This past weeks episode of the Walking Dead saw a return of not only a bunch of characters we hadn’t seen since the mid season finale, but also the fast pace of the first half of the season. Warning, spoilers.

We start off with Carol gathering the ingredients for cookies (acorns and beets), killing a walker and getting it all over her shirt, taking a shower and then giving out those cookies to everyone. It was all set to happy music and creeped me out. I didn’t know what kind of frame of mind Carol was in, we haven’t seen her since the finale when Morgan knocked her out.

The episode then turns to where it left off with Rick and his group getting back to Alexandria and telling everyone they are having a meeting. Rick lays it out that they need to fight the Saviors for their food, and that the Saviors would have come after them one day anyways.

He actually asks the others if this is what they want to do and even though everyone looks uncomfortable with it, only Morgan speaks up. He asks to speak with them first, but no one will back him up and the idea is put to the side. I was impressed Rick listened at all as he hasn’t done so in several seasons. Also I was glad to see Morgan still had his more peaceful frame of mind, although it does seem quite shaken. He and Carol speak near Sam’s grave (where Carol left him a cookie. Out of guilt? Possibly) and he wants to know why she didn’t tell anyone what he did (keeping the wolf a secret), that it was like she was keeping it on herself too. Carol disagrees, but I don’t know if she really believes it.

We also see Carol talking to Tobin, an Alexandrian that we have saw several times throughout the episodes. They make small talk and then bam! Kissing time. I can’t say I’m surprised that Carol has found love again and I’m not even that surprised it’s not with Daryl. I’m just happy Carol has found someone again, now let’s hope he doesn’t die in a few episodes.

The group heads out the next day and for some reason that is completely beyond me, they allow Maggie to go too. Her and Glenn even talked about it and he didn’t put up much of a fight for her to stay. She is pregnant now and I know she feels like she needs to help the group, but she can’t just think about herself like that. Not anymore. Carol seems to be the only one with sense and questions why she’s there and demands that she stay with Maggie. Rick agrees, but he doesn’t seem to mind that Maggie is with them.

We also had a scene where Abraham breaks up with Rosita in brutal fashion, telling her he thought she was the only woman left in the world and she’s not. I guess he still has strong feelings for Sasha. He also tells Rosita that he’s leaving after this. Eugene tries to make it better in his own way, but she shuts the door in his face and cries.

We find out that Rick is going to give over Gregory’s head to gain access into the Saviors building. Sadly they don’t really take that jerks head, but instead find the best look alike from a walker. Rick even punches it a few times so it’s harder to distinguish it’s features. When one of the Hilltop guys tells Rick he’s scarier than the Saviors, he just gives him his new favorite ‘what?’ look. It wasn’t a compliment Rick.

We also get a really nice scene between Glenn and Heath where they talk about being nervous about doing this invasion and taking lives and that neither have ever had to do so (just to do so, defense doesn’t count). I love that after everything the group has been through that Glenn is still Glenn and a really great man. He’s still kind and unsure, but he’s brave and honest too. His character is such a relief compared to a lot of the group.

The rest of the episode goes by in a frenzy with the group gaining access into the Savior’s territory (Maggie and Carol stay along the fence to patrol) and sneaking and killing them. We watch as Abraham finds a man outside and shoots him after saying a prayer. Glenn kills his guy and stops Heath from killing his, doing it instead. It was sweet and tragic that he would save Heath that hurt and haunting memory, but take more of it on himself. Abraham and Sasha are together and a man is able to get away from them and pull the alarm.

Everyone is racing around then, shooting at each other and ducking. Daryl, Rick and Michonne make quick work of their opponents. Abraham and Sasha seem to do alright too. Glenn and Heath get several men after them and end up hiding in the armory where they pick the biggest rifles they can find and shoot through the door. Guess Glenn didn’t quite save Heath that pain after all.

We get a tense scene in all of this where most of the Hilltop people drive off (but not Jesus) and then Carol and Maggie are arguing. Carol wants to know why Maggie is there and insists that she’s supposed to be a different person. I know she was talking about how hard Maggie is being and the fact she should stay at home now, but I can’t help but wonder if she was talking about herself too. That she saw what she used to be in Maggie and that Maggie is losing that now too.

The siege takes the rest of the night and soon it’s daylight. Michonne is the smartest cookie again when she asks Rick which one was Negan. I had been thinking this too and since I know what the actor looks like, he wasn’t there. This wasn’t Negan’s only base camp. Our group is in trouble.

We see our group outside when one last straggler tries to get away on a motorcycle. Daryl wants to know where he got that bike (as it’s his and I guess the Savior’s got to that couple that stole it from him) and the man just tells Daryl to kill him like they did the others. Not exactly painting our group in a positive light are they?

The big cliffhanger hits then when we hear a female voice on the radio the guy was carrying. She says they won’t come out, but that they will talk. That they have a Maggie and a Carol.

I TOLD YOU GUYS MAGGIE SHOULD HAVE STAYED HOME

Now I’m all sorts of nervous with what will happen. I’m glad I don’t have to wait long as the next episode will be on tomorrow, Sunday on AMC at 9:00PM. I’ll be live tweeting the episode @quietlikeastorm, so make sure to join me!

Here are two previews for next week’s episode: