Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) encountered something really scary last week on The Walking Dead. Talking Walkers. How? What? Why? The two were running from a group of walkers when they heard two of them talking to each other. Eugene was injured after jumping off of a water tower. So it’s no surprise that Rosita went on without him to get help.
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Carol (Melissa McBride) and Henry (Matt Linz) took a detour on their way to the Hilltop to find Daryl (Norman Reedus). Daryl has been living alone in the woods. Well, he’s not alone, he has a dog named Dog. Carol asks Daryl to go with them to the Hilltop, and look after Henry while he’s training. Daryl declines, saying Henry can learn like everyone else. He cooks dinner for everyone then Carol gives him a haircut. He admits that he’s been looking for Rick’s body.
It’s clear that Carol is concerned about the way Daryl lives. He has booby traps set up around his camp. He hunts for his food, but she wonders how often he eats. Daryl is more concerned about Dog eating. Henry watches Daryl and notices the scars on his back. Daryl has one exactly like the scar that Michonne has on her back. An ‘X’ on the left side of the back. When Henry asks about it, Daryl avoids the question.
Newcomers
Judith (Cailey Fleming) brought home a group of newcomers that made Michonne (Danai Gurira) uneasy. Despite Judith’s plea to let the newcomers stay in Alexandria, Michonne decided to take them to the Hilltop instead. Along the way, Siddiq (Avi Nash) questions her decision. He knows she likes the new people, but there’s something dangerous about them.
The newcomers Magna (Nadia Hilker), Yamiko (Eleanor Matsuura), Connie (Lauren Ridloff), Kelly (Angel Theory) and Luke (Dan Fogler) have a lingering discussion about wanting to go back to Alexandria. Michonne has made it clear that they are not welcome to stay, so she is taking them to Hilltop to ask for asylum. Yamiko tries to communicate with Michonne, apologizing for Magna’s short temper. She says their lost companion, Bernie used to push Magna’s buttons all the time. She says he wore a paisley shirt, that Magna hated.
The group comes across Magna’s old campsite and it’s in shambles. They find their weapons, but Michonne wants to hold on to them, despite protests. Michonne announces that she will not go to Hilltop with them. If they want their weapons, they can take them and go out on their own. Magna and her group do not like that and there is another discussion about following Michonne’s rules or dying. They decide to comply so they can find a safe home at the Hilltop.
Jesus Take The Wheel
Tara (Alanna Masterson) is pretty much running things at Hilltop despite the fact that the community has elected Jesus (Tom Payne) as their leader for the second time. In the meantime, Jesus hangs out at the main house, listening to records that Georgie sent to him. Maggie (Lauren Cohan) sent a letter saying that she is happy with her decision to join Georgie.
Jesus may be the leader but he often disappears to meet up with Aaron (Ross Marquand). He started training Aaron in martial arts. They also take the opportunity to give updates on their communities. Aaron points out that Michonne would be upset with him for going against Alexandria protocol. She not on board with Alexandria attending the fair at the Kingdom. She doesn’t even know that Maggie has left.
Their conversation is cut short when they see a flair in the air. They race to its location and find an unconscious Rosita. She can barely stay awake, but at least gets out that Eugene is still out there in a barn somewhere. Jesus agrees to take Rosita to the Hilltop.
Later that night, Rosita is in the infirmary and Tara says she will be okay. She asks Jesus what he is doing with Aaron. He reveals their meetings are about staying connected. Tara says people are starting to notice Jesus’ absences and asks him to stop leaving. Jesus is a reluctant leader, but Tara tells him that the people, Maggie and her are all counting on him. She volunteers to look for Eugene and tells Jesus to stay home.
Dog
Henry wakes up and hears someone moving around the camp. He gets up and finds Daryl awake, looking for Dog. The dog gets caught in one of the booby traps that Daryl set for walkers. To make things worse, there are walkers all around dog, also caught in traps. Daryl tells Henry to stay behind while he tries to release Dog. Several walkers are able to grab Daryl’s feet, but he kills them quickly.
