The episode begins with Rick reading the note Carl left for him.
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“I remember my eighth birthday at KCC with that giant cake and aunt Eavey showing up on leave, surprising all of us,” Carl wrote. “I remember mom, I remember codger, I remember school and going to the movies and Friday night pizza and cartoons and grandma and grandpa and church. Those summer barbecues and the kiddie pool you got me. We could’ve used that at the prison.
“You told me about the walks we’d take when I was three. You holding my hand all the way around the neighborhood to Ross’ farm. . I didn’t know that I remembered them, but I do. Because I see the Sun, and the corn, and that cow that walked up to the fence and looked me in the eye. And you told me about all that stuff, but it isn’t just that stuff. It’s how I felt. Holding your hand, I felt happy and special. I felt safe.
“I thought growing up was about getting a job and maybe a family, being an adult. But… growing up is making yourself and the people you love safe,” the letter goes on. “As safe as you can, because things happen.
“They happened before. You were shot before things went bad. Kind of felt like things went bad because you were shot. I want to make you feel safe, dad. I want you to feel just like I felt when you held my hand. Just to feel that way for five minutes. I’d give anything to make you feel that way now.
“I wanted to kill Negan. I wish I did, maybe it would have been done. I don’t think it’s done now. You went out there again, but I don’t think they surrendered. I don’t think they will surrender. There are workers in there, dad. They’re just regular people. Old people, young people, families. You don’t want them to die, dad.
“We’re so close to starting everything over, and we have friends now. It’s that bigger world Jesus talked about. The Kingdom, the Hilltop… there’s got to be more places. More people out there. A chance for everything to change and keep changing.
“Everyone giving everyone the opportunity to have a life. A real life.
“So if they won’t end it, you have to,” the letter continues. “You have to give them a way out. You have to find peace with Negan. Find a way forward somehow. We don’t have to forget what happened, but you can make it so that it won’t happen again. That nobody has to live this way. That every life is worth something.
“Start everything over. Show everyone that they can be safe again without killing. They can feel safe again. That it can go back to being birthdays and school and jobs and even Friday night pizza, somehow. And walks with a dad and a three-year-old holding hands.
“Make that come back, dad. And go on those walks with Judith. She’ll remember them.
“I love you.
“Carl.”
Moments later, Michonne lays on her bed and turns her attention to the drawer containing Carl’s letter. She pulls out the note to Negan.
The Walking Dead‘s opening credits play.
Continued
At the Sanctuary, Gregory apologizes to Simon for his intel being different. Simon is not happy with him. “Juice and momentum can change the game,” Gregory says. “They had it and they did it. Margaret had the Hilltops by the nuts!”
“I’m Negan,” Simon tells him, “and not in a collective, we’re all Negan way.”
“You’re the man now?”
“I am.”
They have a drink to Simon’s promotion. Gregory rules Negan was too unconventional and Simon is someone can call Simon a leader. Simon claims that is why he can’t be seen going easy on Gregory. Gregory claims that the people in this community know nothing about politics so he will have to keep him around. Gregory gets riled up and claims he has accomplished too much to be killed here. As Simon’s confidence level rises, Simon jumps up and throws him to the ground.
“I wasn’t gonna send you away,” Simon says. “I was gonna kill you.”
They’re going to talk it out over coffee.
Continued
Back at Oceanside, the women come across a walker. They’re surprised to see Aaron put it down. He is weak and collapses. They leave him there, unwilling to help him.
At Eugene’s bullet ship, he eats sardine mac & cheese. It’s a recipe from his broke college student days. He calls for everyone’s attention to remind them that their lives are not on lock. Simon, in place of Negan, has requested they work faster. They will work over time to try and survive. He comes across a bullet and examines it while Gabriel coughs and removes his mask.
“Put that mask back on now,” Eugene says. The last thing they can afford is for Gabriel’s sickness from improperly using walker guts as cover to spread. Eugene puts a bullet in his hand, tells him to feel it, and accuses him of putting a bad bullet in the batch. Gabriel admits he doesn’t want his people to die so he doesn’t want the bullets to work.
“I don’t want to help you. I do fear death,” Gabriel said. “Maybe all of this is his way of showing me that I haven’t changed. The way of showing me that I’m the same person wh locked my parishioner’s out so long ago. I’m still the same scared animal doing what it takes to survive just like you.”
Eugene suspends him from the bullet making line and goes out to test the rounds.
Outside, Eugene is escorted by some Saviors who are quickly taken down by Daryl and Rosita. They take him hostage and rush off.
At the Sanctuary, Negan surprises Dwight with his presence. Dwight tries to explain Simon ruled him dead. Negan wasn’t happy that no one showed up to help when Rick attacked him. He wants to make sure Dwight knows who he is. Dwight says he was loyal to Simon, the number two, and he is Negan. Negan asks him to put the cigarette out, he does, and then he notes he wants Dwight to remember this talk.
Continued
Later, Negan sits with Simon. He apologizes for wrongly assuming Negan was dead. He admits he lacks discipline. He went for “extermination” at the Hilltop. “I’ll own it,” Simon says. “I just ask that you give me a pass on this one. I’ll make it up to you, I promise you that.”
