The Walking Dead (2010–…): Season 11, Episode 18 - A New Deal - full transcript

What are you doin' here, man?

Well, I'm here to
save your asses.

I think we can help each other.

And who are you?

I work for Lance Hornsby.

He's out there
hunting my friends.

I need your help to stop him.

If your son didn't do the
things that he's accused of,

someone did.

Guns on the ground.
Weapons down!

Judith: We've come so far.



Lost so much.

Daryl: Saying you handcuffed
my brother to a roof

and you left him there?!

It's hard to trust when
anyone can go at any time.

But the people who die
and the people who go

aren't lost forever.

I believe that.

I have to.

And remembering their voices...
Michonne: These people need you.

Is how we keep them alive.

Grimes: The future
belongs to all of us now.

Trooper: Drop your weapon!
Hold it right there!

Trooper
#2: Take this guy out!

Put the knife down!



Do it, or we will shoot!

Let him go! Now!

Mercer: Everyone stand down!

You heard him.

Lower your weapon.

This is not just about you.

I need him alive.

Mercer: Dixon.

Not here and not like this.

You choosing this piece of shit?

If I was, you'd already be down.

Do what you fuckin' gotta do.

Daryl.

What have you done?

I made a deal for us.

Don't worry.

He'll live.

Aaron: So the slate's
just wiped clean?

Carol: Debt, deaths
on both sides.

We get supplies, water, weapons.

Pamela provides everything that
we need to finish rebuilding.

Free and clear.

Then we just go home?

That's up to everyone to decide.

What does Pamela
get out of this?

Hornsby.

We tell the people what he did.

Out here, back at
that house where...

Where folks died.

He takes the fall for it.

So this is about saving her son.

It's not our problem anymore.

We'll talk about it with our
people when they get here.

There's a lot to think
about on our end.

Right. Yeah. Like how they
killed most of our people.

Anybody else?

I think the most important
thing is that we're together.

I don't want to go
it alone anymore.

I don't trust them.
But if you say

that this deal gets
us back in our homes,

with our own rules, then I
think it's worth the risk.

Alright.

Hornsby: You mind shifting
me over a few feet?

Think I'm stuck on
an anthill here.

Get used to it.

Wow.

I always thought we
got along so well.

How many of my men
have you gotten killed?

Oh, Mercer.

I thought you realized by now...

They're not your men.

Better hop to it, soldier.

You'll be transported
back to the Commonwealth

and put on trial.

Look, Pamela, it's
just the two of us.

Drop the act.

No act, Lance.

You've gone too far.

Seriously?

You never seemed
to have a problem

with how I got the
job done before.

We're not talking
about the past.

Only now. And you've made
quite a mess of "now."

Hold on... You might survive
this, if you play things right.

But your life at the
Commonwealth is over.

Over?

After...
After all the years,

after all that I've done
in service of you...

Oh, please.
You've served yourself

above everything
and anyone else.

Always trying so hard to
prove the world wrong.

You refuse to see it.

But I've made
something of myself.

You're an angry, delusional
little boy, Lance.

Trying to win a game, but
too foolish to realize

that you've never actually
been a player in it.

You still need me.

If something happens to me...

certain alliances the
Commonwealth has...

certain stabilizing factors...

are likely to become a problem.

Whatever game you're
playing, Pamela...

I'm very much in it.

Pamela: Lance Hornsby
abused his position

and caused untold
suffering for others.

But thanks in part

to the assistance of
friends and allies...

Along with our dedicated armed
forces, he was unable to escape.

And I promise you all...
Justice will be served.

She played that perfectly.

Hornsby takes the
fall, Sebastian skates.

Now, tomorrow is Founders Day.

An opportunity for our community
to come together and celebrate

what truly makes the
Commonwealth great...

Its people.

And we will celebrate.

We will not forget, but
we will rise above this.

Because we are the Commonwealth.

There has to be
something more we can do.

Your people are leaving.

It's not your problem anymore.

Hey.

I'm still standing here.

I know. Thank you.

Would you ever consider
a... A change of scenery?

You showed me your home,
I could show you mine.

Maybe someday...

But not yet.

Now, we'll make sure
Oceanside is okay.

I'll fill Cyndie and
Rachel in on the plan,

see what they need.

It'll take a bit to
get everybody ready

and gather up all the supplies.

Head to Alexandria first.

It's in better
shape than Hilltop.

We'll see you there. Be safe.

Carol:
Sure you wanna go?

Yeah. Yeah, it's fine.

Been on the road a few weeks,
so what's a few more, right?

Hey.Hey.

Um, pack's all set. I'll
grab us some water, okay?

