‘The Walking Dead’ Recap With Spoilers: The Big Scary U

Over a black screen, Father Gabriel prays. He expects to die and is expressing his gratitude for redemption, requesting a death which is not fruitless.

Simon greets Gregory in his holding room with pancakes. “These cakes are made from scratch by yours truly,” Simon said. “I used genuine Hilltop sorghum.” It’s an explanation to the exchange between Cal and Gregory at the Hilltop’s gates upon the cowardly leader’s return.

The dialogue which follows is a bit more alarming, however. “You went to the satellite outpost as I instructed,” Simon starts out. “You came to see me. Though I was already away dealing with that rank betrayal which was unknown to you…” The tone in Simon’s voice indicates he is giving Gregory instructions on what to say should anybody ask, which he quickly abides by, but also indicates there is a mole in one of the groups.

As it turns out, though, Gregory was going to reveal the alliance between the Hilltop and Kingdom but Simon was “finding out at that point” from someone in Alexandria according to Gregory.

Later, Gregory sits with the Saviors and Negan. He thanks them for listening to him. He understands how hard it is to manage people in this environment and the “big scary u.” He explains it as “the unknown.” Negan tells Gregory he likes killing people and killing the right people and the right time makes things fall into place. “You kill one and you could be saving hundreds more,” Negan tells him. “We save people.”

Gregory realizes, “That’s why you’re called the Saviors.”

Dwight gets up to leave for a cigarette but Negan questions he wouldn’t want to hear Gregory. Dwight says it doesn’t matter because he’s just going to do what he’s told.

Gregory continues, describing the conflict and claiming he can stop it before it gets started. He offers to kick everyone out of the Hilltop who side with Rick. “Can you exile people?” Negan asks.

“Hilltop is my house,” Gregory said. He claims he’s still “the guy” there. Negan questions it, though, because Maggie is leading an army of his people. Gregory insists he didn’t know about Maggie until now. “The Hilltop is mine,” Gregory said. “I let a fox into my hen house. She and her people took advantage of my generous nature. I see that now and I will fix it.”

Simon suggests a strong raid on the Hilltop, which could end in killing everyone there if they don’t cooperate, which would send a message to the other communities. “People are a resource,” Negan insists. “Money on the table. People are the foundation of what we are doing here!” He questions Simon and if he remembers who they are and who is in charge. Simon pledges his allegiance.

Negan says they have to capture Maggie, Rick, and King Ezekiel and kill them horribly in front of their people. Suddenly, Rick’s gunshots ring out outside. Simon suggests shooting at them but Negan says it would be a waste of ammo. Instead, he will go talk to everyone. They all walk outside and Negan says, “Well, s—! I’m sorry! I was in a meeting.”

Cut to the present and Negan is in a trailer with Gabriel. He tackles him and disarms him. His handgun was fully loaded. Gabriel says he didn’t have enough bullets to take out the walkers. Negan calls it a “smart play” and helps him then sits down and indicates Gabriel should be quiet.

“Your friend Rick is an a–hole,” Negan says. But Father Gabriel says Negan is. “Yeah, I am, but he’s gonna get people killed.”

“By you,” Gabriel said.

“I killed the widow’s husband and the ginger but I didn’t get them killed,” Negan said. “That was your boy Rick. Big difference. You know, I saw you stop for that Gregory idiot. You were there you saw the whole thing. You heard his little speech. Why would you stop for that bearded prick?”

Gabriel reveals he fears a fruitless death. “There had to be some reason I did what I did,” Gabriel said. “Maybe this is the reason.”

“What?” Negan asks.

“I think I’m here to take your confession.”

Continued

On the roadside, Daryl and Rick go after the Savior they kicked out of the truck. He is dying. “Everyone’s dead,” he tells Daryl. He tells them Jerry, Ezekiel, and Carol killed everyone. As a result, he promises everyone in Rick’s group is going to die before he dies himself. 

Back in the trailer, Negan and Gabriel continue their conversation. Negan insists they wait it out. “I don’t have s— to confess,” Negan said. “Except for the fact that I rubbed one out right where you’re sitting just to calm down a bit.” He questions Gabriel on why he became a priest.

“I love god and I love people,” Gabriel said. “I wanted to bring them together.” 

“I like to help people through their weaknesses too,” Negan said. “Been doing it one way or another my whole life. You wanna know why people are gonna start dying in there? Because I’m not there to stop it.” Negan begins whistling and the walker presence intensifies. 

Back in the meeting room, the Savior lieutenants discuss their course of action. Eugene calls Regina’s plans inadequate and would cost workers their lives. Regina wants to sacrifice them as a distraction but Eugene insists they are valuable. Dwight takes Eugene’s side. Gavin turns his attention to who the Savior mole has to be. Dwight turns the conversation to everyone needing to get out. Simon agrees with Dwight and promises they will kill whoever the mole is, slowly over a few days, with everyone looking at Eugene.

Continued

Eugene enters Dwight’s room with his jar of cucumbers. He expresses thanks for Dwight’s support in the meeting. He tells Dwight they will get out of this “pickle” together. Eugene sits at a chess set and touches a piece but Dwight tells him to be careful and wait because they’re still wet. he made them himself. Eugene leaves, thanking Dwight once gain.

Back in the trailer, Negan and Dwight continue to sit together.

Gabriel asks Negan who he helped before the apocalypse. “Kids,” Negan said. “You don’t show them the way, they turn out like garbage. Little a–holes become great big ones, so you show them the way. Adults, they need it, too. The government, laws, religion, guilt. People are weak.” Walkers suddenly burst through the wall.

