Walking Dead Recap S2E11: Judge, Jury, Executioner

Daryl is whooping on Randall, trying to get information about his group. Daryl has some interesting tactics, but they work. Randall was one of about a group of thirty, with heavy weaponry. The group had women and children too, and the group while scouting were sick savages, raping survivors, but they didn’t kill them. Randall’s description of one incident lights a fire under our beloved Randall, and I’m sure right about now he was wishing he’d have died on that iron fence.

The group asks rick what he plans to do with Randall. And Daryl brings back the news. They can’t stand up to Randall’s group, and the women would wish they died if his group rolls through. Rick knows what needs to be done now, but Dale doesn’t think he should be killed. He wants to have time to let the group make a decision.

Dale turns to Andrea first for support, but she’s as far from supportive as she can be. She’s all about safety and sees the guy as a threat too, but she tells Dale she’ll at least talk to Randall.

Andrea sits at the prisoner's door, not exactly talking. Shane wants to start a revolutionary, and Andrea isn't all for it. She's worried about it getting out of hand, but Shane promises that it won't.

Carl sneaks into the loft to see Randall, and he tries to sweet talk the kid. Randall tries to make his camp out to be the good guys, and Carl inches closer. Shane catches Carl before he can get too close, and Andrea stops Shane from shooting Randall. Shane tries to talk some sense into Carl, and he sounds pretty same about it.

Dale goes looking for Daryl whose trying to find some peace. He plays like he doesn't care, but Daryl is one big softie. Daryl doesn't want to admit how much he cares, and Dale tries to play on that to get Daryl's support. Daryl saw right through Shane's Otis story, and knows if Rick didn't figure it out it's only because he didn't want to. Sounds like we may have 2 revolutions on our hands soon.

Lori wants to talk to Hershel about staying in the house since its getting colder and then their thoughts turn to the prisoner. Lori is behind her husband on this one.

Carol chats with Carl trying to make him believe that Sophia is in a better place, but Carl is less than sunny on his thoughts and beliefs. Rick has a little chat with Carl about manners and tact. Rick tells Carl to fix his mistake, and Carl asks what the plan is for Randall.

Dale comes to Hershel for support. Hershel plans to stay out of the Randall affair. He leaves the decision at Rick's feet. Smart man.

Carl wanders over to Daryl's domain and stumbles upon his gun. So a hunting he goes into the woods. He finds a zombie stuck in the muck of the swamp, and curiosity over takes him. Does he not remember the last time he became overly curious about something and ended up with a bullet in his chest?

Dale tries to change Shane’s mind about Randall. He’s willing to put their differences aside since neither are leaving. Shane tells Dale if he manages to get everyone to agree not to kill Randall, he won’t say a word, but all the blood spilt will be on Dale’s hands, because he knows Randall will cause the death of some of their people.

Glen comes to check on Beth, and Hershel finally takes an interest in getting to know Glen, and we get to know Hershel a little more as well. A lot changed for Hershel at that bar, and he finally sees Glen as a good suitor for his daughter.

Rick and Lori prepare for an execution. Lori tells him that he doesn’t have to be the one to do it, but he does. His choices lead them here, and he has to be the one to deliver the blow. He believes in his choice, and that’s the most important part.

Carl gets close to the walker, pulling his pilfered weapon on the stuck zombie, It manages to get a leg free and make a grab at him, and he drops his gun and makes a run for it. Please let’s not do another lost child in the woods storyline. I think one is enough for the series run.

Thank goodness Carl makes it back to the house, as the group gathers to take their vote, and they make some options. Rick wants to know how everyone feels, and Dale goes immediately on the offensive. There aren’t many options for Randall that make everyone feel safe, that doesn’t put everyone in danger. Dale wants to work on a viable resolution that allows Randall to live, but there isn’t one. Dale is still holding onto a word that is no longer there. He wants to do what’s right, but the right thing may be just the thing that he’s fighting against. Finally Dale finds a supporter in Andrea, but it may be too late because his other support has dried up. He tells Daryl that the group is broken before he takes his leave in disgust.

Rick, Daryyl, and Shane take Randall to the zombie barn, and he knows what’s coming. They prepare him for execution. Rick goes through the motions, and Randall begs for his life, but its way too late. As he prepares to pull the trigger, Carl walks in and urges him on. Shane tries to usher Carl out, but Rick can’t kill Randall now.

Carl and Rick return to camp, and tells the others his plan. They’re keeping Randall in custody for now. Andrea runs to deliver the good news to Dale. He tells Lori that Carl followed, that he wanted to watch, and he couldn’t do it.

Dale travels alone out beyond where they burned the bodies, and finds an eviscerated cow that’s still alive by a thread. He fails to see the culprit behind the cow mauling until he’s a split second away from getting mauled himself. 

Remember that little thing about doses of happiness getting drowned out by the darkness, sorry Dale, Randall getting a stay of execution was your little bit of sunshine and now you’re zombie chow.

The Camp rallies to save Dale, but that little zombie Carl was playing with is a bugger, and he rips Dale open pretty well before Daryl can kill the zombie. So he’s not bitten, but he doesn’t look good either. They scramble to get Hershel, and Hershel delivers a somber diagnosis. Carl sees the zombie he should have killed, which was the death of Dale. And Dale finds himself looking at the end of Rick’s barrel, but Rick’s unable to pull the trigger. Daryl does what Rick cannot, and with a small apology he silences Dale for the last time.

Dale let’s be honest, this was a long time coming. You had too many morals, you ran your mouth way too often and stuck your nose where it didn’t, but you didn’t have enough gumption to stand your ground. And now you’re gone, Randall so wasn’t worth your happy moment. You should have aimed higher.