Now that Michonne’s exit on The Walking Dead has been explained, we go back to where we left off for most of the other characters two episodes ago, beginning with an explanation of what really went down between Carol (Melissa McBride) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and their secret deal to kill Alpha (Samantha Morton).
The Walking Dead Recap
The episode flashes back to Negan in jail, and Carol coming to him with a proposition. If he takes care of The Whisperers’ leader, she will make sure his narrative changes and the people of Alexandria will remember him for that – and not the bat-wielding Saviors murderer and enemy. She gives him her word.
Only back in the present day, she’s not quite ready to deliver on her promise. Carol being Carol needs a little time for herself and sets off through the woods. Negan is left to fend for himself, for the time being, still an enemy of “the good guys” and now probably No. 1 on The Whisperers’ Most Wanted list as well.
Negan decides to go untie Lydia (Cassady McClincy), who he had trapped in a cabin to keep her safe, but upon entering he sees both an empty chair and a crossbow to his head operated by a furious Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus).
Negan tries to explain what happened, recapping his deal with Carol (who he refers to as Daryl’s girlfriend), but Daryl doesn’t believe he killed Alpha, even after he slowly takes out her mask from his pocket. The two head to the stakes but Alpha’s head is gone!
Trouble Elsewhere
While their uncomfortable exchange was happening, Beta (Ryan Hurst) and two Whisperer cronies discovered Alpha — and the man second in charge was definitely not happy.
When red shirt No. 1 referred to him as the “New Alpha,” he had him listen to a reanimated Alpha closely—so close that she took a nice Walker-sized bite of his ear. Beta then took Alpha’s head off the pike and placed it like a baby inside a makeshift head carrier. Creepy!
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Beta and the earless Whisperer head to some never-before-seen town and the big guy has had enough of his comrade and delivers him to some Walker friends for a feast. He then goes inside a bar with a small room in the back—and it’s obvious he’s been there before.
As fans have expected, Beta was a country singer in the pre-Walker world, and the room has posters of his tour, guitars and a record by “Full Moon,” his stage name. Beta plays the record over a loudspeaker (though no explanation of how there was electricity!) and attracts a horde of Walkers. After putting a knife through Alpha’s head, he cuts off her face and wears part of it as his new mask.
New Leader Crowned
With no proof of Negan’s deadly deed, Daryl is not buying it, but when a few Whisperers approach and bow down to Negan as their new leader, the tides change. They tie up Daryl and Negan pretends to be all Whisperer like, but then helps The Archer take down the enemy. Has a new friendship developed?
Also in the episode, Eugene (Josh McDermitt) comes clean about his radio “romance” with Stephanie and his plan to meet her in West Virginia. Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura) join him on his quest to find “new friends” and we see that the Kingdom’s leader is suffering from his illness and may not be strong enough to survive the journey. When a horse dies on the journey, Ezekiel realizes he too may need to go the way of Old Yeller.
But then things get really strange. The trio sees a city and it turns out to be like a Disneyesque Walker simulation, with the undead chained in real-life scenarios, such as drinking tea, driving, and just sitting on the porch. As they chuckle at the absurdity of it all, a pink-headed woman (Paola Lazaro) wearing goggles and a fur coat pops up with an enthusiastic, “Oh my god, hi!”
The Trouble With Carol
Oh, and what happened to Carol? Turns out her walk wasn’t really too lonely, as her subconscious version of Alpha was with her for the journey, egging her on the whole time about her really wanting to die, taunting her with the names of those she has lost—Sophia, Henry, Lizzie, Mika, and Henry.
Carol finds a cabin and tries to reach for a kayak but the room collapses and she is trapped. Naturally, a Walker comes by to see what the commotion is about and makes his way towards what looks like a tasty treat. It’s time to “look at the flowers” Alpha sneers, but Carol makes it out alive and heads home to Alexandria.
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