Negan recalls when he took this place. “When you helped me take this place,” Negan says. “Wasn’t sure I wanted to keep you on board. Before me, before there was a system in place, what you did, killing all those men, those boys, in that settlement so long ago, a lot of people would think that is some psychotic s—! Like, that is the work of a demented g–d— ghoul!”
Negan wanted to keep his eye on Simon. Everything seemed to work out until this point. He orders Simon to his knees. He obliges. “You gonna make a move?” Negan asks. “Or is that it?”
“No move to make,” Simon tells him.
“No, there isn’t,” Negan agrees. “All is forgiven. Get your ass up. We’re good.”
“I won’t let you down,” Simon says. “Not you.”
Negan turns his attention to their battle plans. They will create new staging posts. They don’t have to take the Hilltop but make sure they can’t leave. They will pick them off every time they leave, be it face to face or from a mile away. The next day, he is going to take a group to a certain spot with Eugene’s bullets and they will continue to do this 24/7, sniping people, every day., until they’re all day.
Simon rules there is “testicular heft” in this plan and he supports it. Negan orders everyone out and keeps Dwight in the room to chat.
“You are smart as hell, you know that?” Negan says. “After everything… Sherry, the sizzle. … You just went about the business of getting yours.” He tells him he keeps his head clear.
Continued
Daryl and Rosita escort Eugene back to the Hilltop. He talks, endlessly, prompting Daryl to threaten to cut his tongue out. Rosita has to calm Daryl, insisting Saviors will be out looking for Eugene by now. They continue down their path and Eugene begins claiming that he told Negan he made the bullet back in the Mid-Season Seven finale to save Rosita’s life. Instead of torturing him, the Saviors gave him a chance to live.
Rosita, however, says Eugene is the reason the Saviors were able to escape the Sanctuary and everyone who has died is Eugene’s fault. Eugene, however, blames Rick for all of the deaths, prompting Rosita to put a gun to his jaw. She won’t kill him, though, because they’re going to lock him in the darkest hole they can find and the only time he’ll see light is when they need him to teach them how to do something.
Back at the Sanctuary, Dwight copies Negan’s map to warn Rick. Simon enters the room and has a serious talk about overthrowing Negan. Dwight ultimately agrees with Simon’s plan and they’re going to talk to the rest of the group to get more on board.
Continued
As Daryl puts down a small herd of walkers, Eugene pulls his own trigger and vomits on Rosita before fleeing. They chase after him but don’t see him. After they pass, Eugene emerges from a pile of debris.
In the woods, Aaron awakens as rain falls on him. He ends up surrouned by walkers and does what he can to fight them off. He ends up exhausted and passes out in the muddy ground, only to awaken with the Oceanside community surrounding them. They stare at him so he apologizes for Natania’s death but blames the Saviors for everything in his plea to get them onboard with Rick’s army.
Later, Dwight meets with Simon’s group of Saviors outside of the Sanctuary. They’re going to talk through the overthrowing of Negan. Negan, however, joins the party and has all of Negan’s men gunned down. He takes Simon inside, as Dwight revealed this plan, and they have a fight for control of the Sanctuary.
After a struggle, Negan wins, and Simon is killed. “What an a–hole,” Negan rules. During the fight, Dwight sends Gregory to the Hilltop with the map revealing Negan’s plans which were laid out earlier.
Continued
Later, Gregory arrives at the Hilltop. He delivers Dwight’s map and is locked in the prison. Everyone asks Rick what to do.
At the Sanctuary, Negan walks with Dwight, complimenting his loyalty. When they arrive in his room, though, he reveals he knows Dwight is betraying him. Laura is in there, waiting. More Saviors surround him. Negan reveals he was speaking of fake plans earlier, expecting Dwight to relay them to Rick, and setting up the group to be directly in the line of fire.
Eugene enters his bullet factory with newfound motivation. Regina tells him all of the bullets are needed as Negan is planning to finish the fight at the Hilltop. Eugene orders everyone to work overtime, including Gabriel, or die.
“Time to do something useful with our pathetic lives,” Eugene rules.
Later, Simon is revealed to be a walker chained to Negan’s fence.
Slide 7
Michonne radios for Negan and reads him Carl’s letter.
“Negan, this is Carl,” Carl wrote. “I was helping someone. I got bit. We didn’t even have to be doing what we were doing. I was just helping someone and now I’m gone. You might be gone. Maybe my dad made your people give you up and he killed you but I don’t think so.
“I think you’re still around and you’re working on a way out. Maybe you got out. Maybe you think we’re a lost cause and you just wanna kill all of us. I think you think you have to be who you are. I just wonder if this is what you wanted. I wanted to ask you. I wish I could’ve. Maybe you’ll beat us. And if you do, there will just be someone else to fight. The way out is working together. It’s forgiveness. It’s believing there doesn’t have to be a fight anymore because it doesn’t.
“I hope my dad offers you peace. I hope you take it. I hope everything can change. It did for me.
“Start over. You still can.
“Carl.”
Negan, however, says he would refuse the group’s surrender. He wants to kill every last one of them and that will be starting over. He didn’t want this. Rick made it happen and he wants Michonne to tell him that. No more talk. He smashes the radio.
