and stabs him in the shoulder. Rick forces D.J. to his knees.
Meanwhile, Daryl and Maggie arrive at the "Final Warning" building, where they find Cyndie and a group from Oceanside holding up Arat. Cyndie emotionally reveals that this was their former settlement, and recalls how Arat and the Saviors wiped out her people. Justin killed Beatrice's husband, while Arat killed Cyndie's brother without mercy.
Cyndie says that they went along with Rick's rules because they thought they had to, until Maggie executed Gregory, "showing them the way". Since that moment, they have been killing the Saviors responsible for wiping out Oceanside.
Arat starts crying. She claims she had no choice, but Cyndie reminds her how she smiled when she killed her brother. Arat begs Daryl and Maggie to help her, but they walk away, as Cyndie stabs her through the back of the head with a spear.
The next morning, the Saviors leave the campsite. On the road, Maggie tells Daryl that they gave Rick's way a chance, but it's time to see Negan.
"The Obliged"
In Alexandria, Michonne spends her days doing various errands around the community, while going out at nights to kill walkers on the woods. One night, she finds a walker hanged on a tree, shocking her. She tears up, and almost gets killed by another walker, but kills it with a bat. She looks at the bat in horror, reminded of Negan.
At Hilltop, Maggie looks from her balcony as she holds Hershel. She then passes him to the babysitter. Later, she grabs a backpack and sneaks a crowbar into it, planning to head to Alexandria to take care of Negan. Jesus tries to convince her not to go, but she instructs him to look after the Hilltop while she is gone.
At the camp, Eugene updates Rick on the status of the rising river in relation to their bridge construction. He apologizes for the bad news, but Rick reminds him how valuable he is, making him smile.
Inside the main tent, Carol tells Rick she's taking her people back to Kingdom while the Sanctuary figures out who they want to be. He tearfully accepts her decision. Suddenly, Jerry arrives to warn Rick about Maggie's march to Alexandria. Rick immediately radios Rachel to warn his people not to let Maggie into the community, but Rachel picks up a magazine and ignores the request. Daryl overhears Rick, and tells him he'll take him to Alexandria himself.
At Alexandria, Nora tells Michonne that Negan has been refusing to eat. Michonne promises to handle it.
On the road, Daryl rides past the correct turn to Alexandria, and Rick angrily tells him to pull over. Rick asks what is he doing, and Daryl reveals that he messed with the relay so Maggie would be allowed into Alexandria to kill Negan. Rick jumps at him, and the two wrestle until they roll into a giant ditch.
Back in Alexandria, Michonne brings Negan a meal. He says he'll only eat if she stays to talk to him. She agrees to stay for an hour.
In the ditch, Rick and Daryl argue over the merits of keeping Negan alive. Daryl reminds Rick how Negan turned him into a slave and how no one agrees with his decision to keep Negan alive. Rick says if they martyr Negan, then Carl will have died for nothing. Daryl tells Rick he'd die for him, and he would have for Carl too, but Rick has to just let him go. Rick says he never asked anyone to follow him. Daryl says, "Maybe you should have."
In Alexandria, Negan tells Michonne he's not meant to be in the cell, just as she's not meant to be doing random chores and looking after kids. Michonne shoots back that she's helping rebuild civilization. Negan admits he's happy his wife never got to see him like this. He reveals that he wished they'd had a kid like Carl, but his wife got cancer and then the world changed. Michonne says she sees Carl everywhere, and when Negan asks about her own kid, she angrily says Andre didn't make it. Negan says it’s better this way, because his wife wasn't made for the apocalypse. "We were built for more," he says. Michonne reacts in anger and storms off.
At the junkyard, Anne kisses a tied up Father Gabriel before rolling up one of her Walker experiments to kill him. He wakes up and begs her to stop, and tells her he forgives her. She leans the Walker over him and then stops, before putting another chloroform rag over Gabriel's mouth to knock him out.
At the camp, Carol packs up to leave for the Kingdom, as an armed Jed and several Saviors return. He reveals he knows that Oceanside's been killing the Saviors. He needs her to step aside so he can enact his revenge. Carol attacks him again, but more Saviors show up and a shoot-out ensues.
Rick and Daryl hear the shots from the ditch, and are forced to help each other escape.
In Alexandria, Michonne returns to Negan's cell and acknowledges that they're similar, but distinguishes that her worldview is a lot more positive than his. She finally gets him to eat, and as she leaves he asks to see Lucille. Michonne tells him they don’t have the bat anymore, which causes him to violently bang his head against the wall.
In the ditch, walkers slip in as Rick and Daryl struggle to climb out. Rick finally crawls out and uses a tree branch to get Daryl out as well. With a horde building near the camp, Rick concocts a plan to lead them away, while Daryl heads for the river.
Back in the junkyard, Gabriel wakes up untied and alone. He finds a note in his pocket from Anne: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. I want to go fast." He breaks down in tears.
In her house, Michonne reads to Judith about baseball, and gets triggered by a picture of a bat. On the way to Alexandria, Maggie notices the several Walkers that were earlier killed by Michonne.
Elsewhere, as Rick is leading the Walker horde away, he gets surrounded by another. Rick's horse panics and throws him into a pile of rebar, which stabs him through his side. Rick cries in pain, then loses consciousness as the walkers close in.
"What Comes After"
In a dream state, Rick talks to his past self in his hospital room from when he was in a coma. He tells his old self to “wake up, it’s time to go.” Suddenly, Rick sees a flock of birds outside transform into helicopters, and then looks down to find his abdomen covered in blood. His past jokingly reverses the dynamic, telling HIM to wake up.
Back in the real world, Rick wakes up, still pinned to the rebar. With walkers closing in, Rick uses his belt to painfully lift himself off of the bar. He miraculously crawls back onto his horse, and barely escapes the herd.
Elsewhere, Anne’s van breaks down on the road. Her helicopter contact radios to see if she has the “A.” She lies and confirms she does, saying that they’re ready for transport.
On the horse, Rick tells himself he needs to keep the horde close in order to lead them away. He goes in and out of consciousness, and briefly dreams up an image of Hershel’s farm. He then comes out of his stupor, rides to an old shack, and finds a tablecloth that he uses as a tourniquet. He passes out again.
Back in Alexandria, Michonne is spending time with Judith when Scott arrives to inform her that Maggie has arrived.
In another dream, Rick rides on horseback to Atlanta, where he finds Shane in their old patrol car. Suddenly he’s inside with Shane, and they’re back at the field from the day he was shot. They sit and eat talk, while eating burgers. Rick tells Shane that he’s looking for his family. Shane jokes that it’s technically his family, and asks if Rick is taking care of his daughter. Rick jokingly calls him an asshole. Shane compliments him for killing him, and for biting Joe’s throat out, but asks why he let Negan live. He encourages Rick to find his rage and “get it done.”
Rick looks down at the burgers, which have turned to dust. He apologizes to Shane for what he did to him. Shane forgives him, and furiously tells him to wake up. Rick comes back to consciousness in time to avoid several walkers breaking into the shack. Rick barely escapes out the back. He gets back on the horse and leaves.
In Alexandria, Maggie approaches Negan’s cell with a crowbar, before getting stopped by Michonne. She tells Michonne that Negan should have died on the day the war ended. Michonne asks if this is what Glenn would have wanted. “I don’t know what he would want, because I never got to say goodbye,” Maggie says. Michonne relents, giving her the keys to Negan's cell.
Maggie walks into the basement where Negan is being held. Negan chuckles at her, as she demands he get on his knees. Negan taunts her about killing Glenn, and begs her to kill him. She opens the cell and slams him against the wall, as he continues to beg for death. He sobs, and admits he wants to be reunited with his wife Lucille. Maggie tells him to get back to his cell, because he’s already worse than dead.
Maggie walks outside. Michonne seems pleased that her friend didn’t kill Negan. Suddenly, they get word about the shooting at the camp.
On the road, Rick clings to life as the herd continue to follow him. He hallucinates again. This time he’s back at the farm. Hershel greets him and boasts about how he has his leg back. Rick embraces him, and apologizes for what happened to him and his family. Hershel forgives Rick, reminding him that Maggie is strong. Rick tells him he has to find his family, but Hershel tells him he doesn't. All he needs to do is wake up.
Rick wakes up, before hallucinating again. He’s back in the hospital, and sees a door that reads, “Don’t Open, Dead Outside.” He walks through it and finds a pile of dead bodies of all his friends; ones who truly died in the past, as well as ones who are still in reality alive. Rick walks among them until he sees Sasha. She tells him that none of this is real. Like the others, she urges Rick to wake up. “When you put all of us together, your family, you’re not going to find them because they’re not lost. And you’re not lost,” she tells him.
Rick wakes up, and is again thrown off the horse, this time near the now-abandoned, camp. The horse runs off, leaving Rick to fend for himself.
Rick finds a revolver, and shoots at a reanimated Norris and Kathy. The noise attracts the nearby. Rick summons the strength to limp away, before collapsing near the bridge. Suddenly, Maggie, Carol, Ezekiel, and others rush past him to kill the walkers. Michonne approaches rick, seeing his wound. She reminds him that she fell in love with him because he’s a fighter. After killing the walkers, everyone stops to watch Rick and Michonne as they continue to talk. Michonne tells Rick how much she loves him. He tells her, “This isn’t real.” Michonne tells him to wake up. He does, now alone on the bridge.
The walkers approach as Rick hobbles away. He makes it across the bridge and turns around, hoping to see the walkers fall through the weakened structure. Unfortunately, the bridge holds. One of the walkers get to within inches of Rick, before getting shot in the head by a crossbow bolt. Rick watches as Daryl, Michonne, Maggie, and the rest arrive nearby, this time for real.
Maggie and Michonne quickly hatch a plan to divert the walkers, but Rick won’t allow it. He notices the dynamite on the bridge, takes aim, and says to himself “I found them." He then shoots, igniting the dynamite. The bridge explodes, as Michonne and the rest can only watch in horror. Michonne screams out, while Maggie and Carol comfort her. Daryl weeps and then walks away.
Nearby, the helicopter arrives to pick up Anne and her supposed “A.” She pulls out her gun, but suddenly spots Rick on the riverbank, still alive. Seeing that he is severely wounded, she quickly radios that she has a "B" but he’s strong, and needs help immediately. She promises it’s not a trick, and explains she’s trying to save a friend who once saved her. The mysterious group agrees to her deal. Rick wakes up in the helicopter, hooked up to medical equipment. Anne assures him that he’ll be fine, and that “they” will save him. The helicopter flies away, as a moment of time lapse shows the trees in the clearing below growing considerably.
