Again, sorry for the posting delay. I'm still battling this week-long head cold and it's put me off schedule a bit. However, I don't know that anyone has been particularly clamoring for a recap of this episode. It's fine and all, but was anyone, even those who haven't read the comics, in the least bit surprised by Eugene's big reveal? No, no, they weren't. Also, OMG CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO BETH AND CAROL AND DARRYL?
Now: Abraham drives the church bus down the road, everyone calm and fairly content and pleased to have a plan and a goal. Rosita and Abraham are kind of couple-y, which is cute; everyone else talks a bit amongst themselves. Glen asks Eugene about the plan for killing off the walkers ("That's classified") and about his mullet ("I like it"). Everything is copacetic ... until something explodes and the bus flips. And a small herd of walkers surrounds it. So much for an idyllic drive in the country.
Flashback: In a grocery store, Abraham beats several men to death using a can of food as brass knuckles. His hands are nearly shredded and he staggers further into the store, calling, "Ellen!"
Now: After the crash, everyone is shaken up and a little battered but basically okay. They check to make sure Eugene is okay - because he's the most important thing - and then they form up to get out of the bus. Abraham and Glen first, to start on the approaching walkers, then Maggie and Rosita, then Tara and Eugene. Tara gives Eugene a knife so he can defend himself and also gives him a little pep talk because he's clearly terrified. (Seriously, how does this guy last this long without being able to fight back at all? Abraham's such an enabler.) As it turns out, a walker nearly gets Tara but Eugene knocks it over and stabs it in the head - his first kill. As everyone catches their breath, the bus catches on fire and Abraham is all, this changes nothing - we're moving forward. Eugene suggests that they're only fifteen miles from the church but Abraham shouts, WE DO NOT GO BACK! Glen calms him down (Abraham: "I took a pretty hard shot to the sack in that crash - I am stressed and depressed ... but if you say we're rollin' on, I'm good.") and they keep walking.
Flashback: Abraham is searching for "Ellen," calling her name. He finds her, cowering behind a register, two little kids hiding behind her.
Now: The group takes refuge for the night in a bookstore, pushing bookcases up against windows, building a little cookfire, stitching up each other's wounds. Abraham goes to do a sweep and some time later Glen finds him. There's a lot of talk, some about what happened back at the church: seems like everyone who is left is strong now - and you either help them so they help you or you kill them before they kill you. Glen suggests that Abraham turn in since he's got a watch later on. Abraham: "Yeah. I really need some ass first." Glen, after Abraham leaves: "Didn't need to know that but ... cool."
Eugene watches Rosita and Abraham have sex, peeking at them from behind the self-help books. They know he's watching but don't really care. Tara, however, finds it creepy and distracts him by thanking him for saving her life back there at the bus crash. She's legitimately reaching out to him and then he confesses to causing the crash: he put crushed glass in the fuel line but didn't mean for it to go so FUBAR. Tara's like, WTF did you do that for? Eugene says that if he doesn't save the world, he has no value in it and he's just freaking out. Tara says that he's their friend, and that he's stuck with them, and it's going to be okay ... but he really shouldn't tell anyone else about causing the crash.
Flashback: Abraham says, "I stopped them. You don't have to be scared now." But Ellen and his kids (his son has red hair like his dad) are terrified, looking at him all bloodstained.
Now: In the morning, Rosita suggests that they take the day to regroup, resupply and recover. Abraham's like no, absolutely not. And then when Maggie and Glen show up and suggest that they take a day to sweep for supplies, Rosita immediately toes her man's line: We'll sweep as we go and we'll leave today. Also, Abraham has found them a vehicle: a firetruck with a full water tank. It takes some doing to get it going - the air intake is clogged with human and/or walker remains. As they frig around with the truck, trying to get it going, a bunch of walkers come out of the firehouse at them. There's a lot of them, too many, and for a moment it looks like there are too many. But then Eugene gets up on the roof of the truck and unleashes the hose on them. It is an EXCELLENT new way to kill zombies: the force of the water ripping their rotting bodies and heads to pieces.
Flashback: In the morning, when Abraham awakes, Ellen and the kids are gone. She's left him a note: don't try to find us. Screaming their names, Abraham runs out of the store.
Now: It's not clear how far they have gotten, but the firetruck breaks down. They're without water too because Eugene emptied the reservoir when he put down those zombies. While they wait, Maggie chats with him a little bit, saying how she admires him for not giving up. "You started this thing." Abraham can't get the truck going so they continue on foot, until they crest a small hill and see a massive herd of walkers ahead in the distance, roaming through what looks like a former feedlot. Everyone is all, let's get out of here, let's find another way around. Everyone except Abraham who is determined to go straight through. He is unreasonable and unyielding and things get tense. Abraham and Glen start to get into fisticuffs and everyone starts shouting until Eugene shouts too: "I lied! I'm not a scientist! I don't know how to stop it." Everyone stops fighting immediately and stares at him, shocked. (Really? You're surprised? You people are dumb.)
Eugene explains that he's very smart and a good liar and when the zombie apocalypse shit hit the fan, and he realized that he was a coward, he came up with his story because then people would protect him. Rosita: "People died tryin' to get you here." Eugene says he knows, and names them all, and says that the closer they got to their goal, the more he lost his nerve. But now, he realizes he's screwed either way. Everyone's face is desolate. Except Abraham who has completely lost his shit: he stands up and slug Eugene in the face once, twice, three times. Eugene falls to the ground, unconscious and landing on his face; his head makes a sick thud when it hits the tarmac. Maggie, Rosita, Glen and Tara rush to him and roll him over. He is knocked out at best and it may be much worse. Abraham falls to his knees.
Flashback: Abraham finds his wife and kids, torn to pieces by walkers. He falls to his knees and pulls out his pistol, sticking it in his mouth. Just then, on the road behind him, a man calls out for help. It is Eugene, being chased - slowly - by a few zombies. Abraham gets up and puts the zombies down efficiently, then walks off down the road. Eugene follows him, thanking him profusely: "Wait, stop! You can't leave!" Abraham: "Why?" Eugene, thinking quickly: "I have a very important mission." Abraham turns and you can see the dawning hope in his face - he's just been given a reason to keep living.
Previously on The Walking Dead / next time on The Walking Dead
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