- After going undercover at PADRE, Morgan and Madison find themselves back at odds trying to do what's best for Mo while struggling to accept their new lives under the watchful eye of PADRE.
- Following up from where we last left off, the survivors must once again keep fighting for their lives in season 8 of this terrifying post apocalyptic world depicted in the walking dead, based on the graphic novels created by Robert Kirkman.—Nos2001
- Morgan, is led into an interrogation room within PADRE. A man's voice emanates from a speaker, addressing Morgan, and they both acknowledge their familiarity with each other. Inside the room, Morgan notices Madison standing alongside him. Padre informs Morgan that his presence has been long enough for them to verify his story and that they have discovered the rafts belonging to Morgan's Group, currently processing the passengers. Curious about the number of people on the rafts, Morgan inquires, and Padre reveals that while the count was not as high as Morgan anticipated, it satisfies Padre's requirements. Morgan and Madison exchange a glance in the mirror as the man queries how Morgan became aware of the rafts' existence. Morgan claims to have overheard radio chatter and thought Padre might be interested. The man cautions Morgan that if he wishes to be part of Padre's mission, he must demonstrate his commitment to their vision.
Assuring his dedication, Morgan promises to comply. At that moment, Shrike enters the room accompanied by another guard, holding a baby monitor from which the cries of a baby can be heard. Shrike reveals that the cries belong to "our newest intake," while the man explains that Padre wants Morgan to become a Collector, responsible for gathering children to join their community, just like the child on the radio who was brought to Padre by Madison. Realizing that the baby is Mo, Morgan questions Shrike about Padre's actions towards her, leaving Shrike puzzled as to how he knows the baby's gender. Morgan discloses that he can discern it because he once had a daughter. Padre reassures him that their actions involve drawing blood and administering shots to protect Mo and others from sickness. Morgan asks why Padre can't bring in the parents as well, and the man explains that attempts were made, but it became evident that the parents' intentions were to rebuild the past, which contributed to the current situation. Hearing Mo's frightened cries, Morgan pleads with Shrike and the man to provide her comfort, but he learns that Mo, like all the children at Padre, is taught to suppress her emotions.
Overwhelmed by the situation, Morgan stands up and demands they cease their actions, only to be forced back into his seat at gunpoint. Realizing this is a setup, Morgan questions how the man knew and whether Madison disclosed the information. Padre clarifies that suspicion arose when a Collector brought both a child and a new recruit on the same day, a rare occurrence that warranted thorough investigation. Suddenly, Morgan and Madison launch an attack, overpowering and incapacitating the guards and Shrike, seizing their firearms. With a hint of sarcasm, Madison questions whether it appears she betrayed him before they aim their guns at the window behind which Padre is situated. Morgan insists on Mo's immediate presence and demands the opportunity to escape on a boat with her, threatening the man's life should he refuse. Morgan and Madison plan to escape, overpowering the guards and holding the man in charge hostage. Madison sacrifices herself to help Morgan and Mo escape.
The story then jumps seven years ahead, where a young girl named Wren, who is actually Mo, is living on an island controlled by PADRE. Wren is being trained to fight walkers but struggles with her training. She discovers Madison, who is locked in a cell. Wren seeks Madison's help in learning how to kill walkers. Madison agrees but asks Wren to turn off the ventilator keeping her alive. Wren discovers her true identity as Mo and confronts Madison for lying. They are interrupted by guards, but Madison incapacitates them, and they escape the island on a boat.
Madison and Mo head inland to find Morgan. Mo, still loyal to PADRE, believes Madison's actions will put them in danger. They encounter walkers, and Madison suggests they hide in the swamp. Mo hesitates and experiences flashbacks that hinder her ability to fight. Morgan appears and warns them it's not safe in that direction. Morgan reveals he is with PADRE now and intends to take Mo back. They enter an abandoned theme park, and Morgan contacts PADRE, identifying himself as Nightingale. Madison confronts Morgan for choosing PADRE over her, and they engage in a fight. Morgan overpowers Madison, claiming he's doing what's best for his daughter. Morgan guides Madison and Mo into an abandoned theme park, entrusting Mo with a sledgehammer and discarding Madison's radio. When PADRE 1 attempts to contact Mo, Morgan intercepts the communication, identifying himself as Nightingale and claiming to have Wren in his custody. Although this operation lacks official approval, Morgan happened to be in the vicinity, heard the alert, and had a notion of where they would land. Madison is stunned to discover that Morgan is now aligned with PADRE. He explains that Madison has been confined for a long time and contends that he has come to accept what she initially told him-that Mo is better off with PADRE than with Morgan. Mo expresses her desire to return, provoking Madison's angry response, citing the seven years she spent imprisoned so that Morgan could be with his daughter. However, Morgan's primary concern lies in what is best for his daughter, while Madison struggles to catch her breath, doubling over in distress.
