‘The Walking Dead’ Season 8 Premiere Recap With Spoilers: Mercy

Rick sits alone with a rainbow reflection flashing across his face.

At another time, a clock says 8:23 with a cane and flowers next to a bed.

At another time, Rick stands atop a truck with his gun.

At another time, Rick stands beside Glenn and Abraham’s Hilltop graves. Elsewhere at the Hilltop, the community prepares for war. Meanwhile, Dwight is at the Sanctuary exchanging messages with Daryl via not wrapped around bows and arrows, just as Tara, Carol, Daryl, and Morgan time the arrival of a herd.

In one previously seen timeline, Rick stands atop a truck, rallying the army. He tells them the bigger world is theirs. “It’s ours by right,” Rick said. At the same time, Dwight finds a note that says, “Tomorrow.” Rick’s speech continues, saying they will offer peace to anyone who can find common ground, but they will end anyone who takes and kills to make their world theirs alone. “We don’t celebrate it,” Rick said. “We don’t have shame about it either. There’s only one person who has to die and I will kill him myself. I will.”

Dwight prepares a note for Daryl and shoots it back from within the Sanctuary.

Tara notes it is “10:28” as they are waiting and Carol notices a walker spray painted on the highways railing.

King Ezekiel chimes into Rick’s speech and gives kingly rally cry to everyone. Then, it’s Maggie’s turn, pleading with everyone to keep faith in each other. If they do, “the future is ours. The world is ours,” she promises.

Carol and Tara sit atop a bridge as hundreds of walkers walk beneath them.

In another time, Rick stands beside Glenn and Abraham’s grave and looks to the sky. In the future, again, the cane and flowers come into focus again. The clock reads, “8:23,” and Rick wakes up in bed with grey hair and a grey beard. In the other timeline, his eyes open again, looking defeated and worn, as the rainbow reflects on him.

The Walking Dead logo takes the screen.

Continued

On the side of the road, Carl parks a van in a shot for shot recreation of Rick in the first episode. He is walking to a gas station, carrying a gas can, wearing the Sheriff’s hat. Suddenly, he hears a voice.

“I’ve been shot at,” the voice said. “They threw a microwave at me so I’m just gonna say something my mom used to say and hope for the best here! Whatever you have, spend on the traveler. Helping the traveler, the person without a home, that’s everything! I’m sure you’ve seen things. You don’t trust people. I get it! I’ve been through things too…she also said that, ‘May my mercy prevail over my wrath.’”

“I haven’t eaten in a few days. You might not even be real,” he said.

Carl comes around the car with his gun drawn and the man puts his hands up, asking for food. Then, Rick shoots over his head and chases him off. He was supposed to meet Carl at the intersection. Carl is frustrated by his dad’s shooting but Rick insists he could be a Savior and he intentionally missed. If he’s not a Savior, Rick hopes he lives, but Carl insists hope is not enough.

Carl walks off and Rick looks to the side, seeing a little girl in a pink robe walking towards him, directly reflecting the first scene of the first episode.

Elsewhere, a man falls from a post after being shot in the head. Someone marks “Platform Tree” off of a list. Moments later, a man is yanked from the hood of car and killed. Daryl takes his gun and posts, analyzing his gun which is marked with the number of kills on it. “Neighborhood” is marked off of the list. A man is outside of a Research center as Morgan drives his staff through his chest and puts him down. “Paze Research” is marked off of the list.

Elsewhere, Rick analyzes the paper and takes a breath. He is on top of the Alexandria walls, watching everyone load the cars. Father Gabriel asks him if he is ready in 30 minutes. “It always starts with one person,” Gabriel tells him. “This did.” Rick insists this is not about him. “Yes, it isn’t. You made it like that,” Gabriel replies.

At the bridge, Daryl meets with everyone on his bike. Morgan is sitting, contemplating his bloody stick.

At Alexandria, Rick kisses a young Judith on the head goodbye. He sees Michonne for a heartfelt goodbye with a long kiss. He then takes Carl’s hat off and hugs him before leaving. “This is the end of it,” he tells Carl. The cars roll out as Rosita watches from the porch recovering from her bullet wound.

Carl talks to Michonne. They both want to go. “Everything hurts,” Michonne said. She turns to Carl and says she is following him.

Continued

At an outpost, a Savior stands near a chain walker. Rick stabs in the stomach, suddenly, and leaves him in the grass. As Rick raids his supplies, the man questions Rick what he is doing and if he’s “gonna beg again.” When the man says Carl will die, Rick cuts the walker free and allows it to eat the man, after marking another post off of his list of places to clear.

As the sun is setting, the cars get into a formation, leading to the moments which saw Rick, Maggie and Ezekiel’s rallying speeches. Rick and Aaron talk about their preparations, as do Jerry and Enid, while Rick, Maggie, Ezekiel, Jesus, and Gabriel talk. Maggie is in her second trimester. She has been fighting since the farm and won’t stop now. After this, though, Rick insists he will be following Maggie. Across from them, Jesus and Ezekiel speak optimistically about getting the Hilltop’s doctor back and Ezekiel is eager to reshape this world. 

Now, it’s 7:50 and Tara awaits a herd with her group of four on a highway. She counts down to their arrival but is disappointed to see they didn’t arrive but they eventually come around the corner. They head off down the street, leaving a Ford Explorer behind, which eventually explodes. 

Back at the Sanctuary, soldiers roll out towards the smoke. Dwight talks to Negan over a radio and Negan is eager for some blood.

