Truce and Consequences

Recapped by M. Giant · Aired 03-10-2013 · S03E13

Rick actually goes and meets the Governor on neutral territory for a sit-down. He brings Daryl and Hershel, and the Governor brings Martinez and Milton, but the seconds stay outside. Oh, and Andrea is there too, having set it up in the first place, for all the good it's going to do. The Governor makes a big show of disarming, even though he's got an extra gun stashed out of Rick's sight, not that there's going to be any gunplay in this room today. Instead, while Daryl and Martinez uneasily pair off and Milton and Hershel do the same, their leaders spar and posture and kick Andrea out and spar and posture some more, before the Governor gets to the point: a lot of people are going to get killed, unless Rick gives the Governor the one thing he wants. Not the prison, not their absence from the area, but Michonne. The Governor gives Rick two days to think about it.

Meanwhile, back at the prison, Merle is trying to convince the others to go in shooting and end it now. Glenn refuses to let him, and it comes to blows, with Maggie and Michonne leaping to Glenn's defense. Merle's later, more private attempt to recruit Michonne for the expedition is similarly unsuccessful, but Glenn and Maggie make up with each other, big time. When Rick returns to the prison, he lies to the group, saying the Governor wants them all dead. And upon returning to Woodbury (with Andrea), the Governor reveals to Milton and Martinez that he was lying to Rick, and he's going to kill all the men at the prison anyway. And then Rick reveals to Hershel that he was lying to the group, although Rick is pretty sure that the Governor will kill them all even if he does hand over Michonne, so possibly not really. After everything Michonne has done for the group, he's hoping Hershel will talk him out of it. And presumably Hershel will start, some time after the end of the episode.

Daryl, Rick and Hershel roll up to some grain silos on a farm, Daryl on his chopper and Rick riding shotgun while Hershel drives the Hyundai. Presumably it doesn't have a clutch, though we see Hershel pausing to adjust his right stump before going all eagle-eye out the car window. Daryl and Rick get out, crossbow and revolver drawn, while Hershel stays behind with a rifle as the wheel man. Daryl and Rick work their way past various outbuildings, past a fallen walker in the yard, and Rick enters and explores a large shed, quietly cocking his gun as he mounts a ramp to what looks like a small, raised space with a table and two chairs. Almost like a classroom. But when the teacher arrives, it's the Governor, alone. He raises his empty hands and grins at Rick, "We have a lot to talk about." Oh, good another talking episode.

Coming back, Rick doesn't put his gun down, saying the Governor attacked them. The Governor points out that he could have killed all of them, but didn't. "And here we are," Rick says, and quickly raises his gun at the first twitch of the Governor's hand. The Governor raises them again and says he'd like them both to disarm so they can negotiate in good faith. He removes his gunbelt and hangs it on a hook. Rick holsters his weapon, but he keeps the belt. The Governor pleasantly sits down at his end of the table, which has a handgun taped to it out of Rick's view. You'd think Rick would be wise to tricks like that after what happened with Morgan last week.

Daryl, who's been patrolling outside, meets up with Hershel as he drives up in the car and updates him on the situation. "Don't feel right. Keep it running," Daryl says. A retrofitted SUV from Woodbury's motor pool rolls up with Martinez at the wheel and Milton in back, both of whom step out. And Andrea, of course, who already had a chance to resolve this two weeks ago but passed. Covering all of them with his crossbow, Daryl demands to know why the Governor is already inside. Andrea is surprised to hear it, but Martinez clearly isn't. Andrea charges right in there through the front door and reminds them both that she wanted them to talk. "Let's end this. Save the bullets for the real threat." Which is about as scary as runaway livestock in recent weeks since this conflict escalated, thanks for reminding us. Rick addresses the Governor, saying he knows all about the raids, and the heads, and Maggie. The Governor tries to blame Merle for that last one, but Rick isn't buying. The Governor says they're here to move forward, and again deploys that used-car salesman grin that I'm sure would be perfect for selling vehicles with one headlight.