In a fit of rage, Madison grabs the sledgehammer and launches an attack on Morgan, claiming to do it for Mo. Yet, Morgan effortlessly parries her assault with his staff, knocking Madison to the ground. Accusing Madison of seeking solace in her actions toward other children, he warns her that he does not wish to harm her.
As more walkers approach, Morgan informs PADRE 1 that he intends to bring both Madison and Mo with him. However, PADRE 1 instructs him to bring only Mo, as Madison is no longer necessary for their settlement. Over Morgan's objections, PADRE 1 deems Madison a liability and orders Morgan to execute her. After a brief hesitation, Morgan reluctantly agrees, urging Mo to leave. He reluctantly prepares to shoot his former friend, explaining that unless he complies, PADRE may not allow Mo back into their community-a situation Madison had desired back on the Louisiana beach. While distracted, instructing Mo to go elsewhere, Morgan becomes the target of Madison's surprise attack, resulting in both him and Mo being disarmed. Madison reminds Morgan of her promise on the beach, emphasizing her determination to save him and his daughter. Morgan insists that they do not require saving, with Mo chiming in that she wants to go back. However, Madison retorts that Mo simply doesn't know any other life, while something caused Morgan to forget. As a herd of walkers approaches from their previous direction, Madison commands Morgan to rise so they can seek refuge in the swamp-their only escape route. Morgan cautions Madison that their situation is dire, as that is the same path he took with someone seven years ago. He refuses to elaborate on what happened, but he doubts that having both him and Madison this time will be sufficient for Mo's safety.
Under cover of night, the trio navigates through the walker-infested waters of the swamp. Morgan explains that swamps act like traps for walkers-they can enter but struggle to find their way out. The journey will only grow more challenging as they progress. Using Morgan's staff as a walking aid, Madison asserts that she can manage and fix her tank, but Morgan doubts her capability based on her weakened state. Madison believes she only needs to endure long enough to convince Morgan not to return Mo to PADRE. However, Morgan insists that it will never happen; instead, he plans to take Mo back to an island where she can live as if they had never met. He intends to resume his past activities of the last seven years, which Madison deduces involve stealing more children for PADRE, the reason he was allowed to survive. But Morgan desires for his daughter to know as little about him as possible. Madison inquires if PADRE has Mo's mother, leaving Mo puzzled. Madison clarifies that PADRE manipulates people by leveraging
what matters to them, issuing threats. Morgan asserts that PADRE offers a functional way of life, prompting Madison to question his true belief in that. Morgan commands Madison to address him as Nightingale in front of Mo, and the girl wonders about the peculiar name. Madison reveals that Morgan's full name is also Mo's, but Morgan argues that Wren suits her better.
Curious about Madison's motives as a Collector, Mo asks why she engaged in such activities. Madison explains that PADRE threatened to harm her children if she did not comply with their demands. Mo expresses surprise upon learning that Madison has kids, and Madison discloses that she had a son and a daughter named Nick and Alicia. However, PADRE falsely claimed that they were alive and that Madison could find them. When Madison discovered the truth, she resolved to help Morgan rescue his daughter. Mo states that she would probably be dead if Madison hadn't brought her to the island, and Madison angrily questions if that's how Morgan wants Mo to perceive it. Morgan desires for Mo to live, asserting that she is correct. He points out that when Madison found them, they were running out of food, almost out of water, and at the mercy of pursuers. Their situation was inevitably heading towards a tragic end. Abruptly, a flare bursts into the sky while the distant sound of boat engines fills the air. Morgan recognizes it as PADRE, although he remains clueless about their source of fuel. Retrieving his staff, Morgan explains that PADRE believes they're on the run because he failed to bring Mo back, and now they're attempting to flush them out to an airstrip a couple of miles away, just like PADRE did seven years ago. Walkers approach, lured by the flare, but Madison discards Morgan's radio, refusing to let him call for help and insisting that he can't take the easy way out. She points to the flare, claiming that it's how PADRE is keeping Mo safe, but Morgan counters, stating that it's only because Madison took Mo off the island. As a walker gets closer, Mo panics and insists on retrieving the radio, but Morgan dispatches the walker and tells his daughter that it would only put her in danger. Despite Mo's insistence that she can handle herself, Madison emphasizes the need to find shelter. Reluctantly, Morgan admits knowing a place and leads Madison and Mo back into the swamp.
