The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16: Welcome to the Tombs

Close up of the Governor's eye.  He is talking to someone we can't see.    It is Milton.  The Governor is hitting him and blaming him for the death of eight men (those who died during the Merle attack).  Milton said the Governor was fine with him and kept him around as long as he looked the other way.  For the Governor enjoying killing people means you are alive.  You kill or you die.  You take the heads
as trophies (that explains the fish tanks).  What would his daughter think?  She would be afraid of him but if he had always been like this his daughter would still be alive.  He tosses Milton in the room where he is holding Andrea.  The Governor wants to kill all of the prison gang and he wants Andrea and Milton to help.  He tells Milton to get the torture tools because he won't need them anymore.  Milton drops them but leaves one behind for Andrea.  The Governor grabs a knife and tells Milton he is going to kill her now and show the Governor he has learned something.  Milton won't be allowed to leave until he does.  He tries to kill the Governor instead and the Governor grabs the knife and stabs Milton.  He is going to leave Milton to turn into a zombie and eat Andrea.  He was going to have to kill her one way or another.  You kill or you die.  Or you die and you kill.  Nice life philosophy Guv.

Carl is packing a bag.  He stops to stare at the photograph he brought back a couple of episodes ago.    Everyone is packing.  It looks like they are leaving.  Carl looks at Rick's old deputy badge.  He packs that as well.
Rick tries to comfort Carl but he pulls away.  Glenn tells Rick he has never seen Carl that angry before.  Rick looks up and sees pregnant Lori.  Daryl says that Merle never did anything like that in his whole life.  Carol says that he gave them a chance.  Michonne tells Rick that she understands that they considered giving her over to the Governor.  She thanks him for letting her in the day she first showed up at the prison.  If she hadn't had the baby formula he wouldn't have.  He says it was Carl that said she belonged with them.


The Governor is gathering his army to attack the prison.  Tyreese says he and his sister won't fight against other people.  They will stay behind with the children.  They will understand if he wants them to leave.  He gives Tyreese a gun.   For a minute there it looked like he was going to shoot them.  Instead he thanks them.  Zombies at the prison turn at the sound of the Governor's army coming.  Martinez blows up a guard tower and another man shoots at another tower.  They all start shooting the zombies in the yard.  A waste of bullets if you ask me.  Not to mention they are making a ton of noise which will only attract more zombies.   They drive up to the main gates ready for a fight but no one is there.  Allen is part of the army.  What a douche.  I hope a zombie eats his face.  The Governor walks into a cell and picks up a Bible with a verse highlighted, John 5:29 ( And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.).  He throws the Bible in anger.  They split up to look further into the prison.

Milton is bleeding to death.  He tells Andrea about the pliers he left on the floor behind her.  He tells her to drag her right foot back to grab them.  She says she is going to get both of the out of there.  He tells her she is going to find something sharp to stab him in the head. 

Tyreese goes to check on those left behind at Woodbury.  Everything is quiet.  Sasha is wondering what will happen when the army returns.  Tyreese says they should escape like Andrea.  Andrea has the pliers but Milton is already dead.  Just kidding.  He asked her why she stayed after she found her friends were alive.  She wanted to save everyone including the Governor.  She didn't kill the Governor because she didn't want anyone to die.  So she tried another way.  Milton tells her she needs to hurry.  She takes her shoes off so she can grab the pliers with her toes.  She should have done this to begin with.

Allen goes deeper into the prison.  They can hear noises.  It sounds like doors are opening and closing.  The army steps on something that looks life fireworks or something that sets off little explosions and the alarm goes off. 

Zombies start coming at them.  The "army" runs out of the prison.  Glenn and Maggie in riot gear start shooting at them and telling them they need to go. The army runs back to the cars.  Carl is mad that he isn't with the the rest of the group at the prison (instead of stuck with Beth, Hershel, and I assume the baby).  A kid from the Woodbury army runs into Carl and Hershel.  Hershel tells him to drop his gun.  The kid does but Carl shoots him anyway.  I think it is safe to say that Carl is dead inside.  Or at the very least there is no child left in him.  He is a soldier of the zombiepocalypse.  You kill or you die. 

The rest of the gang meets up with Glenn and Maggie.  The group is trying to decide what to do (stay, leave for good, or take the fight back to Woodbury).  Rick hugs Carl.  Carl tells Rick he killed one of the soldiers.  Hershel says it was a scared kid; that the boy was handing the gun over.  Rick defends Carl.  Carl said it was in self defense but Hershel says Carl gunned the kid down.

The Governor is telling his men to pull over.  He wants to go back.  The rest of the group doesn't.  A woman speaks up and says that they are not soldiers.

The Governor starts to shoot his own army.  Martinez and another guy back away.  Allen points his gun at the Governor but the Governor shoots him in the middle of the forehead.  The Governor wanders out to the field where he has shot his army and starts shooting them in the head.  One of the women is hiding under a dead body.  The Governor is out of bullets and doesn't shoot her.  He gets into his car and motions for Martinez and the other dude to get in.

Andrea is still trying to get the pliers. 
She keeps mumbling to herself he is still alive as she stares at Milton.  She almost has the pliers in her hand but drops it.  She gets it.  She looks at Milton and then starts to use the pliers on her wrist ties.  Milton's hand starts to move. 

Rick tells Carl what Hershel said really happened.  He asks Carl if the kid was handing his gun over.  Carl says he couldn't take the chance.   He didn't kill the walker that killed Dale.  Rick didn't kill Andrew or the Governor and people died.  Carl did what he had to do.  He tells Rick to go so the Governor won't kill anymore of them.  He drops Ricks badge on the floor.  While this explains Carl's reasoning it is scary that he is turning into a sociopath.  Glenn and Maggie decide to stay.  Daryl, Rick, and Michonne head to Woodbury.  Daryl on his motorcycle.  They pull up to the abandoned vehicles that used to belong to the Governor's men.  They kill the zombies eating the army.  The lone survivor comes out of a truck where she was hiding.

Andrea is still working on her wrists and realizes that Milton has turned.  He opens his eyes, grunts, and gets up.  She frees one hand.   Milton approaches her and we just hear them screaming. 

Rick, Daryl, and Michonne approach Woodbury.  Tyreese and Sasha see them and start shooting.  Karen, the sole survivor, calls out to Tyreese.  She tells them that the Governor killed everyone else. 

She is with Rick because they saved her.  Rick steps out.  Daryl is hesitant to do so.  Tyreese opens up the door.  Rick tells Tyreese they were coming to finish the fight until he saw what the Governor did.  Rick thinks Andrea is here.  They go look where the Governor held Glenn and Maggie.  They approach the door to the torture chamber where blood is oozing out.  They see a dead Milton and Andrea covered in blood.  Milton took a chunk out of her neck.  She asks about the rest of the group.  Rick tells her they are alive.  She smiles.  She tells Michonne it is good that she found them.  She says no one can do it alone.  Daryl says he never could.  She just didn't want anyone to die.  She wants to kill herself while she still can.  Michonne cries.  Andrea tells Rick she knows how the safety works (a shout out to season 2).  Michonne is staying with her.  Daryl looks on with sad eyes.  Rick and Daryl leave and close the door behind them.  Michonne stays with her and they smile at each other.  A gun shot is heard.

