The time has come on The Walking Dead. In “Rest in Peace,” the Alexandrians are in the fight of their life against the Commonwealth Governor and the variant walkers.
12 years. 11 seasons. And one final battle. This is a fast paced episode. Let’s go
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THE HOSPITAL
Daryl’s (Norman Reedus) first priority is to get help for Judith (Cailey Fleming). Naturally he runs to the hospital only to find it empty. He lays Judith down on a stretcher just as she wakes up. He tells her that he will be back and runs away. Commonwealth troopers run past her and then Judith sees Daryl fall to the floor. She also sees the horde of walkers coming toward the hospital. She has just enough strength to get off of the stretcher, shut and barricade the doors before collapsing.
Carol (Melissa McBride)leads the others through the walker horde to safety. Jules (Alex Sgambati) and Luke (Dan Fogler) are caught up in the walkers. Jules is pulled under and Luke is bitten. Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura) and Kelly (Angel Theory) are able to pull Luke out of the horde, but Jules is not so lucky. RIP Jules.
When Daryl wakes up, he’s in a hospital bed next to Judith and Carol is with him. Carol tells him that Pamela took all of the medicine and doctors. They are all at the estates. Yumiko, Kelly, Magna (Nadia Hilker) and Connie (Lauren Ridloff) are there with Luke. They amputated his leg where he got bit. He points to his pocket and Connie pulls out a harmonica. Yumiko promises to keep the music alive and Luke dies. RIP Luke.
Daryl is concerned about how much blood Judith has lost. Carol helps him set up a transfusion. Apparently, Daryl has the type of blood that everyone can use. He knows this because Merle (Michael Rooker) made him sell his blood for money when they were kids. The group hears banging. Carol and the ladies leave to make sure they are okay.
RESCUE MISSION
Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes, Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC
Princess (Paola Lázaro) and Max (Margot Bingham) break Mercer (Michael James Shaw) out of jail. Rosita (Christian Serratos), Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) find the babies, rescuing them from walkers. The team made a plan to rendezvous at the hospital.
Mercer helps the others load up on weapons. Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) watches Maggie (Lauren Cohan) load a sniper rifle. He asks if that’s for Pamela (Laila Robins). Maggie tells him to leave her alone, but Negan offers to team up with her again. While they load up a truck with supplies Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Lydia (Cassady McClincy) show up, but there’s no sign of Jerry (Cooper Andrews) or Elijah (Okea Eme-Akwari).
Things at the hospital are getting tense. Judith wakes up and is scared that she is dying. She says she can’t die because her mom is trying to find her dad and she needs to be there when they return. This is the first time Daryl hears that Michonne (Danai Gurira) left to find Rick (Andrew Lincoln). Judith passes out again and this worries Daryl even more.
The walkers are increasing and they have to leave. Daryl stops the transfusion so they can move Judith. Along the way, Rosita calls Carol. They ran into a walker horde and their ride stalled out. They are trapped. Eugene, Gabriel and Rosita are each carrying a child with them. They burst out of their vehicle to try to get to safety.
There is a building next to them with a pipe that they can climb. Rosita tells Eugene to go first but he insists that she go. She gets annoyed with him and makes him climb first. Gabriel goes second with Rosita behind him. The walkers pull on Rosita’s legs, making her fall back into the horde, with Coco in her arms. Eugene and Gabriel see her fall into a sea of walkers. There is no time to cry because Rosita bursts up, out of the horde and makes it to the top of the vehicle. She jumps to the pipe and climbs to safety.
REGROUP
Later that night, Commonwealth troops loyal to Mercer show up. They found Tomi (Ian Anthony Dale) at a safe house in the estates. Mercer knows how to get in without being seen. They load up Judith and Lydia and head out. Tomi is waiting for them. He and Ezekiel (Khary Peyton) begin working on Judith immediately. Aaron helps Lydia clean up and gives advice on how to adjust to having no arm. She’s thinking about Elijah and is pretty sure that he and Jerry are dead. Aaron still has hope.
Maggie walks around the house, looking for Negan. She finds him outside with the rifle and she stops him. He says he is going after Pamela for her. He says if she takes out Pamela, hell will rain down on her and she won’t come back from it. They need her to come back. So he’s going to do it.
Negan says when he was on his knees next to Annie (Medina Senghore) before a firing squad, he finally understood what Maggie felt the night he killed Glenn (Steven Yeun). He apologizes, sincerely, for what he took from her and Hershel (Kien Michael Spiller). Maggie takes the rifle and climbs up the stairs to the roof. She turns to look at him and asks if he’s joining her.
