Rick is driving back to the prison by himself with an intense look on his face and he pauses to look at Carol's watch. He drives by wild dogs feeding on a zombie.
In the prison, Hershel is continuing to try to treat people. He intubates Henry with the help of a very sick Glenn and Sasha and orders them to drink some tea. Hershel says that they should make a new council rule and suggests a spaghetti Tuesday but points out that first they have to find some spaghetti. Hershel leaves Henry to the care of Sasha and plans for them to take it all in shifts. Glenn asks how long they can keep Henry alive and Hershel reveals that it will last as long as they are willing to do it. Hershel moves through the sick ward to check on patients and finds one man already dead. Glenn reaches for his knife and Hershel stops him saying, "not here." Hershel grabs a gurney and Glenn wonders how they are going to transport the body. Hershel tells Glenn that he is going to help him, causing Glenn to wonder what happens when he is gone. Lizzie approaches and Hershel sends her off to get his copy of Tom Sawyer. When Lizzie leaves, Hershel says that people don't need to see this. The man starts to come back as a zombie and Glenn quickly stabs him in the head.
Maggie and Hershel meet at the barrier and she asks about Glenn. Hershel tells her that Glenn is resting and Maggie worries how Glenn is doing. Maggie offers to come in and help but Hershel is adamant that she doesn't need to. Hershel asks about Beth and learns that she is okay. Maggie tells Hershel that he looks tired but Hershel is convinced that Darryl et al could return any time. Herschel asks Maggie to hold it together a little longer and adds that they are going to make it.
Herschel goes back into the sick ward and Glenn thanks him for keeping Maggie away. Glenn is convinced that if Maggie saw him, nothing would keep her away.
Maggie is outside killing the fence zombies when Rick returns. Rick immediately asks about Carl and Judith. Maggie asks about Carol and at first, it's clear that Rick does not want to answer. Finally, Rick tells Maggie that Carol killed Karen and David and that with Tyreese returning, he didn't think she should be here. Rick asks Maggie if she would have brought her back and Maggie says that he was right to send Carol away but wonders if she could have done it. Rick tells Maggie that she could have done it because she has done harder things.
Rick rushes into the prison to find Carl and hands over the food that he found on the run. Carl asks if they can come out soon and Rick says no. Carl argues that he was around Patrick and didn't get sick but Rick says that he needs him to stay there. Carl tries again saying that Rick can't keep him from it but Rick replies that it is his job to try.
Hershel has gone to see the Caleb, who says that not everyone gets to live. Caleb believes that he is at the end stage and won't come back from this. Caleb warns that Hershel needs to focus on the ones who can make it. Hershel suggests that they can hold on. Caleb shows Hershel the weapons he brought and argues that they have a chance. Caleb says that everyone's doors need to be shut, even as Hershel argues that he is not giving up. When Hershel finally does look at Caleb, Caleb is bleeding from his eyes and extremely pale.
Hershel is taking Caleb's advice and has begun locking people in their cells. One resident drops dead in front of him. When Hershel looks up, he is surrounded by the sick and so he asks them to get back into their cells. Sasha grabs the gurney and they work together to move the man. Hershel tells Sasha to go and rest as he walks off with the man. In a secluded area, Hershel struggles to put a knife through the corpse and finally has to cover the face before he can do it. What he does not know is that Rick is watching him. Hershel reports that they are burning the body and that this is the third one they have lost. Rick asks how he is doing and Hershel says he doesn't want people to see what is happening, so they don't lose hope. Rick points out that they are seeing Hershel doing everything that he can to help them. Rick says that when they get past this thing that it won't be like how it was. Rick asks if that was denial and Hershel tells him that he caught a break because he needed some time. Herhsel thinks that there is a plan and that there is a reason for all of this. Rick asks if this was a test and Hershel replies that life was always a test. Rick then brings up Carol.
Hershel is locking people up when he comes across Sasha collapsed in her cell. What he does not know is that in the next cell over, another cadaver has become a walker.
Rick is back outside with Maggie trying to reinforce the fence. Maggie asks if Rick would be with Carl if he was sick and Maggie questions whether Rick believes that she can help. When a walker grabs Rick, it's Maggie to the rescue.
