As with many episodes of The Walking Dead lately, we start with a flashback to get us caught up on some things from other perspectives. With this one we start with Max and how she got the means to talk with Eugene over the radio. She states she found some parts and thought it was all trash but she was able to put them together to make it work. We then saw familiar conversations between the two from her point of view. Unfortunately, her brother is Mercer, who was put in charge of trying to find the breach, and is obviously upset to learn it was his sister that is the breach. He tells her she better hope that Hornsby doesn’t recognize her voice.
As part of the outreach, the Commonwealth leaders head to the new colonies. Pamela doesn’t like the idea of stretching themselves this thin, while Hornsby thinks he has a pitch to get everyone onboard. At Alexandria, Aaron has everyone put up last minute fixes, he talks with Pamela a bit, who knew Dianna who ran this place. She is impressed that the place was self sustaining by learning plans that Maggie gave them. However, she is quick to leave when a walker breaches the walls. Mercer and Daryl chat a bit where Mercer asks if he was a leader here, and Daryl says they all were, and asks Daryl what he did before, and he still deflects saying it didn’t matter here. The group ventures over to Oceanside, who quickly turn down the group, saying they have signed a pact and the Hilltop has always been there for them and they will join out of respect for Maggie if she does. On the way to Hilltop Hornsby tells Aaron that it’s all or nothing for them so if they don’t join then Alexandria will be cut off.
They literally ran into Maggie and company on the road, killing walkers. They all make quick small talk, Maggie is happy to see Aaron and Daryl, and asks why they trust these people, Daryl says does he ever? While the soldiers go to sweep the “swarm” of walkers Pamela wants to go hunting, and uses this as an opportunity to pair off with Maggie to talk. They have different views of how to rule, Pamela has an “order” of things in the world she wants to restore, and that is why she has nicer vehicles, and a nicer home because she says she has more responsibilities than others and the people need something to look up to. But she says everything costs something, for her, and her 50,000 people it’s sleep. Maggie on the other end says she wants people to look up to her for what she has done and what she does, not what she has.
Back in the Commonwealth, Ezekiel has what he thinks is a routine checkup, but he is actually being prepped for surgery. He is skeptical, while Jerry is over the moon. Later that day Carol goes to check up on Ezekiel to hear about the doctors visit. During this conversation Ezekiel pieces together that Carol did something to move him up the list and to wipe out the debt. She tells him that Hornsby owed her a favor, he is upset because it cheated the system and others are suffering like him. She just says essentially he is to good of a person who has and will continue to do good and needs to be in this world.
Back at Hilltop, Hornsby asks if it is OK to pass out extra supplies to everyone, Maggie, reluctantly agrees to this. Mercer sees Hershel and says it must be hard for a kid to be out in this world, not every place can be as lucky as Alexandria, and Daryl says not every place can be as lucky as The Hilltop. Hornsby cuddles up next to Maggie, and tries his grand pitch, that this world will be safer for her son with them and 50,000 people along. That he can go to a concert at Commonwealth, go to a Doctors appointment in Alexandria, go to Oceanside and hop on a boat and go up the coast. At this moment I think Maggie starts to realize that his plan is to overtake and change all of the colonies. But another swarm of walkers are close so Maggie and her team run off to fight the walkers. They have setup old school wires and cans tied to the fences trick. They fight off lots of walkers before Mercer and his soldiers come and eliminate all the walkers with a round of shots from the guns.
After the little fight most of the members of The Hilltop thinks that they need them, and that they should stop having to do this day after day. Having all of these people would be nice, she looks one way and sees the leader Milton and Hornsby come out of the safety behind the walls, while Mercer yells for all his soldiers to line up. He goes up to Dixon and tells him to line up and remember that they are “always watching”, with that he falls in and marches in line with the others. After seeing this Maggie goes to Milton and tells her that they are out, as to why she said that she said that everything costs something.
Briefly back at the Commonwealth Eugene and Max are trying to figure each other out again, after the deception of Stephanie and their mutual hurt. They start to break the ice a little bit.
Back at the Hilltop Milton is packing up to head home, Hornsby thinks he needs a little more time to get the others onboard. Pamela says it was a brave effort to get 3 into the fold at one time, and she says he has been ambitious their whole lives. Which got me thinking, are they related? Have they been lifelong friends? This can’t possibly be a throwaway line, Milton thinks that Hornsby was doing this for himself because someone would need to run these communities, though he says he did it for her. She said he can try, but if his responsibilities back home suffer their will be consequences. With this Hornsby goes to let off some steam by shooting walkers in the face. Right before everyone heads off one of her closest friends Dianna, decides to leave to the Commonwealth with a couple others, this really seems to shake up Maggie.