Alright. Thank you.

"What's a few more weeks," huh?

I'm sorry.

You don't have to be sorry.

No, I just...

Henry.

You know, I haven't
forgotten about him.

It's just... I don't know.

You take happiness
wherever you can get it.

And don't ever be sorry for it.

Yeah?

Yeah.

You okay?

Yeah.

Yeah. I think I am.

I never, uh...

I never thanked
you for saving her.

I never thanked
you for saving me.

We don't have to.
We just do it.

Yeah.

Alright, come on.

Be safe out there, alright?

You, too.

Aaron: We'll be back
before you know it.

It's okay.

Here. It's yours.

I don't want it.

Alright.

My mom talked about
the day she'd hang up

her sword for good.

Not that we'd be
completely safe,

but enough to feel like
she didn't need it anymore.

If I keep that, things
go back to how they were.

But they should be better.

They will be once we get home.

How?

It's still broken.

And what about
everyone else here?

Shouldn't we stay and help them?

Isn't that what you
and Mom and Dad did

at Alexandria and Hilltop?

That was different.

It wasn't. The
only difference now

is that you'd rather run
away than stay and fight.

God damn it.

Stop.

Stop.

Just stop.

Vendor: Lottery tickets here!

Get your lottery tickets here!

A new life for the
price of a buck!

Lottery!

Y'know, you don't have to lug
that thing around anymore.

Yeah, well, I
hate to disappoint the kids.

I'm sure somebody
else could do it.

Eh.

Maybe I just enjoy the exercise.

You're not coming, are you?

If it's about the treatment,
we'll have plenty of medicine,

I made sure of it. Maybe...
Maybe Tomi can come.

It's not that.

My place is here.

When I set out with
Eugene and Yumiko,

we were all desperate
for help, remember?

And I was desperate to
make a difference...

One last time.

But this place, these people...

you...

gave me a second chance
to do a whole lot more.

So that's what I'm gonna do.

Helping the people
of another Kingdom,

before it falls apart.

Hey. Come on down.

Boy: Sure, let's try it.Okay.

We could all do that.

President Milton: Today
is a day of remembrance,

of those whose lives were lost

in the founding of
this Commonwealth.

Their courage and grit
fortify our walls,

protecting our families, the
future, and America itself.

Sebastian:
If they're gonna hear this,

why do I have to give a speech?

There are certain
things you need to do

if you're ever going
to lead this place.

Max, could you...

"It is an absolute privilege
to be here with you today

as we honor the founding
of our great home."

Wow, that is crap.

I don't need this.

I will lead because
I'm a Milton.

You have jeopardized
enough with your stupidity.

They need to see that
you have nothing to hide.

And be reminded that
you are hisgrandson.

I am. Then show them.

Show me.

I will.

I know you will.

Politics was not my
first choice either.

You were born to
lead this place.

Hmm.

It looks like your amniotic
fluid is a little high.

What does that mean?

That you're in the right place.

Might've been an issue if
we didn't catch it earlier,

but now we'll keep a close
eye and you'll be fine.

Man: Dr. Kleiner to unit 7.

Dr. Kleiner to unit 7.

This all getting
too real for you?

No.

No.

But it is real.

It's all gonna be fine.

Staying here isn't an option.

Yeah.

It's not.

There are people looking to us.

I can't risk them.

I won't.

You know, I keep hearing my
dad's voice inside my head...

saying, "Your life is...

Is not your own
once you have kids.

It's never the same."

I always just wanted to
know what that meant.

And I finally get to.

And I keep hearing
Ian and Jesse.

And all the people they killed.

We don't need this place.

Because it's us now.

Yeah.

Alright.

Where's Judith?

RJ, where's Judith?

I'm not supposed to say.

She's supposed to be packing.

I said we had to pack. But
she said she wasn't coming.

Where'd she go?

I don't know.

Carol: We'll find her.

Daryl: Ugh.

This parenting thing...
I ain't very good at it.

But it's who you are to her now.

What would hedo?

Don't. Rick's not here.

You are.

It's weird. Suddenly
being a parent.

When Sophia was born, I had
no idea what I was doing.

All I really knew
was that I loved her.

So tiny.

Looking to me for everything.

The weight of making a decision

that would make
all the difference.

We just hope that
the choice we make

is the right one at the time.

You'll figure it
out. I know you will.

Yeah.

I'm not sure this
is the best idea.

We don't have much of a choice.

Of course we do.

Eugene, I have to do something.

I've been in her
office for years.

Even if I didn't know
what was really going on,

I definitely knew
Sebastian was bad news.

