The Walking Dead season 9 episode 2 recap: The Bridge

Fighting Words

At the bridge, Daryl helps Aaron to place boards and Aaron tells the story of the baby’s diaper exploding on his. He’s talking about Grace, and he thinks Daryl will make a great father. Henry offers water to one of the Saviors, who wants more after he has one drink. Henry says there isn’t enough but the Savior, Justin, pushes him and takes the water. Henry knocks him down with his stick, Morgan-style, and he’s about to retaliate but Daryl jumps in. A fight ensues.

Eugene and Rick walk through the woods discussing plans. They see the fight and Rick hurries to stop it. Aaron is involved, too. Rick stops it and tells everyone to go back to work.

Later, Daryl is furious that the Savior involved in the fight gets off with no punishment. Rick says they need the bridge done and they’re part of the workforce. Daryl points out that they have been losing Saviors regularly and Carol agrees that they’re not used to working together. Rick has a hopeful vision, but Daryl isn’t sure that they’re on the same side. He storms out and Carol says he should talk to him. She agrees with Daryl that the Saviors might not be able to join the team.

Michonne hears Jesus talking to Tammy about when she can see her husband. Tammy refuses to leave the building where Earl is locked up because she has nowhere else to be. Michonne is there when Jesus walks away and asks if he’s going to talk to Maggie. He says it isn’t his call and Maggie presses him. Jesus thinks Tammy should see her husband, but he’s respectful to Maggie. She might not have all of the answers but she has enough of them. Michonne says they need to create rules that are bigger than all of them.

Anne draws a portrait based on Gabriel’s description. She’s so happy that he helped her become part of the group. She knows they don’t trust her yet and he says that he was in the same boat. She grabs his hand and they have a moment. He says his job is to be there.

Maggie plays with baby Hershel while they talk about plans. He spots a letter from Georgie and Maggie says she was thinking about the last letter she sent. He wonders if Maggie will leave to join her but Maggie wants to stay put. Jesus tells Maggie about Tammy and Earl and says she has been asking for a month to see her husband. Maggie thinks that Jesus has been talking to Michonne too much but Maggie thinks that Negan, Gregory and Earl are all in the same boat.

Eventually, Maggie brings Tammy to Earl. He tells Tammy that he brought shame to her after being sober for 20 years. He says he needs her forgiveness. They miss each other, and Maggie watches them.

Rosita sets up an explosion on a road. She’s with Arat, who asks if she’ll trust her. Rosita isn’t about to trust anyone. The explosion goes off and draws all of the walkers away.

Maggie goes to talk with Earl. He built the cells for her and now he’s the first resident. She wants to know about his drinking. He says that he was drunk when Ken was born and can’t remember his first memory of him. He joined AA. When Ken was 2 he went to pick him up get got drunk instead and the sitter tried to stop him from driving. He blacked out but he’d called at some point Tammy and she took them home and she never left. They vowed to stay together, and he never drank again after that. Until that night. Maggie thanks him for sharing the story, and she gets up to leave when he stops her. He wants to know why she hanged Gregory instead of him. By way of response she wants to know if he thinks she made a mistake, and he says no.