‘The Walking Dead’ Recap With Spoilers: Guardians

Alpha and Lydia walk through the woods together. Alpha questions why Daryl was so quick to defend her at the Hilltop. Lydia explains to her mother that she lied to get him to trust her. The only thing she didn’t lie about was telling the Hilltop they shouldn’t cross Alpha. She reveals the Hilltop has basic weapons and farm land. Alpha is angry to learn that Lydia did not learn more after she broke her own rules to rescue her.

Lydia asks if information is the only reason Alpha came to get her. “What a stupid question,” Alpha responds before carrying on with her slow walk.

The Walking Dead‘s opening credits play.

Continued

At Alexandria, Michonne argues with the council about their decisions and distractions. Aaron steps up to vouch for her against Gabriel, standing by her as the head of security. Siddiq chimes in to point out that Michonne turned down Alexandria’s involvement with The Fair with the other communities. Some are shocked to hear she spoke for them. Laura wants the Kingdom to take care of itself but Siddiq wants to help them. 

The group wants to take another vote but Michonne insists the roads are broken and the surrounding area is dangerous. She is willing to open the doors for others but not willing to go out on the road for others.

Meanwhile, Rosita is dealing with her waist getting bigger as a result of her pregnancy. She finds Gabriel down on himself for the council not following his lead anymore but he doesn’t want to talk about it. She has already revealed her pregnancy to him and promises she will understand if he doesn’t want to be a part of it. 

Continued

In the woods, Alpha and the Whisperers rest in some shade. Lydia finds a yo-yo in the woods and takes the string to keep for herself. Nearby, Henry is spotted by Beta and captured. Alpha interrogates him. He is silent until Beta threatens to break his arms and legs. 

He stands up to explain that he came for Lydia but Lydia calls him stupid and punches him in the face. Alpha warns that there will be others with him and tells her group to be ready. 

In Alexandria, Eugene and Gabriel discuss Rosita’s pregnancy. Eugene has protected the happiness and safety of Rosita and her baby. He also brought his scoring rubric and other material for Gabriel but Gabriel promises he probably doesn’t need any of it. Eugene goes on to tell Gabriel that he would be a fool to leave Rosita but Gabriel is clearly having his own thoughts about it.

Continued

Alpha’s interrogation of Lydia continues, wondering why she didn’t mention Henry. Alpha tells Lydia, “Don’t sell yourself short, you might just be a good liar.” After lecturing her about how unimportant words are, she offers an apple handed to her from another Whisperer. They’re escorting Henry back where he belongs, according to Alpha. 

On the way, Henry is brought to the Whisperer camp. There are hundreds of Whisperers here, eating and living without their masks on. 

Continued

In Alexandria, Michonne visits Negan in his jail cell, demanding answers regarding why he came back. “You know, I was in your home?” Negan starts. “I could’ve waited there. Bashed your head in when you got there. Hell, I could’ve bashed a lot of heads.”

Michonne claims that he only didn’t do that because he would be dead and he only came back because there was nothing out there for him. However, Negan wants trust. “You’re keeping me in here to remind everyone how merciful the great Rick Grimes was,” Negan tells her. “I can be so much more than that. I can help you.” She insists she doesn’t need his help. “It is only a matter of time until you lose control of this completely,” he insists. “All I’m sayin’ is I know a thing or two about keeping people in line. I could be a sounding board for you. Leader to former leader.”

Michonne doesn’t buy any of it and she tells Negan she is going to tie him up while te lock is fortified, just as she sees that Judith is listening in.

Continued

In the woods, Connie and Daryl find footprints, realizing that Henry caught up with the Whisperers. Connie explains to Daryl that he needs to look at her when he is talking so she can read his lips. In a trench, Daryl finds Henry’s weapon. They see a pair of walkers approaching, put them down, and Dog retrieves the arrow for Daryl but he accidentally breaks it.

Elsewhere, Beta carves the skin off of a dead walker to create a mask for Henry. Alpha starts a conversation with him. “The weak die like nature intended,” she explains. Other Whisperers question Alpha for going back for her “cub” when that’s not their policy. Alpha defends her decision citing the information obtained from Lydia as making it a good decision.

The Whisperers challenges Alpha as the leader. “You have the right to challenge my leadership at any time,” Alpha tells him. “And I have the right to defend it.” Alpha grabs the woman who was with this man, tosses her into the center of the group, and claims that she was in the woods plotting with her boyfriend. The woman claims Alpha failed the entire group so Alpha questions the group and they stand with her. “I keep them alive,” she says. “Me.”

The girl tells Alpha, “I don’t want to fight you,” but Alpha says it is too late and quickly cuts her head off with a metal wire. She picks it up, holding it in front of her boyfriend, and handing it over before stabbing him to death. 

Continued

In their house, Judith and Michonne talk about her relationship with Negan. Judith says that she talks to him because he listens to her and not everybody does. “He’s a human being,” Judith insists. Michonne insists he is a monster for his actions.

Michonne also insists “people don’t really change.” Judith responds by claiming that Michonne changed so Michonne sends her to her room. 

Back in the woods, Alpha is stressed about having had killed her own people. It had been years since that happened. Beta assures her the pack believes in her and sometimes it is good to remind them. Alpha tells a story of finding Lydia in the closet when she was three. When she rescued her from the plastic wrapped around her head and she knew her daughter was okay, Alpha hit Lydia hard so she would never repeat the mistake. “You have to do whatever it takes to protect what you love,” Alpha says, “even from themselves.”

Beta encourages learning more about their enemies. 

Meanwhile, Whisperers leave the bodies of their two dead for a herd to eat. Daryl and Connie are watching. 

Continued

In Alexandria, Gabriel approaches his house where Siddiq and Rosita are sitting on the steps. Eugene watches from afar, saddened to be left out of the equation. 

At Aaron’s house, Gracie opens the door to greet Michonne, calling Aaron to the door as “Daddy.” Michonne thanks him for supporting her, he says it was easy. Michonne informs him that she will allow the community to vote and if they opt to take on the danger of participating in The Fair and helping the Kingdom then it is on them.

“I hope we don’t regret this,” Aaron tells her. 

Continued

In the night, Beta drags Henry over to Lydia and Alpha. Alpha tosses a knife down on the ground and insists Lydia pick it up and kill with it. After being told to kill Henry or get killed with him by Beta, a herd of walkers ends up coming into the campsite. The Whisperers quickly begin to blend in with them but some are ultimately, eaten. 

A Whisperer grabs Henry but it is Daryl. Henry refuses to leave without Lydia, so they all run off together.