One of the walkers gets loose. It lunges for Daryl, but Henry steps in and stabs it with his aikido stick. Daryl kills it, Dog gets out of the trap and they go back to the camp. Daryl yells at Henry for stepping in though. They don’t know that Carol woke up and followed them. She was standing by with her bow and arrow, ready to kill the walkers if need be.
Back at the camp, Daryl thanks Henry for saving his life. Henry thanks him for saving him too and asks him not to tell Carol about the incident. Henry says he knows that Daryl and Carol are close. Carol misses Daryl and worries about him. He says she shouldn’t have to go out looking for him to make sure he’s safe. Daryl asks if Henry wants someone looking over his shoulder all the time, but Henry says it’s not just about him.
Stradivarius
Michonne hears someone moving around at night. She finds Luke with a Stradivarius violin. Michonne mistakes the violin for a weapon and destroys it. The violin was important to Luke. He uses music history to explain how art unified man and the neanderthal. He says they learned to coexist through sharing. Michonne listens, and asks if he really believes that’s all it would take. Luke says yes, it’s part of what makes them stronger.
The next morning, Siddiq tries to talk Michonne into going to Hilltop. He tells her that Maggie left and Jesus is in charge. Michonne is not happy. They are interrupted by the arrival of walkers. Magna’s group asks for their weapons, but Michonne runs out to assess the situation. She finally tells DJ to give them their weapons and the group is more than capable of taking out walkers.
Michonne sees a particular walker and tells Magna that this is the herd that trampled their stuff. How does she know? There is a walker with an ugly paisley shirt on. Magna sees the walker and starts crying because it’s Bernie. Michonne puts him down and they leave the area.
Secrets Don’t Make Friends
Michonne rides with the group to a crossroads and asks about Maggie. Siddiq says Maggie packed up Hershel and they left with Georgie to build a new community. He asks her again to go to Hilltop with them. She says she fulfilled her promise to her daughter. Siddiq asks about her promise to Carl. Apparently that’s complicated.
Two Hilltop guards ride up and one of them says they have a message for Alexandria. They found Rosita and she’s injured. Michonne asks them to deliver the message anyway. And to add that her group is headed to Hilltop. While they are talking, Connie senses something in the woods. She stiffens up and the other ask what she sees. She says it’s nothing and they go on. But someone is watching them.
Search Party
Carol wakes up and finds Daryl packing his things. He says they will leave soon and Carol smiles realizing that he is going with them. They arrive at Hilltop and are greeted by Tara, Aaron and Jesus. Carol explains that Henry is there to learn to be a blacksmith. Aaron tells them about Rosita and Eugene. He asks Daryl to with the group to find Eugene because of his tracking skills. Daryl doesn’t hesitate to join the group. Jesus is outfitted with armor and tells Tara that he knows the landscape better than she does. Tara says fine, she’s better at running things anyway. Daryl and Dog lead the Aaron and Jesus in the hunt for Eugene.
Thoughts
It’s great that the writers want us to see how everyone comes together to solve one problem. We should be used to a slow episode every now and then. I think this episode should have really been about Magna and her group. We got to see their fighting skills and learn a little more about their loss. The more we learn about them, the easier it will be for them to fit into the stories we care about.
I am interested in this friendship between Aaron and Jesus. I remember Aaron asking Jesus to teach him how to fight, but six years is a long time to train.
I’m more interested in finding out what happened between the communities that made Michonne cut everyone off. There was obviously an attack on Michonne and Daryl. Or is that scar some kind of bond to find Rick? Whatever happened, it had to be really dramatic for Maggie to leave. And everyone but Michonne knew that Maggie had left. That’s got to hurt!
News Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Editor. Coordinate breaking news, trailers and press releases. I also contribute reviews, recaps and interviews. Creator of the Indigenerd Wire, a column dedicated to the Indigenous creatives in pop culture.
GGA's resident Indigenerd, a little bit rez, a little bit classy...with a love for all things Star Wars, zombies, science fiction, and Indigenous. My ultimate goal is to start my own podcast.
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