This episode opens with, believe it or not, music. Real music, too, not just background music. It turns out to be Rick getting ready for a new day while listening to Boston’s “More Than A Feeling.” It’s slightly bizarre, but it’s a rare glimpse at the somewhat privileged life the people of Alexandria lead when things in the zombie apocalypse are going smoothly.
What makes the opening scene even more interesting is Michonne walking into the room in only a bath robe asking to borrow toothpaste, and then the two of them chastising teenage Carl, who is sporting a bandage over his now empty right eye socket, for throwing a ball in the house. Seriously, what is even happening right now?
Although we don’t know exactly how much time has passed since the night they took Alexandria back, in the next shot we see Denise walking down the street — and it’s not covered in blood, guts, or walker bodies. Denise runs into Daryl who is reviewing her list of supplies for the run he and Rick are about to go on, and he questions something at the very bottom of it all. Apparently, there is a certain soda that Tara was talking about in her sleep, which Denise heard, and now she wants to surprise her with it. How sweet is that? Also, how quickly did Denise and Tara’s relationship escalate?!
As Rick and Daryl drive out of Alexandria they pass the memorial wall, and the list has grown substantially since the walker takeover. It’s a brief glimpse, but you can clearly see Deanna’s name at the very top, and the washed-off letters that once spelled Glenn’s name. They are then stopped by Eugene at the gate, who gives them a list of farming supply places in the area he wants them to hit so he can use his science smarts to help improve their crops. It’s one of the funnier, light-hearted scenes we’ve seen on the show in a while, and you can actually watch it at the top of this post!
Once they are on the road we find out it’s been, at the very least, “weeks” since they saved Alexandria. Daryl casually mentions it when Rick says they may find people, but he reminds his friend that they haven’t seen anyone in “weeks” and that maybe that’s a good thing. Rick is strangely optimistic, and when he’s over Daryl’s downer attitude he puts in a CD of some upbeat, old-school music that drives his friend nuts. Guys, the new world brought us a new Rick.. and he’s kind of a dork.
Rick & Daryl Get Duped
It turns out that Rick’s optimism wasn’t poorly placed, because one of the first buildings they discover has a truck fully loaded with food and other supplies — including toothpaste. Not only that, but the truck starts, and they are able to drive it back to Alexandria. The problem? They stop at a gas station on the way, and while Daryl is trying to get some soda and candy out of a machine (as per Denise’s request), Rick asks him, “Why the trouble?” That’s when a masked man nearly tackles Rick, but immediately backs off when both of our guys pull guns on him.
The guy puts his hands up and doesn’t seem like a threat, but of course Rick and Daryl can never be too sure. He tells them he didn’t mean to run into Rick, but that he was running from the dead that were headed this way. The guy seems somewhat harmless, even though he won’t take the bandanna that’s covering most of his face off. He tells them they have a few minutes before the dead arrive and then wishes them luck before starting off on his own. Rick stops him though and tells him their names, to which the man turns around, pulls down his bandanna, and says his name is Paul — but that his friends calls him Jesus. For those of you who have read the graphic novels, you know all about Jesus!
Jesus isn’t interested in Rick’s 20 questions and takes off, which is when Rick tells Daryl there’s “more going on” with the guy because he’s clean and his beard was well trimmed. The two discuss tracking him to see where he comes from, but before they can do anything they hear gunshots behind the gas station and immediately go investigate. It turns out to be firecrackers, and that’s when Daryl realizes that Jesus swiped their keys. They run to the front just in time to watch their bearded friend drive away with their truck full of supplies.
Who’s The Walker That Carl Won’t Kill?
Back in the woods outside Alexandria, Michonne discovers Deanna’s son, Spencer, waiting for a walker to get a little too close before taking it out. Michonne isn’t willing to take the risk, so she let’s Spencer know of her presence by stepping in front of him and slicing the walker’s head in half. She questions Spencer’s motives, but he says he’s just out on a walk and hat he’s been doing it almost every day for some time now. Michonne then questions the shovel he has strapped to his back, but he walks away without answering her. Of course, she follows after him.
In another part of the woods we see one-eyed Carl out for a stroll with Enid. It’s probably not very safe for Carl to be out there, especially now that he’s lost half of his sight, but at least he isn’t alone. Eventually they park themselves in front of a tree to read, which gives us a glimpse into what teenage romance looks like in the apocalypse. But when they hear some trees rustling Enid immediately goes to hide while Carl pulls out his gun. It turns out to just be Michonne and Spencer, but Enid uses the moment to tell Carl she doesn’t want to come out into the woods anymore. He doesn’t seem happy, but he packs up his stuff and starts heading back with her in tow.
That’s when they come across a walker, and even though Enid wants him to leave it alone, he reminds her that Michonne is out there and he isn’t going to turn his back on a threat to his friend. When the walker turns around they both look freaked out, which tells us one thing: whoever that walker is, it’s someone they know. Enid tries to kill it, but Carl stops her and yells at her to go home. For some reason, Carl doesn’t think killing the walker is a good idea. Unfortunately, in this moment, we don’t get to see who it is. Or was. (Personal opinion: It’s Deanna.)
