The Walking Dead Recap With Spoilers: The Distance

The group sits in the barn cleaning their weapons. Rick sits beside Judith as Carl moves boards. Maggie and Sasha bring Aaron to the barn. Maggie introduces Aaron and tells them he's by himself. The group is startled, they evaluate him.

Aaron says, "Hi," and Judith cries. He reaches for a handshake from Rick who intimidates him and wants to see his weapon. Maggie hands Rick Aaron's gun. Rick asks what he needs, Sasha tells Rick that Aaron has a camp he wants the group to audition for.

Aaron jokes about the audition terms and dances on Friday nights. He describes his place as a community rather than a camp. He acknowledges their skepticism and asks Sasha to hand Rick his pack. Aaron tells Rick to check the front pocket for an envelope. Aaron knows he can't convince them with words, so he brought pictures.

Rick looks at the pictures of the community. Aaron describes the steel walls and how nothing can get through without the community's say-so. Security is important to them, but the only thing more important to the community than that is the people. Aaron tells Rick to look at the next picture of inside the gates, but is cut off when Rick knocks him out with a single punch.

Michonne questions Rick's decisions. Rick is preparing for Aaron's people to attack them. Maggie vouches for Aaron, but Rick ignores it. Aaron had a flare gun. Maggie tends to Aaron's wound as he wakes up. Rick orders Michonne to sit Aaron up. Aaron acknowledges their caution. Rick claims the flare gun is to signal his people and asks how many there are. Aaron asks if it matters how many people he tells Rick are "out there." He goes on about Rick won't believe him no matter what he says.

Aaron tells Rick that him and his people have been leaving water for their group and evaluating them. They are survivors. No matter the struggle, they never turned on each other. They are people, "the most important resource in the world." Rick approaches and again asks, "how many others are out there?" Aaron tells him, "one." Aaron knew Rick wouldn't believe him and asks what it will take. Aaron suggests driving the group to the community. Rick says they won't fit in one car, but Aaron says they drove separately.

Aaron tells Rick where the community is and how the storm blocked his access. He tells him that if he wanted to ambush the group he would've lit the barn on fire and picked them off as they ran out the only exit. Michonne says she'll check out the cars. Rick claims there are no cars. Michonne wants to check. She doesn't want to pass up a place they can live, where Judith can live, so they need to find out what is going. She tries to make the decision for the group, saying this is what they'll do. Glenn says he'll go with Michonne. Rick orders for Abraham and Rosita to accompany them. Rick gives Glenn a gun. He warns the group of the dangers. They file out of the barn, leaving Aaron with his hands tied and Rick alone.

Aaron tells Rick that before the world ended, he worked delivering food in Nigeria. He has been in the face of danger before and he knows Rick is a good person. Rick tells Aaron that just because they are good people, that doesn't mean he won't kill him. If the group isn't back in 5 hours, he'll put a knife in the base of Aaron's skull.

Maggie, Glenn, Michonne, Rosita, and Abraham march down the street. Glenn and Michonne debate what's going to happen. Glenn reassures Michonne that they're five people with guns, no one is going to approach them. Michonne plays the moral compass role, describing the people they've saved including Father Gabriel and folks at the prison.

Judith cries as Rick crushes acorns for her to eat. Aaron suggests Rick feeds her the apple sauce from his pack. He tells Rick that if the roamers hear them, he'll be the first to go which is why he wants Judith to stop crying. Rick approaches the food, puts some on a spoon, and suggests Aaron try it. Aaron questions why he would try to poison the baby. Aaron says he hates apple sauce because his mom tried to force him to eat it to make him more manly. Rick gets Aaron to try it, then tries it himself. Aaron tells Rick the community is big enough for the baby to cry and no one will hear it. Rick tells him, "You've got 43 minutes."

Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Rosita, and Abraham find a car and RV in the road. Walkers stumble out of the woods. Abraham and Rosita put them down. Rosita bails Abraham out after he trips, for which he thanks her. The two investigate the RV and evaluate it to be "all clear." Abraham finds a can of beans and reflects on story of a friend with Rosita. Abraham asks Rosita if she thought he would hurt her at the fire truck when Eugene came clean. She says, "no, it's not you."

Rick claims the food whether the group goes to Aaron's camp or not. Carl asks why they wouldn't go. Michonne says the group needs this, so they're going. She asks if anyone has any other opinion. Daryl says the barn smells like "horse s—," and Rick agrees, "we're going."

Rick and Michonne tell Aaron he has to tell them how to get there. North on route 16 and he'll tell them the rest when they get there. Rick wants to take 23, which Aaron thinks is a bad idea because they've "cleared 16." Rick says they'll leave at night, Aaron wants to leave now. Rick says "tell me where the camp is, we'll leave right now." Aaron won't tell him to avoid putting his friends at risk.

