The Walking Dead Season 10 Episode 9: Recap & Discussion

“Squeeze”

 
Daryl and the gang remain surrounded by walkers in the cave. Carol spots Alpha smirking above her, causing her to release a primal scream. Alpha quickly exits the cave and instructs her followers to “make sure they don’t get out.”

Magna tries climbing out but falls hard on her back. Aaron spots large stones they can use to jump on so Daryl acts quickly and leaps across. The rest cautiously follow his lead; Kelly nearly slips but manages to make it to the other side. Once they’ve all crosses, Daryl leads them down a tunnel. Aaron warns they’re low on food and probably aren’t alone. Carol says she’s getting claustrophobic and Magna responds, “Why didn’t you think of that before you got us all trapped down here?” Aaron tells her to cool it but Magna keeps berating her. Daryl says they don’t have time for this shit and he’s found a way out.

 
Elsewhere, Alpha informs Beta and Gamma their enemies must be watching them because they knew exactly where the horde used to be. Beta says they’ve underestimated them so Alpha demands they beef up patrols and asks Gamma to warn them they’ve got their eyes on the border. Negan watches the exchange silently.

Aaron attaches his arm mace, Connie comforts Kelly, and Daryl tells Carol he can’t trust her anymore. Carol confesses she just wants to kill Alpha and she’s sorry this all happened. Daryl makes her promise to stop bullshitting him, reminding her they fight for the future, not revenge. Suddenly, Magna gets attacked by Whisperers. Daryl and the gang spring into action and kills them. They realize there IS a way out so they vow to stick together to find it.

Outside, Negan finds Alpha and implicates Gamma as the spy. Alpha holds a knife to his crotch and tells him not to sow paranoia, warning if he’s wrong she’ll cut his balls off. She then tosses him into her bathroom ditch.

Daryl finds an exit through a tight crevice, which again triggers Carol’s claustrophobia. Daryl comforts her and together they crawl out. Jerry’s not so lucky – walkers inch towards his ankles as he yells for them to go, but Daryl and Aaron manage to pull him out unharmed. Magna spots sunlight and nearly falls into a massive hole full of walkers trying to get to it. It’s the horde.

Alpha informs Beta she suspects Gamma is the spy and instructs him to bring her to her alive. Back in the cave, Daryl leads the group through another tunnel until they find a blockade. Kelly finds a box of dynamite but Jerry tells her to put it back. Magna laments to Aaron she didn’t leave things right with Yumiko before this.

 
Back at the Whisperer camp, Alpha takes Negan to a remote location in the woods. When they stop, she makes him take off his clothes. As he undresses, Negan admits the power he had over the Saviors turned him into a monster. Alpha instructs him to turn around, and when he does he finds her also naked. She says he deserves a crass reward for spilling the tea on Gamma. Negan’s amused but asks if it’s a “praying mantis situation” where she’ll cut his head off afterwards. She doesn’t say no but he says he’ll take his chances, and the two of them kiss.

While digging their way out, Daryl discovers Carol’s missing. Cut to Carol, who’s scaling the wall with dynamite. She lights one but loses her balance and nearly falls into the pit until Daryl pulls her back up. She says she could take half the horde out but Daryl says she’ll kill herself in the process. “She killed my boy,” Carol sobs. Daryl pulls her up as the dynamite falls and explodes underneath them.

 
The cave begins collapsing while Aaron and Jerry struggle to hold up the exit. Connie and Magna sprint back to find Carol as Kelly and Aaron make it out. Whisperers immediately jump them so the two tag-team their kills. Connie and Magna finally locate Carol and Daryl, who both make their way out as Jerry struggles to keep the exit open. Magna kills the Whisperers as Jerry barely makes his way out, leaving Magna and Connie inside. The rest of the dynamite explodes and the cave implodes, trapping Magna and Connie inside. Presuming they’re dead, Kelly sobs as Daryl rushes to clear the rubble but Aaron tells him it’s too late. Kelly says the blast will attract walkers and Whisperers from everywhere and they have to leave. Carol breaks down and begs Daryl to say it was her fault. He refuses as the rest of the crew walks past her.

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What did YOU guys think of this week’s heart-wrenching episode? Do you think Magna and Connie are dead? Let us know ALL your reactions in the comments!