The sun is up at the prison.  Daryl on his bike, Rick and Michonne in their car, and a bus pull up to the prison.  The survivors from Woodbury come out of the bus with Tyreese leading them.  Carl asks Rick what is this?  He says these people are going to join them.   Rick looks up looking for Lori but she is no longer there.  He is back.  The scene ends with a cross from one of the the graves.  End scene.

RIP Andrea

RIP Milton

So many thoughts
- Carl had a rational explanation for killing the armed child soldier from Woodbury.  While this does turn him into a sociopath was he really wrong?
- What will they do with Tyreese next season?  We barely got to know him.  He seemed like an interesting character so I hope that next season they develop a better story arc for him.
- I'm going to miss Milton.  You grew on me buddy.  Tear.

- According to Ivette Nichole Brown on the Talking Dead Rick totally checked out Michonne.  A new couple for next season?  Interesting.
 - Will we see the Governor again?  He is still alive which makes him a viable threat for next season.  He is a master manipulator and I can see him charming another group of survivors into following him.  Maybe this time he will make himself a real army.  That is a scary thought.
- What happened to the big showdown between Woodbury and the prison?  I was a little let down with the encounter.  It felt like all season was building up to this moment and it ended so quickly and uneventfully.
- What is in store for season 4?  No hints at all. Last season we were given a glimpse of the prison.  This season ended with a grave marker.  Was this Glen Mazzara flipping off the powers that be for dropping him as showrunner?

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 15: This Sorrowful Life

Rick, Daryl, and Hershel discuss giving Michonne to the Governor.  Daryl and Hershel don't think it is honest to keep it from the others.  Rick says it is so the others won't die.  Rick wants to bring in someone else, Merle presumably, Daryl says he'll talk to him but Rick says he will.  Merle is looking for drugs in a mattress.   Rick says they need his help and Merle just laughs.  Rick asks Merle if he knows why he does the things he does.  The only ones that know about the plan are Hershel, Daryl, Merle, and Rick.  Merle says the Governor won't kill Michonne just do things to her like take out her eyes.  Merle says Rick is as cold as ice and calls him "Officer Friendly."  He'll need wire and not rope or she'll chew through them.  Merle says he doesn't know why he does the thing he does.  He is a mystery, but he knows Rick.  Rick doesn't have the spine for it. 

Carl and Maggie are making noise to distract the zombies while Glenn, Daryl, and Michonne bring a car up to the prison.  Michonne had the idea to set barbed wire by the fence so if the Governor attacks it will blow out the tires.  She says they don't have to win, just make sure the Governor thinks it is too much trouble.  Daryl gives Rick a look that says she is useful and this isn't right.  Merle and Carol are talking.  He wants to know if there is any liquor and she tells him to go to hell.  She wants to know if he is with them.  Not just living with them but on their side.  Merle says he is here for Daryl and Daryl is here for them.  Carol says it's time for Merle to pick a side.  Merle notices the difference in Carol.  She is not scared of anything anymore.  She's a late bloomer, maybe he is too. 

Daryl asks Glenn if he has seen Merle.  Daryl asks if Merle has apologized to Glenn.  Merle is sorry and Daryl will make Merle  make it alright.  Glenn tells Daryl what Merle did to him and Maggie.  He can forgive Merle for what he did to himself but not what happened to Maggie.  Glenn cares more about Maggie than himself.  Daryl goes looking for Merle in the prison.  He finds him in the engine room.  Merle says he is looking for crystal meth.  Merle says he is in with the plan to give Michonne.  But Merle says Rick won't go through with it.  He asks what Daryl thinks and Daryl says he will do whatever Rick says.  Merle says Daryl has lost his balls and used to make fun of people like that.  Merle says Daryl needs to grow up.   Things are different now.  He calls them out for doing to Michonne what he did to Glenn and Maggie.  Merle says you do what you gotta do to survive.  He says they need people like him.  A bad guy to do the dirty work.  Daryl says he just wants his brother back.  It seems to get too emotional for Merle and he tells Daryl to leave.  Merle grabs a phone and puts it in a bag with other things.  I assume wires to tie up Michonne.

Hershel is reading the Bible out loud to Maggie and Beth.  We see Rick gathering up wire.  He looks up and sees pregnant Lori.  He says to himself she's not there.  Hershel tells his girls he would do anything to keep them safe.  Rick tells Hershel he can't give Michonne to the Governor.  Merle is leading Michonne into the prison to "help clear out an area."  Zombies come down the hall and she stars killing them.  Merle then hits her on the back of the head.  He kills some zombies.  Then he takes her sword, drags her away, ties her up with wire and puts a pillowcase over her head.

Merle walks with Michonne down a street and then tells her the plan to give her to the Governor.  He says he did what Rick couldn't do.  Rick tells Daryl the whole thing is off.  He can't find Merle and Michonne.  Daryl goes back to the engine room with Rick.  Daryl figures out that Merle took Michonne and he goes after Merle.  He tells Rick to stay because he is family too.  Merle tells Michonne that he just wants to be with Daryl and that he is doing this to keep his place there and hopefully this will keep the prison safe.  She says he is not truly bad since he feels the weight of his actions.  A bad man would feel light as a feather.

Glenn and Hershel are talking about the Governor.  Hershel says there will be more men like him, there always have been.  Glenn holds the pocket watch and says he now knows what it means and what it takes.  He wants to marry Maggie before anything happens.  Hershel gives him his blessing.  Glenn walks up to the fence where the zombies are and cuts the fingers off a female zombie.  Wedding ring for Maggie? 

Merle ties Michonne to the post of what looks like a motel while he breaks into a car.  He hot wires the car but the alarm starts to go off.  The alarm is now attracting a boat load of zombies.  Michonne calls out to Merle so he will untie her and kill the zombies. He can't hear her over the alarm.  She kills two zombies on her own (awesomely of course).  Then Merle gets attacked and starts killing zombies.  He cuts her free and they get into the car and drive away. She asks if his job is to clean up the trash.  She says things are different for Daryl.  Rick needs him and respects him.  She tells him this could have been a new beginning for Merle but he chose to stay on the outside.  No one is going to mourn him, not even Daryl because he has a new family.  He tells her she is just as much on the outside as he is.  She agrees but at least when the Governor is through with her she won't have to live with herself.  She asks Merle if he had killed anyone before Woodbury.  Why would he kill for the Governor who is a liar?  She tells them they can just go back.  He says he can't go back.  She asks why.  He stops the car and cuts her hands free.  He tells her to go back to Rick and get ready for what's next he has something he has to deal with on his own.  He gives her back her sword and drives away.  Even Merle has a heart.  Those Dixon brothers.  Just a bunch of softies.