NO TEARS
Cailey Fleming as Judith, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC
Eugene checks on Rosita and Coco and offers to take the baby so Rosita can rest. She wants to watch her daughter sleep. Eugene talks about the future and Rosita freezes. He turns the conversation to her fall and she gives him a look. He is shocked and asks where. Rosita pulls back her shirt to show him a bite on her shoulder. Eugene starts to cry. Rosita tells him to hold it together. She’s still here and he’s going to be fine. He tells her that he loves her and she loves him too. He returns to the seat next to Max, pretending that everything is okay.
Carol and Daryl sit with Judith after her surgery. When she wakes up, Daryl calls her little asskicker. She answers by calling him a big asskicker. She apologizes for not telling him the truth about why Michonne left. Judith was afraid that he would leave too. They hear gunshots. Pamela has the military at the gates of the estates. She ordered them to shoot anyone who tries to climb the gates.
Mercer prepares to go out and face her. He tells the Alexandrians to take the truck and sneak out the back of the community. This is not their fight or their people. Ezekiel disagrees. He says Mercer and the others are his people. The Commonwealth and its people are worth fighting for. He won’t let the Commonwealth fall. Everyone agrees.
TAKE A STAND
Maggie and Negan are on the roof with a clear shot of Pamela. They see Mercer and the others emerge from the house. Pamela orders her troops to arrest Mercer and his troops. Ezekiel leads the Alexandrians to stand with Mercer. Pamela calls Mercer a traitor, but he says she’s the traitor. She disappeared hundreds of citizens, led the dead to their doorstep and shot a child. And now she’s leaving thousands of people to die.
The dead are getting closer. Gabriel walks toward the gates, saying he will open the gates. Col. Vickers (Monique Grant) turns her gun on Gabriel, threatening to shoot him. Carol turns her gun on Vickers and says they will fire back. Pamela orders her guys to shoot Gabriel.
Daryl yells at Pamela to stop. He says they all deserve better than this. Pamela tried to run the Commonwealth like the old world and that’s the problem. She says if she opens the gates, the dead will get in. Daryl says if she doesn’t open the gates, she loses everything anyway. He says she has one enemy and it ain’t the Walking Dead.
Vickers lowers her gun and tells her guys to give Gabriel the keys. She looks at Pamela and gives control of the troops back to Mercer. Mercer arrests Pamela for high crimes against the people of the Commonwealth. Maggie sees Pamela getting arrested. Negan points out that for people like Pamela, getting arrested is worse than death. Maggie withdraws.
CULT OF PERSONALITY
The gates are open. The lower classed people of the Commonwealth flood in. The dead are close behind them. The last two people to get in are Jerry and Elijah. Elijah immediately reunites with Lydia. Jerry calls out for Nabila (Nadine Marissa) and Ezekiel says his family is safe in Alexandria. Jerry says there are others still on the other side of the gate. Ezekiel promises they will help them.
Pamela walks to the gate and comes face to face with Lance Hornsby’s (Josh Hamilton) dead self. She gets close enough for him to grab her, but pulls back just a bit. She lets him pull her closer. Judith yells at her that it’s not too late to save the people who are still out there. Hornsby is about to bite Pamela when he is shot in the head. Pamela turns to see Maggie with the rifle. Maggie says it’s time to take the Commonwealth back.
The citizens and the troopers work together to gather the walkers up and lead them to the estates. A team of Alexandrians and the troopers set up explosives in the sewers. They play Cult of Personality to draw the walkers toward the estates. Once everything is in place, the living get to a safe place. The record stops. The player is in Pamela’s house. A spark is lit and her house blows up. The fire sets off an explosion in the sewers that blows up all of the walkers. Other houses in the estates burn as well.
Carol and Daryl put Pamela in jail. She tries to tell them that making the hard decisions is hard. One of those decisions is who will live in her house. Carol says they made a tough decision by allowing her to live. And they don’t have to worry about who’s going to live in her house.
FORGIVENESS
Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC
The next day, Maggie finds Negan outside and sits down for a chat. First, she thanks him for his apology. She honestly didn’t think she would ever hear those words. Second, Maggie says she cannot forgive Negan for killing Glenn. She says Glenn was beautiful and she remembers all of the good things about him. But when she looks at Negan, she sees his bat coming down on Glenn’s head. She remembers Glenn calling out for her and Negan mocking him as he died.
Maggie is grateful that Negan saved Hershel. She sees him trying. And she’s trying too because she doesn’t want to hate Negan. She doesn’t want to hurt anymore and she doesn’t want Hershel to see anyone have that kind of hold over her. Maggie says Annie and Negan can stay in the communities. They’ve earned their place. There will be days she can’t look at him, work with him and she can’t let it go. Because all she has left is her memories. And she doesn’t want to remember Glenn that way. Negan leaves for Alexandria shortly after their talk.
