The Walking Dead: Top 100 Moments

27. Old Friend

Episode 802 “The Damned”

Original Airdate: 10/29/2017

Submitted By: Sarabeth Pollock

Over the years, Rick and the other survivors came across familiar faces from their past. In some cases, it was a matter of reuniting with people who had been separated by some circumstance. In others, as it was with Morgan, you encounter familiar faces in the least likely places.

So it was when Rick and Daryl were scouting an outpost. They had plans from Dwight that suggested there was a cache of weapons inside, but as they went from floor to floor there were no weapons, only a baby named Gracie.

As Rick surveyed the rooms outside Gracie’s bedroom he encountered a face he hadn’t seen since season 1: Gonzalez.

Of all the gin joints in all the world.

It turns out that Gonzalez lost his family along the journey, leaving him alone and looking for shelter. That’s when he met up with the Saviors. As he faced off with Rick he told Rick that the Saviors are only doing what they need to do to survive. In that way, the Saviors were no different that Rick. Rick tried to argue the point, but blood has been shed on both sides.

In the end, Daryl found Gonzalez pointing the gun at Rick and shot him before he could hurt Rick. It was a brief, kind of random but welcome reunion.