The Walking Dead season 9 episode 7 recap: Stradivarius

While the group sleeps, Michonne stands guard. When she hears something she grabs her katana and goes to investigate. She finds the horses, and then she finds Luke. She tells him to drop it and turn around, but he says he can’t. He starts to turn around and she slices, leading him to cry out and wake everyone up. When they come running he’s on his knees with a broken violin.

Henry spots something moving around their tent. He leaves Carol sleeping and goes to check on it. He finds a walker instead, and then Daryl is there and he tells Henry to go back to camp. He can hear the dog barking and then he sees that the dog snared himself in one of the traps and he was surrounded by walkers. Daryl tells Henry to stay put but when Daryl gets pulled away by the walkers Henry tries to jump into action. Daryl manages to free the dog but then a walker breaks free and Henry stakes it before it can attack Daryl. Daryl isn’t happy that he disobeyed. In the distance, Carol watches them.

Tara finds Jesus and says that Rosita is doing better. She asks what he was doing out there and he says he was training Aaron. But she says he can’t keep leaving because people are noticing his absence. Maggie asked him to be there and he needs to focus on the community.

Henry watches Daryl change his shirt. He has the same X on his back as Michonne did. Daryl gives Henry some medicine for the scrape on his leg. He tells him that the dog lets him know if there are walkers in the trap. The traps aren’t for animals, they’re for walkers. He adds that the traps are no place for animals to die. Henry says that his mom worries about Daryl. He knows they are best friends and he doesn’t think she should have to worry about him because he’s out there by himself. Daryl doesn’t argue with him.

Luke is in shock that Michonne would destroy an original Stradivarius violin. He starts to explain its relevance. Yumiko laughs, because she has heard his tale before, and says he found it in a child’s bedroom in Philadelphia. Siddiq is astonished that they have been traveling with a collection of musical instruments, but Luke says that this is art. He tells the story of neanderthals and how they were more advanced than ancient humans but ancient humans survived over time. He says that music, and art, brings people together. If they’re trying to rebuild then they need this. Michonne can’t believe that after all of this he still believes it’s that easy. Siddiq is rapt, listening to the story. Luke says the least she can do is go with them to Hilltop because she killed his violin, and Michonne says she doesn’t know what will happen when she sees Maggie. Siddiq slowly reveals that Maggie is gone, and that she took Hershel with her. Jesus is in charge. Michonne is furious that no one told her, but Yumiko interrupts because there are walkers approaching.