Episode 414 of The Walking Dead, "The Grove," is one that haunts the minds of viewers of the series. This story takes place after the prison's fall when the survivors are scattered about the countryside with no idea of who survived the Governor's (David Morrissey) attack on the prison.
The episode was written by Scott M. Gimple and directed by Michael E. Satrazemis and tackles a difficult topic: mental illness in an apocalypse. Next to the pilot episode, "Days Gone Bye," "The Grove" is thought to be the next best episode of the entire eleven seasons.
The episode is praised for the storyline and the performances of the actors, especially that of Melissa McBride who plays Carol Peletier. This episode features Carol, Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman), Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino), Mika (Kyla Kenedy), and baby Judith Grimes (Eleora and Elisea DiFranco).
"The Grove" begins with Carol, Tyreese and the girls making their way towards Terminus, a location that is supposed to be a "sanctuary for all." The adults discuss their concerns about Mika being too weak and Lizzie being too preoccupied with the walkers, who she believes to still be human and not a threat. Add to that the worry about a baby in the woods overrun by the undead.
They take shelter in a house in a pecan grove to assess their situation and give the girls a break from being on the run. Mika and Lizzie encounter a walker, which Mika quickly kills, and Lizzie becomes inconsolable. This is the first time viewers hear the phrase "Look at the flowers," which is a coping mechanism for Lizzie.
The next day, Carol spots Lizzie attempting to play with a walker in the yard. When Carol kills it, Lizzie becomes distraught, lashing out at Carol for killing her friend. Lizzie's thoughts on the walkers were that they were just a different form of their former selves. She couldn't comprehend the danger of the undead.
What happened to Lizzie?
Tyreese and Carol leave Judith in the care of Mika and Lizzie while they hunt. When they return, they are frozen in shock at the sight before them. Lizzie is standing over the body of her sister, Mika, with a knife in her hands and bloodied forearms. She is proud to announce that she didn't harm her brain so that she will come back. She was just about to do the same to baby Judith, but Carol, trying to keep control, tells her Judith's too young as she can't walk yet.
This leads to Carol once again doing the job that no one else could handle. She takes Lizzie to the woods and tells her to "Look at the flowers" and shoots her in the head. It was a horrific scene that shocked critics and viewers.
The Walking Dead featured many shocking moments throughout its eleven-season run and "The Grove" ranks high on that list.
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