The Walking Dead: Aaron loses grip on reality and abandons morality as food runs low at Alexandria

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Aaron wrestled with his grip on reality and abandoned his morality as he embraced his dark side on Sunday's episode of The Walking Dead on AMC.

The season 11 episode opened with Aaron (Ross Marquand) seemingly stabbed to death by members of the Whisperers, the Reapers, and zombies.

Aaron was walking through the dark woods with his adopted daughter Gracie [Anabelle Holloway] when his enemies appeared and pulled out their knives.

Losing it: Aaron wrestled with his grip on reality and his morality as he embraced his dark side on Sunday's episode of The Walking Dead on AMC

It turned out to be just another nightmare and Aaron woke up sweating with Gracie sleeping beside him at Alexandria. 

Jerry [Cooper Andrews], who was also sheltering at the same compound, woke up and stumbled to the bathroom. He looked out the window bleary eyed and saw a zombie walking around inside their compound. He screamed 'breach' and altered the others.

Aaron told Gracie to go into the basement and hide. He then rushed out to fortify the breached wall and to kill the zombies that had entered.

One zombie tried to grab him by the neck. Someone stepped in with an axe and killed the zombie, but the close encounter left Aaron shaken.

Dark side: The season 11 episode showed Aaron using a zombie to intimidate a prisoner

Bad dream: Aaron had a nightmare at the start of the episode in which he and Gracie were attacked by their enemies and he lost her

Close call: The walls of Alexandria were breached and Aaron barely survived a close call with a zombie

Walking dead: The alarm was sounded after a herd of zombies breached Alexandria

And that was all before the opening credits.

Over at the Commonwealth, Eugene Porter (Josh McDermitt), Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura), Princess (Juanita Sanchez) and Ezekiel (Khary Payton) all sat in a room and watched a promotional video about the community and its amenities. 

The infomercial for the Commonwealth with the motto 'the Commonwealth earns you're trust' depicted a happy environment with children playing and everyone smiling. The Commonwealth's director of operations Lance Hornsby said in the commercial that if a person was watching this video that it meant that they had been approved to join their community.

Commonwealth community: Over at the Commonwealth, Eugene Porter (Josh McDermitt), Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura), Princess (Juanita Sanchez) and Ezekiel (Khary Payton) all sat in a room and watched a promotional video about the community and its amenities

Promo video: The Commonwealth's director of operations Lance Hornsby said in the commercial that if a person was watching this video that it meant that they had been approved to join their community

After the video, a clerk handed Eugene, Yumiko, Princess, and Ezekiel each a piece of paper that detailed their work and housing details. Eugene was assigned to be high school teacher; Princess was assigned to be retail clerk; and Ezekiel was assigned animal control. Yumiko's assignment detail sheet only said that someone wanted to meet with her and 'talk about opportunities in our great community.'

They all agreed to do some research and come up with a plan to figure out what was going on at Commonwealth. Yumiko handed her letter to the officer in the room and told him that she was looking for a family member. He seemed impressed by her letter and told her would be happy to help her.

Next, Yumiko walked into a bakery filled with donuts, cakes and cupcakes on display. Her brother Tomi (Duane Kicak) was shocked when he saw her and dropped the cake he was holding.

Work assignment: Princess was assigned to be retail clerk

Baked goods: Yumiko walked into a bakery filled with donuts, cakes and cupcakes on display

Cake drop: Her brother Tomi (Duane Kicak) was shocked when he saw her and dropped the cake he was holding

Yumiko sat down with Tomi and he explained to her how he made his way to the Commonwealth. He told her that the place was a safe haven.

'I almost forget what is going on outside these walls,' he said. 

She asked why he was working as a baker, if he was really a doctor. He told her he liked his life now and asked her to not ruin it for him. He told her that anything was possible in the Commonwealth as long as they followed the rules.

Catching up: Yumiko sat down with Tomi and he explained to her how he made his way to the Commonwealth

Anything possible: Tomi told her that anything was possible in the Commonwealth as long as they followed the rules

Eugene went on an ice cream date with his new friend in the Commonwealth, Stephanie [Chelle Ramos]. They got ice cream cones from an ice cream truck and walked together through the idyllic looking community. Eugene told Stephanie that he didn't think they could stay. She told him maybe he would feel better if he could talk to his friends back in Alexandria.

Mercer [Michael James Shaw], the leader of the Commonwealth's army, watched Stephanie and Eugene from afar.

Stephanie took Eugene, Princess and Ezekiel to a building at the Commonwealth, a former train station. Mercer rushed to the train station and Princess tried to stop him from going in.

First date: Eugene went on an ice cream date with his new friend in the Commonwealth, Stephanie [Chelle Ramos]

With Stephanie's help, Eugene managed to make contact with Alexandria. Rosita Espinosa [Christian Serratos] and Judith [Cailey Fleming] talked to him over the radio. They tried to relay to him that Alexandria was running out of food. 

Mercer interrupted the call by bursting into the room. He then arrested Eugene for 'unauthorized use of government property.'

