The Walking Dead: Hearts Still Beating Recap

Synopsis of 7×08: Going into the midseason finale, audiences get a brief look at all of the major players – the Hilltop, Alexandria, the Kingdom, and the Saviors compound – as storylines converge and the plan for the back half of the season emerges.

Maggie is making herself right at home at the Hilltop, even making a name for herself after saving it from walkers with Sasha and Jesus. But that puts her on Gregory’s radar, who warns her while she’s watching the wall not to get a big head about it. In return, she tells him not to let it bother him and one of his people shows support for her by getting Gregory to give her apple to him.

Negan is enjoying the AirBNB vibe of Rick’s home by shaving and cooking a meal with Carl. Tara supplies Olivia with the lemonade Negan requested and they all settle into a wholesome family dinner. Unfortunately, Rick is a no-show, but Negan fills his chair with Lucille.

Daryl is still in his cell contemplating whether he should follow the directions on the note or not. Ultimately, he decides to try to escape and runs through the compound until he’s forced to hide in someone’s room. When he realizes it’s Dwight’s room, he eats a whole jar of peanut butter and steals some clothes before leaving.

Rick and Aaron take their chances with the bullet-ridden boat, hoping that they’ll make it to the canoe drifting in the lake before their rowboat sinks in order to get the supplies off of the floating boat. They make it, but just barely, and Aaron is momentarily pulled overboard and into the water before swimming to the boat.

Spencer is giving his supplies over the Negan’s men and they’re complimenting his hard work, assuring him that Negan appreciates a man who works. One of the women collecting supplies even hits on him.

On the boat, there are many guns, but no ammo and a note from the owner that says, “Congrats for winning, but you still lose.” with a middle finger doodle that Aaron finds strange. They drift the entire boat back to shore and fill the box truck up with supplies. Aaron and Rick share a heart to heart about being supportive and doing what Negan asks to keep people alive. Someone on the other side of the lake watches them from the shadows.

Michonne is still in the car with the woman, trying to make small talk and understand why she’s working with Negan. The woman doesn’t answer her and Michonne ends up telling her that she’s going to find a way to make this right and to win against Negan.

Enid confronts Sasha about lying to Maggie when she told her that Jesus left earlier in the morning, rather than the day before like she heard. Maggie had been hoping to ask Jesus for writing utensils for the children of the Hilltop, signalling more of her care for the people. Enid complains that Sasha isn’t the only one who wants to kill Negan.

Richard tries to get Morgan and Carol on his side and to convince Ezekiel that they need to strike against the Saviors before their deal with the Kingdom goes south. It is, more or less, the exact plan that Rick had which got Abraham and Glenn killed. Neither of them wants to fight and he says that the blood will be on their hands if the Saviors turn on them.

After cleaning himself up, Spencer practices his intros in the mirror and takes a bottle of alcohol to Negan. He tells Rosita on his way that he thinks this is what his mom would have done, asks about their relationship, and invites her to dinner when he’s done with his meeting. He introduces himself to Negan and, as a show of good faith, tells him where a pool table is.

When he gets to his motorcycle inside Negan’s compound, Fat Joey stumbles upon Daryl’s escape attempt and promises that he can leave and no one will say a word or bother him. Jesus shows up just in time to see Daryl beat Fat Joey to death. He explains to Jesus that it’s no longer about just getting by, now it’s about getting it all.

The mystery woman takes Michonne as far as the outskirts of Negan’s compound, telling her that they’re all Negan and that Michonne has a choice to make. There’s a silencer in the glove box and Michonne can destroy the truck right now, which she ultimately does. RIP mystery woman.

Aaron and Rick are stopped on the way into town with their supplies and held up while Negan’s men riffles through the box truck. When they find the note from the boat owner, they take offense to it and beat Aaron. Rick picks him up when they’re done and tries to help him limp off for medical attention.

Stabbing Spencer for his cowardice, Negan admits that his guts were inside him the whole time. Afterwards, he begins posturing and Rosita takes the opportunity to shoot at him – hitting Lucille before she’s tackled. He wants to know who made the bullet and when she refuses to tell him who, he has one of his people kill Olivia.

Rick and Aaron catch up to the scene and Negan only asks for a thank you, explaining how he brought Carl back and fed him spaghetti, killed Spencer for being a traitor, and saved him food by killing Olivia. Rick tells him to leave, which he agrees to do after he gets the bullet-maker. Threatening everyone, Eugene has no choice but to admit that he made the bullet, giving him a one-way ticket to Negan’s compound. It’s not all bad, Spencer reanimates and Rick at least gets to kill him too.

It’s Michonne who finds Rick sitting in the jail cell that Morgan made. They embrace and she admits that she wanted to do things her way, but realized that it needed to be everyone’s way. They have a talk about how they’ll survive and get through this, ultimately leading them to take a small group to the Hilltop.

Rick admits to Maggie that she was right the whole time about fighting. They’re finally ready to put up a fight and Maggie reveals that Daryl is there too. Everyone hugs and shares a moment before Daryl gives Rick back his gun and they all head towards Gregory’s mansion together.