Daryl finds Michonne and asks if she killed Merle.  She tells him that he let her go.  Daryl says don't anyone go after him.  Merle sits in the car blasting music and drinking booze while zombies surround it.  He drives just slow enough so the zombies can keep up with him.  He jumps out of the car and lets it go.  It is the meeting place for the Michonne exchange.  The Woodbury people hear the music.  Martinez sends a few men to deal with it.  They start shooting at the zombies.  Merle take the opportunity to shoot a few of the Woodbury men.  They are eaten by the zombies.  Sneaky, sneaky, Merle.  Martinez sees Merle.  Merle tries to shoot the Governor but Ben (douche bag Allen's son) steps in the way.  Then a zombie attacks Merle and Martinez and his men find him.  The Governor starts to beat him up and bites off two of Merle's fingers.  Gross.  Merle isn't going to beg.  The Governor says no and shoots Merle. 

Glen approaches Maggie, he takes her by the hand and puts a ring in it.  She says yes.  Rick has everyone gathered together.  He tells them about the deal to leave them alone if they gave the Governor Michonne.  He admits he was going to do it to keep them safe.  But he changed his mind but Merle went through with it and Daryl went to stop him.   He was wrong not to tell them and he apologizes.  He mentions the Ricktatorship speech he gave them.  He says he was wrong and it can't be.  He can't sacrifice one life for the greater good.  All of them together are the greater good.  He is not their governor.  We choose to go or stay.  We stick together.  They vote it is their choice.  He walks off and goes to the watchtower.  He spies Michonne through the scope.

Daryl finds the meeting place.  He sees dead zombies and dead Woodbury posse being eaten by zombies.  He finds zombie Merle eating Ben and he starts to cry.  Poor Daryl.  Zombie Merle approaches him and he backs away crying.  He pushes Merle away a few times then stabs Merle over and over again with tears streaming down his face.  Somebody give Norman Reedus an Emmy and a Golden Globe now.  

Some thoughts
- This was such a great episode.  The conversation that Merle and Michonne had in the car reminded me of the one that Rick had with Morgan a few episodes back.  It seemed to be the push that Merle needed to officially decide he was on Rick's side and sever all ties with the Governor.
- It seems that whenever we get to know a minor character well or a main character makes a stand they die.  See Axel a few episodes back and Dale in season two.
- I wish we had learned a little more about Merle's childhood.  We know there was abuse and that he joined the army to get away from it but we don't know why he did drugs or why he ever went back.
- The Governor is very vengeful because not only did he bite off Merle's fingers and shoot him but he left him to become a zombie so he could live on in a form of punishment Merle would have hated. 
- If they could get ghost Lori's wedding dress they would be all set for a prison wedding.
- Someone needs to give Daryl a hug.  Here's hoping it's Carol.

RIP Merle Dixon

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 14: Prey

Pet zombies!  Flashback to Michonne and Andrea's time together.  Just two gals sitting around a fire cooking food out of tin cans with a couple of zombies.  You know, girls' night.  Pets are getting restless.  Andrea wants to know if Michonne knew her pets or if they attacked her.  Michonne's look says it all, she knew them but doesn't want to talk about it.  Michonne says they deserved what they got, they were never human to begin with.  I want some details.   Hopefully next season we will get to know Michonne better.

The Governor has two chains tied to two posts in some dungeon looking room.  Martinez and some men are getting guns prepared to attack the prison.  Andrea thought there was a deal on the table.  Milton lies and tells her it is just a precaution.  The Governor is prepping what looks like medical instruments for torture in his secret chamber.  Milton watches him.  He asks the Governor what that is and the Governor says it's his "work shop."  Milton thinks this is wrong.  Woodbury was a new start.  The prison has nothing to do with what Michonne did.  Milton says what happened with Penny is done and doesn't matter.  When the Governor says it does he runs and tells Andrea the truth.  The Governor will kill everyone at the prison whether or not they turn over Michonne.  Milton shows Andrea the torture chamber.  Milton tells her to leave and warn those at the prison.  She says she is going to kill the Governor.  They hide in the shadows as the Governor enters with more tools of torture.  He puts a recorder on the chair and whistles.  Andrea points a gun at him but Milton stops her from shooting.  Why, Milton, why?  Milton knew Philip before he became the Governor.  Milton points out that if the Governor dies Martinez will just take over and nothing will change.  Andrea decides to go back to the prison and tries to convince Milton to go with her.  But he says he belongs in Woodbury.  She tells him if he stays he can't look the other way.  Martinez calls to Andrea as she is walking through town and tells her to give him her gun because they need it.  The Governor walks up and tells her he kept this from her to keep her separate and safe.  He will need her tomorrow when they are supposed to meet Rick.  She plays along with this story.  Tyreese and his sister are on guard at the wall as a zombie approaches.  Tyreese is trying to shoot it but missing.  His sister taunts him, it takes him several tries to kill it.  Andrea tells them that that Martinez wants their help.  They don't believe her so she tells them the truth.  She is leaving.  She tells them the Governor is not what he seems.  She tells them they should leave too.  They let her go.  She only has her knife.  They feel bad about letting her go. 

Tyreese and his sister tell the Governor about Andrea.  Martinez says they should have stopped her.  The Governor lies and tells them that Andrea was out alone all winter and that she is unstable.  He asks what she said.  What panicked her.  Tyreese and his sister lie.  They want to make sure that they are still welcome in Woodbury since they let her go.  He tells them they are still welcome in Woodbury, but to go help Martinez.  I smell murder.  Milton asks if they are going after her, the Governor says he is going.  Milton tells the Governor to let her go and be with her people.  The Governor asks Milton if he spoke to her.  He wants to know if Milton told her about Michonne.  The Governor realizes Andrea knows about Michonne and possibly the torture chamber.  I hope that doesn't mean Milton is next on the list.  We see Andrea running down a road with zombies all around.  Martinez won't tell Tyreese where they are going.  The man in Tyreese's group  (Allen) believes the stuff in Woodbury have been saying about her.  He doesn't want to get kicked out because of Tyreese.  Tyreese is starting to believe Andrea.  Allen is accusing Tyreese of shaming him in front of his son because Tyreese saved Allen's wife.  He is jealous of how his wife thought of Tyreese and attached herself to him.  I see Allen trying to kill Tyreese and getting killed himself.  Andrea hears a car coming and hides in the woods.   A zombie comes up behind the tree she is leaning on and puts his arm around her neck as two more zombies approach.  She grabs her knife and stabs one in the eye then breaks the arm of the one behind her.  She stabs zombie number three and stabs the one that was behind her.

Martinez and his crew arrive at the zombie pit they built earlier in the season.  Tyreese asks if the zombies are for the meeting tomorrow.  Martinez calls the people in the prison rats.  Tyreese says they can't do it.  Martinez tells them the Governor will kick them out.  Allen wants to stay in Woodbury but Tyreese wants to leave.  They start to fight and Tyreese holds Allen over the pit.  He pulls him back up.