REST IN PEACE
Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC
Team Family gathers for dinner. Yumiko makes a toast to Luke. Daryl watches Negan leave. Yumiko and Magna get back together. And Rosita tells Gabriel about her bite. They look at each other with sadness in their eyes. Judith watches them, knowing that something is wrong.
Carol and Maggie help Rosita to the bed where Coco is sleeping. They both hug her before leaving the room. Daryl watches from the door. Gabriel enters and prays for Rosita. When he leaves, he takes Coco with him after Rosita kisses her goodbye. Gabriel says he will see her again some day. Eugene enters and sits with Rosita. He says he wouldn’t be the man he is if he hadn’t met her. She says he’s there with her in the end, smiles and closes her eyes for the last time. Rest in Peace Rosita.
ONE YEAR LATER
Cailey Fleming as Judith, Anthony Azor as RJ, Khary Payton as Ezekiel – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC
The Commonwealth – Eugene visits a memorial for those lost that night in the Commonwealth. He returns to Max and their daughter Rosie. Ezekiel is the new governor of the Commonwealth. Mercer is the Lt. Governor and he’s still with Princess. Daryl, Carol, Judith and RJ (Antony Azor) visit the community. Daryl is immediately greeted by Connie. She stayed in the Commonwealth and plans to keep the new administration honest. Lydia and Elijah find Judith to give her a gift. The gift is her compass and a note from Negan. He is returning it to help guide her to her dreams.
Alexandria – Alexandria is thriving. They have lots of crops, solar panels, new windmills. The walls have been extended and fortified with stone. They even have an electronic gate. Gracie (Annabelle Holloway) greets Judith, RJ, Daryl, Carol, Lydia and Elijah. They are joined by Gabriel, Coco, Jerry, Nabila and Aaron. Aaron is happy to see Daryl and Carol. He says he thought they’d never get back to the way things were. They are very lucky. Gabriel says it’s not luck, it’s effort. They have a lot to be proud of.
Hilltop – They visit Maggie and Hershel next at the Hilltop. Maggie wants to talk to Carol and Daryl about the future. It’s time to see what else is out there. After their visit with Maggie, Carol and Daryl sit together near a river. Daryl is heading out again, and he wishes Carol was going with him. But she took Hornsby’s job. Daryl says she made things better and he’s proud of her. Carol says he will keep making things better too and gets emotional. Carol starts crying, even though they will see each other again. She tells Daryl that he’s her best friend.
Judith and RJ run to tell Daryl goodbye. Judith says she will keep an eye on Dog. Daryl asks her to keep an eye on Carol too. He promises that if he hears or sees anything about their parents, he will find them and bring them home. Judith says he deserves a happy ending too. Daryl promises to be back. Before he leaves, Daryl tells Carol that he loves her. She loves him too. Daryl starts his motorcycle and leaves Alexandria’s stone, fortified walls with an electric gate!
WE’RE THE ONES WHO LIVE
Danai Gurira as Michonne – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 – Photo Credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC
Michonne and Rick are out there, alone. Rick writes a letter to Michonne. Michonne writes in her journal to Judith. Rick thinks about the people he left behind and the people that left this world. Each one of those people made a difference in his lives. They made him who he is today.
Michonne tells Judith that even though they are apart, they are still together. She remembers those she left behind and those who are gone. Together they were and are still strong. Their love makes them strong. Rick says they are all pieces of a whole, giving each other unstoppable life. That’s what Michonne gave him.
Michonne is some kind of warrior. She has on distinctive armor and a mask. She still has Rick’s boots and the phone with her and Judith etched into it. Michonne knows Rick is alive and he’s trying to find them.
Rick packs up his things and puts his letter in a bottle. He is barefoot and goes to a river bank and throws the bottle in the water. A CRM helicopter arrives and tells Rick to surrender. There’s no escape from the living. Rick throws his bag into a boat and watches the helicopter.
Michonne comes to a halt. She tells Judith to remember what she said because it’s what he said. Hold it to her heart because it’s true. Forever.
Maggie, Aaron, Gabriel, Morgan Jones (Lennie James), Eugene, Ezekiel, Negan, Carol, and all the others: We’re the ones who live.
A montage of scenes from the past plays before we see Michone ride into a large horde of walkers, ready to kill. She says, “We’re the ones who live.”
Rick raises his hands as instructed. The helicopter descends over him. He stares at the pilot and smiles. We hear him say, “We’re the ones who live.”
Judith and RJ are standing together, looking out at Alexandria. She looks at her brother and says they get to start over. “We’re the ones who live.”
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 – Photo Credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC
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