The first part of Season 11 of AMC’s post-apocalyptic series “The Walking Dead” ends with a surprising cliffhanger, leaving the fate of several Alexandrians unanswered. The ninth episode of the eleventh season, also the first episode of the second part of the season, begins with the aftermath of Leah’s hwacha fire, which targets a herd of walkers and some Alexandrians. While Daryl does his best to protect his family in Meridian, Aaron does the same in Alexandria when a herd of walkers and relentless rain threaten the safety of the survivors. The episode ends with some stunning revelations and we’ve taken a detailed look at the same. Let’s dive into the end of the episode after a brief recap! FRONT SPOILERS.
The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 9 Recap
The ninth episode of the eleventh season, titled “No Other Way”, begins with Maggie and Negan trying to avoid being hit by Leah’s hwacha rocket fire. They kill the walkers and reapers to enter a Meridian building to heal Elijah’s wounds. Daryl continues to kill Reapers for his safety and that of his group. When Carver confronts Maggie and others, Daryl comes to their rescue. They decide to use Carver to blackmail Leah into leaving Meridian safely. Back in Alexandria, the fire continues to burn the windmill and walkers enter the house of the survivors.
Judith and Grace are trapped in a flooded basement with walkers waiting to devour them at the door. The dead enter the basement and approach the two girls but Aaron’s timely arrival saves them. He helps Judith and Grace out the window but gets trapped with the walkers. After considerable effort, Aaron also manages to get out of the basement with Lydia’s help. Back in Meridian, Daryl offers to make Carver alive if Leah lets them go without hurting them. She uses a hidden sniper attack to retrieve Carver.
However, when Leah asks the sniper to shoot Elijah, Gabriel reveals that the sniper is dead. Daryl asks Leah to lay down her weapons and those of her men and leave. When they do this, Maggie follows them in a rage and kills both men and shoots Leah, who gets shot while running. Daryl follows the blood trail and informs Leah who is in hiding that they are leaving with the supplies.
The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 9 Ending: Do Daryl, Maggie, Gabriel, Alden and Negan return to Alexandria with food?
The show’s eleventh and final season begins with Maggie forming a team that includes Daryl, Gabriel, Alden, and Negan to raid Meridian for the food supply. Along with the relentless threatening presence of walkers, food shortages are driving Alexandrians to the brink of a life-threatening situation. Using a herd of walkers as a distraction, Maggie, Gabriel, and Negan enter Meridian to collect supplies. The chaos unfolding among the Reapers, which leads to Pope’s death, makes it easier for the Alexandrians to attack the community. Daryl’s help from within also helps them complete their mission.
Maggie, Daryl and others kill countless Reapers that come their way. After establishing their authority over the site by forcing Leah to flee, the team gather all available supplies in Meridian to begin their journey back to Alexandria. However, the whole team cannot find their family. After retrieving the food, Maggie goes to the church building where Alden sought safety, only to encounter a walker instead of her friend. She realizes that Alden had been attacked by a walker, which made one. Maggie collects herself, kills him to end his suffering as a walker, and buries his body nearby.
Negan also decides not to return to Alexandria with Maggie and others. He realizes he can never be an ally to Maggie after their turbulent history. Seeing Maggie’s rage at Meridian, he realizes he shouldn’t risk his life by staying with Maggie. He fears his life will hang by a thread if he trusts him and accepts the possibility of Maggie killing him in a fit of rage due to their tumultuous past. Thus, he moves away from the Alexandrians to be alone. Maggie finds Gabriel, Daryl and Elijah and the four arrive in Alexandria without Alden and Negan.
Why does the Commonwealth Army come to Alexandria? Does Daryl join the Commonwealth Army?
The return of Daryl, Maggie and others with supplies brings immense relief to the survivors of Alexandria. Clear skies and the return of part of the family bring joy to a group of people who continue to survive by beating all odds. However, their happiness is interrupted by the arrival of the Commonwealth army, led by Eugene. Even though the Alexandrians fear that the new guests are another enemy, Eugene explains that it is quite the opposite. Lance Hornsby, the Deputy Governor of the Commonwealth, explains that they are in Alexandria to offer help in rebuilding the community.
Even after facing several threats and challenges one after another, the Alexandrians still survived and ended up victorious. Such a community does not fail to impress the Commonwealth, whose ambitions seem to have no limit. By helping Alexandria, the Commonwealth can try to indirectly hijack the community, to protect it from the power of the Alexandrians. Hornsby also offers the community the opportunity 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 comes as no surprise. As someone skeptical of his ways, decisions, and choices, Daryl stands at a crossroads before the arrival of Hornsby and his army. Hornsby’s offer gives Daryl a chance to change paths and become more powerful and influential. However, Daryl’s dynamic with the rest of the Alexandrians may change upon his decision to become a soldier. As he leads his army to Hilltop, against Maggie, conflict is guaranteed between him and his “former” companions.
Read more: Where was The Walking Dead season 11 filmed?