Andrea is walking across some field on her way to the prison.  She really should have the knife in her hand.  She hears a car engine and hits the ground.  It is the Governor.  He starts to follow her honking his horn.  She just runs.  Run, Andrea, run!  He does not look happy.  Andrea makes it to some buildings but the Governor finds her there.  Andrea hides inside the building.  Now she has to watch for zombies and the Governor, she better be ready for anything.  She trips over something and makes noise.  Come on Andrea, get your act together.  The Governor conveniently enters the same building she is in.  He begins to whistle, you know, what crazy people do.  A zombie comes up behind Andrea and she kills it.  Just what the Governor wanted.  For Andrea to make noise so he could find her.  She hides and he follows.  He whispers her name and tells her to come back with him, he needs her.  Come back to her home, her people, her town.  She can't leave them all behind.  He says suit yourself and starts smashing windows with a shovel so he can hear her walking on the broken glass.  She hides with her knife.  He whistles again.  He gets closer, dragging the shovel across the floor.  A noise comes from the opposite direction, a walker probably, and he follows it in case it is Andrea.  It is a walker and he kills it.  Andrea gets up and walks in a different direction while the Governor is distracted killing zombies.  He hears her bump up against something.  A walker comes up next to her and she pushes it against a hook.  She opens a door and finds a stairway filled with zombies.  The Governor finds her.  He tells her it is time to go home.  She opens the door where the zombies were and walks away leaving the Governor to fight them all.  She hears the Governor fighting off the zombies and walks away.

A car approaches the zombie pit.  A horse trailer is filled with zombies and someone is pouring gasoline on it and the zombies in the pit and then setting them on fire.  We don't see who it it.  I think it might be Milton.  Andrea finally makes it to the prison.  I don't know why she didn't steal the Governor's truck.  She tries to wave at Rick but the Governor comes up behind her and pulls her to the ground.  Rick looks through the scope but doesn't see anything.  One of the posse pulls up to the zombie pit and sees the burnt bodies.  They are still moving.  The Governor returns to Woodbury.  He tells Martinez that he didn't find Andrea.  Martinez tells him about the zombie pit and blames it on Tyreese and his sister.  The Governor lies to Tyreese and his group about finding Andrea.  He tells them the pit zombies are just for show to scare Rick and his group.  Tyreese wants to know why no one explained that to them yesterday.  The Governor says they don't share tactics with people they don't know.  Tyreese says they want to stay.  They won't fight again.  The Governor asks them where they got the gasoline.  He thinks they burnt the zombies but I'm sure it was Milton.  Milton asks the Governor is Andrea is dead.  The Governor says he hopes not and that he has never been better.  Milton says it is a shame about the pits.  The Governor says he already knows who did it.  He now knows it was Milton and not Tyreese.  Andrea is being held in the torture chamber meant for Michonne.

Some thoughts
- I noticed that among the torture implements the Governor pulled out a needle and thread.  I can only assume that will be used to suture any cuts he makes so his victim won't die and he can keep torturing them.
- I want to know more about what happened between Tyreese and Allen's wife.  I would like some background on that group.  This was the first episode where I felt actual interest in them.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 13: Arrow on the Doorpost

The Summit begins

Daryl on his not so subtle bike, Hershel and Rick in their car pull up to what look like water towers.  Rick and Daryl look around while Hershel keeps and eye out in the car.  Hershel has a gun strapped to his leg.  Rick and Daryl make their way to a building and stumble upon a recently killed zombie.  Rick enters a wooden building and cocks his gun.  He cautiously makes his way in toward an area with a table and two chairs.  He hears a noise behind him and turns around.  It is the Governor.  the Governor approaches Rick and puts his hands up as a sign of appeasement and says they have a lot to talk about.  Rick thinks  things are pretty clear, the Governor attacked them.  The Governor says he could have killed them but chose not to.  He will remove his weapon as a sign of good faith and wants Rick to do the same.  Daryl looks in through a window.  Rick holsters his gun but continues to glare at the Governor.  The Governor sits down and we can see there is a gun taped to the table right where he sat down.  Daryl doesn't feel right about the situation.  The Governor was already there.  A car with the Martinez, Milton, and Andrea pulls up.  Andrea is surprised that the Governor is already here.  Andrea walks into the meeting and tells the two leaders she wants to end this feud and save the bullets for the zombies (one of the smartest things Andrea has said all season).  Rick accuses the Governor of all the things he's done including Maggie (even though he says that was Merle, Rick says he knows better).  Daryl calls Milton the Governor's butler.  Milton calls Daryl a henchman.  Hershel puts a kibosh on things.


You have to buy me a drink first

The Governor cuts Andrea's speech short.  Rick sets out a boundary for each group.  The Governor says Andrea is in no position to settle anything.  The Governor wants Rick to surrender.   The Governor kicks Andrea out and she goes off in a huff per usual.  Rick sits down across from the Governor and Martinez shuts the door.  Rick tells the Governor that the Governor is beholden to his people.  The Governor keeps blaming Merle for Maggie and Glenn.  Rick wants the Governor to take responsibility for what happened.  Rick calls him the town drunk who ripped up his fence and his yard.  The Governor brings up the fact that the baby might be Shane's and that Rick failed to see the Devil beside him.  Rick says he sees the Devil alright.  Daryl paces back and forth.  Milton wants to discuss the issues amongst themselves.  Milton called the situation a battle and recorded it as part of their history.  He is interrupted by the sound of zombies.  Daryl says "after you" to Martinez but Martinez insists Daryl go first.  Andrea has had enough and walks past them to kill the fist the zombie.  Martinez and Daryl start to show off as they each kill zombies.  Daryl gives him a nod of respect.  Daryl finds a pack of cigarettes and offers one to Martinez who declines.  They start to talk about how zombies suck.  Martinez says they will not work anything out, they will fight it out some day.  Daryl says he knows. This was a bonding moment between two opposing soldiers.  They know the only way to end this will be an eventual fight to the death.  Neither leader will accept surrender and their good soldiers accept their own possible deaths and they accept that fate.  Hershel reads through the history that Milton wrote.  Milton and Hershel discuss how Hershel lost his leg.  Milton is very interested about the procedure.  Hershel denies that they have a doctor (good call Hershel).  Milton wants to see the stump but Hershel won't until Milton buys him a drink.  They laugh.

Drink with me to days gone by

The Governor doesn't like looking weak after Rick and the group attacked Woodbury.  They are here because of the choices they've made.  The people they love will suffer.  The Governor shares a story about his life before: he got a call about his wife dieing in an accident.  He never go the chance to return her phone call and now he wonders why she called.  What did she want?  Rick seems moved; he's probably thinking about Lori (including his own phone call with his dead wife, what does ghost Lori want?).  They both drink the whiskey that the Governor brought.  I don't think it is good for Rick to be drinking.  He is already cray cray and the Governor is pouring the manipulation on really thick. I'm not sure if this story about his wife is even true.  The Governor knows more about Rick than Rick knows about the Governor (thanks a lot Andrea).

