Walking Dead S05E11 Recap: The Distance

The group is still in the barn, they're readying themselves when Maggie and Sasha return with Aaron. Daryl looks to make sure that they weren't follow. The girls disarmed Aaron before he arrived. He tries to approach Rick, but he stops when the weapons are raised. He remains with his hands up. Aaron has come to audition the group, though audition is the wrong word. They aren't a dance group. Aaron is part of a nearby community, and he thinks that Rick's group could be a valuable addition. He asks Sasha to hand over his pack. He has pictures of the community. He can't force the group, but ask that they follow him on their own. Inside are pictures of the high steel walls. They can offer safety. He tells Rick that they're strong, and should the group join they will be even stronger. Aaron moves on, telling him to look at the next picture, on inside of the gates. Rick puts down the pictures without looking further, and knocks Aaron out.

Michonne makes it clear that her look was not a lets attack that man look. Rick is sure that the man isn't alone. He tells the others to be on the lookout. Maggie is sure if he wanted to hurt them he could have. She and Sasha had no idea he was there until he made himself known. Carl looks over the items they found on Aaron. Aaron wakes up, but he's not angry about being knocked out. He even admits that he has a helluva right cross. He understands why Rick would be cautious. Rick is concerned since Aaron had a flare gun, so he could locate people to his position. Aaron knows that it doesn't matter what he says, that the group won't trust him even though he's done nothing to make them turn on him. He's been trailing them for a long while, he even left them the water. Daryl asks how long he's been trailing them. Long enough to see them bypass the walkers, long enough to see them starving, and that they didn't turn on each other. He's seen that they're good people, and he hopes that they won't punch him again for saying, but good people are the most important resource in the world. Rick asks again how many others are out there. There is only one. He asks if not pictures, or words, what else can convince them. He asks if he can take him home. He and his partner each drove separately, so they can all fit, but because of the storm the vehicles couldn't be driven to the barn. The road is blocked, and Aaron and his partner were unable to clear it. Rick is still unconvinced. Aaron points out that if he had wanted to pick them off he could have. He could have set the barn on fire as they slept, and they killed them as they ran out of the only exit. Michonne and Maggie want to go check out the camp. Its dangerous to go, but more dangerous to not give it a shot. Convinced, Rick sends a group out to the location that Aaron said his vehicles were. Rick sends the others out into the surrounding woods on the lookout.

Rick remains inside with Aaron. Aaron tells Rick of his life before the apocalypse. He's been use to guns in his face for a long time. Aaron knows that Rick won't kill him, and his people won't kill Rick's. Rick and the other may be good people, but if his people don't return he won't hesitate to kill him.

Glenn warns the others to be on the lookout, and ready to fire. Michonne doesn't think they should just open fire on anyone, without reason. They could be good people, people that aren't even involved with Aaron and the others. Glenn thinks if they are people like them that they should be afraid. Michonne points out the good that they have done. They've saved many people including a crazy lady with a sword.

Judith cries. Aaron asks if he saw the stuff in his pack, the apple sauce. He tells Rick its not about getting him to like him, but about self preservation, that if the walkers hear her, he knows that he will be the first one to go. Rick grabs the jar. He tries to get Aaron to take a bite, but Aaron really hates applesauce, its a childhood thing. He only brings the applesauce to show that they have apple trees. He tells Rick that if them come, they can find him a home, where even if Judith cries no one outside of the walls will hear her. Aaron finally takes a bite, and Rick too. He has 43 minutes left.

Michonne and the others see that what Aaron said was true. The vehicles are there, but there doesn't seem to be anyone there. There are a pair of walkers, which Abraham and Rosita take care of easily. They check out the mobile home, and its full of food. Abraham laughs over a can of spaghetti o's. He knows that after he found out that DC was a lie, he was lost. He asks Rosita if she thought that he would hurt her. She didn't, but the rift between them is still there.

Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Rosita, and Abraham bring the vehicles back to the barn. Rick looks over all of the food. He tells Aaron that regardless of what they decide, the food is theirs. He's still not convinced going with him is a good idea, but Michonne is convinced. Everything Aaron has said so far has been the truth, and there's no reason not to go take a look. Daryl thinks its BS, but Rick is willing to take a look. Aaron admits that every time he's done it, he's been behind the wheel. He's willing to bet his life, but he isn't sure he's willing to bet his friend's. He gives Rick his directions, but Rick doesn't like the openness of the roads, he wants to take alternate paths. Aaron assures them all that they've worked to clear the road that he's put him on. Rick plans to take his path, and by night, so that if it is a trap, they can get away.