Sometime in the future, Magna’s group takes on a herd of walkers. They quickly get overwhelmed, but are saved when the walkers around them are suddenly shot by someone in the nearby trees. Magna and her group escape into the woods, where they find a 9-year-old girl who asks for their names. They introduce themselves, and ask what her name is. The girl picks up Carl’s hat, and introduces herself as Judith Grimes.
"Who Are You Now?"
Near the destroyed bridge, Michonne talks to Rick's memory, speaking of the future; how life continues and time passes by. Elsewhere, an older Daryl spearfishes in a lake, and watches as nature continues its growth even in the presence of walkers. At the Kingdom, a longer-haired Carol wakes up next to Ezekiel, and watches in admiration as everyone works together in the community. Michonne sorts through an abandoned car, and finds a toy sheriff figure that reminds her of Rick. She takes it with her.
Meanwhile, Rosita, Eugene, Laura, and Aaron find Judith in the woods, along with Magna’s group. Wanting to take the newcomers in, Judith declares she won’t go return to Alexandria until her friends accept them. Rosita and the others reluctantly agree.
At the Kingdom, Carol and Jerry find a now-teenage Henry trying to fix the pipes. Ezekiel arrives, and Henry sasses him about their deteriorating community. Ezekiel warns him to watch his tone. Shortly after, Carol tells Ezekiel that Henry isn’t wrong. She says the boy could benefit by moving to Hilltop and becoming Earl's apprentice.
In Alexandria, Magna’s group arrives at the gates, where Judith assures them they’ll be safe. They get escorted inside, where young Gracie runs over to Aaron. Rosita updates Siddiq on Yumiko’s condition, and he escorts her to the infirmary. Magna tries to tag along, but is stopped by D.J.
Michonne arrives on horseback, and isn't pleased to see the new arrivals. She frisks Magna, and asks Eugene why they’re here. Aaron says he made the call, but Michonne tells him it wasn't his decision to make. “I decided,” Judith tells her. Michonne scolds her. Aaron says that however they got here, "they’re here now", and the community should decide their fate together. Gabriel suggests they vote tomorrow. Michonne agrees, and instructs her people to put them in holding. As she leaves, her sheriff figurine falls out of her pocket, and Judith picks it up.
Back at the Kingdom, Ezekiel bids farewell to Henry. The boy and Carol prepare to trek to Hilltop. Henry assures Ezekiel that they’ll see each other before the fair. Carol tells him that Henry inherited the dreamer part from him, and Ezekiel mentions that the fair is his way to reunite the communities.
The next day, Magna’s group stands before the Alexandria council for questioning. They are asked who their leader is, and Magna claims they’re a team. Luke explains that their group used to be bigger. Gabriel asks about their former professions: Luke was a music teacher, Magna was a truck stop waitress, Connie was a journalist and Kelly was a high school student. Luke says the community should trust them, but Michonne isn’t done with questions. She stands up and asks Magna to see her left hand, which has a prison tattoo. Michonne then calls her out for a hidden knife in her belt buckle, which she puts on the table. Michonne storms out, saying she’ll second any motion the council makes. Magna tries to question her, but is shut down.
Gabriel tests out aradio he found in the woods, and tells Rosita he thinks there could still be more survivors out there they could help. He suggests they set up a remote amplifier to boost the signal and find new communities. Rosita instructs him to stay in town while she and Eugene set it up. Rosita then kisses Gabe, and he tells her she’s amazing.
In their house, Judith overhears Michonne pretending to talk to Rick. Michonne catches her and tells her to do her homework, and that they will train later.
On the road, Carol tells Henry they have to take a detour before going to Hilltop. Suddenly, they hear a woman scream and Henry runs over to help. He finds Regina with a group of former Saviors, who have tricked the boy into becoming cornered. Carol runs over with a bow and arrow, as Jed walks up with a gun and smiles.
On the way to set up the amplifier, Eugene questions Rosita about her fling with Gabe. He then reminds her that some men prefer facts over fairy tales, implying he has feelings for her.
Back in Alexandria, Siddiq updates Magna’s group on Yumiko’s condition. Luke asks him if he was there from the start. Siddiq confesses that he was also found in the woods, but he says things were different in the past.
Elsewhere, Jed tells Carol and Henry that since the Sanctuary was abandoned they’ve had to get more desperate. He says that since Carol spared his life back in the day, he’s going to let them go. But he wants all of their supplies, including Carol's wedding ring. This angers Henry, who kicks up his staff and knocks Jed down. Jed throws Henry to the ground, and Carol jumps in and intervenes, giving Jed her ring. Jed thanks her, and leaves with his people.
Outside of Negan’s cell, Judith reads a math problem to him involving two planes on a collision course. He stops her and asks if she’s ever seen a plane. She says no, so Negan suggests she worry about problems that apply to the real world. Judith then tells him that Michonne wants to make Magna’s group leave, but she doesn’t want them to. Negan tells her an anecdote from his childhood, about a seemingly nice stray dog that turned violent; just because someone looks nice doesn’t mean they are. Judith brushes it off. He then asks: if she doesn't care about his opinion, why did she ask him for help with her math problem? She replies that numbers don't care if someone's good or bad on the inside. Negan smiles as the girl leaves.
On top of a water tower, Eugene places the radio amplifier and begins to climb down, before seeing a walker herd approaching. Rosita screams for him to climb down, as his pack falls and the horses get spooked. Part of the ladder falls, so Eugene jumps down, injuring his knee. Rosita runs over with a makeshift crutch. The pair run off into the woods.
That night in Alexandria, Magna is scolded by her group for ruining their chance to stay. Luke asks Magna to hand over her necklace, which also doubles as a knife. She is reluctant. Magna says they should fight their way through Alexandria, to take supplies before heading out. Connie tells her to leave Michonne and Judith out of it. Luke says they save the fighting for people who deserve it, and Magna finally surrenders the necklace.
In the woods, Carol and Henry camp inside an abandoned vehicle. Henry scolds Carol for not defending herself, but she says that she couldn't risk him getting hurt. However, a while later Carol returns to the Savior camp. She lights a match, then reminds Jed that they hurt her son. She drops the match, which ignites and kills all of the Saviors, who she had previously poured gasoline on.
Back in Alexandria, Magna sneaks outside of Michonne’s house with another knife. She opens the door slightly, but sees Michonne hug a toddler, and leaves. A moment later, Magna goes over to the door and hands Michonne her knife, telling her that she was right about her. Michonne tells her they all have done things to survive. She closes the door and then turns around to find Judith on the staircase, with her father’s gun. Judith says her dad would have wanted her to do what she did, and Michonne agrees.
Michonne says that someday Judith will understand why she’s making Magna’s group leave. Judith reveals she knows that Michonne still talks to Rick and Carl. Judith says that she is beginning to forget their voices, which saddens Michonne. As Judith leaves, the toddler, who is Rick’s son, runs up to Michonne and asks for food.
In the woods, Eugene slows down as he and Rosita keep running from the walkers. He suggests he stay behind to distract the herd, and reveals that he has something to tell Rosita. She tells him not to make it weird, and forces him to keep going.
Elsewhere, Carol and Henry find Daryl. They ask him to come along with them.
In Alexandria, Michonne put on one of Rick's old shirts, and enjoys the familiar smell. Outside, Magna’s group prepares to leave, thanking everyone for their hospitality. Michonne rides up and says she’s going to instead escort them to Hilltop. Siddiq will come along to watch over the recovering Yumiko.
Back in the woods, Rosita and Eugene slide down a ditch and cover themselves in mud, as the walkers get closer. The pair stay still, but are shocked and horrified as the walkers pass by, whispering to themselves: “Where are they? ... They must be close... Don’t let them get away.”
"Stradivarius"
In the woods, Rosita runs from the walkers, alone and scared. She keeps hearing whispers, throwing her into a panic. As she rests against on a tree, she gets tired and collapses.
Elsewhere, Daryl escorts Carol and Henry to his camp. As he feeds his dog, Carol asks him when was the last time he ate. “Dog ate yesterday,” he says, and walks off.
On the road to Hilltop, Siddiq tells Michonne that she should have let Magna’s group stay in Alexandria. She says she still doesn’t trust them, and is only doing this for her daughter. In the horse-drawn cart, Magna complains to her group that Michonne has her knives. Magna wants them back. Yumiko tells Michonne that the woman is just upset about their lost friend, Bernie.
In a thriving Hilltop, residents tend to their crops, while Enid conducts check-ups in the infirmary. Meanwhile inside Barrington house, Tara asks Jesus if he's received any news about Maggie. He reveals that she and Hershel are with Georgie. She has sent another letter, in which she says that she is happy.
Tara updates Jesus on some minor problems at their community, and congratulates him on being reelected as the leader. He reminds her he ran unopposed. Tara suggests he should take Maggie’s office. He refuses.
Back at Daryl’s camp, Carol asks why he’s been living in the woods so long. He says it’s quiet there. She updates him on Henry moving to Hilltop. Daryl asks why she wanted to come to his camp, and she reveals that she wants him to come with them. “Want me to babysit your boy?” Daryl growls. Carol admits Henry could use a mentor to toughen him up. Daryl says he’ll have to learn on his own.
Michonne and the others arrive at Magna’s previously-abandoned crate of supplies, which has been strewn about by walkers. Magna’s upset at the sight of Bernie’s things. Michonne instructs D.J. to gather the weapons at the site, instead of letting Magna's group have them. This angers the group. Michonne also announces she’s returning to Alexandria in the morning. Siddiq and D.J. will help them finish the journey. Magna and Luke start to get riled up, but Yumiko calms them down, and reluctantly agrees to Michonne's terms. They decide to find shelter for the night.
On a road near Hilltop, Jesus rides on horseback, when he is suddenly jumped by a man. It turns out to be Aaron, who is only fighting him playfully. As they become worn out from the struggle, they sit on a nearby stump and catch up on recent developments. Jesus asks if Michonne has reconsidered joining the upcoming fair. Aaron says that she wouldn't even put it to a re-vote. Suddenly, a flare is fired in the air nearby, and the men rush over to investigate. They find the wounded Rosita, who tells them she left Eugene in a barn. Before some Walkers get close, Jesus and Aaron get Rosita to safety, promising her they'll look for Eugene tomorrow.
