The Walking Dead season 9 finale recap: The Storm

Lydia begs Carol to end it. She knows this will keep her from losing more people. She takes Carol’s weapon and aims it at her throat, begging her to “do it for Henry.” She’s too weak to kill herself. Instead Carol kills an approaching walker and tells Lydia that she’s not weak. She holds out her hand to her.

Negan is out in the storm calling for Judith. A piece of flying debris hits him in the leg but he gets up anyway. He hears her and he runs up to her. She has dog but she’s fading fast from the cold. He picks her up and asks if she’s ok. “I’m ok,” she says. He takes his jacket off and wraps her up, joking that she did it for some extra Negan time. Dog had better poop golden nuggets for all that trouble. She sees his legs and says it looks like s**t. “Language, Miss Grimes,” he admonishes. After trying a tourniquet to his leg he picks her up and carries her away. She tells him he has to take dog, too, and so he grabs Dog’s leash and off they go.

The group finally reaches Hilltop, which has also been abandoned. The storm has dumped a ton of snow. Inside the mansion, Lydia looks at the painting of those who have been lost. Jerry says it’s like Kingdom, but Hilltop. He proposes “King Top.” Daryl tells Lydia that they’re going to return to Alexandria.

Carol tells Ezekiel that she’s going to Alexandria, too. He knows why she has to do that, but it doesn’t mean he’ll stop loving her. She won’t regret the “fairytale,” she says, handing him his ring. She’s in tears, and he walks away.

Eventually the group returns to Alexandria. Michonne comes through the gates and Judith runs to her. She sees Judith’s red cheeks. “It’s cold,” Judith laughs.

The group starts a snowball fight, with everyone laughing and having fun. Lydia is smiling, and so is Carol.