And I just went along with it.

You don't know what it's like
to feel that kind of guilt.

You'd be surprised.

I'm fairly familiar
with guilt's burden.

I was proud of what we did.

I got used to feeling like

maybe everything would
always be the same.

Like we were trapped
in the old world.

After all this, why shouldn't
we try for something better?

And thinking like that
actually felt good.

Like maybe we could
actually change things.

But it's all being erased.

So I have to try.

No matter what happens.

But if you don't want
to do this, if...

If this is too much
I-I want us to be safe.

We cannot trust this man.

But if you truly believe
there's an outside chance

he can help us, then...

I'll suck it up and
I'll do my best.

I thought you'd be gone by now.

Not quite.

Sustenance for conversation.

This for all the times
I got you out of a cell?

I'm a mite surprised

you're not able to do
the same for yourself.

Who says I'm not?

I try not to take these
things personally.

That's the game,
right?

Any assistance I could offer?

That's a weak play, Eugene.

If you want
something, ask for it.

I'm looking for any information

that might be damaging
to Pamela or her progeny.

Hm.

That's a tough one.

I'd love to help,
but the irony is...

Pamela's probably the
only reason I'm alive.

Some friendly advice?

You go after the Miltons
and they'll crush you.

Pamela's just better.

People wanted her son's head...

Now they're dancing
in the street,

celebrating the Milton legacy.

Founders of the Commonwealth!

So trust me when I say...
You're better off making nice

with Pamela and her
sadistic shit of a son.

Eugene, make sure you
tell your girlfriend, too.

She's so great at
hiding in plain sight,

right next to Pamela.

She should keep it up.
The last thing I want

is you two to end up
in a cell like mine.

You both have to live with it.

Unless you're willing to
burn the whole thing down.

Gabriel: you shall do to them

according to the
whole commandment

that I have commanded you.

Be strong and courageous.

Do not fear or be
in dread of them...

for it is the Lord your
God who goes with you.

He will not leave
you or forsake you.

My last sermon.

It's not your last.

You all packed?

Anything here you
want me to grab?

My parishioners brought me food.

We can enjoy Mrs. Brennan's
ambrosia on the road back home.

That's all you.

You know, I didn't think
I'd get back to this.

To Him.

But I did.

The people that sit
in these pews...

They gave that to me.

You gave them something,
too, you know.

And what you gave will be
here long after you're gone.

Yeah.

I just wish they brought
cotton candy instead.

Same thing every year.

We set it up, take it all down,

and we don't even get
to see the main event.

Don't matter,

as long as I can hear those
lottery numbers being called.

I promise to forget all
about you when I win.

Can we help you?

I wasn't trying to worry you.

I know.

I just...

You just wanted to be alone.

I get it.

I used to have a spot like this.

When I wanted to
hide and not go home.

Where'd you go?

There was a river
behind my house.

I used to go down there

and wait for my
dad to go to sleep.

You were alone a lot?

Yeah.

I don't mind being alone.

Sometimes I like it better.

Gives you time to think.

Figure things out, I guess.

I'm sorry about earlier.

It's okay.

I don't know what I'm doing.

But I'm trying really hard.

I wish things were like
how you want them to be.

That's the way they should be.

But they aren't.

And I have to keep you safe.

I'm gonna hold onto
the gun for a while...

till you want it.

Or not.

But either way,
you're stuck with me.

We good?

We're good.

Will I get to say
bye to my friends?

Yeah.

Help me up.

Sebastian: "It is an absolute
privilege to be here with you today

as we honor the founding
of our great home."

I sound like a douchebag.

You'll be great.

This is for later.

And I'm heading home to change.

Okay. Sounds good.

This is bullshit!

"It is an absolute..."

"It is an absolute..."

Hey.

Thanks.

You going to do it?

I don't think I have
much of a choice.

You do.

We all do.

Not according to my mom.

This should be my brother.

That's the one she wanted.

I'm just the one
that's still here.

You can be more than that.

Is that what this is?

You're just her lackey.

Getting me to do whatever
she wants, right?

I don't just work for
your mom, I'm a citizen.

Okay.

Leading isn't just
telling people her words.

Some truth might
be the way to go.

People respect
that sort of thing.

People don't want honesty.

They want to be told
that everything's A-OK,

so they can go about
ignoring the goddamned mess

this world really is.

That's not true.

Please.

The Commonwealth is built
on buying into bullshit.

The desperate need to believe

that the ol' American
dream is still real.

You know, "Anything
is possible!"

"We... We could rise
above our station!"

It's a friggin' joke.