In his camp, Daryl skins a snake and throws it onto the fire for dinner. Henry asks Carol if she brought him there so Daryl could be his chaperone. Later that night, Carol gives Daryl a haircut. He reveals that he never found Rick’s body. After that, he simply got used to being in the woods. Carol suggests he should let things go. As they have dinner, Henry asks Daryl how he got a scar on his eye, but Daryl ignores him and leaves to find his dog.
Inside a factory where Michonne and Magna's group are settled in for the night, Michonne hears a noise. She investigates, and finds Luke holding something. She thinks it's a weapon, and tells him to drop it and turn around. Luke turns, only to have Michonne slice his Stradivarius in half, waking up the rest of the group.
Meanwhile, Henry tails Daryl, and finds a Walker instead. Daryl shows up and asks if he was following him. Suddenly, Daryl hears his dog barking wildly nearby. He rushes over to find it stuck in a trap and surrounded by Walkers. Daryl picks off the Walkers to save his dog, but is pulled down. Before a Walker can bite the man, Henry jumps in and saves him. Daryl then returns the favor. “I told you to stay back,” Daryl scolds. From the bushes, Carol secretly lowers her bow and arrow.
Back at Hilltop, Tara updates Jesus on Rosita’s condition, and asks what he and Aaron were doing in that area. Jesus confesses that he was training Aaron, while also trying to get Alexandria on board with the fair. She scolds him, and tells him that people are noticing his constant absences from Hilltop. She reveals she’s leaving tomorrow to look for Eugene, and says that he needs to stay.
At the camp, Henry notices an x-shaped scar on Daryl's back while the man changes his shirt. Daryl sits next to him and tells him that this is the first time the dog got caught in his trap, which was left for Walkers, not animals. Henry thanks him for the save, and tells him Carol misses and worries about him. “She knows how to find me,” Daryl says. Henry suggests he should come to Hilltop with them. Daryl asks if it’s so he can watch over him, but Henry says, “It isn’t just about me.”
Back at the factory, Luke gawks at his broken Stradivarius in disbelief. He explains to Michonne how old and rare it was. Yumiko lays her head on Magna’s leg and playfully recalls the mansion they found it in. Luke says the Stradivarius is the one thing that separates them from the animals. He relates how musical instruments helped bring humans together in the past. Michonne considers his words.
In the morning, Siddiq tries again to convince Michonne to come with them. She says she can’t take the risk with Maggie. Siddiq then reveals that Maggie and Hershel have been gone since last fall. Michonne is shocked, but before she can get an explanation, D.J. announces that there are Walkers outside. The group goes out to find several Walkers blocking the path to their horses.
Michonne kills several Walkers, as Magna demands that she let them have their weapons back so they can help. Michonne finally relents and orders DJ to return. As Magna’s group splits up and takes out several Walkers, an undead Bernie appears, The group is heartbroken, and Magna can't bear to put her old friend down. Michonne takes care of it for her. The group then opens a clear path and leaves.
Back at the camp, Daryl loads up his bike for Hilltop. Carol seems overjoyed that she convinced him to come.
On the road, Michonne empathizes with Yumiko and Magna, saying that she understands the pain of losing a friend that is considered family. Siddiq apologizes for not telling her about Maggie sooner, explaining that she and Hershel left with Georgie to help build a new community, far away.
Suddenly, two Hilltop soldiers ride up to them to the wagon. They inform Michonne that Rosita is injured, and is being cared for at Hilltop. Michonne instructs them to tell Hilltop they’re on their way. Connie notices something nearby, confusing the group. She tells them it's nothing. As they leave, someone watches from the bushes.
In Hilltop, Daryl, Carol and Henry arrive. Tara hugs them in greeting. Carol tells Jesus that Henry wants to learn how to be a blacksmith. Aaron greets Daryl, and tells him they could use his help locating Eugene. Henry tries to tag along, but Carol says he needs to stay while she helps him find a home.
The rescue group gears up, as Jesus tells Tara he will go instead of her. He promises that next time he will stay. She reluctantly agrees, and says that she'll keep things running while he's gone. With the dog leading the way, Daryl, Aaron and Jesus head out to find Eugene.
"Evolution"
In the woods, Daryl, Aaron, and Jesus discover a herd milling about in the middle of a field. As they leave, an odd-looking walker watches them from the herd.
In Alexandria, Gabriel helps Negan meditate in his cell. Negan compliments him on Rosita, and brags that he’s heard some interesting things about her from the gossip outside his cell. Gabe ignores the taunts and leaves. Outside, Barbara informs Gabriel that Rosita has been injured, and is at Hilltop.
At Hilltop, everyone runs inside, as Michonne and Siddiq arrive with Magna and her group. From the guard post, Diane makes them all surrender their weapons before entering.
Inside, Tara coldly greets Michonne and updates her on the situation with Rosita, Eugene, Aaron, and Daryl. She then informs Magna’s group that they’ll have to wait for Jesus to return before any permanent decision can be made. However, they can stay until he gets back. Connie thanks her for everyone. From the Barrington house, Michonne smiles at Carol, but is ignored.
Later, Magna questions Yumiko as to why she thinks Hilltop is led by a guy named Jesus. Connie assures her it’s probably just a nickname. Yumiko suggests they work on proving their worth so they can stay. Michonne then introduces the new group to Carol. Carol happily introduces herself through sign language, which Connie appreciates.
Carol asks Michonne about Judith and R.J., and then tells her about Henry moving to Hilltop. Carol asks if Michonne can send a delegate from Alexandria to the fair, but Michonne declines. Carol pleads, but Michonne remains defiant. She wishes her, Henry, and Ezekiel well.
In the woods, Jesus tells Aaron that Daryl used to trade with Hilltop before he stopped coming to visit. Aaron encourages him to embrace his new leadership role. Daryl cuts them off, and says he can hear the walkers nearby. As they leave, Jesus looks with suspicion at the approaching herd.
Back at Hilltop, Henry says goodbye to Carol, promising to make her proud. Diane asks Carol if she can ride back with her to Kingdom, and she agrees. At Earl's blacksmith shop, Enid checks up on Henry and jokes with him. Earl invites him to dinner, but the boy declines, after seeing Enid and Alden kissing.
In Alexandria, Negan taunts Gabriel for having to clean his bedpan. This time his taunts get through to Gabriel, who becomes visibly angry. When Negan asks what's wrong, Gabe confesses he’s upset that he has to take care of someone like him, while Rosita is recovering at Hilltop. Negan expresses genuine sympathy, but is shut down by Gabriel, who storms off.
Back in Hilltop, everyone eats at the mess hall except for a solitary Henry. A group of teens notices him and invites him to hang with them in the woods.
At the infirmary, Siddiq apologizes to Michonne for keeping secrets from her. Suddenly, Rosita wakes up in a panic, and tells them she knows where Eugene is. They tell her Daryl and the others are already looking for Eugene. The are confused when Rosita screams that the others don’t know what they’re dealing with.
That night, Daryl, Jesus, and Aaron locate Eugene hiding in a barn cellar. A terrified Eugene warns them a herd of walkers is looking for him. He insists that they need to leave immediately. “This wasn’t a normal herd... They were whispering to each other,” he tells them. They look at him like he’s crazy, as he tries to explain himself. Suddenly the dog barks, warning them of the nearby herd.
Elsewhere, Henry drinks with his new friends in a shed outside of Hilltop. A boy named Gage suggests they have some more fun, and takes them to a covered hole in the ground with a walker inside. A girl named Addy leaves, as they throw rope rings at the walker and Rodney pees on it. Henry jumps in and mercy kills the walker. Gage is pissed at Henry for being a buzzkill, and leaves him there.
Back in the foggy woods, Eugene suggests to the group that the walkers are evolving. Daryl calls bullshit on the theory. Then Aaron notices they’re drawing closer. Jesus demands they split up, but Daryl says that instead, he will guide the herd away while he and Aaron take Eugene to the horses.
In Alexandria, Negan plays with a tennis ball until he notices his cell door moving slightly because of the wind. He touches the door and discovers it has been left unlatched. He considers the situation for a moment, then smiles and leaves.
In Hilltop, Tara takes Earl down to the jail where Henry sits in a cell as punishment for getting caught "drunk and disorderly". Henry refuses to tell Earl why he was found outside the city wall, or who gave him the alcohol. Henry threatens to give up on the boy and send him back to the Kingdom, but Henry explains that his community is counting on him, and begs for another chance. Earl admits that he was once in that very same cell, for very similar reasons. He tells Henry that the minimum punishment for his crime is two days in jail, but promises to talk to Jesus for him when he returns.
Back in the woods, Daryl sets off fireworks to redirect the herd. A group of walkers ignores the noise, the rest follow their lead. Daryl is shocked by this behavior. Meanwhile, Aaron, Jesus and Eugene end up in a foggy cemetery. They quickly get trapped by a locked gate, forcing Jesus and Aaron to go kill the walkers, as whispers are heard all around.
Suddenly, Michonne, Magna and Yumiko arrive to help them unlock the gate. Jesus tells Aaron and Eugene to get out, while he goes to finish the walkers. Jesus starts taking out several walkers with his sword. He goes to kill the last one, but as he attacks it, the walker dodges him and stabs him from behind. “You are where you do not belong” the walker whispers to a shocked Jesus, before throwing him on the ground, dead.
Daryl shoots the "walker" in the head, as several more Whisperers arrive and the rest of the group run in to finish them off. As Aaron goes over to Jesus's body, Daryl notices something on the back of the supposed walker. He cuts along the back of its neck, revealing that it was in fact a normal human wearing a mask made out of walker skin. Before the group can process this info, the whispers get louder, and the group forms a circle and prepares to fight off the approaching enemy.
"Adaptation"
In the cemetery, the group proceeds to kill the Whisperers and walkers around them and Aaron prevents Jesus from reanimating. When more arrive they’re forced to carry Jesus’ body away and lock the gates. As they leave, a whisperer opens the lock.
In Alexandria, Negan sneaks around the garden and steals a shovel. He breaks into Judith’s room, looks at one of her drawings and then takes her compass. At dawn, he puts on normal clothes and scales the fence, before Judith stops him with her gun. He laughs and suggests they just go their separate ways, but she doesn’t budge. Negan climbs down and Judith reminds him there’s nothing out there for him. He promises not to hurt anyone and she finally relents, promising him if she sees him again she’ll shoot.