Good thing we found this sex garage

Back at the prison Glenn is arming everyone.  Merle wants to take the weapons and use them on the Governor and kill him.  Carl says his dad can take care of himself but Merle says Rick will be dead soon.  Glenn says this is not the time and his decision is final.  Zombies mill around that fence at the prison.  Glenn is out there with a blow torch fixing part of an outer door.  Merle is packing some things to go be with Daryl.  Glenn won't let him leave.  They begin to fight.  Maggie gets behind Merle and Michonne helps her.  Beth fires a gun into the air and the fighting stops.  Way to be proactive Beth.  Merle tells Michonne she knows he is right.  Rick's group is full of fighters but not killers.  She says Rick, Maggie, and Carl are killers.  Merle invites her to come with him to kill the Governor.  She asks about Andrea.  He says Andrea will have to choose.  She tells him he is on his own.  Glenn stares at the zombies by the gate.  Maggie comes out with a gun to take her turn watching the perimeter.  He tells her it was a hell of a choke hold she had Merle in.  Glenn says that when they got back from Woodbury he didn't give her the space she needed, he made it all about him.  She says she is always with him.  He apologizes and she says she knows and they hug.  He tells her he loves her and they kiss.  Glenn can't make out in front of the audience of zombies.  They go off to a garage to have sex.  Not the time to be having sex with no one watching the gate.

Prepare for war

Hershel goes to talk to Andrea to find out what happened inside.  She asks Hershel what happened to Maggie.  Hershel says the Governor is a sick man.  She doesn't know what to do.  She can't go back there.  Hershel calls her family and invites her back and it's settled (she can never go back to Woodbury).  The Governor says he never wanted to be in charge (liar!).  He says he knows Rick brought back a stash of guns but the Governor has more.  The fight will go down to the last man.  He wants to end it today.  They can walk away.  Rick has something the Governor wants.  Rick won't give up the prison.  The Governor says he doesn't want it.  He wants Michonne (an eye for an eye).  He asks Rick if one woman is worth all the lives of Rick's group.  Rick says he doesn't get it.  The Governor obviously has a plan to bring civilization back why risk it all on a vendetta?  Good point, Rick.  Killing Michonne is beneath him.  The Governor says Rick can save his son, his daughter, and everyone he knows.  It's all up to Rick.  How does Rick know the Governor will keep his word after he gets Michonne?  The Governor says Rick can have whatever he wants because the Governor doesn't care about Rick.  He gives Rick two days to decide then walks away.  Everyone stares at each other as they get into their perspective vehicles.  Hershel looks at Andrea.  Andrea chooses to return with the Governor.  She better slit his throat tonight.  The Governor returns to Woodbury.  The Governor tells Martinez to keep watch.  When Rick returns to the meeting in two days with Michonne he wants Martinez to keep her alive but kill the others to avoid a slaughter.  Milton calls it a slaughter.  The Governor says not on their end.  He says they were going to have to eliminate Rick sooner or later.  He thanks Andrea for setting up the meeting.  He tells her they have come to terms and will meet again in two days.  He doesn't tell her the terms.
 
Rick tells the group he met the Governor, just the two of them.  Merle thinks he should have killed him when they had a chance.  Rick tells them he wants the prison and all of them dead for what they did in Woodbury.  They are going to war.  It's about freaking time.  Rick is out where he last spoke to Lori.  Hershel comes out.  Merle and Michonne want to hit the Governor first.  Hershel and Carol want to take their chances on the road but they will do whatever Rick decides.  Rick tells Hershel the Governor gave him a way out if he gives them Michonne.  Hershel says the Governor will kill Michonne.  What if this is the answer?  Hershel wants to know why he didn't tell everyone else.  Rick says they need to be scared because that's the only way they'll accept it.  Michonne has earned her place (she saved Hershel and Carl told them about Glenn and Maggie's kidnapping).  Is he willing to sacrifice his daughter's lives for her?  Rick is telling Hershel so that Hershel will talk him out of it. Michonne has definitely earned her place, more so than Andrea.  They even accepted Merle who is a loose cannon.  Rick is going to have to go into stealth mode, invade Woodbury, and kill the Governor.  Maybe make it look like zombies did it.  Slit the Governor's throat but leave a couple of zombies in the room to eat the evidence of murder. 

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 12: Clear

It's road trip time.

Rick, Carl, and Michonne are on their way to get guns and ammo.  They pass a guy on the road without even slowing down.  They get stuck in the mud and zombies surround the car.  Rick tells Carl to cover his ears.  He opens his window a bit and shoots the zombie.  Next scene all the zombies are dead and Rick is teaching Carl how to get the car unstuck.  Carl is questioning why Michonne is with them.  Rick says he didn't want to leave Michonne alone with Merle.  He says they will eventually get rid of her.  Michonne overhears their conversation.  The guy they passed has made it near them and is begging for them to wait for him.  They don't stick around for him to join them.  They arrive in an abandoned town.  There is a green arrow spray painted on a building.  They seem to follow where it leads.  The building has been cleaned out of ammo.  It was Rick's old police station.  Rick wants to ransack bars and other places where he knew the owners had guns.  He asks Michonne if she has a problem with that and she says no.  She wants to stay with them.  They pass a pile of dead bodies that have been burnt.  They continue to follow the green arrows.  Weird signs spray painted everywhere.  "Turn around and live."  It looks like they stumbled upon some kind of barricade/obstacle course.  Michonne is apprehensive because it looks like someone already made the town theirs.  A female zombie starts to follow them.  A man on a roof of a building shoots the zombie dead.  The man wants them to leave but Michonne wants the rifle and tells Rick she can make it up there.  Rick begins to fire and the man fires back.  By the time Michonne gets up there he is gone.  The man reappears on the street and shoots at Rick.  Carl comes out of nowhere and shoots the man.  Rick looks surprised at what Carl did.  He didn't want Carl to have to do that.  Carl has already had to deal with too much death the past few months (in particular the death of Lori not to mention the fact that Carl shot her in the head).  The man is wearing body armor.  He is alive.  It is Morgan from the first episode!  I thought it would be since they showed Rick talking on the walkie-talkie at the beginning of the episode.  That was a bit of a spoiler. 

Watch out for booby traps

Rick tells Michonne to keep an eye out for booby traps.  Michonne wants to leave but Rick doesn't because Morgan saved his life and he had a son.  They carry him inside.  There are a lot of creative booby traps.  He has quite an arsenal.  They have hit the jackpot.  He has been busy.  Not only is it everything from the police station but a ton more stuff.  Michonne and Carl get busy grabbing ammo and weapons.  There is a ton of writing on the walls.  It looks like he went crazy.  Rick finds the walkie-talkie he gave him in season one.  I think he feels guilty.  Written on the walls are words Duane turned.  Sad.  Michonne thinks Morgan is crazy.  Rick insists on waiting for him.  I understand he feels bad but if this guy is cuckoo it could turn out badly for them.  Who knows what hidden booby traps or weapons he could unleash on them.  Carl finds a map of the town drawn on the wall.  It has Rick's house marked on it.  The house was burnt.  Rick asks if the reason Carl wanted to come back is to go to their old house.  Carl avoids the question and says he wants to go on a run.  He says he wants to get a crib.  Michonne points out he is going to need helping carrying a crib.  Michonne goes with him.  Carl tells her he can handle it.  Michonne goes to kill a zombie and Carl goes off on his own just like he planned it.  She follows him.  He wants to do this on his own.  She points out he just passed the baby place.  He says he is getting baby sis something else first.  Rick stands by an unconscious Morgan and says he is sorry this happened to him.  We see that Morgan has a knife by his bed and is reaching for it.  He jumps up and tries to attack Rick.  Morgan does not remember him.  Morgan tries to kill Rick and says he turned and that everybody turns.  He stabs Rick.  Rick points his gun at him.  Morgan asks Rick to kill him. 