By M. Giant

It's a little awkward outside between with Hershel, Daryl, Martinez and Milton. Daryl dismisses Milton as a butler, and Milton calls Daryl the "henchman," and it gets a little tense between Daryl and Martinez, so it's down to Hershel to calm them all down. "If it all goes south in there we'll be at each other's throats soon enough," he reminds them. I know who my money would be on in the event of the throwdown between Martinez and Daryl. And between Milton and Herschel, for that matter.

At the prison, the rest of the group is locking and loading with the goodies acquired from Morgan's place. Which seem to have multiplied like rabbits in the interim, taking up several tables. Glenn is in charge of setting up the defenses, but Merle pipes up that they should be loading up and heading to the meeting place. "You're suggesting that we just go in and kill him?" asks Glenn, who suggested just going in and killing him just a couple of weeks ago. That's exactly what Merle is suggesting, having thought better of their promise to Rick and Daryl that they'd stay put. Glenn says too much could go wrong, and Carl insists to Merle that Rick can take care of himself. "Sorry, son, but your dad's head could be on a pike real soon," Merle replies with his usual level of diplomacy. Glenn says insists that it's not the right move, and that his decision is final. Well, look who's got his big-boy pants on today.

The Governor cuts off Andrea's latest round of unsolicited speechifying, and Rick makes his offer: Woodbury stays west of the river, the prison east. No crossing, no trading. The Governor laughs it off, and says he's only here for one thing: Rick's surrender. Rick starts threatening, and they both tell Andrea to leave. She rejoins the only slightly less tense scene outside, and Rick finally sits down across from the Governor. And Martinez closes them inside, alone. One or both of them might die in there, but at least they won't have to spend their last moments with Andrea.

Back from the break, Rick is basically interviewing the Governor, getting him to agree to stuff Rick already knows: he's the Governor, he has a responsibility to his people, Merle was his lieutenant, even though the Governor knew he was erratic, and he blames Merle for starting this all by nabbing Glenn and Maggie in the first place. In fact, the Governor claims to have been trying to sort it out when Rick attacked. "So it was his fault?" Rick asks. Actually, that's something we can all agree on. Rick seems disappointed that the Governor didn't take responsibility. "I thought you were a cop, not a lawyer," the Governor points out. "Either way, I don't pretend to be a governor," Rick snarks. The Governor maintains that he's a leader, but to Rick, he's "the town drunk who knocked over my fence and ripped up my yard. Nothing more." "Didn't you ever misjudge someone?" the Governor asks, apparently already knowing the answer, and twists the knife, mentioning the baby that Rick's raising even though it might be his partner's. The Governor says Rick was "failing to see the devil beside you." "Oh, I see him all right," Rick says, although the Governor is not so much beside him as right in front of him. Into this tense moment, the Governor cheerfully drums the table and announces he brought whiskey. Oh, good, the only thing missing is alcohol.

Outside, Milton suggests they talk about some of this stuff on their own, and explains to the others how he's been recording stuff. "It'll be a part of our history." He's about to tell them more when they all hear walkers approaching from the perimeter. Daryl and Martinez go to meet them, Martinez twirling a baseball bat all fancy, and the two of them are all "after you" until Andrea rushes forward and stabs one in the eye, either to defuse all this macho posturing or perform some of her own. Martinez takes the other one and obliterates its skull with a one-handed blow of his bat, then smirks at Daryl, "Pussy." He advances, still twirling his bat when he's not using it to smash walker-faces, and it about to take out the last one when Daryl snakes it out from under him with a throwing knife instead. The two hard-asses share a look of grudging respect. Daryl finds half a pack of smokes in the pocket of one of them and offers one to Martinez, who prefers menthols. "Douchebag," Daryl says, lighting up, and asks Martinez if he was in the army. Which we know that if he was, the Governor would have killed him. Martinez mentions what the walkers did to his wife and kids. "Sucks," Daryl grunts sympathetically. Martinez knows this whole thing is a charade, and so does Daryl. With that, Martinez accepts a cigarette. So they're buddies now, I guess.