In Hilltop, Luke offers Tara, Alden and Enid to help look for the rest who haven't come back.
On the road, Michonne tells Daryl they're bringing Jesus back to Hilltop so everyone can have closure and thanks Daryl for helping her with everything. Suddenly, the group notices a small group of walkers nearby. Daryl corners them on a bridge and uses his crossbow to see who are whisperers. He hits one in the leg and the man falls down screaming in pain, attracting walkers to him. The rest try slowly escaping to the other side, where Michonne is waiting for them. They draw their knives and attack, but Michonne and the rest kill them with ease as the final whisperer gets on her knees to surrender. Daryl rips off her mask, to reveal a girl begging for her life. Michonne angrily questions her but when more walkers show up Daryl decides to take her with them.
In the woods, Negan strolls around and kills some walkers. He then drinks from a river, before spitting the water out. He notices he's in the clearing when he first met Rick and looks down, remembering his actions.
In Hilltop, the group arrives with Jesus' body and the captive girl, causing the whole community to react in disbelief. Tammy tells Tara that the Hilltop will now look to her for leadership, reminding her that includes getting justice for Jesus. Tara affirms she understands.
In the cellar, Daryl throws the girl in a cell and tells Henry that Jesus is dead. Michonne rips off her blindfold and tells her “No more bullshit!”
Meanwhile, Negan rummages through an abandoned clothing store and finds himself a black leather jacket. Suddenly, three hungry dogs show up, forcing him to hide on top of a shelf. He runs outside and throws a walker in to escape from the dogs.
Elsewhere, Luke and Alden bond over music until they discover one of Yumiko’s arrows on a tree. They kill some walkers and Luke suggests they follow the arrows to find their friends. They spot a herd nearby and ponder their new moves.
Back at Hilltop, Michonne, Tara and Daryl interrogate the girl. She claims to not have a name and that her group were good people just trying to survive. Michonne asks if her people know about Hilltop but the girl begs to be left alone. Outside, Michonne tells Daryl and Tara she’s heading back to Alexandria. Tara agrees and tells her she’s going to allow Magna’s group to stay because it’s what Jesus would have done. Michonne secretly reminds Daryl that he knows what to do if the girl keeps refusing to talk.
In the infirmary, Siddiq relocates Eugene’s knee and leaves to grab a bandage. Eugene tells Rosita he was scared she was dead and tries confessing his love but she runs outside saying “I can’t.” Rosita vomits and Siddiq follows to ask if she’s ok, but she reveals she’s pregnant with his baby. Eugene looks horrified as he listens from inside. Nearby, Daryl scolds Henry for behaving stupidly and reminds him he has one more night left in the cell before he can be released.
Meanwhile, Negan returns to the Sanctuary. He finds everything abandoned and encounters one of his zombified Saviors, Richie, and says, “Loyal to the end.”
Back in Hilltop, Aaron apologizes to Michonne for doubting her, affirming that Alexandria is self-sufficient enough without Hilltop. Michonne apologizes too and then informs Daryl that Alden and Luke haven’t returned yet. She suggests he lead the effort in questioning the girl to ensure they don’t lose anyone else.
Back at the Sanctuary, Negan goes to the courtyard and kills all the walkers, except for Big Richie. Inside, he looks at Judith's compass and smiles, thinking about their conversation. He then kills Richie and proceeds to leave.
In Hilltop, a funeral is held for Jesus and everyone take turns hammering the nails in his coffin. Daryl looks in sadness, before rushing back to the jail to demand the girl to reveal her identity. Henry tries to intervene but Daryl shuts him down. He slams her against the bars and asks if she comes from a place with walls. She tells him that places like Hilltop never last and her mom told her they needed the dead to stay safe. He raises his knife to her and demands why her people killed his and she says they were always going to, that’s what they do. She tells him it’s just her and her mother left, but he calls her a liar before dragging her towards the exit. She begs for her life and he lets her cower back in her cell. He then reminds Henry of his place and warns he’ll stay in that cell until he realizes it. After he leaves, the girl thanks Henry for saving her and introduces herself as Lydia. From a window, Daryl listens in.
On the road, Negan drives his bike but crashes when he is shot by Judith. She says a lot of people are looking for him. He gives her back the compass and says he wants to return to Alexandria because she was right, there isn’t anything out there for him.
At Hilltop, Enid tells Magna her worries about Alden. Magna assures her he’s in good hands with Luke by his side.
In the woods, Alden and Luke spot a walker staring at them motionless. Suddenly, they get surrounded by several Whisperers and the leader tosses them one of the arrows they’ve been following, points a shotgun at them, and says, “Trail ends here.”
"Omega"
In a flashback at the start of the apocalypse, a young Lydia and her parents are holed up in a shelter. Frank rants that no one’s coming for them, but Alpha assures Lydia he’s kidding and sings to her to calm her down.
In the present, Lydia tells her story to Henry in her cell at Hilltop. Henry tells Lydia about Carol, who would do anything to protect him. He asks more about her parents and Lydia thinks about her father dying from a stab wound. She says her mother is also relentless and is not someone anyone would want to mess with. Outside, Daryl is sitting by the window and listening to their conversation.
In the woods, Tara leads Magna and her group in the search for Alden and Luke. They find a group of walkers feasting on their horses and kill them, while checking they aren't Whisperers. Connie notices that the horses were cut open and skinned with knives. Tara realizes that Lydia lied about it just being her mother out there and decides they should go back to Hilltop until they find out what this is.
Back in the cell at Hilltop, Henry offers Lydia an egg. She tells him to keep it and that hunger is a gift. She asks why he's being nice to her and he says that he, his brother, and his dad were messed up when they were first found out there and it took a lot of someone being nice to make things okay again. Lydia says her dad said that things will never be okay again.
In another flashback, Frank wants to leave the shelter with other people because supplies are running out, but Alpha decides they’re staying to protect their daughter. He calls her delusional and starts trimming his beard, saying that with the apocalypse he does what he wants now. Alpha distracts Lydia with a game of checkers and says "Checkmate". Lydia smiles and says that's chess.
In the cell, Henry tells Lydia her mom seems nice and reveals he and his adoptive parents are from another community called The Kingdom, which is a day's ride from Hilltop. Suddenly, Daryl flies downstairs and takes Henry out. Outside, Daryl scolds Henry for endangering his family and reveals he has been using him to get information out of her. Henry lashes out, believing Lydia to be a good person who got messed up. He calls Daryl an asshole and tells him to get the information himself. Daryl goes back to Lydia's cell and offers her medicine to help with her ear, but she refuses. He tells her that Luke and Alden are missing, but she says she knows nothing about it. He then asks her if her mom would kill their people if she crossed them. Lydia says that she would if she had to.
In another flashback, some survivors are freaking out as gunshots are heard outside the shelter. Alpha jumps on a panicking Matias and accidentally suffocates him when Matias tries to leave. Frank comforts Lydia by singing to her as he watches Alpha.
In the present, Daryl says to Lydia that her mom did what she had to keep her alive. Lydia again pulls at her ear and Daryl tosses her the medicine, reminding her the people at Hilltop will help her if she helps them. She asks him for water and when he gets close she tries grabbing him. He grabs her arm and pulls up her sleeve, revealing a series of cut marks, causing her to retreat in the corner. Daryl looks at her for a moment and then leaves.
In their trailer, Yumiko suggests they leave to search for Luke again but Magna warns they could lose everything if they disobey Tara’s wishes. Kelly reveals that she saw some kids sneak out of Hilltop and agrees with Yumiko that they should search for Luke. They take a vote and decide to leave that night.
At night, Daryl visits Lydia again to find out more about her bruises. She says she got them from her mom, so Daryl asks why she won’t tell her where she is. He says she’s safer here than out there but she disagrees and says her mother’s abuse makes her hard. Daryl calls it bullshit, but Lydia says staying soft makes you die.
In another flashback, Alpha, now with her hair shorter, sits by herself as Frank, now with a full beard, checks on Lydia and comforts her. Later, as everyone sleeps, Lydia gets up and looks at Matias' body. As the survivors failed to stab Matias in the head, he turns and goes after Lydia. She screams and Frank rushes over to save her but gets bitten in the neck.
In the present, Lydia tells Daryl that her father was weak, but he is strong and doesn't belong with in Hilltop. Daryl says she doesn't know shit about him and leaves. Outside, Henry confronts Daryl but he claims Lydia is Tara’s problem now. Henry realizes that Daryl was most likely abused himself, which Daryl doesn't confirm but doesn't deny it either. Henry tells him that he overheard Carol telling Ezekiel that she kept her hair short because Ed used to pull it and abuse her when it was long. He guesses that it took her this long to feel safe again. Daryl listens in thought as Henry tells him he knows Lydia's people are bad but he doesn't think Lydia's bad. He thinks she's just scared and Daryl can show her there's nothing to be afraid of. Daryl says, "Not just me."
Meanwhile, in the woods, Magna and the rest find a new set of tracks that could be from the Whisperers. As a herd approaches, Yumiko has second thoughts about leaving. Magna and Connie back her up, but Kelly breaks down, reminding them Luke saved her in Coalport. Connie comforts her and tells Magna and Yumiko to return without them and she'll stay and talk to Kelly. Unknownst to them, a Whisperer watches them from the woods.
Back in Hilltop, Henry frees Lydia from the cell so they can hang out outside. Lydia immediately grabs a worm from the ground and eats it. She gives one to Henry, who does the same. Henry shows her around as she sneaks a hammer behind her back. She nearly bashes him with it until she hears a baby crying, which triggers more memories from the shelter. She then asks Henry to take her back to her cell. He agrees as Daryl watches them from nearby. In the cell, Lydia asks Henry to stay with her. They hold hands through the bars and fall asleep.
The next morning, Daryl finds them holding hands. Lydia asks for the pills, promising not to attack this time. She confesses she was trying to get intel from them and that if her mom did find Luke and Alden then they’re probably dead. She then explains her people are always on the move and that her memories were mixed up because her mother lied to her. Lydia confesses her father was caring and her mother was the monster.
