Recap: The Walking Dead S3 E4 – The Killer Within
We open with the someone opening gates and leaving deer entrails around for the Walkers to feed on. Almost like this “person” is leading them straight to the group. The group goes about their daily duties to keep the prison secure. They call for Glen up in a guard tower and he pops his head up…and so does Maggie. They all have a bit of a laugh until they see Axel and Oscar (the remaining inmates that were exiled to another cellblock). They explain to the group that they can’t stay where they are because of all of the bodies of their friends just lying around. They ask Rick if they can join the group but he’s extremely hesitant. They lock up Axel and Oscar into a small gated area outside while they meet to see if they want them to join the team. T-Dog seems to have a bit more sympathy for the inmates but the group has decided not to have them join.
Back in Woodbury Michonne notices the vehicle that was brought back from the soldiers camp. It was filled with bullet holes and some blood. The Governor walks up and tells her that it’s a shame that Andrea and her were going to be leaving. Michonne is visibly on the defensive and doesn’t believe a singl wor he says.
Rick tells T-Dog that he’s going to give the inmates some supplies and food and let them fend for themselves outside of the prison and doesn’t seem to like that very much. Lori and the others check on Hershel and he’s well enough now that he gets up and walk to go for a walk (with the help of crutches).
Andrea and Michonne try to decide where they’re headed after they leave but Andrea seems to be leaning to wanting to stay.
Rick, Glen and Daryl go outside the prison gates to clear out the area a bit and secure each gate as they head out. They spot Hershel stepping out into the prison yard. That’s when it happens…….Walkers show up behind the group inside and everyone scrambles and grabs weapons. Rick, Glen and Daryl see and head back to help defend the group. They try to hurry but have a bit of trouble getting through each gate that they secured on the way out. The one thing that is keeping them safe is also the one thing slowing them down from going back to help. The group inside does what they can to fend off the Walkers. Lori, Carl and Maggie head inside to get away but still get face with more Walkers. They run into another area and close the door behind themselves. Outside, T-Dog attempts to contain some of the Walkers in a gated area but unfortunately gets bit on the shoulder area. He fights back and heads inside with Carol.
Andrea gives Merle information on where Daryl might be and he asks her if she might want to tag along. He takes it by her body language that she had no intention of wanting to find Rick and the group again. She asks him if The Governor is a good man and he tells her he is because he really wasn’t in the best of shape when he found him.
Rick and the others finally get in and take out the remaining Walkers. Glen notices that the chains were cut and Rick blames the inmates. Suddenly an alarm starts going off Rick runs over and starts shooting the speakers around the prison that he can get to. The alarm keeps going off and they begin to worry that they will soon attract more Walkers. He asks Oscar how to shut it off and he tells him he thinks he may know how. Carol and T-Dog are inside and he’s adamant that he’s going to find her a way out before he turns. Lori starts having contractions at the same time that Walkers are right around the corner from them. Carl checks out the area and they run into a maintenance room to get away from danger for the moment.
The Governor has created his own driving range at one of the barricades of Woodbury. Merle let’s The Governor know that he wants to go out and find Daryl but he tells him that he really needs him there and that if he finds more info that he’ll go with him to look.
Rick runs inside to the cell block to look for Lori, Carl and Maggie burr doesn’t find them. They go off to look for a way to turn off the alarm. Maggie let’s Carl know that the baby is coming now. Lori starts pushing but then Maggie tells her to stop pushing because something’s wrong as she notices her hand covered in blood. Carol and T-Dog continue too try to find a way back bit run right into a group of Walkers. T-Dog doors what he has to do and sacrifices himself so Carol can get by and return to the others.
Andrea has a drink with The Governor and he tells her basically to stop giving Merle hope to find Daryl. They chat and get to know each other a bit more. He let’s her know that they are more than welcome to come back if it gets too tough outside. Andrea says bye to him and he tells her his name is Phillip.
Rick, Oscar and Daryl find an Operations Room in the prison and out of nowhere get attacked by the inmate he left to die in the prison yard. There’s a scuffle all while Walkers are trying to get inside as well. Rick pulls his gun but gets it knocked away. Oscar picks it up and points. The other inmate keeps telling him “what are you waiting for, shoot him!” and Rick is uncertain what Oscar is actually going to do. Oscar surprises Rick and shoots the other guy right in the head and hands the gun back to Rick showing him that he’s trustworthy. They find the switch and turn off the alarm. Lori pretty much let’s Maggie know that she is not going to make it and to save the baby. Meaning that Maggie is going to have to perform a C-Section. She tells Carl to be strong and to be a good person. They embrace and she tells Maggie that after its over she had to kill her. She cuts Lori open and with Carl’s help they deliver the baby. Maggie intends to leave the area with the baby but Carl goes back and does what he had to do. He shoots Lori and walks straight out with no emotion. Rick comes across Walkers and notices they are feeding on T-Dog. They head back outside and to their knowledge Carol didn’t make it either. Rick says he’s going back in until he hears the cries of a baby. He turns and sees Maggie holding his baby and Carl following right behind. He notices that Lori isn’t around and Maggie gives a head nod and he realizes what happened. He’s inconsolable at this point and starts to cry uncontrollably.
This episode had to be one of the most emotional to date. There’s so much going on but it’s all driving the story to a seemingly much darker place. The Governor is very apparently now trying to use his charm more and more on Andrea doing his best nice guy impersonation and for a brief moment it almost looks like Merle is starting to get suspicious about him. With T-Dog getting bit, it was a big blow to the group seeing as he was a series “original” but at least he went out with honor and sacrificed himself to save Carol. Now if T-Dog’s death was a blow to the group then the surprising death of Lori blew the head right off. This is going to change everything from here on out. Now they have a baby to take care of and not to mention the mental state of Carl and Rick will now be in question. This will definitely force Carl to grow up faster than he already is and Rick will sure to be teetering on the edge after this. I hate to say it but Lori’s death was almost necessary. Yes everyone else’s death made an impact but it didn’t effect Rick or Carl directly and that’s exactly what’s needed at this point to make this season feel like it has a purpose. So far this season is proving that NO ONE IS SAFE.
Watch The Walking Dead every Sunday on AMC.
