It’s night time at the Alexandria Safe Zone and Father Gabriel is at his post. He picks up what looks like his bible and reads. After he closes his book, he walks purposefully along the streets on patrol. He heads on over to the pantry, turns a corner, and we hear a crashing. Gabriel is stealing supplies.
He fills the trunk of a car with the goods from the pantry, and fills the gas tank with gas. He gets in the car and drives out of Alexandria – he doesn’t forget to lock the gate on his way out.
At the Hilltop, Gregory is bummed that Rick and Co didn’t take out the Saviors like they promised. He tells them their deal is off, that they are trading partners and friends, but they don’t know each other. So go away. Maggie asks Gregory how many people they can spare. Gregory calls her Margaret, and doesn’t want to hear any more. Rick’s group try to convince Gregory that they have to join forces in order to beat the Saviors, but nothing works. He tells all of them to leave. They leave the room but it’s clear this is not over.
Enid interrupts and says for the group to go outside. They are greeted by Bertie and her smallish Hilltop group. Bertie and Co want to join Rick and fight the Saviors. As Rick and Co walk off to strategize, they discuss how they can build up their numbers. Jesus shows the group that he has a long range phone and they can keep track of the Saviors that way. No need to risk their lives by going to the Saviors. Jesus tells Rick, “it’s time to meet Ezekiel. King Ezekiel.”
A van pulls up carrying Jesus, Rick, Michonne, Carl, Tara, Rosita, and Daryl and they arrive at the old school that is now The Kingdom.
Two guys, Richard and a friend, ride up on horseback. Richard asks Jesus who the people are. Jesus introduces them, and requests an audience with King Ezekiel.
Richard isn’t trusting, but once he collects their measly two guns he feels a bit better and escorts them into the Kingdom.
Richard tells Jesus that they have to deal with the Saviors. Jesus tells Richard that he’s never seen him smile, but he thinks that will change today.
We pan over the Kingdom, and their gardens, and their vegetables, their groups of people training and jogging, and their society. Rosita wonders if the Kingdom folk can fight. They have the numbers. Tara sees Morgan. Morgan gives her a hug. He hugs Sasha as well.
Richard says the “king will see you.”
Rick asks Morgan about Carol. Morgan explains all about Carol. Morgan confesses that he killed a man to save her. He had to kill him. He adds that Carol is gone again. They nod and continue on their way to see Ezekiel.
King Ezekiel is in the old auditorium sitting on his throne. Shiva is next to him. Everyone is just as awed and bemused as Carol was when she first met him – although Rick and Co aren’t as giddy. Jesus introduces everyone. Rick addresses Ezekiel as ‘king’ (he pronounces is “kang”), and explains what they want to do. Benjamin and Jerry stand next to the king. Rick asks Ezekiel to join them in fighting the Saviors. As Rosita lists their fallen friends, Morgan looks on. This might be the first that he’s heard about Abraham and Glenn. They list Negan’s other crimes. Jesus says he thought they could live with the Saviors, now he doesn’t think so. Richard says “we have people and weapons. If we strike first, we can win. We can set things right. The time is now.”
Ezekiel thinks about it and asks Morgan what he thinks. Morgan says people will die if they fight the Saviors. If we can find another way… maybe if we can just capture him (meaning Negan). Rick doesn’t want to go that route. Rick tells Ezekiel about a fairy tale his mom told him when he was a kid. There was a rock in the road – the people would avoid it, but horses would trip on it and die. Why was the rock still there, asked a young girl. After much work, she got the rock out. Underneath was a bag a gold. The king put the gold there as a reward. Jerry smiles and says ‘cool’. So, having temporary peace is good, but there may be greater value in removing the threat altogether – before more people get killed.
Ezekiel invites them to dinner and Rick wants to go home, but Ezekiel says he will deliver his decree in the morn.
Benjamin is in the woods with a gun and a staff. He runs into Carol who has her gun pointed at him. He apologizes and says he’s training. Carol is terse with him. He says that King Ezekiel wanted to know if she’s okay. He offers her food. She asks why? He says there’s not a lot of us left and we have to take care of each other. She gives him friendly advice how how to move stealthily, and he leaves.
Ezekiel is reading Martin Luther King to someone laying in a bed. It’s not clear if the person is sick. He gets up to talk to Benjamin who is standing in the doorway. Ezekiel wants to know where Benjamin was. He tells him he was training, and that he saw Carol. Ezekiel asks if she’s well. She is. Benjamin wants to help Rick. He says his dad always said if you’re asked to be a hero, be a hero. Ezekiel hugs him and thanks him for a sage counsel. Ezekiel says he’s proud of Benjamin.
