Dispose of the Dead

"Dispose of the Dead" is the second episode of the ninth season of AMC's The Walking Dead. It is the one-hundred and seventeenth episode of the series overall. It premiered on October 14, 2018.

Plot
To be added.

Synopsis
Michonne helps Judith prepare for the trek to Hilltop. Judith comments on how much stuff she has to pack and says it is weird having to pack more than one bag's worth of belongings now. Michonne comments saying that she does not need to take it all, and that Judith will be back one day.

Rick is visiting Negan at his cell. Negan comments saying that the worst part of his day is when his shit is taken away in a bucket, but is also his favorite because Rick is the one to do it. He tells Rick not to discipline Judith for sneaking down and talking with him. Negan tells Rick that he and Judith are "friends."

Judith gives a carving of a unicorn to Gracie. As Rick leaves Negan's jail cell, he runs into Magna who is confused about which buildings are actually houses. Rick tells her that this is the jail and that there is only one person who is residing within it. He tells Magna that she can meet him when Rick returns from Hilltop. Rick and Judith saddle up on horseback.

On the road, Rick and Judith pass by many people patrolling the area for roamers. They eventually stop for a lunch break when a few roamers begin walking out of the woods. Rick grabs his hatchet and tells Judith not to shoot unless it is needed.

Rick kills two roamers and then his body gives in, Judith having to shoot the remaining roamers as Rick nearly gets bitten from behind. A horseback rider in riot armor approaches Rick and Judith. The rider dismounts and apologizes for the area not being clear, as he had just cleared it five minutes ago. When the rider realizes that it is Rick he apologizes even more. Rick is angry and begins to beat the rider with his cane. Once he tries to protect himself in the fetal position, Rick stops. Rick asks the rider who he is and where he is from. The rider tells his name to be Brian, and he is from The Kingdom. Rick screams at Brian telling him that others would be grateful for this job and that he messed up badly. Rick says that he hopes this is his first incident. Brian tells him that it is and that it won't happen again.

Elsewhere, Ken and Marco are riding horseback on a plain field. Ken appears ill and falls off the horse, claiming he cannot go on any further. Marco then climbs off of the horse to assist Ken. As they talk, the horse gallops away and roamers begin to close in. The duo attempts to catch up with the horse, as Ken wonders what the sound of the roamers really is.

Magna and her group decide to sneak into the jail. Once there, Negan grabs onto the bars of his jail cell in a frantic frenzy. He says that they have to rescue him from these horrible people and that Rick's group are animals. Magna and her group appear shocked at what Negan has to say. He tells the group that he's being tortured by Rick and claims that he's been in jail for so long that he doesn't even remember what he did wrong in the first place. Magna instantly tells Negan that she knows he's lying, having seen what someone being tortured looks like, pointing out his appearance. Negan nonchalantly confesses that he was lying and introduces himself. He tells the group that he's been lonely lately and asks if they want to talk. Magna and her group ignore him and leave the jail immediately.

Elsewhere, Marco and Ken are struggling to get away from a herd of walkers. Ken is having trouble keeping up due to his injury. Marco, refusing to leave Ken behind, pulls him into a ditch, so the herd won't find them. As they are hiding, they hear strange voices whispering among the herd.

Rick and Judith are still making their way to Hilltop and eventually arrive. As soon as they get there, Rick is swarmed by admirers, much to his annoyance. Judith meets with Earl, and delivers a carved boar figure, which Earl remarks that looks more like a pig. Earl then introduces Judith to Henry, who is also apprenticing with Earl. Judith becomes slightly upset and walks off.

At the house, Maggie remarks that Hershel's peaceful life was made only possible because of the sacrifices Rick made in the past. Rick protests though that Maggie did just as much and deserves more of the credit.

Meanwhile, Marco is found in the woods nearby and is rescued by the guards. Taken to the infirmary, Maggie, accompanied by Rick and Judith, asks what happened to him. Enid explains that he has been out on his own for days and is likely starving and dehydrated.

Suddenly, an extremely distraught and disturbed Marco wakes up, explaining how he had to leave Ken behind and begs the group to send men out to get him. He then exclaims, "There were whispers and I was afraid." In the end, making the assumption that what he heard was actually the walkers, he claims that the walkers were speaking.

Co-Stars
To be added.

Uncredited
To be added.

Deaths
To be added.

Trivia

 * This episode was adapted from Issue 129 and Issue 130 of Image Comics' The Walking Dead.