The reality is that
the poor stay poor

so that the rich can do
whatever the hell we want.

The game is rigged.

There are no
bootstraps to pull up.

Christ, my mom hand-picks
the lottery winners.

And none of it matters, and
nothing will ever change.

But those people that you
think want "honesty"...

Yeah, they're just
too stupid to see it.

It's pathetic.

Now, that sounded
like you believed it.

But maybe...

maybe you just choose
to be a spoiled asshole.

I mean, if everyone
else expects it,

who's left to disappoint?

Woman: I thought
it was really cute.

Yeah. Go have fun.

Nice work.

Vendor: Lottery tickets
here! Lottery tickets here!

Everyone needs a chance!

You doing alright?

Announcer: Ladies and
gentlemen... I'll be fine.

Please take your seats,

as the main event
is about to begin!

People of the Commonwealth,

are you ready to witness
a battle for the ages?!

Captain, Watch out!

Oh!

Oh, my God.

All: One, two, three!

Captain Commonwealth:

Commonwealth! Commonwealth!

Ha!

Let me hear it!

Come on!

Let's extend a hearty
thank-you to our combatants!

And now to continue
with this wonderful day,

my son, Sebastian, has
prepared a few words.

Thank you. It is, uh... It
is an honor and a privilege

to be with you today to
celebrate the, uh... to...

I, um...

I know that a lot of you
don't think very well of me.

I know that I
probably deserve that.

Now, it is gonna take
a long, long road

for me to earn your trust,
and live up to my legacy.

I don't have the
words to describe

what this place means to me.

But my grandfather did.

So, humbly, if you would
join me in listening

to the wise words
of President Milton,

founder of the Commonwealth.

Sebastian: Please.

The Commonwealth is built
on buying into bullshit.

The desperate need to believe

that the ol' American
dream is still real.

You know, "Anything
is possible!"

"We... We could rise
above our station!"

It's a friggin' joke.

The reality is that
the poor stay poor

so that the rich can do
whatever the hell we want.

The game is rigged.

There are no
bootstraps to pull up.

Christ, my mom hand-picks
the lottery winners.

And none of it matters...
I knew it. I told you!

And nothing will ever
change. You bitch!

But those people that you think
want "honesty"...Stop that tape.

Hold on. Go!

Yeah, they're just
too stupid to see it.

Converge on the ring.

Please, everyone, remain calm.

"Anything is possible!"

"We... We could rise above our
station!"No one fires their weapon.

It's a friggin'
joke. Stand down!

The reality is that the poor
stay poor... Stand down!

So that the rich can do
whatever the hell we want.

Back it up! Back up now!

Get back! Back!

Man: Rotters! We got
rotters in the square!

Come back here! You are dead!

Tango. Tango. Tango.
All units to the square.

The dead are inside the walls.

You six, come with me.

Secure the Governor until
you hear directly from me.

Where are you going?

You're supposed to protect me.

My job is to protect
the Commonwealth, ma'am.

Man: Right now! Let's go!

Judith!

Judith!

C'mon. Let's go.

Give me the gun.
They need our help.

We'll do this together,
alright? Come on.

Stupid bitch!

You're nothing!

Help! Help me!

Help me!

We need to go.

Help!

Help!

Help me!

Help me!

Help me!

Help me!

Help! Help me!

Sebastian: Yeah, they're
just too stupid to see it.

Please.

The Commonwealth is built
on buying into bullshit.

The desperate need to believe
the ol' American dream

is still real.

You know, "Anything
is possible!"

"We... We could rise
above our station!"

It's a friggin' joke.

The reality is that
the poor stay poor

so that the rich can do
whatever the hell we want.

I need an example.

I want to remind these people
that actions have consequences.

I've heard stories about walkers

who can climb walls
and open doors.

What the hell?!

Milton's son is dead, and
she wants Eugene for it.

If they catch him, he's dead.

Getting you out of here. No!

Everyone stand down!

Aah!

You heard him.
Lower your weapon.

Kang: This episode
deals with our people

trying to negotiate
with the Commonwealth,

and specifically
with Pamela Milton

and the fallout that
happens as a result of that.

What have you done?

Made
a deal for us.

Kang: Daryl trusts
Carol a lot.

And so the fact that
Hornsby isn't dead

and that Daryl didn't, like,
just go rampage on all of them,

he knows that if Carol
is doing something,

even if it's something that
he has reservations about,

he knows Carol only
ever does things

because she thinks it
is going to help them.

Aah! He's gonna put in

one little bit of protest.

"Alright, you told
me to keep him alive.

I'll keep him alive,

but I'm gonna go as
far as I can go."