Hershel tells Milton the story of his lost leg -- in a total of about ten words -- and how they've been learning by trial and error. "Me too," Milton says. Milton asks to see the stump, and Hershel refuses. "At least buy me a drink first," he chuckles, and the two of them laugh like it's the funniest thing they've heard since the world ended.

Inside, the Governor is describing his conflict with Rick as a failure of leadership on his own part, but adds that leaving Rick and his people alone would be a bigger failure. He goes on to say that they're going to kill everyone they know, in both places. "People we love, Rick." He recalls being at his shitty job when he got a call about his wife being in an accident. "Sorry, Mr. Blake, we did everything we could." He recalls knowing he would never see her again. And he owed her a call at the time, and now he'll never know what she wanted. The question is clearly getting inside Rick's head. Good thing there's whiskey. And the possibility that Lori will show up and tell him.

At the prison, Glenn's using a torch to cut a small gunport in the fence surrounding the lookout point. When he comes back inside, he finds Merle packing a bag and says he can't let him go. "If Michonne can [stay], why can't you?" Maggie demands angrily of Merle. Merle angrily says it's because it's his brother out there, and squares off against Glenn at the exit. "Nut up already, boy. This guy cops a feel of your woman and you pussy out like this?" Well, as long as we're digging up old grudges, Merle... Glenn refuses to move, and they end up grappling on the floor. Maggie and Michonne jump on them to separate them, and it's Beth who ends up actually breaking it up, by firing a round into the ceiling. Morgan would be so pleased to know his gear is being put to good use.

By M. Giant

Hershel goes over to ask Andrea how it's going. "They kicked me out," Andrea answers, looking like it's the worst thing that could possibly have happened. Hershel kindly tells her she's trying to help. Andrea asks what happened with the Governor and Maggie, and Hershel only says, "He's a sick man." Andrea wonders what her move is. "I can't go back there," she sobs. Hershel says she belongs with them, "but if you join us, it's settled." Andrea says she knows. Whether she does or not.

Inside, the Governor plays the reluctant leader bit, telling Rick that he never wanted this and doesn't even know what he's doing. He puts his gunbelt back on and remarks to Rick, "That was quite a stash you brought back the other day." Okay, are all the characters watching every episode now? The Governor admits that his people aren't as combat-tested as Rick's, but he's got more of them. "This fighting will go down to the last man. So let's end it. Today. Let's not do this. We can walk away. You have something that I want. One thing that makes this all right." Rick says he's not about to give up the prison. But the Governor sits down again, saying he wants no part of that. "That doesn't sound safe at all." He also doesn't want Rick to move out. "Best you stay where I can keep my one good eye on you." Speaking of which, he removes his patch and shows Rick his ruined socket, so that it's not really a surprise when he makes his demand: "I want Michonne. Turn her over and this all goes away. Is she worth it? One woman? Worth all those lives in your prison?" Rick appears to be considering it. No wonder the Governor's been plying him with drink.

Glenn stands up in the lookout, watching the walkers milling around out beyond the inner gate. Maggie comes out to take her turn at watch, and then offers to keep him company when he declines. Glenn compliments her on the chokehold she used on Merle earlier, and then admits that he made Woodbury all about him, apologizing to her for not giving her her space. Maggie says it wasn't him she needed space from. "I just wanted you to see me. I'm with you. I'm always with you, you know?" He apologizes, and they hug and he says I love you and they kiss and make up and look ready to bone right there in the lookout, which means one of them is doomed at any moment. Fortunately for their continued survival prospects, the zombies outside are spoiling Glenn's mood, so they duck inside, pull down the steel door, and get to work undressing each other. Soon she's on top of him, and then he's on top of her, and there are no clothes on them and no one on watch!