The weak inherit the earth

Morgan keeps asking Rick to kill him.  Rick tells him how Morgan found him and saved him.  He reminds him of the walkie.  Morgan remembers him.  Morgan says how he turned the walkie on everyday but all he got was static.  He gets mad at Rick for not being there.  But we know Rick did call out to Morgan.  Rick explains he kept getting pushed farther out and had to keep moving but he didn't have choice.  Morgan gets mad because Rick found his family.  Morgan asks if Lori turned.  No, she just died.  Morgan starts talking about his wife.  He had to see his family turn.  Rick tried to get Morgan to kill his wife but Morgan couldn't.  Morgan and Duane were always looking for food.  Morgan went down to a cellar alone.  When he came up he saw his wife and Duane with his gun.  Duane couldn't kill his mom.  Morgan called to Duane but his wife bit him.  Morgan finally killed his wife but had to lose his son in the process.  All he saw was red.  Morgan says he was selfish and weak.  He asks Rick if his own son is dead.  Morgan says he will be.  Good people always die, bad people die, but people like him, the weak, inherit the earth.  I say if Morgan wants to die Rick should kill him and put him out of his misery.  Then they should load up with guns, ammo, and food.

Sometime you want to go where everybody knows your name

Carl and Michonne make their way to a cafe.  Carl peaks through the door and sees a couple of bodies inside.  Michonne stops him from going inside.  She is out there to help.  He says she is out there for a common interest, same enemy.  She can't stop him but he can't stop her from helping him.  They put the rat cages on skateboards and send them in there to distract the zombies (nice thinking, Michonne).  They make their way to the back.  A zombie they didn't see wakes up.  Carl climbs unto the bar and grabs a photograph and the hidden zombie grabs his leg but Michonne kills it silently.  One of the rats gets loose and all the zombies follow it right to them.  They start to fight off zombies and make their way out the door.  Carl drops the photograph.  It's the only one left!  Michonne agrees to help him get it back but he has to wait for her and do it her way.  Michonne comes back with the photo it is of Rick, Lori, and Carl.  She says she was going to go back anyway to get some cat statue she thinks is gorgeous.  Rick says Morgan is supposed to come back with them.  Rick tells Morgan about the prison.  Isn't that where Rick's wife died?  Morgan asks why they need all the guns.  If they found something good then someone else wants to take it and that is why they need the guns.  But not Morgan, he will not see people he cares about die again.  Rick says they both started out in the same place and bad things happened to both of them.  He can come back from this.  He has to be able to come back from this.  Rick is talking to himself. If he can make Morgan come back from crazy town then Rick can come back from crazy town.  Morgan says he has to clear.  Clear is written on the wall several times.

Morgan is clearing the area of the zombies that got stuck in the barricade.  Carl and Michonne come back carrying a crib.  He's okay, says Michonne.  No he's not says Rick.  Carl calls out to Morgan.  Carl tells him he had to shoot him and that he's sorry.  Morgan tells him to never be sorry.  In this new world apologies are meaningless.  As they are packing up their car Carl tells Rick that Michonne is one of them.  Good because bad things happen to those Rick rejects and they come back to get their revenge on Rick and his group.  Michonne asks Rick if he saw something.  She says she knows he sees people.  She used to talk to her dead boyfriend, it happens.  He asks if she wants to drive, yes she says, good because he sees things.  Zing!  They drive past Morgan getting ready to set fire to the dead bodies he collected by the pile of burnt bodies they saw earlier.  They drive by the eaten body of the guy they saw earlier.  They stop to pick up the guy's backpack.  

Some thoughts
- I really loved this episode.  I usually prefer the action heavy zombie killing episodes best but this was a quiet episode done well.
- We finally learned what became of Morgan and Duane (RIP Duane).
- We got to see another side of Michonne.  She was probably the only adult on the show to actually keep an eye on Carl and to tell him he is being stupid and reckless.
- Rick looks like he is on his way out of crazy town (much like he is leaving his hometown for good).
- What "clear" means according to TWD creator Robert Kirkman: "It means a lot of things. To a certain extent it’s the ravings of a lunatic but it’s also about him trying to clear out his life and clear out any entanglements around him. He’s living by himself so he’s trying to have a clear head. It’s basically about him getting rid of his wife and getting rid of his son and the only way for him to survive is to clear the area around him." (see Entertainment Weekly online for full article).

RIP Duane

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 11: I Ain't a Judas

Should we stay or should we go?

We begin with the Grimes gang arguing about whether they should leave or fight for the prison.  Rick doesn't want to leave.  Merle wants to leave to fight another day.  He says they should be afraid of the Governor who has the guns and the manpower.  Rick starts to walk off and Hershel yells at him to get back here.  He quotes Rick about this not being a democracy and tells Rick to do something.  Rick walks out to check on what things look like outside.  A lot of walkers are around the only gate left. The prison has reverted to its episode 1 state: zombies everywhere. Carl comes up beside him.  Carl tells Rick that he should stop being the leader.  Good point kiddo.  Hershel and Daryl should handle things and Rick should rest.  No one needs a leader that is cray cray when you have to survive a zombiepocalypse. 


Glenn is still upset about Merle.  Daryl says he is one of them now and Glenn needs to learn to live with it.  Glenn wants to use Merle as a bargaining chip with the Governor.  I don't think that would work.  The Governor doesn't care about Merle.  He might even consider Merle as a threat.  He knows everything about Woodbury and can handle himself armed or not.  Hershel goes to talk with Merle to find out what kind of a man he is.  Hershel tells Merle that Rick cut his leg after he was bitten.  Hershel quotes the Bible about cutting off the hand that offends you.  Matthew 5:29-30 replies Merle.  Woodbury had a good library.  When the Governor returns he is going to kill Merle, followed by Michonne and the rest of the group, Rick will be last so he can watch everyone die.  That statement sums up the kind of man the Governor is, he holds a grudge and likes to be in control of everyone.  Carol goes to Daryl to say she is glad he came back.  She calls the prison a home but he calls it a tomb.  She tells him that Merle is not good for him.  He has come so far.  They laugh (ah, love).  When are those two crazy kids going to finally get together?