Aah. Aah! Aah!

Don't worry. He'll live.

We've come so
far. Lost so much.

This concept of going
back into the past

to take a look at where
the characters are now

is something that we
really wanted to do

for the final block of episodes.

Man: Handcuffed my
brother to a roof,

and you left him there?!

We like the idea of seeing
how far Daryl has come

in the journey.

Daryl went from somebody
who was bucking the system,

a lone wolf, didn't
want to compromise,

and he has come to a point

where, as a leader,
as a father figure,

he does have to
sometimes trust things

that he doesn't want to trust.

You'll be transported
back to the Commonwealth

and put on trial.

Look, Pamela, it's
just the two of us.

Drop the act.

No act, Lance.
You've gone too far.

He's really, truly stunned

when she's so angry at him

and is kind of signaling
that he's going to pay

for the things
that have happened.

You're an angry, delusional
little boy, Lance,

trying to win a game.

Too foolish to realize
that you've never actually

been a player in it.

There is also a part of her
that truly does not like

the idea that
Hornsby has enabled

some of the things
that he's enabled.

Even if she likes to
keep her hands clean,

it has brought shame
upon her house.

Whatever game you're
playing, Pamela,

I'm very much in it.

And it's yours.

The story that we wanted to play

of Judith and hanging up the gun

has these origins in a Western.

I don't want it.

When she refused it
at first, it's because

that's how she would
prefer to live her life.

Like, she would like it
if all of them were able

to hang up their
weapons for good.

If I keep that, things
go back to how they were.

But they should be better.

They will be, once we get home.

How?

It's still broken.

And what about
everyone else here?

Shouldn't we stay and help them?

I think that Judith,

in her kind of
youthful idealism,

really feels like, "Why
would you leave this

and not try to
stay and fix it?"

There is some truth
to what she's saying.

And I think that
that does give Daryl,

like, something to think about.

And so I think that there's
this really nice exchange

between the parent
figure and the child,

where they're both kind of
learning from each other

in the moment.

I wish things were like
how you want them to be.

That's the way they should
be, but they aren't.

And I have to keep you safe.

Aaaah!

In the comic book, football is

the big sport that
they rally around.

But because of the pandemic
and the protocols we had,

football was going to be
very difficult to do safely.

The writer of this episode
said, "What if we do wrestling?

Because it is, like, only
a limited number of people,

but there is this
theatricality to it.

It's all made up, and you
have heroes and villains,

And there's this sort of like

simplistic binary
thing that you have,

that, like, even
a sporting event

is propaganda for them,"

we thought was
really interesting.

Oh! Ugh!

Ugh! Aah!

Commonwealth!

Crowd: Commonwealth!
Commonwealth! Commonwealth!

Kang: I think, for Max,
she's been discontented

for a while.

It's been a slow journey for her

that has ramped up in speed.

She really feels like she
has to do something about it,

or she cannot stand herself.

Leading isn't just
telling people her words.

Some truth might
be the way to go.

I think that when
she sees Sebastian

and sees that he really,
truly has no remorse

in spite of the fact that
he's been given a chance

yet again, and he
chooses to squander it,

so I don't think
she feels too bad

about exposing that,
because, I think,

that she feels like it's her
job as a concerned citizen

to do that for her people.

Sebastian: The Commonwealth

is built on buying
into bullshit.

The desperate need to believe
that the old American dream

is still real.

The reality is that
the poor stay poor

so that the rich can do
whatever the hell we want.

Help me! Help me!

Sebastian does get
attacked by the zombie,

and the reaction of the citizens

is to stand around
and do nothing,

because they feel
like, in his own way,

maybe he deserves a bloody end.

Help me!

The trust between
citizens and leaders

is so broken right now,

it has gotten to the point
where, in this community,

there is a form of
just vigilante justice

that they feel like maybe
is the only kind of justice

that they'll get,
because the rule of law

did not work for the citizens
in the case of Sebastian.

And they are sort of content
to stand by and let him die.

Help me! Help me!!

Somebody help me!

Aaah! Oh!

Give me the gun.
They need our help.

Taking up the gun again is
something that is tragic.

It is actually the
saddest thing of all

that a child feels that she
needs to be a gunslinger

in this apocalyptic
world, but it's a marker

that even this place
that she thought was safe

is not immune to the dangers
of the rest of the world.

It's unthinkable in
the Commonwealth,

and so, in that way,
the Commonwealth

succeeded at least in
some measure of protection

for its citizens.

But even when Judith shoots,
like, if you look at her face,

there's a sense of the
tragedy of the situation

that you kind of see in her
young eyes and her face.