The next morning, and people, including kids, are practicing archery. Richard leads Rick’s group to Ezekiel. Ezekiel says that he wants to create more places like the Kingdom. He refers to the walkers as ‘the wasted’. Ezekiel informs Daryl that all of the kingdom came at a cost. He says that the peace they have with the Saviors is a peace, and they want to maintain it. King Ezekiel doesn’t want to help Rick. Morgan seems somewhat happy about that decision.
Sasha tells Rosita she knew he’d say no. Rosita wants to know why Sasha is talking to her. Just because they had sex with the same dead guy doesn’t mean they’re friends. Me-ow! She walks away from Sasha, and Sasha looks pained.
Richard wants to help Rick. Richard says every time they give the Saviors stuff they make them stronger. Daryl is offered sanctuary at the Kingdom, as Ezekiel realizes that the Saviors will find him either at the Hilltop or Alexandria. Rick tells Daryl to stare Ezekiel into submission – whatever it takes. Daryl doesn’t want to stay hidden, but realizes the reality of the situation. They’ll be back soon. Daryl stays put as the Hilltop gates closing until we can no longer see Daryl.
As the van drives toward the Saviors’ home base, they see a road block of cars, and hear Negan giving a Neganesque and inappropriate quasi-eulogy for Fat Joey over the phone. They see Savior HQ (the factory) in the distance. Like the rock in the road, they decide to move a few of the cars so they can get in. When they’re done, they’ll move the cars back – no one has to know they were there.
Michonne looks through binoculars and calls Rick over. There’s a herd in the distance and they’re heading in their direction. There’s a dynamite-armed steel cable barrier across the road, and discover it’s a booby trapped roadblock. Trip that cable barrier and it will explode on you. Rosita picks up a grate and sees the arming device. They hear the phone – and that Negan wants a search party to find Daryl. Rosita is able to disarm the device. Go Rosita!
The rest of them attempt to disarm other devices. Rick, Jesus, Sasha, and Jesus. One by one they are successful at disarmament. Rick gently sets a bundle of of dynamite on the ground so it doesn’t explode. Why am I thinking of Arst on Lost? The herd is coming but they need the explosives. Rick wants them to put the cars back. Tara drives off so they’ll be far enough away from the herd that Michonne and Rick can run to the van and they can drive off. They go to put the cars back. Sasha disarms one more bomb. Jesus and Sasha are directed by Rick to run back to the Hilltop because of lack of time to do much more. Michonne warns Rick about the nearness of the herd.
Rick and Michonne are trying to hot wire cars. Carl and co run back to the van. Rick and Michonne are successful, and drive side by side with the metal cable in between them – mowing down all the walkers in the center median in the road. They both abandon their vehicles to run back to the van. This means they have to fight the remaining half horde of walkers. They both make it to the waiting van and then drive off. Michonne turns back to see the walkers get blown up by the explosives. Maybe they weren’t able to collect all of the sticks of dynamite. Michonne tells a shaky Rick that they made it. They can make it.
The group arrives back at Alexandria and meet up with Tobin. Rick tells them they have to get everyone ready. Up drives the Savior vans with Dwight on Daryl’s motorcycle.
The group of Saviors address Rick and his group. They’re looking for Daryl. Rick pretends not to know where Daryl is. The group give minion Simon stone-faced looks. The Saviors go on a room to room hunt for Daryl, destroying pretty much everything in their midst. Aaron and Eric are present, so that doesn’t bode well for Eric. We’ve barely even seen him!
Simon is particularly annoying today. He tells Rick that there is no statute of limitations on them looking for Daryl. The Saviors finally are convinced that Daryl isn’t there and they leave.
Tobin says that Gabriel is gone. He took everything from the pantry, and he took a car. Tobin says he was supposed to take over watch from him in the morning, but when he got there, Gabriel was gone. Rosita is bummed. Rick doesn’t believe that Gabriel would do this to them.
Tara can’t believe that Gabriel would just leave. As they search Gabriel’s house, Rick wonders why he would leave his bible. Rick finds Gabriel’s binder, and sees the word ‘boat’ written on it. Must be a clue.
Eric and Aaron discuss Aaron going on another mission. Eric tries to talk Aaron into not going. Aaron says Gabriel is one of us, and he has to go. Aaron asks Eric if wants them to just leave. Eric says he just wants them, both of them, alive.
At the old boathouse, the core group looks for Gabriel. Rick calls Michonne over. They find a footprint that they think belongs to Gabriel.
They follow some tracks, quietly, silently. It looks like they’re by an overpass…. They hear a noise and see many people surrounding them and they have lots of weapons. There are a lot of people here. Rick smiles. Is it Oceanside? Did Gabriel know about this group? Does Rick now have his army? End of episode.