Carol, Morgan, Daryl, and Tara get ready for the herd’s arrival elsewhere. At the Sanctuary, Dwight smokes outside as two guards above him are sniped. 

Continued

The convoy of armored cars, including the RV, pulls up to the front of Negan’s home. The communities take posts and with their guns.On Maggie’s command, they point to the sky, then fire their guns in the air three times simultaneously. After a few moments, Negan emerges onto the balcony with Simon, Dwight, Eugene, Gavin and a new woman.

In one of the other timelines, Rick is sweaty and worn. The rainbow continues across his face and the symbol hanging nearby creating it is revealed. 

In the future timeline, Rick gets out of bed and heads downstairs. He walks with a cane to kiss Michonne in the living room as Carl walks by, not claiming the music which is playing.

Now, Eugene yells to Rick’s group. “I’m not exactly feeling a reason for us to try throwing lead at each other,” Negan said. He uses sexual metaphors to explain himself but ultimately isn’t planning to let people die over this. 

Rick calls out everyone on the balcony and requests Regina introduce herself. Eugene tries to talk but Rick shuts him down. Rick offers everyone a chance to survive if they surrender. “Can’t guarantee it any time but now,” Rick said. “Right now.” Eugene is flustered. Negan is smiling.

Carol’s group is carefully tracking the bombs they planted for the herd to follow. Morgan has to stop one from tripping the wire early.

At the Sanctuary, Negan wonders if Rick is going to kill him and Rick insists he is. He told him twice already. Negan asks Rick if he has the numbers for this fight and claims he doesn’t. He orders Simon inside to retrieve Gregory. Maggie and Jesus aren’t surprised.

“The Hilltop stands with Negan and the Saviors,” Gregory said. “Any resident of the Hilltop who takes up arms or who supports this ultimatum against the Sanctuary or any of the Saviors for that matter will no longer be welcome in the colony. Their families will be thrown out and left to fend for themselves. Go home, now, or you won’t have a home to go back to.”

Maggie tells the Hilltoppers to do what they need to do but no one leaves. Maggie yells back, “Doesn’t look like anyone is going does it!” Gregory starts again but Jesus cuts him off.

“The Hilltop stands with Maggie!” Jesus yells.

Meanwhile, Morgan stops the walker from tripping the explosive. 

When no one leaves, Simon is frustrated and pushes him down the stairs.

Morgan hides behind a dumpster and a patrol group of Saviors is driving through. They trip the wire and explode up in the street.

Rick continues to offer the lieutenants a way out. Gavin wants to talk but Rick insists this is the only way. “You’re gonna make me count?” Rick asks. He starts at 10 but unleashes his gunfire at 7.

Continued

Negan runs for cover. Glass falls around them. The rest of the group rushes inside. Rick’s army shoots out all of the windows.

Morgan walks back to the group. Daryl insists it has started .Tara heads off first. Morgan joins her in the car. Carol hugs Daryl. “Be careful,” she said.

“This gon’ be fun,” he said.

“No it isn’t,” she says.

“”It’s better than letting things be, though, right?”

“Yeah, it is.”

At the Sanctuary, the gunfire continues. 

Daryl continues leading the herd on his bike. Maggie hops in a car and sounds the horn. Daryl blows explosives with his gun. Rick takes aim at Negan but can’t get a shot on him. Daryl continues leading the herd. Rick’s RV is driven into Negan’s fences by Gabriel who jumps out the back window. Daryl blows up one last explosive and continues on his way with the herd following. The RV crashes into the fence and Rick blows it up with a charge.

Continued

Negan hobbles to cover after the explosion. Rick is shooting at him aggressively but Gabriel reminds him this isn’t about him. Rick takes a picture of the Sanctuary and leaves. 

As Gabriel is heading out, he notices Gregory and stays back to help him. The two take cover but Gregory sees Gabriel’s car and makes a break for it, leaving Gabriel behind surrounded by the herd.

Back at a gas station in another timeline, Carl leaves cans of food and a note reading, “Sorry,” for the man Rick shot at. The man is watching from the bushes.

Outside the Kingdom, Carol and Ezekiel meet again. Ezekiel is happy to see her.

In the woods, Rick and Daryl are waiting for Gabriel. Rick vouches for Gabriel, he is grateful for Gabriel to have gotten him out of the battlefield. They are outside of the Saviors’ satellite station. 

Morgan, Tara, and Kingdommers are about to raid another location.

Daryl and Rick are doing the same.

The Kingdom moves on the Paze Industrial Research facility, unloading on an unknown figure who hides behind a car before throwing some sort of smoke bomb at them. 

Continued

At the Sanctuary, the herd of walkers has completely overrun the location. Gabriel is running for cover but can’t find any. He comes up an RV with an unlocked door and rushes inside. The walkers press up against it and he is trapped. “I hope you got your s—tin’ pants on,” Negan says from behind. “‘Cause you are about to s— your pants.”

The camera flies high above the trailer, showing the herd of walkers surrounding it, mirroring the end of the very first episode when Rick was trapped in the tank.

In the future timeline, a grown Judith greets Rick and tells him about the big owl outside. Michonne is happy to watch them walk outside to a thriving Alexandria community.

Cut to worn down Rick and he whispers, “My mercy prevailed over my wrath.”

In the past now, Rick finishes his rallying of the groups. He hops down from the truck and tells everyone the waiting is over and no matter what happens, “We’ve already won!”