Negan goes on about being weak but also being strong. He claims everyone is a mix. “I took this place and it was a damn free for all,” Negan said. “A confederation of assholes. An army made up of gangs of animals. The last guy that was in charge? He wasn’t in charge of shit. He allowed people to be weak. I don’t, I make them strong, which makes this world strong. You’re gonna see Gabey. I’m gonna make you my special project.”

Gabriel insists he is strong. He was at the satellite station. Negan criticizes him for killing people in their sleep. “Tell me how you’re weak,” Gabriel responds. “We might be dead soon. You might be dead. Wouldn’t you want to confess?”

“I haven’t killed anyone that didn’t need it,” Negan said. Gabriel questions him about the workers and the wives. Negan calls the workers an economy and insists “every one of those ladies made the choice.”

Gabriel asks if Negan had a wife before before all of this. Negan holds Lucille and says, “Lucille, give me strength!” Gabriel tries to shoot him but misses. Negan takes out walkers which barged through and says it’s time to go.

 

Continued

Daryl explores the crashed truck. Gas is leaking from it. He tries to gather the guns and ammo with Rick’s help. They find explosives inside. He says that with there being no Kingdom anymore, they should use these bombs to bust open the Sanctuary and end everything. Rick, however, vouches for the workers and families inside. Daryl wants to blow open the south side. Rick still claims those people might not make it out. If the Saviors don’t surrender, everyone will fight them. 

Daryl is going to head off with the bombs on his own. Rick tries to stop him but Daryl bites back and insists he has his own people to look after. Rick tries to stop him but Daryl punches him in the face. 

Eugene plays video games at the Sanctuary until the power suddenly goes out. 

Rick and Daryl’s fight continues. Rick throws the bombs but ends up in a choke hold. The truck starts on fire and eventually explodes just as the two were running from it. They sit and watch it burn, disappointed, together. 

Continued

Back on the road, Rick tries to start his truck but it’s no good. Daryl pulls up on his bike. “There’s a plan,” Rick said.

“We gotta win,” Daryl insists.

They head off in separate directions.

Back in the trailer, Negan explains how they will get inside, using Lucille and each other. Negan grabs the walker and pulls it toward him but Gabriel is hiding on the other side of the wall. He is armed with a gun. “I’ve killed before but that’s not my greatest sin,” Gabriel said. “I locked my congregation out of my church when all this started. I listened to them die.” Everyday he works to lessen that failure and be of service and purpose. “Now, I offer you the assurance of a pardon,” Gabriel said. “I will go with you.” He wants to show Negan that working together is the best move but he’ll only do it if Negan confesses.

“What you did, that is some horrible ,cowardly, spineless s—,” Negan said. “But I guess that’s what a confessions suppsoed to be.”

“My first wife was a real wife. My only real life. ’til death did us part. It was before this. I lied to her. I screwed around on her. She was sick and when she went, when she went it was during this. I couldn’t put her down. That is how I was weak. That is what I will confess because, yeah, maybe we do bite the big one here.”

Gabriel emerges and gives Negan the gun, saying, “You’re forgiven.” Negan punches him in the face one time and says “thanks.”

Negan rips apart the walker and explains how all of these insides can be used to walk among the dead. “We’re from Georgia,” Gabriel says.

Continued

Gabriel and Negan make a bunch of noise and lets walkers enter the trailer until it is full and they can find a way out. 

Slowly, the two maneuver through the crowd until Gabriel trips. They work together, saving one another time after time, until they get to an edge where walkers fall on them.

In the meeting room, Gavin talks about how his packages never arrived. He insists Rick hit the outpost. Laura bursts into the room. She says the workers are coming up the stairs. Simon comes outside and tells the workers they are supposed to stay on the ground level. The workers, however, are questioning him. Simon doesn’t like the tone but Dwight splits up a fight before it happens. Workers request more water but some are saying they aren’t getting what they were promised for the work they’re doing. They ask where Negan answers. A worker is shot by Regina for questioning them just as Negan whistles his way around the corner.

“Regina, why’d you have to go and do that?” he asks. “I am guessing, a lot of you find folks thought I was dead.” He reminds them who he is. “I wear a leatherjacket, I have Lucille, and my nutsack is made of steel!” He excuses himself to a shower and some service from Frankie. He will then get back to business and saving everyone. A worker thanks god for Negan being here to Gabriel’s surprise. 

Continued

In the meeting room later, they are presented with the guns which were used against them. Eugene sees the paint from Dwight’s chess pieces on the board and is getting nervous with the conversation and looks to Dwight. Dwight has no answer.

Rick is walking along a path and sees a helicopter fly overhead.

The Saviors exit the meeting and Negan asks Eugene to solve this entire mystery of who the mole is. “If you try your best and I know you try your best but you don’t figure something out, I assure you, I will kill you quickly so you don’t have to see all the awful things that are gonna go down here when we run out of food and water,” Negan says. “What I’m saying is I got your back. You got mine?”

Rick is being watched as he continues walking. A man whistles to his people.

Eugene approaches Gabriel’s room with a pillow. He is here to formally welcome him to Sanctuary with “welcome wagon” items. Gabriel is silent, prompting Eugene to enter the room and find a suffering Gabriel in a deep sweat. Eugene orders him to Dr. Carson but Gabriel insists they have to get to the doctor for Maggie.