Sumith Prasad
The first part of AMC’s post-apocalyptic series ‘The Walking Dead’ season 11 ends with a startling cliffhanger, leaving the fate of several Alexandrians unanswered. The ninth episode of the eleventh season, also the first episode of the season’s second part, begins with the aftermath of Leah’s hwacha fire, which is aimed at a herd of walkers and a few Alexandrians alike.
While Daryl tries his best to protect his family in Meridian, Aaron does the same back in Alexandria when a herd of walkers and unceasing rain threaten the safety of the survivors. The episode ends with stunning revelations and we have taken a detailed look at the same. Let’s dive into the episode’s ending after a quick recap! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 9 Recap
The ninth episode of the eleventh season, titled ‘No Other Way,’ begins with Maggie and Negan’s efforts to avoid getting hit by Leah’s hwacha rocket shots. They kill walkers and Reapers alike to get into a Meridian building to attend to Elijah’s wounds. Daryl continues to kill Reapers for his and his group’s safety. When Carver confronts Maggie and others, Daryl comes to their rescue. They decide to use Carver to blackmail Leah to leave Meridian safely. Back in Alexandria, the fire continues to burn the windmill and walkers get into the survivors’ home.
Judith and Grace get trapped in a flooded basement with walkers awaiting to devour them at the door. The dead get into the basement and approach the two girls but Aaron’s timely arrival saves them. He helps Judith and Grace to get out through the window but gets trapped with the walkers. After considerable effort, Aaron also manages to get out of the basement with the help of Lydia.
Back in Meridian, Daryl proposes to return Carver alive if Leah allows them to leave without harming them. She uses a hidden sniper’s attack to retrieve Carver. However, when Leah asks the sniper to fire at Elijah, Gabriel reveals that the sniper is dead. Daryl asks Leah to drop her and her men’s weapons and leave. When they do that, Maggie follows them in a rage and kills the two men and shoots at Leah, who gets shot while running. Daryl follows the trail of blood and informs the hiding Leah that they are leaving with the food supplies.
The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 9 Ending: Do Daryl, Maggie, Gabriel, Alden, and Negan Return to Alexandria With Food Supplies?
The eleventh and final season of the show begins with Maggie forming a team that includes Daryl, Gabriel, Alden, and Negan to raid Meridian for food supplies. Along with the unceasing menacing presence of the walkers, the food shortage leads the Alexandrians to the brink of a life-threatening situation. Using a herd of walkers as a distraction, Maggie, Gabriel, and Negan get into Meridian to garner food supplies. The chaos that unravels among the Reapers, which leads to Pope’s death, makes it easier for the Alexandrians to attack the community. Daryl’s help from the inside also assists them to fulfill their mission.
Maggie, Daryl, and others kill countless Reapers who come their way. After establishing their authority in the site by forcing Leah to flee, the team collects all the food supplies available in Meridian to start their return journey to Alexandria. However, the entire team does not make it back to their family. After collecting the food, Maggie goes to the church building Alden has sought safety, only to encounter a walker instead of her friend. She realizes that Alden had been attacked by a walker, which made him one. Maggie collects herself, kills him to end his suffering as a walker, and buries his body nearby.
Negan also decides against returning to Alexandria with Maggie and others. He realizes that he can ever be an ally to Maggie after their turbulent history. Upon witnessing Maggie’s rage at Meridian, he realizes that he should not compromise his life by staying with Maggie. He fears that his life will hang by a thread if he trusts her and accepts the possibility of Maggie killing him in a fit of rage due to their tumultuous past. Thus, he walks away from the Alexandrians to be on his own. Maggie finds Gabriel, Daryl, and Elijah and the four of them arrive at Alexandria without Alden and Negan.
Why Does the Commonwealth Army Come to Alexandria? Does Daryl Join the Commonwealth Army?
Daryl, Maggie, and others’ return with food supplies give immense relief to the survivors of Alexandria. The clear sky and the return of a part of the family bring joy to a group of people who continues to survive beating all the odds. However, their happiness gets interrupted by the arrival of the Commonwealth army, guided by Eugene. Even though Alexandrians fear that the new guests are another foe, Eugene explains that they are quite the contrary. Lance Hornsby, the deputy governor of the Commonwealth, explains that they are in Alexandria to offer help to rebuild the community.
Even after facing several threats and challenges one after the other, Alexandrians have always survived and ended up victorious. Such a community doesn’t fail to impress the Commonwealth, whose ambitions don’t seem to have a limit. By helping Alexandria, the Commonwealth may try to hijack the community indirectly to safeguard them from the potency of the Alexandrians. Hornsby also offers the community an option to join the mighty Commonwealth army if anyone is interested. Daryl accepts the offer and joins the army.
Considering the doubts Daryl shares with Gabriel earlier in the episode, the former’s decision to join the Commonwealth army isn’t a surprise. As someone who is skeptical about his ways, decisions, and choices, Daryl is at crossroads prior to the arrival of Hornsby and his army. Hornsby’s offer gives Daryl a chance to change his pathway and become more powerful and influential. However, Daryl’s dynamics with the rest of the Alexandrians may change upon his decision to become a trooper. As he leads his army to Hilltop, against Maggie, conflicts are guaranteed to ensue between him and his “former” companions.
Read More: Where is Negan? Is Jeffrey Dean Morgan Leaving The Walking Dead?
