Inside the episode video
Episode summary (source)
Rick eulogizes Dale, reflecting on his morality and lamenting his final words that the “group is broken.” The way we honor Dale, Rick says, is by unbreaking it. “From now on, we’re gonna do it his way.”
Later, Shane, Andrea, T-Dog and Daryl hunt down walkers in the fields and viciously beat them to death.
Rick and Hershel make plans to move the survivors into the farmhouse. With the swamp hardening in the cold weather and droves of cattle nearby, Maggie says, “We might as well be ringin’ the damn dinner bell.”
Rick organizes shifts to keep watch, asking Shane to oversee things at the farm while he and Daryl take Randall off-property. Shane questions Rick’s decision to release Randall, but Rick shuts him down: “This is what’s happening,” he declares. “Swallow it.”
Afterward, Rick asks Andrea to keep an eye on Shane: “I need to make sure every time I leave the farm all hell doesn’t break loose.” Andrea counters that Rick should stop leaving.
Carl approaches Shane and hands over Daryl’s gun, confessing his run-in with the walker that eventually killed Dale. Shane assures Carl that Dale’s death wasn’t his fault and insists he keep the gun for safety, but Carl refuses.
Later, Lori goes to Shane as he’s constructing a lookout perch on the windmill. “I made a mess of things,” she tells him. “I never thanked you” for saving our lives. “Whatever happened between us,” she says, “please believe me, I’m so sorry.”
Rick and Daryl are making plans for Randall’s release when Shane arrives. Shane hands Rick the gun Carl gave him and relates what happened. “He wants to talk to his father,” Shane says, but Rick insists he needs to take care of Randall. “Freein’ that prisoner,” Shane seethes. “More important to you than Carl.”
Rick goes to Carl, who’s sitting in the barn’s hayloft, and reiterates Shane’s assurance that Dale’s death was not his fault. Handing Carl the gun back, Rick explains that more people are going to die. “Best we can do now is avoid it as long as we can,” he says.
In the slaughter shed, Randall is writhing in his handcuffs — his wrists bloodied — when Shane enters. Shane stares at the blindfolded prisoner, then aims a gun at his forehead. He stops when he notices Randall’s wrists.
Outside, Daryl and T-Dog finish loading Otis’s truck for Randall’s drop-off. But when T-Dog goes to collect Randall, the slaughter shed is empty except for a pair of bloody handcuffs.
In the forest, Shane removes Randall’s gag and blindfold. Shane tells Randall he’s sick of Rick and the others, and wants to join Randall’s group.
Randall eagerly agrees with the plan, boasting to Shane how much he’ll like the new crew. As they march out of sight, Shane breaks Randall’s neck.
Alone, Shane smashes his own face against a tree, breaking his nose.
Back at the slaughter shed, Rick and the others search for clues to Randall’s escape. Shane calls out from the trees, claiming that Randall hit him and took his gun.
Rick orders people into the house and takes Daryl, Glenn and Shane out in search of Randall. They split into teams, with Daryl and Glenn taking the right flank while Rick and Shane take the left.
Night falls, and the men are still searching. Daryl and Glenn find Randall’s blindfold, and blood on the tree where Shane smashed his face. “Shane must’ve followed him a lot longer than he said,” Daryl speculates.
A walker suddenly attacks: It’s Randall. The three struggle until Glenn is finally able to kill him with a machete. Inspecting the body, Daryl reports that Randall’s neck was broken, but he was never bitten. “How is that possible?” Glenn asks.
Meanwhile, Rick questions Shane about what happened. Shane urges Rick deeper into the forest. They come to a clearing. “This is where you plan to do it,” Rick says, holstering his gun.
Shane raises his gun at Rick. “Good a place as any,” he says.
Rick tries to reason with Shane: No one will believe him if he shows up at the farmhouse alone. Shane explains he’ll tell everyone that Randall killed Rick. “Lori and Carl, they’ll get over you,” he says.
Rick tells Shane he won’t be able to live with murder. Shane snaps, challenging Rick to shoot him. When Rick refuses, Shane offers it as proof that he’s the better man — willing to fight for Lori and Carl when Rick is not.
“There is still a way back from this,” Rick tells Shane, slowly handing over his gun. As Shane momentarily looks down and starts to lower his own weapon, Rick pushes Shane’s gun aside and stabs his partner in the heart.
“Damn you for making me do this,” Rick yells at Shane, who collapses to the ground. “This was you! Not me! You did this to us!” Rick pulls the knife away and blood spurts from Shane’s chest. He slowly slips away.
Rick sobs over Shane’s dead body.
Rick is still in shock when Carl approaches from behind. Carl raises his gun.
Behind Rick, Shane rises from the ground as a walker. He lumbers toward Rick.
Rick stares at Carl in shock, pleading with his son to lower the gun as, unnoticed, Shane moves closer and closer.
Carl squeezes the trigger and hits Shane in the head.
The gunshot echoes through the forest, attracting the attention of a massive herd of walkers. The dead move toward the farmhouse.
New characters
- None
Characters that died
- Randall
- Shane
Next episode
Back to the main The Walking Dead TV Show page.