Welcome back! The season starts off with an adrenaline pumping attempt to herd hundreds of walkers away from Alexandria with the help of Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha leading them away from the town by using each other as live bait. This episode mixes up flashbacks and current events to explain why things are happening the way they are. When we last saw Rick, he delivered justice by blowing off the head of Peter, the man who just killed Deanna’s husband, Reg. Morgan watched him do it. His reaction is priceless, but a little unsettling at the same time. Here is someone who knew Rick from the very beginning and how his mental and emotional state has changed so much. Rick defends himself to Morgan, but insists that he won’t take chances anymore when confronting with new situations. He places Morgan in a cell just to be cautious for his sake. Morgan tells Rick about the men he met a short while ago. He explains that these men wore a “W” on their faces and tells Rick what kind of men they are. Rick takes that into believing they should tighten security around Alexandria. Daryl refuses to believe that isolating themselves, keeping people out, and stop recruiting more people is the answer. He believes that more is better to protect themselves for whatever is coming.
Rosita tends to Tara at the infirmary who just came out of the come. Glen comes back with Nicholas all bloodied and injured. Glenn comes up with a story that they both were attacked by walkers, instead of confessing to Maggie that it was Nicholas who intended on killing him.
Rick sees Father Gabriel and Tobin preparing to dig graves for Peter and Reggie, but refuses to let them bury Peter in the community, let alone side by side with Reggie. Deanna agrees and tells them to carry Peter outside the community several miles away and bury Peter there. Ron, Peter’s older son eavesdrops the conversation. I guess you can imagine his reaction to this. He follows Rick and Morgan outside the community several miles away. Morgan talks about his decision to kill Peter and suggested that there could have been a different way. Rick doesn’t agree and calls Peter a murderer. Morgan confesses that he is a killer as well and is wonders if he is going to do the same to him As they were talking about Peter, they stumble upon a huge rock quarry filled with walkers trapped behind a makeshift wall of trucks and barriers. Rick figures out that these walkers have been accumulating for a long while and is the reason why Alexandria is walker free. But the makeshift walls are breaking and that is going to be the end of Alexandria. Ron is discovered by Rick when Ron gets attacked by a walker. Ron wants to run, but Rick warns him that he will die if he runs away alone.
Rick makes a plan about how to deal with the quarry hoard of walkers. Sasha and Abraham will help Daryl herd the hoard walkers away with Morgan, Rick, and Michonne using flares to direct any wandering walkers that stray. Eugene, Carter, and some of the Alexandrians start building up more walls to fortify their town. Glenn volunteers to go out and find anything that can distract the main hoard walkers from deviating from their primary path. Glen is less than thrilled that Nicholas wants to come and join him, but he reluctantly agrees to it.
Carter, one of the Alexandrians, stirs up some resistance to Rick’s plan and tries to convince a few more townspeople that Rick is dangerous and must be stopped. Unfortunately Eugen is there and Carter threatens him, but Rick comes in and subdues Carter. He is about to kill him when Morgan stops him. Morgan tries to convince Rick that he is still the same man that he met long ago. Rick agrees, but tells him that people like Carter will get themselves killed in the end.
Jessie and Rick finally meet up. She scolds Rick for manhandling Ron, and to never do that again. He responds by trying to offer his expertise in firearms, but Jessie decides to get lessons from Rosita instead.
The plan is going well. A few walkers go astray, but Abraham, and Rick and Morgan and set them straight on the path, but Carter gets bitten. His screams of pain start to unravel Rick’s plan so he decides to kill him in order for him to shut up. There intended goal of twenty miles is almost reached when a loud horn blares in the distance. Half of the walkers are still being lured by Daryl, but the other half is distracted by the horn and breaks off toward the sound, towards back to Alexandria.
Another great episode, another great season opener, lots of walkers, lots of action, and lots of drama. I love that Morgan is back and ready to be the counterpoint for Rick’s way of thinking. The townspeople of Alexandria are finally waking up and not prepared for the harsh reality of the world.