Hershel is at Sasha's bedside and it seems she passed out because she was dehydrated. Sasha reveals that she thought Hershel was an idiot to come in here and was sure he would be a dead foolish man. Sasha says that she has done the math and does not know if she would be there if Hershel weren't so damn stupid. Glenn is still working Henry and pauses to check his pulse to find no heartbeat. Glenn begins CPR desperately. Glenn attempts to call out for Hershel but collapses to the ground coughing.
One of the walkers has Hershel cornered on the ground and he orders everyone into their cells but several more make an appearance. Outside, Maggie and Rick hear the shot and he orders her to go and check. Maggie argues at first that Rick cannot keep the fence up alone, but Rick insists that she goes. The walkers are attacking and Lizzie leads walker Henry away, in the manner that one would attempt to draw an animal away.
Rick is in the prison looking for Carl. Rick tells Carl that he needs his help, while in the quarantine area, Lizze trips and Henry lands on top of her. Hershel rushes to her rescue and quickly tosses Henry aside. Hershel asks about Glenn and learns that he is in his cell, as Maggie bangs on the glass for her father. Hershel finds Glenn passed out on the ground. Hershel then rushes to Caleb's cell to find him turned into a walker and so stabs him quickly. Outside, Rick and Carl are working on reinforcing the fence but they are unable to keep it from collapsing. Rick and Carl barely manage to make it back inside the prison, as a horde of zombies make their way in through the first set of fences. Rick suggests backing the bus up against the fence and Carl wonders if it will hold. Rick and Carl grab automatic machine guns and Rick instructs Carol on how to use the weapons, as the zombie horde get through another fence.
Inside the prison, Hershel leads a walker away, as Maggie shots through a window to enter the area. Hershel makes his way to Glenn, who has a mouth full of blood. Hershel tells Glenn to hold on and rushes back to get the breathing apparatus away from the walker. Maggie finds Glenn and Hershel rushes over. Hershel instructs Maggie to turn Glenn on his back. Hershel quickly intubates Glenn, as Maggie assures him that he is going to be okay. Hershel tells Maggie that he didn't want her in there but Maggie says that she had to, just like him. Lizzie appears and asks if it is over but all Maggie can say is that she hopes so. Using her foot, Lizzie draws a design in the blood and the muck.
Outside, Rick and Carl take turns killing off the zombies that are still moving. Rick is clearly exhausted. Carl tells him that everything is going to be okay when a car drives up. Rick opens up the rickety gate, as Tyreese hops out and asks about Sasha.
Tyreese heads to the quarantine area and takes Sasha into his arms. Maggie tells Herhsel that the group is back now. Hershel heads into Caleb's cell and touches his face gently. Hershel then picks up a bible and begins to read but quickly starts to cry.
The next day, Rick heads outside to find Michonne dragging away the zombies. Rick asks if she needs help and Michonne tells him to do his thing. Rick heads into the yard and is followed by Carl. Hershel and Tyreese are talking and Hershel reports that Glenn is breathing on his own and doing fine. Darryl asks about Carol and Hershel suggests that he should talk to Rick, when Darryl assumes Carol is up in A block.
Michonne says that she is heading out, and Hershel jumps in for the ride.
Rick is back to his plants with Carl and they stop to taste a pea. What they don't know, is that The Governor is standing outside the prison looking in at them.
Though many people died in this episode, it all sort of felt anticlimactic after what happened last week with Carol. I suppose part of the reason is that there was never any doubt that many were going to die of this infection before it all came to an end. I was however sorry to lose Caleb before ever really getting to know anything about him. People of colour have an extremely short life span on The Walking Dead and from the moment Caleb got sick, I knew he was dead man walking.
This episode really belonged to Hershel. Since getting his leg amputated Hershel has kind of been cast to the side. In this episode we saw that there were many different forms of strength and though what happened dearly wounded Hershel he quickly acknowledged his power with agree to Darryl's compliment of being a tough son of a bitch. In many ways, Hershel had become what the character Dale was in the comics and this episode really illustrates this.
Rick is still looking to be absolved for living in a dream world and I find this irritating. As Carol said, he cannot be just a farmer and yet, the moment the immediate danger had passed, he was all to happy to get back to his little plants. On one hand Rick didn't ask to become a leader but that does not justify him pulling back and stepping away from reality. Yes, he lost his wife, but he certainly is not the only person to ever lose someone.
We got a glimpse of Philip at the end of the episode. I suppose it was always a matter of time until Philip reared his ugly head again. Clearly there is going to be a big showdown resulting in the little band of survivors having to leave the prison. The only thing we don't know is how it is going to happen.