In another flashback, another man is actually bitten by Matias as chaos breaks in the shelter. In the middle of the chaos, Alpha starts prying boards off the windows and says they're leaving. Frank doesn't want to leave their friends but Alpha says they're idiots they got stuck with and they're putting them in danger. Frank refuses to leave and says Lydia is staying with him. He then tells Lydia to wait for him while he checks the stairs. Alpha follows and murders him.
Back in the present, Lydia cries and apologizes to Daryl for wasting his time, but he says she didn’t and goes outside. Henry follows and asks him why a mom would do that to her kid. Daryl tells him that some people ain't meant to be parents. Henry asks if Lydia can stay. Daryl says they'll see and tells Henry to get Lydia fresh clothes, while he talks to Tara about their camp. Henry tells Daryl that he's glad he and his mom are friends.
Meanwhile, Magna and Yumiko return to Hilltop. On a guard post, Yumiko apologizes to Tara for leaving and Tara tells her to talk to her next time. Suddenly, Yumiko spots a small group of Whisperers approaching Hilltop as guards grab Kelly to get her inside, while Connie hides in the cornfield. Tara calls out to Daryl and Magna below to join them on the guard post.
In front of the gate, Alpha, now bald, stops her group and introduces herself, telling them she just wants her daughter back.
"Bounty"
In a flashback, Ezekiel, Carol, and Jerry are in a clearing on the woods. Jerry tells Ezekiel and Carol that Nabila is pregnant, and a jubilant Ezekiel congratulates him. Suddenly, Jesus and Tara ride up to them. Tara tells them that she has left Alexandria and hands Ezekiel the community charter before leaving. He then promises Carol that someday the community leaders will all sign it together.
In the present, Ezekiel looks longingly at the charter in the Kingdom. Diane catches him up on plans to head out to hunt elks. Outside, everyone is setting things ready for the fair. Carol catches up to Ezekiel and decides to accompany him.
At Hilltop, Enid treats Earl for an injury and suggests he retire, but he refuses. Tammy thanks Enid for helping and assures her Alden will turn up. Marco then runs up to tell them that the people who killed Jesus are there.
Outside, Alpha and the Whisperers wait for them to bring Lydia to her. Daryl asks them to leave and Alpha signals for more Whisperers to show up. Magna asks Alpha if they killed their people. Alpha says no and promises if they don't bring her Lydia there will be conflict. Meanwhile, Connie hides in the cornfield nearby and nearly gets spotted by a Whisperer until they walk away. Daryl then decides to walk outside to talk to Alpha face to face.
In the woods, Ezekiel suggests Carol take another caravan back to Kingdom while he goes with another group. Carol senses something's up so Ezekiel explains he and his people planned a minor side mission to grab something for the fair. Carol agrees to tag along and they go to an abandoned movie theater.
At Hilltop, Daryl walks outside and Alpha instructs one of her people to bring someone. Daryl informs Alpha he's ready to fight her people to ensure she doesn't get Lydia back, when he then spots one of the Whisperers with a baby. Alpha explains they're animals and "animals have babies." Suddenly, a couple of whisperers bring up a tied up Alden and Luke. Alpha offers to trade both of them for her daughter.
At the movie theater, Ezekiel reveals to Carol that he wants to get a projector bulb, but she's understandably upset they're risking so much for something so trivial. Ezekiel explains how important it could be for families and she relents. Jerry then uses a boombox to draw the walkers away from the theater.
Back at Hilltop, a herd arrives and Alpha instructs her people to draw them away. Luke spots Connie in the cornfields and signs behind his back for her to keep quiet. Inside, Daryl informs Enid he's going to make the trade when Magna says Lydia and Henry are missing. He tells everyone to split up and find them. He gives their scent to Dog and sends him off.
Outside, a Whisperer's baby starts crying, which attracts the walkers over. Alpha shrugs at the mother, indicating she should leave the baby to die. Alden and Luke scream for them not to but Alpha explains it's natural selection. Inside, Daryl discovers Henry and Lydia escaped and Addy says she knows where they went. She and Enid head out to find them while Daryl stalls.
Outside, the guards bang the fence to attract the walkers away from the baby but it doesn't work. Luke frantically signs Connie to grab the baby so she runs out of the cornfield, sling-shots a walker, and grabs it. The Whisperers around her unsheathe blades as Connie escapes back into the cornfield. Daryl runs in and kills the walkers around her while Kelly, Tammy, and Earl step in to rescue her.
Back in the theater, Carol helps Ezekiel unhinge a movie poster frame to use for their charter. Carol suggests him that if the fair doesn't bring everyone together, they should stay at Hilltop. Meanwhile, Jerry gingerly retrieves the bulbs as Dianne accompanies him. Suddenly, some walkers attack them, causing him to drop the bulb into the walker infested room.
In the woods, Henry and Lydia hide out in a cabin when Enid and Addy show up. Henry refuses to give Lydia up, but Enid explains Alden and Luke's life are in jeopardy. Enid tells him about watching her parents die and how Carl told her she has to live for more than survival. Henry's torn so Lydia offers to give herself up to save their friends. She kisses Henry and leaves.
Back at the theater, Jerry tells Ezekiel about the bulb and he considers leaving, but Carol steps in and sets up a plan to retrieve it. They take out walkers, grab the bulb and finally head out.
At Hilltop, Daryl hands Lydia over to Alpha in exchange for Alden and Luke, who are embraced by Enid and Magna's group. Lydia apologizes to her mother and Alpha smacks her across the face, ordering her to address her as Alpha like everyone else. She then smiles at Daryl as they leave.
Later, Henry tells Daryl that what they did isn't right, but Daryl reminds him they had to and they just have to live with it. At night, in the Kingdom, Ezekiel and Carol place the charter in the frame and kiss as Jerry turns on the projector.
In Hilltop, Magna's group drinks, Enid and Alden sleep together, Tammy and Earl take care of their new baby, and Henry leaves his bed. Outside, Addy hands Daryl a note from Henry, where he says he left to find Lydia. Nearby, Connie sits on a table and stops Daryl, writing him a note, claiming that she wants to tag along. He reluctantly agrees and they set off.
"Guardians"
In the woods, Alpha questions Lydia about her time at Hilltop. She talks about their farmland, supplies, and weapons, but leaves out their dealings with other communities like The Kingdom. Alpha’s disappointed over her lack of intel so Lydia asks if that’s the only reason she came for her. “What a stupid question,” Alpha says.
In Alexandria, Michonne scolds her council for keeping her in the dark about their radio mission. Gabriel argues they should be more open to new communities, but Aaron reminds him about the Whisperers and how they should trust Michonne’s discretion. Siddiq argues that Michonne’s not always right and her decision to cut ties with The Kingdom proves it. Michonne draws a hard line and asserts she’s not willing to sacrifice her people to save the Kingdom.
Later, Gabriel briefly laments his problems at the council with Rosita. He doesn’t elaborate so she brings up her pregnancy, saying she wants him to stay despite carrying Siddiq’s baby.
Elsewhere, Henry catches up with Lydia and the Whisperers and watches them from a close distance. A Whisperer asks him to put down his staff but Henry knocks him out. Suddenly, Beta grabs Henry from behind and tosses him in front of Alpha. He says he’s been tracking Henry for a while, but Henry’s been tracking them for longer. Alpha questions him as Beta threatens to break his arm. Henry relents and reveals he came alone to get Lydia. She calls him stupid and punches him in the face. Alpha decides Henry’s coming with them.
Back at Alexandria, Eugene shows Gabriel his risk/reward calculations if he should stay with Rosita or not. Gabriel brushes it off but Eugene warns him he’d be a fool to let her go. He then offers him a new sweatpants for him to give Rosita as a peace offering.
Back in the woods, Alpha asks Lydia why she didn’t mention Henry but she says he wasn’t worth mentioning. Alpha reminds her that he just risked his life to save her, so she must be lying. They arrive at the Whisperers camp, which is full of people without their walker masks. Alpha instructs Beta to tie Henry to a tree and to get Lydia a new mask.
In Alexandria, Michonne visits Negan at his cell to ask why he came back. He tells her how he could have bashed her head at her home but chose not to. Michonne surmises he actually tried to give the outside world a shot but was spit back out when he found nothing. He confirms her theory and suggests she start trusting him if she doesn’t plan to kill him and that he could help with her counsel problems. She shuts him down and then sees Judith watching them from his cell window.
In the woods, Connie and Daryl hunt for Henry and realize that the Whisperers caught up with him. They kill some walkers and Connie smiles as Daryl gives his dog orders.
At the Whisperer's camp, Beta skins a walker head to use for Lydia’s mask. Meanwhile, Alpha taunts Henry when two of her own approach her and question why they gave up two people for her daughter. “I don’t like that math,” Sean whispers. Alpha reminds them she did it to get information. Sean issues a challenge for her leadership role. Alpha laughs in his face and Beta grabs the man from behind and holds a long knife to his throat. “You’re changing the rules again,” he says calmly.
Alpha confirms he has the right to challenge her position, but she has the right to defend it. She then turns her attention to Helen and suggests it’s actually her who wants to be the new leader. Helen tells Alpha she failed everyone by putting them in danger. Alpha tells her that her people voluntarily follow her because she keeps them safe. Alpha then wraps a wire around Helen’s neck and decapitates her as Henry looks on in horror. Alpha then hands the head over to Sean, tells him crying is for the weak and stabs him in the stomach.
At their house, Michonne questions Judith on why she was spying on her earlier. Judith says she was actually there to see Negan, revealing she sometimes talks to him out of sympathy. Michonne calmly explains why that’s a bad idea but Judith argues he actually listens to her. Michonne firmly demands she not go near him because he’s a monster and if he got out he would continue to be a monster. Judith reminds her he did get out and wasn’t a monster, proving he has changed. Michonne says people don’t change but Judith responds, “You did", leaving her speechless. Michonne sends her to her room and then starts crying.
At the Whisperer camp, Lydia shows Henry she still has the necklace he gave her, signaling she secretly supports him. In her tent, Alpha tells Beta about the time before the apocalypse when she hit Lydia hard for almost suffocating in a dry-cleaning bag. She tells him that people do whatever it takes to protect those they love. “We need to be ready when they come for the boy,” Beta says. They both agree Henry can be useful and they need to find out if Lydia truly has feelings for him. On a field, some Whisperers draw a herd to devour the couple's corpses as Daryl and Connie watch nearby.
