(Spoiler alert: Do not keep reading if you have not watched this week’s episode of “The Walking Dead”)
After the deadly events of the midseason premiere of “The Walking Dead,” this week’s episode jumped a few weeks into the future.
Rebuilding has begun around Alexandria. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and housemate Michonne (Danai Gurira) are helping Carl (Chandler Riggs) readjust after the loss of his eye. But as supplies are beginning to run thin, Rick and Daryl (Norman Reedus) are preparing to go out on a run.
Rick is upbeat, believing today will be the day that they find something of value, namely food. Rick’s optimism pays off, and the two stumble upon a truck loaded with food and supplies.
On the way back to Alexandria in the truck, the pair stops at an abandoned gas station to scavenge for anything useful. Suddenly, a man runs from the back of the station right into Rick. He introduces himself as Paul “Jesus” Monroe (Tom Payne) and warns that a herd of walkers are on their way.
Though suspicious, Rick and Daryl let him go. But then they hear what sounds like gunshots from behind the station. They rush back to investigate, but it was a distraction. Jesus stole Rick’s keys and drives off in the truck.
Back in Alexandria, Michonne notices Spencer (Austin Nichols) wandering off into the woods by himself. She follows him, and he admits that he has been wandering out beyond the walls by himself for weeks.
But the two are not alone in the woods. It turns out that Carl and Enid (Katelyn Nacon) have been heading out into the woods themselves for some time now. They encounter a walker, but Carl refuses to kill it and tells Enid to head back.
Carl then leads the walker back towards Michonne and Spencer. Only then do we see that the walker is Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh), Spencer’s mother, who died when the herd invaded Alexandria. Michonne holds Deanna while Spencer kills her with a knife. He then buries her and thanks Michonne for her help.
Rick and Daryl catch up to Jesus when the truck gets a flat tire. They leave him tied up on the side of the road and drive off. But when they pull off the road to check a nearby barn for potential grain stores, they discover that Jesus has been clinging to the roof of the truck the whole time.
A fight ensues, as Daryl jumps out of the truck to chase Jesus down. Rick parks the truck and joins in, but several walkers start making their way toward the trio as they fight. Jesus makes it back to the truck, but Daryl grabs him before he can drive away.
Jesus pulls a gun, but tells Daryl to duck and instead shoots a walker that nearly got to Daryl. He and Daryl then continue to scuffle, but in doing so knock the parking brake loose and send the truck into the nearby lake.
Jesus takes a blow to the head and is knocked out. Rick tells Daryl they can’t just leave him there, so they instead bring him to Alexandria. After receiving medical treatment, they leave him tied up in the basement of a home.
After all the chaos of the day, Rick and Daryl prove they have the coolest bromance of all time when Rick says, “It is pretty stupid of us to go out there.” Daryl replies, “Yep. Do it again tomorrow?”
“Yep,” Rick says.
Back at home, Michonne and Rick sit on the couch and commiserate about their respective days. But when their hands accidentally touch, the two stare into each others eyes and begin to kiss passionately right there on the couch.
The episode ends with Rick and Michonne lying in bed, naked and asleep. Suddenly, Jesus appears in their room, leading both Rick and Michonne to draw their weapons. He tells them that they need to talk.
“The Walking Dead” airs Sundays at 9 p.m./8c on AMC.