Synopsis for 3×12: Troy has a surprise in store for the ranch, though he does thoughtfully warn Nick about it beforehand. He and Jake take off to stop Troy, while Alicia’s left to manage those left behind.
Speaking of the ranch, Nick, Crazy Dog, and Alicia all backed the notion of putting down the cattle herd because there’s simply not enough water to sustain them. The idea doesn’t sit well with Jake because it wasn’t his call and he remembers the heyday of it all, but he begrudgingly accepts it. He also tests out the idea of packing everything up with Alicia and leaving the ranch, something that she absolutely doesn’t want to do.
Later that night, Nick wakes up to find a sleep deprived Troy has broken into the house to tell him about his mission. Because Nick saved Troy from being killed by Walker’s men, he’s here to return the favor by giving a warning to Nick. He tells Nick that the whole ranch is going to be obliterated in a few hours and that he should get Jake. They can both see what he’s done.
Alicia tries to discuss the water problems on the ranch while Jake brushes off her concerns because Madison and Walker are bringing back water. It’s not a long-term solution and Alicia wants to plan for the future, even though Jake’s future plans still seem to be for the two of them to abandon the ranch. They argue over Alicia’s motivations in beginning a relationship with him before Nick shows up to tell them about Troy.
They’re clearly being baited, but Nick and Jake take off in a truck immediately after realizing that he must have headed to the McCarthys’ outpost after he was banished. Driving there, they spot a dust cloud kicked up by a massive hoard of walkers. Before they can herd them away from the ranch, an explosion goes off – further pushing them towards the one place they don’t want them to be.
It’s Troy, with a gun he found at the outpost, gleeful to show them his handiwork. Nick wants the opportunity to try to talk Troy down, but Jake points a gun at him all the same. Talking isn’t working, especially after Troy manages to shoot another explosive off to move the herd, so Jake moves to restrain Troy. He spills the beans to Jake about Nick killing Jeremiah, causing Jake to pause before killing him.
That’s enough time for Nick to knock Jake off balance and away from Troy. Unfortunately, Jake falls too close to some of the infected and ends up getting bitten. With no other option, Nick takes control of the situation and has Troy help him cut off Jake’s arm. Like a page out of The Walking Dead’s playbook, it’s never good to be the moral compass of the show (or the Ottos).
Back on the farm, Alicia tells Ofelia about Troy sneaking onto the ranch and the warning he gave. She’s not pleased to hear it, but they don’t have time to dwell on what he’d done because of the herd closing in. Crazy Dog asserts that Walker left them to guard the ranch, so they’ll have to make a last stand instead of running.
Reluctantly, Crazy Dog allows Ofelia to arm the ranchers with guns. They also line up many of the RVs to hopefully guide the herd around the ranch with minimal damage. As the herd breaches the ranch, they run up against the RVs – some going under, some smashing into – and it appears to hold at first. Unfortunately, one of the RVs tips over from the strain and the infected break the line.
Piled into the back of the truck and leaning on Troy, Jake is dying and there’s no way they’ll make it back to the ranch before the herd gets there. They’re forced to stop and Troy tells Nick that he only wanted them to see what he’d done for them. He also asks Nick to kill him, but Nick tells him to kill himself.
In the chaos, the ranchers and the Nation are forced to run for the pantry. Ofelia tells Alicia to run for the pantry because the people will follow her and she tries to make her way there. When one of the militia goes down, Alicia kills him to spare him coming back – marking a change for her character. After more of a struggle, everyone makes it to the pantry, but now they’re trapped inside.
Jake reanimates with his head in Troy’s lap and Troy is forced to put him out of his misery once and for all. Who would have put money on Troy being the last Otto standing? Exhausted in more ways than one, Nick won’t allow him to sleep because they have to save everyone that Troy tried to kill. According to Nick, he can sleep when he’s dead.
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