In Alexandria, Gabriel visits Rosita to talk things over. Eugene watches them from afar and smiles. Meanwhile, Michonne visits Aaron to announce she has decided to let the council send a delegation to the Kingdom’s fair. Aaron pushes back but Michonne says the people should be allowed to decide for themselves. “I hope we don’t regret this,” Aaron says. Later, Alexandria prepares a caravan of food and supplies to send to the Kingdom for the fair.
At night, Beta takes Henry to Alpha. She makes Lydia pick up a knife and tells her to kill Henry with it to prove what side she’s on. Lydia begins to cry as she approaches Henry. Alpha warns her not to be weak like her father and that if she doesn’t kill him, Beta will kill them both. Suddenly, a small herd of walkers show up and begin eating the unmasked Whisperers. Alpha and the others quickly put on their masks to try to lure the herd away as Daryl and Connie arrive disguised as Whisperers to rescue Henry. They grab Henry, who grabs Lydia, and together they escape.
"Chokepoint"
In the woods, following their daring escape from the Whisperers, Daryl blames Lydia for getting them into this mess and says she can’t go with them back to Hilltop. Connie and Henry refuse to leave her behind and run off with her in another direction. Daryl reluctantly follows them.
Back at the Whisperer camp, Beta consoles a dying Whisperer and then tells a tracker to find Lydia or else “they’ll all walk with the Guardians.”
In the Kingdom, everything is nearly finished for the fair. Nabila tells Carol this is everything they’ve fought for. She then notices Jerry bruised and without armor after returning from a supply mission.
Inside the theater, Jerry tells Ezekiel that his patrol got jumped and robbed on the road by a group called “The Highwaymen,” who gave them a note warning anyone traveling to the fair will be turned back unless they pay their toll. Dianne guesses it could be Jed’s group of Saviors, but Carol politely rules that out. Ezekiel decides they should fight these marauders and instructs Jerry to gather all their fighters.
On the road, Tara and Magna’s group clear a tree from their path as Tammy tells Earl how happy she is to have the baby. Kelly lets Tara know she’s worried about Connie, but she and Magna assure her she’s fine with Daryl.
In the woods, Daryl and Connie devise a plan to use an office building as a means of separating the Whisperers from the undead. Lydia warns Daryl that Alpha’s going to send Beta, who’s their best fighter. “We’ll kill him first,”Daryl promises.
Elsewhere, Jerry and Carol scope out the highwaymen community while Ezekiel laments the violence they have to resort to. Carol suggests they try talking to them first, and if that doesn’t work they’ll kill them.
Back in the office building, Connie reveals to Daryl that her group used the building to hide supplies and they argue about how they should proceed afterwards, with Connie saying Lydia should come back with them because they have more to lose than her.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel, Carol, and Jerry infiltrate the Highwaymen base, where Ozzy informs them this meeting is for the King alone. They disagree, and Ozzy asks if they have his toll, while his people approach with their weapons drawn. He suggests they use Ezekiel as ransom when suddenly the Kingdom fighters grab the Ozzy’s people from behind. Ezekiel draws his sword and says he’s prepared to fight for what they’ve created. He then offers the man a job to clear his roads for him in exchange to access for the Kingdom and the fair. Ozzy laughs in his face and draws Jerry’s sword, telling them they’ll have to do better than that. Carol then asks when the last time they’ve seen a movie and a shocking Ozzy responds, “Seriously?”
In the building, Henry gifts Lydia a spear he made and she reminds him she’s not willing to kill her own people. He takes it back and tells her he’ll try not to either. Lydia then scolds him for risking his life for her, claiming that what he did made Alpha look weak. He reminds her he cares about her and they kiss. Daryl interrupts and tells them to keep watch.
On the road, a small herd of walkers approaches Magna and Tara’s group. They get in position and remind themselves to watch for the Whisperers. Tammy puts the baby in a box with air holes and then kills some walkers to save Earl. Suddenly, the Highwaymen ride up on horses and introduce themselves to Tara after helping to take down the herd. They then escort them to the Kingdom, having accepted Carol's deal.
Out on a balcony of the highrise building, Lydia spots a group of walkers and Whisperers walking down the road into the area of the building. In the middle of the group is Beta, who quietly instructs his people to spread out as Daryl shoots the Whisperer who had turned with his crossbow. Beta and his people break in and quickly discover a trap meant to separate them from the dead. Meanwhile, Daryl makes Lydia with Dog hide in a closet as the Whisperers creep upstairs.
Henry knocks one of them out as Connie slingshots another. Daryl aims his crossbow at the main door, which gets busted down by Beta, who’s using another door as a shield. Daryl regroups and strikes an unnamed Whisperer through a tarp with a fire axe while Connie and Henry hunt down the others. A Whisperer stabs Henry in the leg but is then tackled by Dog, let out by a desperate Lydia when she hears Henry in danger. Henry finishes the Whisperer off as Lydia goes to help Henry and Connie takes out another Whisperer who attacked her.
Daryl slits Zion's throat and is then bull-rushed by Beta, whose size startles him. The two size each other up and Beta forces Daryl’s neck towards a blade, but he manages to punch him and break free. Beta returns with a punch of his own and Daryl stabs him in the chest before escaping into the trap door. Beta grabs the knife out of his chest and announces all he wants is Lydia. Daryl sneaks up through the crawl space behind him and pushes him down the elevator shaft. He spits down and grabs his knife.
In the Kingdom, the Highwaymen return with Tara and the others, who assure Ezekiel and Carol they can be trusted. They greet Tara and ask where Henry and Daryl are, but Tara admits she thought they’d be there by now.
Back in the building, Connie draws the herd away with her slingshot and Daryl tells the others they’re headed to Alexandria to get Henry help because it’s closer. However, he doesn't intend to stay and they will instead keep moving on. As they leave, at the bottom of the elevator shaft, Beta rises in pain and peers up, enraged, and covered in blood.
"Scars"
In a flashback to moments after Rick's presumed death, Michonne returns to the riverbank and digs up his gun, but no sign of his body. At least eight months later, a now pregnant Michonne returns and runs into Daryl. He tells her he followed the river to the ocean but still hasn't found Rick. Michonne asks when he's going to return to Alexandria, only for him to declare "when he finds something".
In the present, Michonne cleans Rick's gun and puts it in a box marked "Judith." Suddenly, Aaron arrives at her house to inform her that Daryl's at the gates with Henry, Lydia, and Connie. From a guardpost, Michonne tells Daryl she's skeptical of Lydia but he assures her she's on their side. From another flashback to a later time in Alexandria, Michonne watches as some strangers arrive and discovers among them her friend from school, Jocelyn.
In the present, Henry gets his leg stitched by one of the town doctors. Daryl tells Michonne they should head to the Kingdom soon. In the past, Jocelyn panics and tells Michonne she needs to get back to "them." Michonne calms her down and offers help. Later, Michonne, Gabriel, Rosita, and Eugene follow Winnie to a factory where they find several kids hiding out.
In the present, Michonne tells Lydia she's done things that she's not proud of. She suggests that Lydia would make Alexandria a lot safer if she just walked away. By the lake, Judith tells Daryl she's happy he helped Lydia and suggests they could all defeat the Whisperers if they came together since it's what her dad would have done.
In the past Alexandria, Jocelyn's kid group enjoys a bonfire with a younger Judith and the community kids. In her house, Michonne tells Jocelyn she's impressed with the kids’ hunting skills, with Jocelyn telling her the kids are capable of anything.
In the present, Daryl, Henry, and Lydia leave for the Kingdom at night. Michonne and Aaron say farewell as Judith watches. Michonne tells Daryl Judith's still mad at her so he suggests he tell her the truth. "That's not just a little kid you got there," he says. After they leave, Michonne stares at the sewer manhole cover, which is bolted shut.
In the past, Michonne and some residents discover that Jocelyn and their children are gone, along with their food supply and guns. They find one of the Alexandrians shot in the head and Michonne discovers the manhole cover wide open.
In the present, Michonne sits down for dinner with her kids. Judith refuses to eat and goes to her bedroom. The next morning, Michonne can't find Judith in her room, so she asks Negan if he's seen her and demands to know what Judith talks to him about. He says homework, stories about Rick, and how she's as much of a badass as Carl was. He also says he is straight forward with her, and maybe if Michonne did the same she’d know where she is. She asks if he told her what he did to Glenn and Abraham, with Negan acquiescing. He reveals Judith hates that she’s not letting Magna’s people in and believes things should be like Carl wanted them to be. Michonne yells that Judith is her daughter, and Negan reminds her that means she'll take matters into her own hands. She rushes back home and finds a note from Judith saying she had to go to help their friends.
In the past, Daryl joins Michonne in her mission to find Judith and the missing Alexandrians in the woods. During a break, Michonne laments how stupid she was to trust her old friend, but Daryl reminds her some people just have too much evil in their heart. A while later, Michonne and Daryl spot one of Jocelyn's kids outside of an abandoned school. They chase him until they're met by all of the kids In a hallway. Daryl gets shot in the shoulder with an arrow while Linus knocks Michonne unconscious.
Sometime later, they wake up bloodied and tied to a pipe. Linus painfully brands an iron X on Daryl and Jocelyn tells Michonne the kids can't be soft. Winnie then brands Michonne as she shrieks in pain. When they are left alone, Daryl and Michonne break free and split up. Michonne sees Jocelyn in the hallway and demands to know where Judith and the rest of the kids are. As they argue, Gina points Michonne's own katana at her. Jocelyn leaves and orders her and Linus to kill her. Armed only with a pipe, Michonne says she doesn't want to kill them. Linus slices a massive cut on her pregnant stomach and Michonne screams again. She grabs her katana as the kids flee.
Michonne finds an exit and is immediately beaten over and over with a wooden plank by Jocelyn. Michonne summons the strength to stab her in her leg and the chest, killing her. Michonne gets up and tells the kids they can all return to Alexandria, but Mitchell instructs the kids to kill the Alexandrians as he deals with her. She's forced to kill him as the other kids close in. Michonne begs the kids to stop but they all attack her and she's forced to kill them one by one until Winnie remains. She runs away as Daryl emerges from the school and watches in confusion the massacre. Suddenly, Judith emerges from the trailer and happily embraces her mom.
In the present, Michonne kills several walkers in the woods and finds Judith, saving her from a walker in time. They sit by a log and Judith tells her she remembers how the kids were nice to her but Jocelyn was bad. She then tells Michonne that loving someone means keeping them safe and asks why they stopped loving Daryl, Maggie, Carol, and the King. Michonne says they haven't, and the two hug again.
