The Walking Dead: recap of season 10, Morning Star

Today we continue our recaps of season 10 of The Walking Dead with episode 11, Morning Star. We are recapping season 10 in anticipation of the release of season 10c on AMC on February 28. AMC+ members will be able to see the episode on February 21.

The episode opens with Beta cutting into trees so the Whisperers can harvest the sap. As the camera pans away, we see many trees are tapped for this and other Whisperers working to collect the sap. In another area, Alpha has Negan whip her arm, and she does the same to him.

Beta is leading the horde, chanting, “We are the end of the world.” Alpha follows with “We take them all.”  As always, many walkers are intermixed with the Whisperers, and next, we see Negan walking and chanting along wearing his won Whisperer mask.

Back at Alexandria, Eugune is talking with Stephanie. They discover that they are within 100 miles from one another because she also saw the satellite fall. They decide Stephanie will talk to her people about the two of them meeting.

In this episode, Hilltop prepares for battle against Alpha and her Whisperers

At Hilltop, Alden and Earl see Aaron and Gamma/Mary, and Earl is suspicious of this stranger. When he finds out she is a Whisperer and wants to see his son, her nephew, he refuses. Aaron explains that she escaped from Alpha and wants to help them; this information didn’t change his mind.

Carol is sitting alone at Daryl’s old camp as Ezekiel approaches her. He tells her after he heard about what happened in the cave, he became worried about her. He tells her Jerry and Kelly made it back to Hilltop, and he thought she might need some comfort. She tells him she doesn’t, and he asks her to come back. When she says nothing, he tells her he will just next to her, and they can get eaten by mosquitoes together.

We see Kelly, whose ankle has been hurt in the cave-in, is preparing to head out in search of Connie and Magna. Luke tells her she can’t go out searching since she is injured. Yumiko says they could be dead. Suddenly Daryl and Lydia arrive with news that Alpha and her horde are coming.

Rosita heads to the attic looking for Eugene and hears the voice on the radio. She asks the person who she is, and the radio goes silent. Eugene is worried that he has broken his promise not to tell anyone at Alexandria about her.

Alpha and Negan are next to the river as he offers her some unsolicited advice. He tries to talk her into getting HIlltop to surrender and join her instead of massacre them all.

Back at Hilltop, Lydia tries to explain to everyone the gravity of the situation. They are hellbent on fighting, but Lydia tells them Alpha will just bring reinforcements. They all talk about whether they will flee or fight. Daryl tells them to get the kids out and take them to Oceanside.

They pack the kids into a wagon as Carol and Ezekiel return to Hilltop. Daryl leads the wagon train only to find the way blocked by a tree in the road. Two walkers in militia gear are there, and Dianne knows these are the scouts, Penny and Felix, that Yumiko sent out earlier. Daryl knows said it is Negan’s doing, as he is with her (Alpha) now.

They return to Hilltop with all the children. Daryl tells Aaron and the rest that Alpha is approaching. Everyone is worried as they feel they don’t have the manpower to take on Alpha. Earl trying to rally everyone’s courage, tells them to get their heads on straight as this will be the fight of their lives. He points out they have catapults on the walls and a damn good militia.

Carol looks on with no comment.

Ezekiel is in his room as Carol knocks and enters. She sees that he was going through a box with Henry’s gear in it. She unties his scarf touching his neck where his tumor is located. He told her wanted to tell her. She kisses him.

Mary tries to see her nephew inside the house, and Alden tells her she can’t see him. That Earl has been raising him on his own, and it’s her fault Alpha is heading to Hilltop.

We see Ezekiel spread out on the bed as Carol zips her pants. He remarks, “That was fun.” They discuss how much she has changed. He tells her she has lost her sense of humor. She told him she left it on a dresser at the Kingdom, and it was burnt down. He tells her that is also where he left his pride. He wonders if they would have been intimate if they weren’t going to die tonight. Showing that she does still have some of her humor left, she remarks, “Wait. We’re going to die tonight?” They share a laugh.

Eugene is in the woods as Rosita approaches him. They discuss whether she has told Gabriel about the horde descending on Hilltop. She doesn’t want to tell him yet. She asks him about Stephanie, telling him that the girl likes him or wouldn’t be risking things to talk to him. She asks if Eugene wants to kiss her; he goes in for the kiss but cannot. She says they need to fight the Whisperers.

Lydia, remembering Henry looks sad as Carol approaches her. Carol tells Lydia she should hate her. Lydia responds that Carol hates herself enough as it is. Carol tells her she will kill Alpha and wonders if she will hate her then. Lydia tells her she won’t be thinking about Carol when that time comes. Lydia tells her she is sorry her son was killed and that her mother is a monster. This is a healing time for these two who have lost so much.

As Hilltop prepares for the horde, Yumiko apologizes to Kelly for saying Connie and Magna were dead. Many rats start coming out of the woods signaling the horde is approaching.

Eugene tries the radio again, this time singing the song Stephanie wanted him to sing as we see everyone gearing up for the battle with the Whisperers. Ezekiel gives Lydia Henry’s armor.

Then, we hear Stephanie’s voice singing the song back to Eugene. Stephanie asks who the girl’s voice was, and he explains that Rosita is his proverbial BFF, and he hopes the two of them will meet someday. She suddenly shouts out a location and for him to meet her in two weeks.

Ezekiel and Daryl share a moment, and Ezekiel tells him that he has cancer. In a rare moment of friendship, Daryl tells him that he sees all he has been through and that he and the others are thankful he is with them. They make plans to keep the kids of Hilltop safe when the battle begins.

Judith has witnessed this conversation and tells Daryl she wants to fight and isn’t scared. Daryl shares that maybe he is scared. She shares that maybe she is a bit scared, and he tells her there is no shame in that. She has redone his winged vest by painting on the wing that has been missing for so long. He is touched and puts in on with a smile. Daryl tells her that if Ezekiel comes for her and RJ during the battle, she will go with him no matter what. She promises, and they share a hug.

Carol stares at a wall of artwork portraits of friends she has last. Daryl stands in the graveyard looking very sad as Carol approaches him, asking him not to hate her. Daryl says he will never hate her, and tears of joy spring to her eyes.

Darkness has come, and we see Daryl grab a mace and head outside to join the militia, ready to fight what is to come. We see the group armed to the teeth as Kelly feels the ground to see if they are coming. She nods to Yumiko, and we see the first walkers in the horde coming their way. I the darkness, we hear a huge amount of growling coming from the darkness as Aaron, getting the militia into action, shouts “Formation.”

This episode sets things up for the next one that will see the massive battle for Hilltop.