The Walking Dead season 9 episode 12 recap: Guardians
She tells him the story of when Lydia was three and she turned her back long enough for the little girl to go missing. Alpha found her in the closet tangled up in the plastic from the dry cleaning. The wrapping was around her face and in her mouth and she was turning blue. When she collapsed Alpha stepped in to free her, and once she was breathing again and said she was okay, Alpha hit her – hard – as a reminder that she should never do it again. It’s all about protecting the ones you love, she explains. Beta agrees that they need to protect themselves from the outside, too, because they know people will come for Henry. He also warns her about Lydia’s feelings for the boy.
The two bodies are dragged out to the field to feed the walkers, who descend upon the bodies. Daryl and Connie watch from afar.
Gabriel finds Siddiq with Rosita. The two men exchange a look, then they smile, and then all three go inside the house while Eugene looks on with a sad smile.
Michonne knocks on a door and little Gracie answers. She calls for her dad, who comes to the door. Michonne thanks Aaron for his support at the meeting and he says that they all agreed to the rules and after everything they’ve seen it made him remember why they have rules to begin with. She appreciates it, but she has decided that the council can vote again about the fair. She thinks it’s a bad idea, but they should be able to choose knowing the risks. And it’s for the Kingdom. Aaron looks shocked, and he hopes they don’t regret it.
Later, wagons are loaded with food while Gabriel keeps an eye on things. Michonne sits nearby, looking pensive.
Beta cuts Henry free in the middle of the night. He’s taken to a clearing where Alpha and Lydia are waiting. Alpha tells her daughter to take her knife and kill him. Lydia wants to know why, and Alpha things she was gone long enough to forget who she is. Lydia is conflicted, clearly, breaking into tears. Alpha tells her not to be weak like her father, and Lydia says she remembers what really happened to him. Alpha threatens that Beta will kill them both.
All of a sudden the camp is overrun with walkers and Alpha grabs her mask in time to see her people being eaten alive. Someone grabs Henry. It’s Daryl and Connie, and they tell him that they need to leave, now. He won’t leave without her, so in the confusion they all run off into the night together. Daryl tosses his mask aside as they run.