Eugene was told he faced multiple charges of violating the Commonwealth codes and if he was found guilty he would be thrown out of the community. Lance Hornsby, the narrator of the Commonwealth's promotional video, walked in and told them to let Eugene and the others go.

Harsh penalty: After getting caught communicating with Alexandria, Eugene was told he faced multiple charges of violating the Commonwealth codes and if he was found guilty he would be thrown out of the community

Back at Alexandria, supplies were running low. Aaron, Jerry, Carol Peletier [Melissa McBride], and Lydia [Cassady McClincy] discussed what to do. Aaron said they should make a run to see what was left at Hilltop.

Judith trained the other children to fight off zombies. She stopped when she saw a group of boys teasing a zombie that was poking its head through the gate.

One of the boys told Judith to mind her own business and commented that no wonder her mother left her. The comment upset Judith who eventually walked away after pulling a knife on the bully.

Fighting lessons: Judith trained the other children to fight off zombies

Zombie boy: A group of boys teasing a boy zombie that was poking its head through the gate

Feelings hurt: The comment about her mother upset Judith who eventually walked away after pulling a knife on the bully

Later, Judith broke down crying about how so many people she once knew were gone.

Outside of Alexandra, deep in the woods, Maggie Rhee [Lauren Cohan] and Negan Smith [Jeffrey Dean Morgan] fought off zombies together. 

Negan told her she needed to trust him and admitted that he didn't understand why she hadn't already killed him.

Getting emotional: Later, Judith broke down crying about how so many people she once knew were gone

Odd pairing: Outside of Alexandra, deep in the woods, Maggie Rhee [Lauren Cohan] and Negan Smith [Jeffrey Dean Morgan] fought off zombies together

'I ask myself that question every day,' Maggie said.

Maggie hid the food they had found at a safe house and told Negan they would stay there to wait for the others. He told her that they should leave before they are found to cut their losses and suggested they should only wait till sun down for the others.

When Negan tried to leave, Maggie and him fought. Father Gabriel Stokes [Seth Gilliam] and Elijah [Okea Eme-Akwari] walked in. Elijah asked about the others but Maggie told him that Duncan [Marcus Lewis], Agatha [Laurie Fortier] and Cole [Sebastian Sozzi] were all dead. She told him that she didn't know about Daryl Dixon [Norman Reedus] and Frost [Glenn Stanton].

Knife throw: Maggie threw a knife that flew past Negan and struck a zombie in the head

Tense situation: Negan and Maggie argued about their next moves and it got physical

'So then we wait,' said Father Gabriel.

Meanwhile, Aaron, Jerry, Carol, and Lydia arrived at Hilltop to find it had been overrun with zombies. They recognized friends such as Troy Otto [Daniel Sharman] that had been turned into zombies before they killed them.

They then noticed a group of zombies being herded in a corner of the compound and Aaron announced it was The Whisperers. He ran over to the group and started killing zombies. Aaron pushed one down, who turned out to only be wearing a zombie mask. Lydia jumped over and told them not to kill him because she knew him.

Good idea: 'So then we wait,' said Father Gabriel after Maggie gave him an update

Hilltop attack: They recognized friends such as Troy Otto [Daniel Sharman] that had been turned into zombies before they killed them

The man told him his name was Keith. He told them he was all that was left of his crew. Aaron didn't believe him and said that he didn't know a Whisperer who wasn't a liar. Aaron told them to bring Keith to the cellar where they found a group of other Whisperers huddled in the corner.

Lydia said they just looked scared. Aaron said they could be a threat. 

Keith grabbed a knife and stabbed Aaron and it was enough of a distraction for the other Whisperers to escape.

Supplies mission: Carol, Jerry and Aaron were looking for supplies but found trouble

Rage on: Aaron became outraged after he was attacked by Keith and Whisperers escaped

Aaron was enraged.

'My turn,' he said as he grabbed Keith by the neck.

Aaron took vengeance on Keith. He tied him up and had a zombie attack him and bite off his fingers. Aaron then told him he would cut off his hand if he wanted. 

Zombie interrogation:  Keith was tied up and Aaron had a zombie attack him and bite off his fingers

Lydia told him to stop torturing him and stormed off. Carol killed the zombie and told Aaron he was going down a 'very dark path.' She told Aaron to let him go.

Carol and Lydia gave Keith some mushrooms and told him 'don't ever look back.'

Then Keith shared with them some bombshell news. He told them that he saw one of their people come out of the cave. Aaron and Jerry shared a look. They instantly knew that it was missing Connie ([Lauren Ridloff] .

Aaron asked Jerry what he thought.

Big news: Lydia, Carol, Jerry and Aaron were shocked by Keith

'I'm thinking it's a good thing that you didn't kill him,' Jerry said.

Keith told them that she looked hurt, but that he saw her alive near a cave. Carol said they needed to go get her and Aaron told them they would go at first light.

The Walking Dead will return next Sunday on AMC.

Good thing: 'I'm thinking it's a good thing that you didn't kill him,' Jerry said