Template:S9 E7 Life and Death

A small group from the Kingdom head towards the coast. Ezekiel leads the way, slaying walkers and "having some fun."

They meet with the other group, composed of Rick, Siddiq, Aaron and Magna. Ezekiel remarks that the group is wasting ammunition on the dead, with Rick saying they have more than they really need, and that they also want to draw them away from the coast before the others arrive. They discuss that the next big project is a road leading to the coast, meant to start construction after the fair.

Rick and Ezekiel arrive at the coast and await the boat carrying their fish. The discussion turns to Alexandria's ammunition stock with Ezekiel inquiring about the price possibly going down now that the supply has increased but demand having gone down. Rick gets irritated with the suggestion but calms down quickly, explaining that he just doesn't want to make any changes to the working system they've established.

At the Hilltop, Maggie is told that no one can find Henry, who disappeared earlier that day after the Whisperers' visit. After some thinking, Maggie and the others reach the conclusion that Henry went after the Whisperer girl to which Alden crudely remarks that "the first piece of ass you get makes you do crazy things", much to Maggie's dismay. She tells the group that she isn't really worried about Henry being out there alone, but rather that the Whisperers might take it to mean he was sent out to spy on them.

Elsewhere, Henry wakes up from a brief rest to find Alpha and other Whisperers right in front of him. She questions him, asking if he's following them. Henry explains, pointing his stick at Alpha, that he left on his own and that he just wanted to make sure that Lydia is okay. She suggests he should put down his stick before he hurts himself, and he taunts her saying the dangerous end of the stick is not pointed at him. She says that whatever his options are, stabbing her or not, he'll probably end up killed by the others, and tells him to use his head and that he might just live. She then gets up, asking him if he'll come with them.

Back at the coast, a fishing boat arrives. Rick asks if Ezekiel is nervous, much to the latter's discomfort. He says it's clear that he's not over her, and that everyone knows including, including her: Carol is the first to leave the boat. She argues if there was no one else to do it. Ezekiel mentions he was keeping her knife warm for her. They start to load up the fish.

Rick approaches Carol privately, jokingly asking if she missed him. She asks about the new woman. Rick tells her about Magna and her group, saying that she's smart. Carol jokingly asks if Michonne has something to worry about, a joke misunderstood by Rick, who rebukes that he'd never do that to anyone. She apologizes, saying that they don't do a lot of talking on the boat and that she's getting bad at it. He jokes that she was always a talkative person.

He continues by asking her how life out on the ocean is. She tells him it's a hard life but that it keeps her mind off of everything else but the actual work, this prompts Rick to ask her if she found what she was looking for, but gets no response. She apologizes for everything. Rick argues that she disappeared and they spent a great deal of time looking for her, and that people could have died. She explains that it just didn't feel right, being there at the Kingdom with Ezekiel, happy, after everything she's been through and everything she's done. She finally asks Rick if after everything he himself has been through thinks he deserves to be happy.

Rick says that they do deserve happiness after everything they've been through, telling her to get her shit together and stop punishing herself for stuff that wasn't her fault, and to go home.

When telling her that she shouldn't live her life in misery, Carol becomes defensive. She is quickly defused though when Rick apologizes explaining that he didn't want his best friend to be miserable. They begin to talk about the fair; Rick asks her to attend stating that Judith would like to see her, with her replying that she would like to see her too. Rick cheerfully believes this to mean her attendance to which she says "we'll see" with a smile.

At the Hilltop Colony, Gregory has been locked up and is begging Enid to be freed making up a story that both Maggie and Jesus were attempting to frame him. Enid does not believe the story however and points out many flaws within it before Maggie also comments on the lie, explaining that she had already told her that Gregory would make up a story. He seems surprised when he hears Maggie's voice and the two enter an angry, short lived argument. With nothing left, Gregory asks if he is going be killed to which Maggie remains silent.

Jesus and Maggie discuss how to handle Gregory. Maggie thinks they shouldn't execute him, following the example set by Rick with Negan. Jesus argues that this situation is different, that at least Rick isn't surrounded by people whom at one point was loyal to Negan. Maggie counters that surely no one is actually loyal to Gregory considering his poor leadership ability but Jesus suspects that Tammy, upset because of the Henry situation, must have been manipulated by Gregory and that it must be connected. Alden enters cheerfully which Maggie assumes means that he was able to find Henry. However he reports that they did not find him and his tracks lead off into uncharted territory. Jesus comments that Ezekiel will not be pleased but Maggie disregards it explaining that she has bigger problems and that Henry is on his own.

Henry, Lydia and the Whisperers continue their journey. They explain that they only have to travel a little further and Henry believes that this means they have a camp, Alpha then explains that they don't have camps and that instead, they live how they were intended to, without shelter, huddling together for warmth. They then arrive to a large group of people, disguised in the same costumes with campfires, livestock and other necessities.

Maggie begins to interview Tammy, telling her that she knows that maybe she didn't handle their dispute as well as she could have, but still finds it hard to believe she'd really want her dead. Tammy reveals that she did indeed know about the planned attack and apologizes as she sobs. When Jesus asks why Tammy hadn't come forward to warn them she explains that she was still angry about the fight between her son and Henry and that it blinded her judgement. She admits that Gregory was very persuasive.

After discovering that Tammy was aware of the attempt on Maggie's life, Jesus asks what should be done to her, suggesting exile. However, Maggie tries to remain focused on Gregory. Jesus asks if she has made up her mind about him, to which she replies she has, and that he was right earlier. Jesus gets frustrated that she can't seem to say what she exactly wants to be done with him. Maggie goes on to explain that Gregory is too good at playing a victim and that some people actually seem to like him, which makes him dangerous. She finishes by saying that there's no way around it, that Gregory has to die.

Meanwhile at Alexandria, Negan is bathing in a small tub provided for him outside of his cage. He is being guarded at gunpoint by two men as Tara cuts his hair. The two share uncomfortable words about his scars as she does so. Michonne enters to assure that everything was 'good' to which Negan responds "The one thing I've never been accused of is being good." The two men then take the tub as Negan dresses and Michonne orders him to go back into his cell with her sword drawn. Tara struggles with locking the cell but eventually believes to succeed. The two women then leave and Negan sighs, leaning against the bars. But much to his surprise, the door swings open, having been left unlocked.