Rick searches the car and tells Michonne how the group will split up. Michonne asks if they're really going. Rick says they are. Rick asks Michonne what she heard when she first came to Woodbury. She responds, "Nothing," and then he asks about Terminus, and she says, "nothing." Rick says he is going to have to decide if he can bring his family inside this community and he doesn't know if anything can convince him to go inside, but he's going to see.

The car and RV head down Route 23 at night, Rick finds a collection of license plates in the glove box. Aaron says he's trying to collect all 50 states to put on the wall in his house. Michonne asks, "you have your own house?" Aaron tells her to look at the pictures. She sees Aaron's house and other buildings and civilization. Michonne asks why there's not pictures of his people. He says the exposure didn't come out right when developing the photo of his group.

Michone asks Aaron "the questions" because Rick hasn't. "How many walkers have you killed?" Arron replies "I don't know, a lot." Michonne then asks him "How many people?" "2." "Why?" "Because they tried to kill me." Rick kinds a listening device and Rick claims Aaron's people could have been listening which Aaron admits. Glenn is distracted and drives through an enormous herd of walkers covering the car and windshield in blood. The rest of the group who was behind them is nowhere to be found. Rick gets out, searching for the people who were following them but there's no sign. Rick tells Glenn to drive up 20 to Jefferson Avenue because they have to get out of there. The car won't start. Aaron is worried about the approaching horde of walkers.

A flare goes off in the distance. Aaron is terrified suddenly. He says he needs to leave and kicks the door open into Michonne. He runs in the woods. Rick says leave him but Michonne says they need to catch him. Rick draws his weapon and heads into the woods with Glenn and Michonne fighting off walkers. Glenn branches off alone, getting backed up by walkers. One almost gets him but he smashes it's head on a rock. Aaron fights off a walker with his hands tied and is struggling. Glenn puts it down and cuts Aaron free. They hear a noise in the distance. Aaron tells Glenn they can only make it together, which Glenn said before.

Walkers approach Rick and Michonne who are looking for Glenn. Rick uses the flare gun to put down a walker as he is out of bullets. Rick and Michonne use a machete and sword to put down the walkers and are saved from behind by Glenn and Aaron with their guns. Aaron says Rick can tie him up again and drops his gun. Rick says there is no time and the group heads out of the woods.

Rick asks "Where are they?" Aaron doesn't know. Rick says if it is a trap, Aaron's people are going to die tonight. The group heads to the water tower, where the flare came from. Daryl whistles and the group comes up and meets each other. Aaron asks about "Eric," and when no one responds he runs inside. Eric sits injured and tells Aaron it's not a big deal. His ankle is hurt. Aaron and Eric kiss. Aaron tells Eric he was worried by the flare. Eric has a joking tone with Aaron, tells him this is his fault because Eric loves him and when he loves someone he does stupid things.

Eric brings his pack in front of him and shows Aaron a license plate he found for him. Eric jokes, "You lost the license plates?" Aaron replies, "I lost the car." The two continue their conversation as Rick enters. Eric introduces himself. Aaron and Rick leaves the room. Aaron is the middle of our group and asks for their attention. He thanks them for saving Eric and says he owes all of them. He'll be sure that debt is paid when they get to the community- when they get to Alexandria.

Aaron says he'd rather not do any more driving tonight. Rick says it's fine, but Aaron has to sleep away from them. Aaron says Rick will have to shoot him to stop him from being with Eric. Aaron steps toward Rick and Glenn stops him. Glenn tries to convince Rick that it's okay to let them be together. Eric told him where the camp is and has a broken ankle. Glenn says he can't give up anything else. Rick okays Aaron being with Eric.

The next day. The RV and car head down the street. Noah offers Aaron water and ibuprofen. Aaron assumes it is for Eric, but it's for Aaron. Aaron thanks Noah and then asks him about his leg. Noah explains it is from a car accident and he's lucky he can walk. Aaron tells Noah about a gifted surgeon at Alexandria and the possibility of helping Noah. Noah smiles and walks away.

The group sits in the RV. Rosita calls Abraham to tell him to look at the Washington Monument. The RV has a low voltage warning light on. Abraham is confident that they can make it and gives a rare smile.

The group is halted on the street, outside the vehicles. Glenn says they need another battery and shows Abraham where they can find one. Michonne tells Rick the "fight's over," and he's "gotta let it go." She knows it's hard and the "fight turns on you," but "you gotta let it go." Rick tells Michonne that Bob tried to tell him that but the rules keep changing. Michonne says, "They did for me."

The RV starts and the group cheers. Rick wants to get going. He walks through the woods on his own through an abandoned house's yard. He picks up a blender and puts his gun inside then puts the lid on it.

The car and RV approach a gate. Rick evaluates it. The gate is still. Rick stares it down and looks to Michonne. She takes his hand and says, "Ready?" Rick is ready. The group exits their vehicles and approaches the gate. Carol tells Rick, "You were wrong, but you're still right." Rick carries Judith to the gate.