In the past, Michonne and Daryl return to Alexandria with the kids as the parents rush up to greet them. Back in the present, Michonne tells Judith how she changed Alexandria's mission to protect their own so she can keep her kids safe, but she admits she was wrong, and that they have to protect the people they love.
In the woods, Michonne and Judith ride off towards the Kingdom and pick up Daryl, Connie, Henry, and Lydia along the way. Meanwhile, two Whisperers watch as a caravan arrives at the Kingdom. "We should tell Alpha," one says smiling.
"The Calm Before"
In a flashback, Miles and Hilde find their way to Hilltop and quickly integrate into the community. Years later, they make some crafts and board a carriage to the Fair at the Kingdom. In the woods, they are ambushed and killed by Alpha, who then proceeds to scalp Hilde.
In the Kingdom, Ezekiel addresses the crowd and declares they’ve finally accomplished Rick, Carl, and Jesus' dreams of reuniting the communities. “Let the fair of a new beginning begin!” Ezekiel says. As everyone celebrates, Daryl, Michonne, and the convoy arrive. Carol scolds Henry for running away while Michonne greets Ezekiel, who’s shocked to see her. “I was in the neighborhood,” Michonne says. Carol and Ezekiel marvel at how much Judith has grown while Tara spots Lydia among the group. “The plan was to bring Henry…just Henry” Tara says angrily to Daryl.
Inside the theater, Michonne convenes the leaders and tells them she’s finally ready for Alexandria to help out. “We’re here now,” she says. Gabriel announces Alexandria is willing to grant asylum to Lydia, but Tara warns if her mother retaliates it’ll be against Hilltop. Michonne reminds her that none of them were trusted when they were first introduced to Rick’s group, and Tara relents.
They all agree to send some of their own to Hilltop to guard against any potential attacks from the Whisperers and Michonne decides to re-establish the charter, establishing that an attack against Hilltop counts as an attack against all of them. Ezekiel then retrieves the original charter as Tara and Michonne finally make up. They all sign the charter, and Michonne tells Gabriel he should sign for Alexandria as the head of the council.
In the fair, everyone enjoys trading goods, learning survival lessons, playing carnival games, etc. Henry shows Lydia around and then Ezekiel tells them he hopes to see them at the movie tonight. Luke tries convincing Alden to perform with him. Enid accidentally calls Alden her boyfriend, but he decides that it’s ok. Kelly emotionally tells Connie how upset she is that she left without saying goodbye and Connie apologizes but says she had to protect that baby. Michonne informs Siddiq she’s going to leave for Hilltop with the first group and he tells her he has some news to tell her when they’re all back at Hilltop. Addy apologizes to Henry for ratting him out but he forgives her. Gage and Rodney introduce themselves to Lydia and tell her that Addy has a thing for Henry, making her uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, Daryl, Carol, Michonne, Magna and others leave the Kingdom to go to Hilltop and leave some soldiers in case of a possible attack. In the woods, they encounter Ozzy, Alek, and D.J. and find one of Hilltop's cart overturned. Carol, Daryl, Michonne, and Yumiko decide to track any possible survivor while Magna and the rest head to Hilltop and Ozzy and his group patrol the Kingdom's outskirts.
At night, Daryl and the group gets attacked by walkers. They take them out one by one until the Whisperers surround them. Beta emerges from the trees and tells them to drop their weapons. “You just had to give me the girl,” he growls at Daryl, telling him their deal is off.
In a flashback to earlier that day, Alpha walks in disguise at the fair, wearing Hilde's clothes. Meanwhile, Eugene tells Rosita that he’s collected radio parts to make it easier for the communities to communicate with each other. Rosita tells him that despite her pregnancy, things don’t need to change between them and they are still friends.
Elsewhere, Henry assures Lydia he likes her. They kiss and he leaves to check on the pipes, asking her to save him a seat at the movies. Nearby, Ezekiel introduces himself to a disguised Alpha. She presents herself as Deborah from Alexandria and asks him to show her around. Later, at the movies, Lydia worries about Henry not being back yet. Suddenly, Alpha sits down next to her and quietly tells her not to say anything.
Later that night, Alpha, now out of disguise, approaches Daryl and the group tied to a tree. She tells them she ran into trouble on the road as she wipes her bloody knife on her pants. Michonne warns her if she tries to get Lydia back they’ll respond in force, but Alpha assures her Lydia isn’t her concern anymore. She takes out a shotgun and tells Daryl to come with her alone.
At dawn, Alpha forces Daryl to the top of a cliff where a massive horde of walkers and Whisperers walk beneath them. Alpha says Daryl’s communities are a joke and that her way of life is best for her people. She then tells him his friends at the camp are fine, but the next time his people cross into her land she’ll release the horde into theirs. She clarifies she marked the border and Daryl asks if she killed Lydia.
Flashback to earlier that night, Alpha confronts Lydia about being a traitor but she tells her this is a better way of life. She then threatens to scream if she doesn’t leave and Alpha tells her she was never one of them. Lydia breaks down in tears as Alpha leaves. Back in the present, Alpha tells Daryl she didn’t kill Lydia and doubts he can protect her. He tells her she's wrong and leaves.
In the camp, Beta asks Alpha about Lydia. “I want to be alone,” Alpha orders him, but a Whisperer accidentally witnesses her crying. She stabs him in the neck, making sure no one sees her being weak.
On their way back to the Kingdom, Daryl, Michonne, Carol, and Yumiko find a beaten and bloody Siddiq tied to a tree. He points them to a nearby hill, which has ten pikes in the ground. Each spike has a severed head stabbed through the top. The group walk devastated towards it and look in horror at the victims: Ozzy, Alek, D.J., Frankie, Tammy, Rodney, Addy, Enid, Tara, and Henry. As they see each head, a flashback reveals people at the fair asking others where they are. Daryl comforts Carol and tells her to look away, but she is overwhelmed with emotion.
Later, in the Kingdom, Siddiq addresses the crowd to deliver the tragic news. He tells them that Alpha left him alive to tell a story of the evil that happened and to drive the communities apart again. Instead, Siddiq tells a very different story: before the end, the prisoners were found by Ozzy, Alek and D.J. who gave them the chance to fight back. The prisoners fought like hell to the end, protecting each other like family even though some of them didn't even know each other. Though they failed in the end, they died heroes which is how Siddiq wants them to be remembered and honored. In flashbacks, Ozzy, Alek and D.J. are seen arriving to help, Tara grabs a knife and kills a Whisperer that tackles D.J., Tammy Rose protects Rodney, Addy and Frankie fight a Whisperer together, Enid fights and kills Whisperers using another dropped knife. Henry stands up bravely before Alpha arrives to interrupt the fight.
Sometime later, Daryl and Lydia return to the border. Lydia leaves the necklace Henry made for her on the ground by the pike that once held Henry's head and as the two walk away, snow flurries begin to fall.
"The Storm"
Several months after the fair massacre, the Kingdom has fallen due to burst pipes, rot, and fires that have consumed multiple buildings across the Kingdom. Ezekiel uses a radio to explain its demise and asks for shelter from the storms to come. Meanwhile, Carol sorts through some of Henry’s old stuff as Daryl makes dinner for Lydia. Inside the theater, Ezekiel looks longingly at the community charter before packing it up and heading out. Outside, everyone gets ready and set off into the cold, leaving the community behind.
On the road, Yumiko informs Michonne they've sent letters to Maggie but haven't heard back and the Hilltop is still reeling from the loss of another leader. Suddenly, they spot walkers in a field and Alden asks Lydia if they're her people. "We followed their rules, haven't they done enough to us?" but is shut up by Daryl. Lydia tells him, "I don't want to cause any more problems," but Daryl reminds her people should stop blaming her.
Later, as it becomes colder, Daryl reminds Carol that Henry wanted Lydia to be with them. She admits all she can see is Henry when she looks at her and Daryl asks what she sees when she looks at him. She assures him she just sees him and puts her hand on his shoulder. Ezekiel notices this, getting uncomfortable. Suddenly, Jerry warns him they better find shelter before the storm arrives.
At Alexandria, Eugene, Gabriel, and Rosita discuss that the town will split up into three groups, taking shelter in Aaron's house, Barbara's house, and the meeting house, as they have the largest fireplaces in town. At the meeting house, Gabriel and Rosita keep warm by staying close but Eugene interrupts them to report on the storm. Gabriel concocts a plan to group up next to large fireplaces in the church and realizes they’ll have free Negan from his cell so he doesn’t freeze.
On the road, Daryl and Carol kill a couple of walkers. Daryl tells the group to keep moving as he and Ezekiel go to retrieve his bolt. In the woods, Ezekiel tells Daryl he wants a fresh start with Carol at Hilltop "it would be easier if it was just us." Daryl doesn't say anything and looks at him in thought. Meanwhile, Lydia wanders into the forest and finds a walker trapped in ice. She takes off her glove while crying and offers her hand to the walker to kill herself, but stops when Carol appears and follows her back to the group. As more snow starts falling, Michonne decides to take the group to the abandoned Sanctuary.
Back in Alexandria, residents take shelter in the church. Negan jokes about Rosita's love quadrangle and taunts Gabriel by calling him "father…not the father," to Eugene's amusement. Judith tells him she's worried about Dog, who she lost despite Daryl asking her to watch over him. Suddenly, the group smells something and Eugene pulls Siddiq and Gabriel away from the fireplace before it explodes. He says the chimney makes it unsafe to light anything else on fire, so Gabriel decides they're moving to Aaron's house. They all tie a rope around themselves and head out into the blizzard.
In the Sanctuary, everyone tries to warm themselves. Daryl sits with Carol and she asks him if something happened back there between him and Ezekiel. He says no, but Carol's suspicious. She admits with Henry gone she feels like she's losing herself again, so Daryl offers to take Lydia away and protect her on his own, even though he doesn't want to leave.
A while later, the leaders map their route through a frozen lake on Alpha's land and Michonne warns they have to leave now or they won't make it. Afterward, Ezekiel laments his failures with Michonne, who says if their communities knew each other better Alpha would have never blended in. She vows to never let them get divided again and reminds him the Kingdom is here with them. The group gets ready and leave the Sanctuary.
In the woods, the group passes the pikes into Alpha's territory. Meanwhile, in Alexandria, Judith hears Dog barking in the distance and chases after him, forcing Negan to race after her.