The following day, the trio arrives at an abandoned houseboat, surrounded by walkers partially submerged in the water. Morgan assures Madison that it's safe as long as they don't attract more walkers. Mo experiences another flashback, this time with the houseboat in the background and distant screams. She questions if something happened to her here, but Morgan again insists that it's better for her to know as little as possible and emphasizes the need to stay ahead of the walkers. They manage to reach the houseboat safely.
Inside, Mo watches as a growing herd gathers outside, but Morgan warns her to stay away from the window. Morgan anticipates that PADRE will search for them at the houseboat when they don't arrive at the airstrip. Madison struggles to breathe due to her broken oxygen tank. While Morgan tries to help fix it, he notices a large bruise on Madison's arm. She reveals that PADRE used to draw blood from her every week, even if she didn't cooperate. Morgan apologizes, unaware that Madison had been locked up, but she reassures him that she's still here, though she admits that she should have seen PADRE manipulating Morgan as they did her. Morgan explains his principles, mentioning that he only takes in children who have lost their parents or those whose parents willingly give them up for a better life, unlike Madison, who kidnapped kids from their parents-a fact PADRE doesn't know. Surveying the surroundings, Madison asks if this is where PADRE captured Morgan and Mo, but he refuses to answer. Curious about PADRE's intentions for the children they train, Madison argues that eight-year-old's aren't trained to kill without a compelling reason. Morgan asks if she believes Mo isn't safe on the island, but Madison, having been imprisoned for so long, confesses her uncertainty. Madison inquires about the other people on the island and the rafts. Morgan admits that Madison knows only a few of them. He doesn't know the whereabouts of Daniel and Luciana, and Strand wasn't with them when PADRE found them, disappearing for seven years.
While cleaning the walls, Mo discovers a message written on them: "Duane, Jenny, you were supposed to..." along with "King County, Georgia," where Morgan lost his family. Morgan lies, dismissing it as preexisting graffiti, and returns to helping Madison. Against Morgan's wishes, Mo continues to explore and finds a crib, toys, and a bag containing Morgan's old Walkman. Upon listening to a tape of Grace's singing, Mo has another flashback, witnessing walkers approaching Morgan from behind as he yells at her to escape.
As Morgan downplays the significance of the Walkman and walkers reach the boat, a horrified Mo remembers and declares that the walkers will drag them under. Blaming Madison for taking her off the island, Mo grabs a gun and attempts to shoot her, despite Morgan's reassurances that PADRE will find them before any harm occurs. Mo points out that PADRE doesn't even know their location. Furious, she accuses Madison of not caring about their impending doom because she wants to die. Morgan wrestles the gun away from Mo, but it discharges into the ceiling, attracting more walkers while the ones outside begin submerging the houseboat. Madison insists that she brought Mo there to save her, but Mo asserts that Madison can't save her.
As the houseboat sinks, Morgan directs them to the other side where there's no flooding. Morgan insists on waiting for PADRE, certain that they will come just like the last time. Finally, he reveals what happened during their previous encounter: he had called PADRE to come when the walkers overwhelmed them, attempting to protect his daughter but failing. Madison points out that they don't have a radio to call PADRE this time, so they have to handle it themselves. Although Morgan believes Madison is too weak to fight, she asserts that she doesn't need to. Agreeing, Morgan decides to exit through the side with fewer walkers blocking their way. Morgan swiftly dispatches two walkers outside before plunging into the water, while Madison hands him Mo. Weakened and unable to join them, Madison instructs Morgan and Mo to go ahead, vowing to draw the walkers away herself. As Morgan and Mo fight their way through the swamp, Mo's foot becomes trapped in the water. With the herd closing in rapidly, Morgan uses his staff to take down several approaching walkers while Mo struggles to free herself. Mo locks eyes with an approaching walker and remembers Morgan apologizing to her, saying, "I'm doing this for you," before surrendering her to the PADRE forces who promised to care for her. As the walkers edge closer to him, Morgan desperately shouts at the PADRE forces to take Mo and drives away with her, leaving Morgan to fend off the swarming walkers alone. Mo realizes that this is what happened the last time, and Morgan confirms it while simultaneously battling walkers and trying to free his daughter.