Daryl & Rick Give Jesus A Run For His Money
When we get back to Daryl and Rick, they are running down the road on foot. For some reason they thought leaving the car they took out of Alexandria behind was a good idea, so now they have no choice but to chase Jesus by running. Eventually they catch up to the vending machine, which seems to have either fallen off or been removed from the back of the truck, and while Rick catches his breath Daryl breaks the glass and starts taking the snacks out of it. Rick side eyes Daryl, but when he tells him that it was a “special request” by the doctor, Rick says she can have anything she wants because she saved Carl’s life.
When they finally catch up to Jesus and the truck, it’s because he gets a flat tire. They ambush him from both sides and after a nasty fight finally get him on his back with both of their guns pointed in his face. Rick leaves him tied up on the side of the road, and they head back to Alexandria. Well, sort of. They spot a barn on the way and take another detour, because they obviously have not learned their lesson today.
As they are driving towards the barn they hear something on the truck, and Rick slams on his brakes to reveal Jesus flying off of the roof. He makes a run for it, again, and Daryl hops out of the moving truck to chase after him. Meanwhile, as Rick is driving around trying to help corner and/or run over Jesus, you can see that someone has tied a bunch of walkers to a truck in the middle of the grass. (There’s also a message on the truck, but all I can make out is “we will be.”) They get loose, and Rick takes them out as Daryl and Jesus have a one-on-one fight in the front seat of the truck. A walker slowly approaches Daryl’s back, which he can’t see, and that’s when Jesus pulls a gun on Daryl and tells him to duck. When he does, Jesus shoots the walker. Daryl thanks him by punching him in the face and taking his gun back. Well played!
Unfortunately, when being pulled out of the truck by Daryl, Jesus puts the transmission in neutral so it rolls back into a lake and completely submerges. Before the truck hit the water, the open door knocks Jesus right in the head, leaving him unconscious. Daryl wants to leave him tied up in a tree, but Rick decides they should bring him back to Alexandria and let Denise look at him. Once he’s given the all-clear by Dr. D, Rick and Daryl put him in one of the “prison” rooms they have with food, water, and a note so that when he wakes up he knows where he is.
We Find Out Who Spencer Has Been Looking For
In the woods outside Alexandria we return to Spencer, who Michonne is trying to convince to come back home. He tells her that’s no longer his home because his family is all dead, and that he needs to do something before he can even think about having a life or a future again. He won’t tell Michonne exactly what it is, but they hear someone moving and immediately recognize it to be Carl thanks to his sheriff’s hat. Behind him is the walker he wouldn’t kill, and we finally get to see it’s face — it’s Deanna. (CALLED IT!)
Spencer tears up and tells Michonne he knew he saw her the night they took back the town, and that he knew she was out here still. Walker Deanna approaches Spencer and both he and Michonne grab her so she can’t bite either one of them. It takes him a moment, but eventually Spencer uses his knife and stabs her in the back of the head so that she finally dies. Michonne lets him collapse with his mother’s body in his arms, and it’s clear that this is what he was meant to do before he could move on. It’s also what the shovel was for, because he eventually digs up a grave for her and lays her to rest in the woods. As Spencer buries her, Michonne carves a very think, very noticeable “D” into the tree closest to it so they will be able to find her later on.
While standing over her grave, Spencer reveals that his mother left her a note before she died. She told him he still knew his way, but he says he never really knew his way. Michonne tells him his way was loving his family, and he reminds her that they are gone. So, Michonne uses the moment to remind him she’s been chasing him through the woods all day because he still has family, meaning her and everyone else back in Alexandria, which she also reminds him is still very much his home. This is exactly what Deanna wanted for Michonne, her leadership skills and protective nature to guide the others. What better way to start dolling out advice than with her own son?
Rick & Michonne Play House Together
At the very end of the day Rick and Michonne find themselves sitting on the couch lamenting about what they experienced. Neither of them really want to talk about their days, as if they both had bad days at work like two normal people not living in the apocalypse, so they enjoy a moment of silence together. Then Rick pulls a roll of breath mints out for her as a joke because he wasn’t able to get her toothpaste. They have a laugh about it but when he goes to put the mints in her hand, they both go silent. It takes a moment, but eventually their fingers intertwine, and they stare at each other all googly-eyed until they lean in for a kiss. Not just any kiss, either, this was a long-lasting, switch-position make-out kiss that included lots of smiling and giggling as if they were two teenagers in the backseat of a car.
For some reason the scene fades to black and the next thing we see is Michonne and Rick buck-naked and sleeping in bed together. RICHONNE IS REAL AND THEY HAD SEX, GUYS.
But, it doesn’t end there. Suddenly you hear a voice calling Rick’s name, and both him and Michonne jump out of bed and grab their weapons. Once they are standing we see that it’s Jesus, and all he says is, “We need to talk.” Um, what?
Tell us, HollywoodLifers — What do YOU think of Jesus? Do you think he’ll be trouble for Alexandria, or that he’s a good guy like Rick says? And what do YOU think of Rick and Michonne FINALLY hooking up? Comment below with your thoughts!