Woodbury's army = Star Trek red shirts

Milton and the Governor are discussing the population of Woodbury that can be trained to use weapons.  That includes kids 12 and older.  Andrea walks in and gets mad at him for retaliating at the prison.  She says she is sick of the lies.  She doesn't want to see the prison group and Woodbury kill each other.  He says it is too late.  She wants to save her friends and work this out.  She wants a car to go to the prison.  The Governor says if she goes to the prison she stays there.  The Governor is surveying the new recruits to his army.  He asks a kid with asthma if he can shoot a gun. Child soldiers (especially asthmatic child soldiers) are not a good idea.  The Governor says that adolescence is a 20th Century invention.  In a way he is right.  They no longer have the luxury to treat kids as kids.  This world is not safe and the only way to survive is to fight.  Andrea asks Milton if he knew about the fight at the prison.  She wants him to cover for her while she goes to the prison.  He doesn't want to be put in this situation.  She wants to take the risk to avoid a war with child soldiers.  She is trying to do something good for once.  With so few living people in a world run by zombies war seems even more ridiculous and pointless than ever before.  The Governor now has an eye patch. For a moment there I thought he was going to use the match to cauterize his wound.  Milton comes to report on Andrea to the Governor.  The Governor tells Milton to help her.  Milton thinks this is a test, but the Governor insists Milton should help her.  I'm not sure what his end game is concerning Andrea. 

Making zombie pets is fun!

Zombie walking through the woods alone Andrea and Milton knock it took the ground.  Milton holds it down while Andrea cuts off its arms.  The next scene is both the grosses and kind of the most awesome zombie mutilation on the show.  They use push the zombie's head down on a rock in order to break its jaw.  They are making a zombie pet a la Michonne.  A zombie comes out from behind and Tyreese kills it.  He gives Andrea and Milton a weird look.  Milton explains how the zombie pet keeps the other zombies away.  They tell Tyreese about Woodbury.  Milton offers to take them back.  Just say no Tyreese!  But I understand, after thinking they found safety in the prison they would be desperate to find a safe place. 

Welcome back Andrea! Well, not really.

Michonne is doing her workout.  Merle comes to talk to her.  He wants to clear the air.  Hunting her down was just business.  He wants to get past it.  Andrea walks up to the prison with her zombie pet.  Carl is on lookout duty.  He tells Maggie there is something weird out there.  She looks through her gun and tells Carl it is Andrea and to go get Rick and the others.  Andrea is making her way past the walkers to the gate.  Rick and the others come out armed.  Rick asks if she is alone.  Andrea yells at him to open the gate.  He frisks her for weapons and puts her on her knees.  She seems surprised by how they are treating her but she really shouldn't be.  They take her inside and she hugs Carol.  Carol explains that they thought she had died.  She asks where Shane is and everyone looks down.  Then she asks about Lori.  Rick tells her that Lori and T-Dog died.  She says she is so sorry.  Rick won't let her in the cell block because he doesn't trust since the Governor attacked them.  Even after finding out what really happened during the attack on the prison she is still on team Woodbury.  She tells them that she came as soon as she could that she didn't know that they were at Woodbury.  She gets mad about how they are treating her but they accept Merle.  Rick says they are going to kill the Governor.  She says there is room at Woodbury for all of them.  Hershel asks if the Governor is willing to negotiate.  Daryl says he is going to take the Governor's other eye (yes, please).   She tells them that they are gearing up for war and that they can't win against the Woodbury army.

Andrea tells Michonne that she poisoned them against her.  Michonne said that she could see Andrea was under the Governor's spell.  She tells Andrea that he sent Merle to kill her.  She chose a warm bed over a friend and that is why Michonne went back to Woodbury.  To expose the Governor's true self even if it hurt Andrea.  Michonne was the true friend.  Andrea is going to have to choose.

The Governor is giving Tyreese the spiel about Woodbury.  He lies about Rick rescuing the Maggie and Glenn and tells them they were attacked by a group of crazy people.  Tyreese tells them they ran into Rick.   That Rick was crazy but everyone else was cool.  They volunteer to help out in the fight against Rick.  Tyreese wants to help earn his keep.  Milton wants them to describe the layout of the prison.  Ruh roh!

Carol hatches a plan

Andrea holds Lil' Asskicker aka Judith.  She asks what happens to Lori and Carol tells her about Lori, T-Dog and Shane.  Carol tells her about how and why Rick killed Shane.  Andrea says Rick has become cold and unsteady.  Carol says he has his reasons.  Carol says Andrea needs to sleep with the Governor, give him the best night of his life, and end this (kill the Governor).  Rick gives Andrea a car.  We are assuming she is following Carol's plan to earn her place back with Rick and the gang.  Rick gives her a gun and tells her to be careful.  Andrea drives away and the group looks weak with all those zombies and just a handful of people.

Andrea drives up to Woodbury the group guarding the entry point their guns at her.  She walks into the Governor's house and tells him that she went to the prison.  She admits that Michonne and Merle are there.  He asks if Rick sent her back she says it was her call.  He asks why and says that she belongs at Woodbury.

Hold On

The gang is sitting silently in the prison.  Beth starts to sing.  "You gotta hold on, hold on."  Rick, Hershel, and Daryl discuss the situation.  Rick says he is going on a run tomorrow and Daryl wants to go with him.  Rick wants Daryl to stay and keep an eye on Merle.  He will take Michonne and Carl with him.  Daryl will stay and keep the fort.  The scene ends with Carl looking out on the yard full of zombies and Andrea in bed with the Governor while the song that Beth was singing plays (but this time it is the original Tom Waits version).  She grabs a knife and walks over to a sleeping Governor.  She can't do it. 

Some Thoughts

- I think Michonne was hurt by Andrea because they were more than friends during those months together.

- Carl is gearing up to become the group's leader.  He has already proven himself to be better able to deal with death than any of the adults (see his conversation with Daryl about their mothers from episode 6).  He sees the weakness in Rick and is trying to ease him out of the role of leadership.  This is definitely going to affect the father-son relationship.  I think that makes for an interesting story line that I hope the writers continue.

- Carol is turning into a really interesting character.  First, she became the gangs new sharpshooter and now she is creating plans to get rid of the Governor.

- Milton is really growing on me.  I know he creepy and weird but there is something about him.  He's kind of like Peter Saarsgard.  He's creepy yet you feel drawn to him for some inexplicable reason.

- Andrea could easily create her own plan to take over Woodbury.  After her speech some of the townspeople are turning to her.  The people of Woodbury have been kept ignorant of what the Governor does but they are still questioning his authority.  He abandoned them after the attack and now he is creating an army out of teens and old ladies (aka the first people to die when war breaks out).

- I'm not sure what the writers are doing with Merle.  It feels like he is suffering from multiple personalities.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 10: Home

I spy with my little eye . . .
Rick is clearing out crates from the prison.  He starts looking out of binoculars.  He spots Michonne living in a van down by the river!  Just kidding, she is living in an overturned prison bus.  As he continues to look over the perimeter he sees ghost Lori standing in front of her "grave."  He walks up to her and she disappears.  She then reappears by one of the guard towers.  He follows her there, running past Michonne like a madman, unlocking gates without thinking.  Michonne closes the gates.  Lori is now out on a bridge over the water (outside of the gates of the prison).  She puts her hands on his face.  Michonne just stares at Rick standing by himself on the bridge. 