Meanwhile, Madison starts banging her sledgehammer on the houseboat, luring the herd toward herself to buy Morgan and Mo more time. Morgan manages to free Mo and restrains her as she desperately tries to help Madison, who is being overwhelmed by walkers. Madison selflessly chooses to sacrifice herself, knowing that there are too many walkers for Morgan and Mo to save her. Morgan reveals that the last time, he killed as many walkers as possible before PADRE came back and rescued him, but this time, he doubts they will come. As the walkers close in on Madison, Grace suddenly arrives in a boat, shooting down the walkers targeting Madison and a couple attempting to climb into the boat. Grace had heard the radio chatter and hurried to their aid. Shocked to see Mo, Grace introduces herself as her mother and quickly escapes with Morgan, Madison, and Mo before more walkers can reach them.
Sitting on a beach, Madison realizes that Grace is also associated with PADRE, a fact that Grace admits. Grace explains that she works on maintaining PADRE's radio towers, and when Madison escaped, the radio traffic exploded. Hearing Morgan's message, Grace deduced that they would end up at the houseboat after he went silent. Madison realizes that PADRE has the entire group on their side, while Mo, holding the Walkman, recognizes Grace's voice as the one on the tape, which Grace confirms. Mo shares that she remembered Grace's singing even before hearing it on the houseboat, surprising her parents. Grace advises Mo to try and put that out of her mind for now, while she is unsure if PADRE is still searching for them.
Mo suggests that they don't have to return to the island. She reminds Morgan that he saved her seven years ago by calling PADRE when he didn't want to, and he nearly died fighting to bring her back to them. Morgan points out how things went wrong earlier, but Mo highlights that Grace arrived to help them. Morgan finds it hard to believe, as Mo was fighting to return to the island just the day before, and now she doesn't want to go back anymore. Mo now understands that PADRE has been lying to her all this time. She was taught that her father was selfish and couldn't make the tough decisions to protect her, but now she knows that he did in the past. Madison also demonstrated her willingness to help her, and they won't be alone in their journey.
However, their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of PADRE. Morgan and Grace reveal that they radioed PADRE, as they can protect their daughter in ways that Morgan and Madison cannot. Mo stubbornly refuses to go back, but Morgan and Grace insist, stating that Mo must forget everything that happened on the boat and everything she learned about them. However, Mo can't forget,
as she now knows what she was missing when she looked toward the shore: Morgan and Grace, her parents. Morgan sternly tells Mo that her parents were Isaac and Rachel, who are deceased. They died a long time ago, and they entrusted Morgan with the task of taking care of her, which is what he is doing by sending Mo back to PADRE. Madison confronts Morgan angrily for giving up his chance to be with Mo, but he advises Madison to run while she still can and not make things any harder. Considering it the biggest mistake of Morgan and Grace's lives, Madison refuses to run, even though there's a possibility that PADRE might kill her. Morgan, Grace, and Mo try to convince Madison to save herself, with Mo urging Madison to save herself so that she can save everyone else. Despite not thinking she will make it, Madison agrees to try.
Three PADRE boats arrive, manned by several guards and Shrike. Shrike informs Madison that PADRE still has use for her and takes her aboard one of the boats. Mo is led onto another boat by PADRE guards, and Shrike addresses Grace as Heron, ordering her to go to the delta receiver for repairs. Watching Mo being taken away, Morgan comments that at least they got to see her. However, Grace breaks down into tears once their daughter is gone, admitting that it only makes things harder. Morgan acknowledges this and apologizes before Grace departs. Shrike declares that PADRE is retiring Morgan as a Collector, as they have invested too much in Mo and cannot risk her crossing paths with Morgan now that she knows he is her father. Morgan assures Shrike that he has ensured it won't happen again, believing it is what's best for her. However, he acknowledges that it may not always be the case. Shrike has Morgan taken away on her boat. Upon returning to the island, Mo finds herself in an interrogation room where a representative from PADRE acknowledges the eventful day she had. Mo expresses her apologies, and the man remarks that sometimes lessons must be learned the hard way, relieved that she is unharmed. He senses that Mo is destined to play a crucial role in the settlement's upcoming endeavors. Mo expresses her desire to contribute to the future that PADRE is building, which pleases the man, as they require citizens like her. While willing to overlook today's transgressions, he cautions Mo that any future missteps will have severe consequences. Mo assures him that he will never have to worry about her again and gives him her solemn word.
Mo seeks out Dove and offers her apologies for venturing into the cellar. She shares that Madison showed her the harsh reality beyond the island's safety, making her appreciate her fortunate position. Mo requests the opportunity to demonstrate to PADRE that she is not too young to protect the community. Dove agrees and leads Mo back to the arena, where she equips herself with a sledgehammer. With determination in her eyes, Mo confronts the source of her flashbacks, effortlessly dispatching the first walker released without triggering another haunting memory. As Dove and several onlookers observe, Mo eagerly awaits the release of more walkers, eager to train and refine her skills.
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