Rick heads out to look over the car. Michonne needs to know if Rick is really planning on going to the camp, or blowing smoke up their butts. Rick does plan on going, but he needs to make sure that it is safe, because so far all the promises of safety have come up short. He admits that he's unsure if anything can make him actually go through the gates, but he's going to try.

Under the cover of night, the group sets out in the two vehicles down 23. In the glove box Rick finds a slew of license plates. Aaron admits that he's trying to collect all 50 states. Michonne asks about the pictures, and as she looks at them she notices that there are none of the people. She asks why, and Aaron sheepishly admits that he took a group shot, but botched the development of it. She panics, asking Rick if he asked the questions, he didn't. She asks Aaron how many walkers has he killed. Aaron doesn't understand her sudden panic. He's unsure, many. She asks how many people. He tells her 2, because they tried to kill him. Rick and Glenn too are panicked. The people with Aaron could have overheard his plan. Glenn runs over a walker, and then another. The road is covered in them, and its a bloody massacre, as Glenn hits them all. The car stops, and Rick finds another route, but the car won't stop, and the camper isn't behind them.

A flare lights up the sky as Michonne tries to get walker chunks out of the car. Aaron panicks. He wants out. He makes a run for it, but the others don't understand. They take off running, and shooting walkers as they go. Glenn gets separated from the group, and nearly is munched on in the ensuing chaos. A walker takes him down, but Glenn smashes his head on the ground. He hears Aaron up ahead, and saves him. He cuts him free. Aaron is sure that they can still make it, but they have to go together and now.

Rick continues to look for Glenn. He fires Aaron's flare into a walker so that he and Michonne can have a little light to see by. There are a whole lot of walkers coming their way. Glenn and Aaron arrive from behind, taking down all of the walkers. Aaron tells him that if he wants to retie him up he can, but he needs to hurry. Rick doesn't. He wants to know where his people are. He warns Aaron, that if he's being lead into a trap its going to go wrong, very wrong.

Aaron leads them in. Carl comes running out to greet Rick with the others. Everyone is fine. Aaron is worried about his partner Eric. He's inside, with a broken ankle. He tells Aaron that he's fine, and that he likes Maggie, who diagnosed him. Eric plans to just go to the infirmary when they get pack. Aaron kisses his partner, he assumed the worse when he saw the flare go up. Eric tells Aaron that its all his fault, because he loves him, and he does stupid things. He tells him that some good came out of it all, while he was waiting he found another license plate. Aaron almost laughs, because he lost the car. Rick walks in on their moment, and its back to work for Aaron.

Outside, Aaron addresses the group. He thanks them for saving Eric. He owes them, all of them, and he will make sure that the debt is pain in full when they get to Alexandria. He doesn't really want to do anymore driving tonight, and Rick is fine with that, but he wants Aaron to sleep apart from Eric. Aaron tells Rick that the only way he's going to stop him is by shooting him. Aaron joins his partner. Glenn tells him that both men are unarmed. He wants them to be safe too, and Aaron has already told them where the camp was. He's been truthful, and nonthreatening so far. Maybe they should extend him a little trust.

On the road again, this time in the camper with Eric, Aaron watches over him. Noah comes in with pills, he knows its time for another dose, but he wants Eric to sleep a little longer. Noah leaves the pills with him. Aaron notices his limp, and asks about it. He tells Noah that in Alexandria they have a pretty gifted surgeon named Pete who may be able to help. He's seen him work miracles.

Eugene rattles on, and Rosita sees the Washington monument in the distance. She tells Abraham not to get any ideas, to keep his eyes on the road. They have a low battery warning, but Abraham thinks they can make it. There's a new hope infused in the group.

The battery dies, and Abraham thinks they're doomed, but they have a backup Glenn shows him. As they get to repairing the camper, Michonne sits with Rick. She tells him that he has to let go. He can't let the past color the future. He knows, the landscape keeps changing, but its hard. The camper fires back up, and theirs applause around. Rick takes a short walk and hides his gun.

The camper and Rick in the car roll up to the gates. Rick lets it all sink in. Michonne sits next to him, asking if he's ready. He thinks he is. The others have already exited the camper, and they're making their way to the gates. Rick puts the car in park and retrieves Judith. Carol tells him that even when he's wrong, he's still right. The group waits before the gates.