The manipulation continues
The guards are back up on the gate at Woodbury.  The Governor knocks on Andrea's door.  He admires the speech she gave.  He says as long as Rick leaves them alone there won't be a problem (I smell a giant lie).  He says he's done terrible things and is not fit to lead the people, but Andrea is.  He says he kept his daughter alive in hope that Milton would succeed in finding her in her zombie self.  "I, we need you." he says.  He is trying to make up for calling her a visitor in the previous episode.  Can you say manipulation?

The Dixon brothers go camping

Daryl and Merle are out in the woods.  They argue over which direction to go.  Daryl says they should look for Yellow Jacket creek.  Daryl can't find any game to kill.  Merle is optimistic in finding squirrels in the woods.  Daryl wants to scavenge the houses they passed.  Merle makes fun of Daryl for scavenging houses with Rick and the gang.  He is clearly jealous of the relationship that Rick and Daryl have and how that has changed Daryl (Daryl has some self-esteem).  Merle doesn't want to go to the prison but Daryl does (food, protection, etc.).  Merle says there is no point in going back because the Governor will have killed everyone at the prison by now.  Daryl and Merle are discussing where to go.  Merle is putting down Daryl telling him he doesn't know anything.  They hear a sound that Merle says is animals doing it but Daryl says it's a baby.  It turns out it is a group of survivors that is surrounded by zombies.  Daryl goes to help.  Merle doesn't want to help.  Zombies are closing in.  Daryl to the rescue doing what he does best, killing zombies with his crossbow.  Merle just watches.  Awesome zombie kill from Daryl by closing the trunk on a zombie head.  Merle shoots one of the zombies saying that he has Daryl's back.  The man is yelling at Merle in Spanish telling him to get away from his car.  Merle wants to ransack the car but Daryl tells him not to.  Merle does it anyway.  Daryl points his crossbow at Merle.  He tells the people to get in their car and go.  Merle is not happy.  This is probably the only time Daryl has stood up to Merle.  We see a sign for the Yellow Jacket creek as the brothers walk back into the woods.  Daryl was right all along.  Merle said they owed them.  Daryl went to help because there was a baby.  He tells Merle that he went back for him and did not cut off his hand.  Merle mentions that their original plan was to rob the original camp group.  They fight and Daryl's shirt rips.  Merle sees the scars on Daryl's back and realizes that their dad beat Daryl too.  That was the reason Merle left.  Daryl decides to go back to the prison.  Merle says he can't go back because he almost killed Michonne and the Chinese kid (aka Glenn who is Korean as Daryl corrects Merle).  Merle follows Daryl back to the prison.

Who's Martinez?
The Governor is in Milton's lab.  Milton is listening to alpha waves trying to get into a meditative state.  He asks if Milton is going to stay because he is invaluable and the Governor counts on him and considers him a friend.  He mentions he also counted on Merle.  He says that Martinez would take a bullet for him.  Would Milton take a bullet for him?  Where do Andrea's loyalties lie?   Would Milton keep an eye on her?  Andrea is looking for Martinez.  The lady on guard won't tell her where Martinez went or with whom.  She asks Milton where the Governor is.  He's not sure.  On a supply run?  She wants a specific answer to a specific question but he still doesn't give her a satisfying answer.

How about we close that giant hole in the back of the prison?
Glenn is trying to figure out where the hole in the prison is that Tyreese and his gang used to get in.  Glenn wants to prepare for the Governor's attack.  He wants to sneak in tonight and put a bullet in the Governor's brain with the help of Michonne.  Hershel brings up the point that the Governor did not expect them last time and many people died and were hurt.  Hershel doesn't think they can stay there and Glenn doesn't think they can run (he points out that now Hershel is on crutches and they have crying baby).  Glenn agrees to stay and defend the prison.  Glenn is going off with Carl leaving Michonne to help the rest.  He asks who's on watch and realizes nobody is.  When Glenn comes back with Carl he tells the group that the walkers have invaded in an area that was previously secure.  The group discusses leaving.  Glenn wants to take Maggie with him to check out the hole.  She is lying on a bunk.  He wants to talk about what happened.  She doesn't, but she still tells him what happened.  No, he didn't rape her.  She asks if he feels better?  She was given a choice, take off her shirt or Glenn loses his hand.  He says he's sorry but she pushes him away and tells him to leave. I hope they are able to overcome this in their relationship.  They both have to deal with being tortured and sexually assaulted (even though she wasn't raped I would still consider what the Governor did to her as sexual assault).  The problem is they don't really have the time do deal with this issue.  They have zombies coming in through the back of the prison and the Governor plotting his revenge.  In the meantime, Carol and Axel are outside reinforcing the fence.  Axel tells her that he robbed a convenience store with a water pistol.  He was arrested because they found him at his brother's house and found his brother's gun.  Carol shows him how to use the gun he was given.  He flirts with her and she seems to enjoy it.

This means war
Hershel calls out to Glenn who is heading to the car.  He wants to make sure that he is not going back to Woodbury.  Hershel wants to go with him to check on the gaping whole in the back of the prison.  Glenn feels he is responsible for what happened to Maggie.  Glenn's rage is going to get him killed.  Glenn says he's the next in charge with Daryl gone and Rick all crazy.  Rick is wandering around the wooded area around the prison.   He hears a man calling him.  It was Hershel.  For a moment there I thought it was another ghost.  He asks Rick if he is coming back soon.  Glenn is on the war path and reckless.  Rick tells Hershel he can be the leader if he is so worried about Glenn.  He doesn't tell Hershel why he is out there.  Hershel asks if he can help.  Rick tells him he saw something.  He is seeing Lori.  He says he knows it's not really her but it has to mean something.  He saw Shane in the town.  He says he is looking for them.  He is waiting.  Rick says there is an answer and that in time it will make sense.  Hershel tells him to come in to rest where it is safe.  Rick says he can't and walks off.  Axel says its stress that has made Rick crack.  He says things made more sense inside because there were rules and life was simple.  Bam! Somebody shoots Axel in the head.  It was the Governor and his posse.   They start to shoot at Rick and Hershel.  Carol protects herself with Axel's body.  Michonne and Carl shoot back.  One of the men is up on an exterior guard tower.  Rick shoots at Martinez.  The Governor is trying to kill Michonne.  He has a big smile on his face.  Maggie comes out with some guns.  Carl is trying to kill the guard up on the tower.  Carol runs to Carl and Beth and grabs one of the guns.  They hear a vehicle and everybody stops shooting.  It is a van that has plowed through the gates of the prison.  The back opens up and zombies come walking out.  Hershel is out in the field alone with the zombies.  A zombie comes up to the Governor and he shoots it.  Maggie kills the guy in the tower.  Rick is being chased by zombies that came because of all of the noise.  Glenn has just arrived.  The rest of the gang starts killing zombie.  Rick is fighting off two zombies.  Merle and Daryl arrive just in time to help Rick from becoming zombie food.  Glenn picks up Hershel and Michonne.  They drive up to the only gate left.  Merle, Rick, and Daryl are still outside of the prison.  Zombies are moving in to the previously secure yard.  Rick seems focused for the moment as he stares from the outside of the fence towards the prison.  And so it begins.