Rick remarks to the Governor that he's clearly got big plans for bringing humanity back from the brink, and wonders why he would risk his own invaluable life on a "two-bit vendetta." He thinks killing Michonne is a little beneath the Governor. Rather than being drawn out, the Governor says that Rick could save his son and daughter and everyone he knows. "It's your choice." Rick asks how he can be sure the Governor will keep his word. The Governor reiterates that he doesn't care about Rick or his people (though we all know he certainly cares very much about Rick's guns, whatever he might claim), and invites him to think about it. "Two days. I'll be here at noon." With that, he walks out, and Rick follows. The two parties mount up and go their separate ways. And Andrea? She gets in the truck with the Governor and Martinez and Milton, I'd like to think she's doing this to keep an eye on the Governor, but I suspect I'm giving her too much credit. Again.

Rick and the gang return to the prison, and the Governor-mobile returns to Woodbury, driving on to the inner yard and Main Street respectively. The two leaders and their parties climb out, and Rick orders everyone inside. As Andrea wanders off, the Governor quietly orders Martinez to place gunmen all around the meeting place, with instructions to open fire the minute they see Michonne. "Kill the others but you keep her alive." Scandalized, Milton asks the Governor about the deal, and the Governor cheerfully says they'll probably bring Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and maybe even Merle. "Best way to avoid a slaughter." "That is a slaughter," Milton points out. The Governor grins, "Not at our end." Seeing that Milton isn't amused, he explains that they were going to have to get rid of Rick eventually. "This way we all live side by side," he lies. Milton seems unconvinced. As the Governor heads to his place, he calls over to Andrea, "Thanks for setting that up. Really put yourself out there." Andrea calls back that she's glad she could help. The Governor adds that he and Rick set terms and they'll meet again in two days. Andrea asks about those terms, and the Governor gives that chuckle that means he's lying. "Hope it works out," Andrea lies right back. Or at least I hope she is, at this late date.

By M. Giant

Back at the prison, Rick picks up a sniper rifle and tells his assembled peeps -- including Merle and Michonne -- about his meeting with the Governor, just the two of them. "Should have gone when we had the chance, bro," Merle says to Glenn. Rick goes son to say that the Governor wants the prison, and all of them dead. "For what we did to Woodbury." He pauses to let everyone take this in, and adds, "We're going to war." Of course that's not what the Governor told Rick, but it's still true. Rick leaves them all to ponder this and goes to the catwalk, leaving everyone behind to exchange significant stares.

Hershel eventually finds him out there and reports, "The group's taking it as well as can be expected. Merle and Michonne are convinced we should hit first. Carol and I think we should take our chances on the road. But we're in this together, so if we stay and fight, so be it." Rick nods as stoutly as he can manage, and tells Hershel the truth about the Governor's offer to leave them alone in exchange for Michonne. "He'll kill her," Hershel says. "And then kill us anyway," Rick adds. "But what if he doesn't? What if this is the answer?" Hershel asks why Rick didn't tell the others this. "They need to be scared," Rick says, because that's the only way they'll accept the deal. "She saved my life," Hershel points out. "Carl's. Glenn, Maggie. If she hadn't come here, we never would have known they were taken. She's earned her place." Rick agrees, but asks Hershel, "Are you willing to sacrifice your daughters' lives for her?" Instead of answering, Hershel asks why Rick is telling him this, which is probably his way of saying he wishes Rick hadn't. Rick's answer: "Because I'm hoping you can talk me out of it." But for a long moment, going all the way to the fade, the only talking going on is the moaning of the zombies beyond the fence.

M. Giant is a Minneapolis-based writer with a wife, a son, and a number of cats that seems to have settled at around two. Learn waaaay too much about him at Velcrometer, or just e-mail him at m.giant[at]gmail.com.