Back in the woods, Michonne kills frozen walkers, unsure if they're Whisperers or not, before reaching the frozen lake. Daryl notices Lydia's missing again, so Carol leaves to find her and instructs him to get everyone across safely. Suddenly, walkers awaken from the snow banks and the group kills them one by one before escaping across the ice.
Meanwhile, Carol tracks down Lydia in a cabin and demands to know what she's doing. Lydia explains she can't cross the river because going to Hilltop won't fix anything because everyone will still blame her for what happened. "Your son's dead because of me," she says, before asking Carol to kill her. Lydia holds Carol's spear to her own neck and tells her this is how she ensures they don't lose anyone else. Carol considers doing it but stops herself and kills a walker instead. "You're not weak," Carol says before taking her back to the group again.
Elsewhere, Negan gets hit by debris while searching for Judith. He screams her name until he hears Dog barking and finds her. Negan puts Judith on his shoulder, grabs Dog's leash and gives her his coat to stay warm. He then ties up his injured leg and carries her and Dog away.
In the morning, with the storm over, the group finally arrives at Hilltop, where Daryl knocks off the head of a frozen walker. That night, Daryl informs Lydia they'll leave for Alexandria in the morning. She asks why he left Hilltop and he says he'll tell her that story another day. Meanwhile, Carol tells Ezekiel she’s going to leave him and head to Alexandria with the others. He reminds her he'll always love her and she says she'll "never regret the fairytale." She hands him back her ring, but Ezekiel lets her keep it.
The next morning, Michonne, Daryl, and the others return to Alexandria, along with Carol and several Kingdom refugees. Michonne hugs her children and the group plays in a snowball fight. Later, she heads to the infirmary to visit Negan. She thanks him for saving Judith and he muses that last time they were there Rick had just slit his throat. He compliments her on having the guts to cross through the Whisperers' territory.
Sometime later, the storm has passed. In their camp, Beta tells Alpha "the time away has been good for the pack." Alpha reminds him she'll need to be strong for what comes next and Beta assures her she will be. He then flops her arm with a branch to make her strong.
In Hilltop, Ezekiel converses with Judith on the radio and says just because they lost their house doesn't mean they lost their home. They get off the radio and he leaves. Suddenly, another voice comes through asking if anybody is out there.
Episodes
| Title | Writer(s) | Air Dates | U.S. Viewers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A New Beginning" | Angela Kang | October 7, 2018 (US) October 8, 2018 (UK) |
6.10 million |
| 2. | "The Bridge" | David Leslie Johnson | October 14, 2018 (US) October 15, 2018 (UK) |
4.95 million |
| 3. | "Warning Signs" | Corey Reed | October 21, 2018 (US) October 22, 2018 (UK) |
5.04 million |
| 4. | "The Obliged" | Geraldine Inoa | October 28, 2018 (US) October 29, 2018 (UK) |
5.10 million |
| 5. | "What Comes After" | Matt Negrete Scott Gimple |
November 4, 2018 (US) November 5, 2018 (UK) |
5.41 million |
| 6. | "Who Are You Now?" | Eddie Guzelian | November 11, 2018 (US) November 12, 2018 (UK) |
5.40 million |
| 7. | "Stradivarius" | Vivian Tse | November 18, 2018 (US) November 19, 2018 (UK) |
4.79 million |
| 8. | "Evolution" | David Leslie Johnson | November 25, 2018 (US) November 26, 2018 (UK) |
5.10 million |
| 9. | "Adaptation" | Corey Reed | February 10, 2019 (US) February 11, 2019 (UK) |
5.16 million |
| 10. | "Omega" | Channing Powell | February 17, 2019 (US) February 18, 2019 (UK) |
4.54 million |
| 11. | "Bounty" | Matt Negrete | February 24, 2019 (US) February 25, 2019 (UK) |
4.39 million |
| 12. | "Guardians" | LaToya Morgan | March 3, 2019 (US) March 4, 2019 (UK) |
4.71 million |
| 13. | "Chokepoint" | David Leslie Johnson Eddie Guzelian |
March 10, 2019 (US) March 11, 2019 (UK) |
4.83 million |
| 14. | "Scars" | Corey Reed Vivian Tse |
March 17, 2019 (US) March 18, 2019 (UK) |
4.57 million |
| 15. | "The Calm Before" | Geraldine Inoa Channing Powell |
March 24, 2019 (US) March 25, 2019 (UK) |
4.15 million |
| 16. | "The Storm" | Angela Kang Matt Negrete |
March 31, 2019 (US) April 1, 2019 (UK) |
TBA |
Cast
Deaths
- Bob Miller (Confirmed Fate)
- Kenneth Sutton
- Gregory
- Justin (Alive and Zombified)
- Beatrice's Husband (Confirmed Fate)
- Arat
- Kathy (Alive and Zombified)
- Norris (Alive and Zombified)
- Bernie (Alive, Confirmed Fate; Zombified)
- Jed
- Regina
- Paul Rovia
- Richie (Zombified)
- Matias (Alive, Confirmed Fate; Flashback)
- Frank (Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- Rose (Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- Henry and Benjamin's Mother (Confirmed Fate)
- Helen
- Sean
- Rasmus (Off-Screen)
- Zion
- Jocelyn (Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- Mitchell (Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- Linus (Off-Screen, Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- Gina (Off-Screen, Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- P.J. (Off-Screen, Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- Michonne's Mother (Confirmed Fate)
- Hilde (Off-Screen)
- Miles (Off-Screen)
- Martin (Alive and Zombified)
- Casper (Alive and Zombified)
- Ozzy (Alive and Zombified)
- Alek (Alive and Zombified)
- D.J. (Alive and Zombified)
- Frankie (Alive and Zombified)
- Tammy Rose Sutton (Alive and Zombified)
- Rodney (Alive and Zombified)
- Adeline (Alive and Zombified)
- Enid (Alive and Zombified)
- Tara Chambler (Alive and Zombified)
- Henry (Alive and Zombified)
- At least 1 unnamed Kingdom resident (Alive and Zombified)
- At least 20 unnamed Saviors
- At least 22 unnamed Whisperers
- 1 unnamed Alexandria resident (Flashback)
- 1 unnamed Hilltop Colony resident (Confirmed Fate)
- At least 1 unnamed dog (Off-Screen)
- Several unnamed shelter refugees (Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- 7 unnamed members of Jocelyn's group (Off-Screen, Confirmed Fate, Flashback)
- Several elks (Confirmed Fate)
- 4 horses
Videos
Official Trailers
Trivia
- This season is mainly based on "Volume 22: A New Beginning", "Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams", "Volume 24: Life And Death" and parts of "Volume 25: No Turning Back" from the Comic Series.
- This is the first season in which Angela Kang is the showrunner for The Walking Dead.
- This season features a new opening sequence.
- This season features four time skips:
- "A New Beginning" takes place a year and a half after the events of All Out War.
- Hershel Rhee, Maggie's son, is one year old at the start of the season.
- The second time skip is about a month long after the events of "A New Beginning".
- The third time skip takes place at the end of "What Comes After", jumping about 6 years into the future.
- With this, the current year of the apocalypse may be deduced to the year 2020, considering the year the outbreak began was 2010.
- The fourth time skip takes place a few months after the events of "The Calm Before".
- "A New Beginning" takes place a year and a half after the events of All Out War.
- This is Andrew Lincoln's final season portraying Rick Grimes.
- His last appearance is in episode 5, "What Comes After".
- It is also the final episode this season featuring Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee.
- As of "Who Are You Now?", Andrew Lincoln and Lauren Cohan have been removed from the opening credits.
- Below are the changes made to the main cast in this season.
- Katelyn Nacon (Enid) and Tom Payne (Jesus) have been added to the opening credits after being listed under "Also Starring" in previous seasons.
- As of "Guardians", Tom Payne has been removed from the opening credits.
- Lennie James (Morgan Jones) has been removed from the opening credits following his crossover to Fear The Walking Dead.
- Callan McAuliffe (Alden) and Avi Nash (Siddiq) have been upgraded to series regulars after recurring appearances.[2]
- Despite their status as series regulars, they are listed under "Also Starring".
- Austin Amelio (Dwight) is no longer listed under "Also Starring".
- Samantha Morton (Alpha) has been cast as a series regular for her first appearance this season.
- Starting with "Omega", Samantha Morton has been added to the opening credits.
- Xander Berkeley (Gregory), Khary Payton (Ezekiel), and Pollyanna McIntosh (Anne) are still listed under "Also Starring", despite being credited as series regulars in previous seasons.
- Following his character's death in "A New Beginning", Xander Berkeley has been removed from the credits.
- Due to her character's departure in "What Comes After", Pollyanna McIntosh has been removed from the credits.
- Starting with "Who Are You Now?", Khary Payton has been added to the opening credits.
- Katelyn Nacon (Enid) and Tom Payne (Jesus) have been added to the opening credits after being listed under "Also Starring" in previous seasons.
- Despite only being guest stars, Cooper Andrews (Jerry) and Eleanor Matsuura (Yumiko) are credited in some episodes they do not appear in.
- This season features the most number of departing regulars in a season, with seven leaving the show.
- This season also features the most number of main characters written out of the series without being killed off, with three: Rick, Maggie and Anne. The previous record was Season 8, where Morgan and Dwight departed the series without being killed off.
- This season is tied with Season 5 and Season 7 with killing off the most main cast characters, with four regulars killed off: Gregory, Paul "Jesus" Rovia, Enid and Tara Chambler.
- Jon Bernthal (Shane Walsh), Scott Wilson (Hershel Greene) and Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha Williams) returned for a guest appearance in Rick's final episode.
- This is the final appearance of Wilson, due to his death on October 6, 2018.
- Michael Cudlitz (Abraham Ford) directed the seventh episode of this season.[3][4]
- The soundtrack used in the Season 9 Comic-Con trailer is "Take What's Mine" by Future Royalty.
References
- ↑ [1]The Walking Dead renewed for a ninth season with Angela Kang as the new showrunner.
- ↑ https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/news-events/the-walking-dead-promotes-two-actors-to-series-regulars-for-season-9/
- ↑ https://i.imgur.com/ffQ4YXO.jpg
- ↑ http://comicbook.com/thewalkingdead/2018/07/13/the-walking-dead-michael-cudlitz-return-season-9/