‘The Walking Dead’ Reveals the Truth Behind That Maggie-Daryl Scene (RECAP)

the walking dead, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon
Spoiler Alert
Jace Downs/AMC

[WARNING: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 11 episode 15, “Trust.”]

As predicted, there is more to that Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) moment in the 11A finale than meets the eye.

Yep, watching the episode, we discover what is really going on there in “Trust.” Plus, Carol (Melissa McBride) struggles with her “second job,” Ezekiel (Khary Payton) tries to make a difference in ways that might get him killed, Mercer (Michael James Shaw) has a crisis of conscience and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) and the Resistance ask for a favor that could bring down the Miltons.

The Walking Dead, Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee

Jace Downs/AMC

Outside the Commonwealth, Hornsby (Josh Hamilton) investigates what happened at Riverbend. He doesn’t seem to believe Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Gabriel (Seth Gilliam)’s story, which leaves them the sole lucky survivors of an attack. Nonetheless, he doesn’t have much evidence to call their bluff, so he decides to refocus on what matters to him: Finding the guns. It’s obvious he thinks Maggie has them at Hilltop, and after a tense standoff at the gates — this is where that 9A finale scene came in — Maggie allows them entry to search. Hornsby acts like a creep the entire time, trying to get young Hershel to reveal that his mom had been involved in what happened at Riverbend, but the kid doesn’t break…and Hornsby gets himself thrown against a brick wall by Elijah. Both sides pull their weapons, and Daryl’s only barely able to de-escalate the situation. After that, Hornsby decides he’s done looking at Hilltop.

The Walking Dead, Khary Payton as Ezekiel

Jace Downs/AMC

Back at the Commonwealth, Carol has a chat with Ezekiel, who says he’s “doing something extra with the time [he] was given,” and she should stop by and see it sometime. Carol says she’s too busy with work; little does she know, her ex-husband’s “something extra” is a makeshift hospital for those who can’t pay the Commonwealth’s surgery fees, located within a veterinary clinic on the outskirts of the community. Zeke enlists Tomi’s (Ian Anthony Dale) help, saying there’s a woman who needs surgery on her appendix but she’s in debt and can’t afford the treatment. (Is this the most realistic The Walking Dead has ever been?) Reluctantly, the doctor agrees to help.

They gather up supplies, but on their way out, the doctor runs right into a soldier. (Great going, Tomi.) They end up arrested, but because Carol has connections, she’s able to spring them, scot-free. (As usual, thank you, Carol.) They go to the clinic and Tomi performs the surgery; afterwards, Carol and Zeke have a nice chat.

the walking dead, Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter

Jace Downs/AMC

Mercer and Princess (Paola Lazaro) have a few chats in the episode as well, some of them less nice. They’re officially together now, but Princess has noticed that when they’re in bed, Mercer just kind of stares at the ceiling. She asks him if he’s okay, and he gets snippy. Truthfully, Mercer is absolutely not okay. He’s still upset about having to kill two of his men, and he explains as much to Princess later, after his sister finds him at the gym and rips into him for not doing enough to help people in the Commonwealth. Princess hears him out, and then she says they can figure everything out together. Awwww!

On the subject of Stephanie (Margot Bingham), the Resistance is hoping she’ll help them gather up some more intel on that list of names Connie (Lauren Ridloff) was given earlier on in the season. While she’s nervous about it, she eventually agrees after Eugene talks to her. They kiss, and it’s very cute.

The Walking Dead, Josh Hamilton as Lance Hornsby

Jace Downs/AMC

Back outside Hilltop, Leah (Lynn Collins) meets Hornsby; he and his soldiers walk into her camp, and she takes a few of them down before he manages to convince her to stop shooting. “I have a job for you,” he says. Is anyone worried about Maggie? (Shhhh, just pretend that spinoff was never announced.)

The Walking Dead, Sundays, 9/8c, AMC