The Walking Dead/Acheron (1)

Acheron (1)
Season 11, Episode 1
Airdate	August 22, 2021
Written by	Angela Kang & Jim Barnes
Directed by	Kevin Dowling
Stream
← 10x22 Here's Negan	11x02 → Acheron (2)
The Walking Dead — Season Eleven

Acheron (1) is the first episode of the eleventh season of The Walking Dead, and the one hundred fifty-forth episode overall.

Starring: Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon), Melissa McBride (Carol Peletier), Lauren Cohan (Maggie Rhee), Christian Serratos (Rosita Espinosa), Josh McDermitt (Eugene Porter), Seth Gilliam (Gabriel Stokes), Ross Marquand (Aaron), Khary Payton (Ezekiel), Cooper Andrews (Jerry), Callan McAuliffe (Alden)

and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan)

Also Starring: Eleanor Matsuura (Yumiko), Nadia Hilker (Magna), Cailey Fleming (Judith Grimes), Cassady McClincy (Lydia), Lauren Ridloff (Connie) (credit only), Paola Lázaro (Princess), Michael James Shaw (Mercer), Angel Theory (Kelly), C. Thomas Howell (Roy), Jackson Pace (Gage), Glenn Stanton (Frost), Okea Eme-Akwari (Elijah), Laurie Fortier (Agatha), James Devoti (Cole)

Co-Starring: Antony Azor (RJ), Kien Michael Spiller (Hershel Rhee), Carrie Genzel (Clark), Marcus Lewis (Duncan), Matthew Cornwell (Evans), Mariana Novak (Female Trooper), Brandon O'Dell (Refugee Man), Mala Bhattacharya (Refugee Woman), Joshua Haire (Squirrelly Man)

Plot Overview

With food running low, Maggie takes others to her previous community, including Negan.

Meanwhile, Eugene and the others are brought into the Commonwealth, but aren't made to feel welcomed.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Alexandria is running low on food. Maggie takes others to Meridian to get the food to help.

• Maggie figures that there isn't very many of the Reapers, hence why only one followed them.

• Eugene, Princess, Ezekiel, and Yumiko are repeatedly questioned at Commonwealth and later put in cages and find others who have been there for months. There's also a reprocessing some have gone through should someone not pass inspection.

Characters

• Negan senses that Maggie brought him along so that she can quietly kill him when no one's around, but while she admits her desire, insists there's an old part of herself that's prevented her from carrying through with it.

• When the group is chased by walkers and have to climb atop a train car, Maggie struggles as Negan watches and walks away just before her grip slips and falls.

• Eugene and the others have managed an escape, but Yumiko intends to stay when she finds a wall of those looking for lost people and finds a note from someone named Mira addressing her.

Referbacks

• Maggie mentions the one Reaper they caught in "Home Sweet Home".

Trivia

The Show

• There is no dialogue for the entirety of the teaser.

Behind the Scenes

• First and only season premiere not to air in October.

Quotes

• Negan: Know what that noise actually is? That is God telling us to turn around.

Gabriel: I'm pretty sure He would have ran that past me first.

• Ezekiel: Are you in charge? You've been standing there, not saying a damn word like you're the man in charge.

Mercer: Yeah. I'm in charge.

Ezekiel: Do you think that I fear you?

Mercer: You look scared to me.

Ezekiel: What did you do before the fall? Let me guess. Asshole beat cop. That's why this fascist crap comes so easy to you. Look at you. All they had to do was give you a pumpkin-coloured spacesuit and you're back to power tripping with your head up your own ass, just like before.

Mercer: You think I was some power tripping cop?

Ezekiel: The shoe fits.

• Maggie: Pay attention so we don't miss any more.

Negan: Pay attention? That's it? That's... That's your new big plan? Tell me, Maggie, anything in particular we should be paying attention to?

Alden: I'm real close to shoving a gag in your mouth.

Negan: Well, why don't you get up on your little tippy toes and try?

Daryl: Cut it out. Both of you.

Negan: This kid almost died.

Daryl: You don't give a shit about that kid.

Negan: No, she doesn't give a shit. She has been playing dictator since we left, not listening to me, not listening to him. Hell, not even listening to you. We don't know if this tunnel even has a way out. Whoever or whatever killed these rot bags could still be down here. Has that thought crossed anyone's mind? Exactly. It has. So, then this is a death march and you are the goddamn pied piper. Now, y'all wanna roll with that shit, that's fine. Knock yourselves out. But not me. Not today. I am out.

Gage: Me, too.

Alden: What?

Gage: He - He's a dick, but he makes sense.

Roy: Yeah, we shouldn't have come down here.

Daryl: We're not splitting up.

Negan: It ain't up to you... buddy.

Agatha: Just let him go. He's supposed to be helping us, all he's doing is slowing us down.

Maggie: We can't.

Duncan: Why not?

Maggie: We need him. He knows the city.

Negan: Oh, is that why I'm here? I-I am your D.C. tour guide? What, nobody here know how to read a goddamn map? I'll tell you why I'm here, man-tits. She brought me here to die. If we get through this, I'm not coming back. She'll find a way, she'll find a reason, she'll do it herself. Away from the prying eyes of Alexandria. Here in the jungle. (to Daryl) Man, I really thought you were in on it. I did. But, see, I can tell from that glazed look in your eyes, you didn't have a clue. None of you did.

Gabriel: You're paranoid.

Negan: But I'm right. Look, you all want to put your lives in her hands? Her head isn't even in the game because I'm in her head, living rent-free. So, Maggie, me dying on your terms, it ain't happening. So, what do you say? Let's just get her done. Right here and right now. Because I am not gonna let you drag me through the mud, filth, and slime to put me down like a dog. Like Glenn was.

(Daryl punches Negan)

Maggie: We're down here because up top is death. We're moving fast because our kids are starving. And I'm calling the shots because that's how everyone voted. As for me killing you, (draws gun) it's always on my mind. I'm not gonna tell you that you're wrong about me because you aren't. The woman who left six years ago is not the one standing over you now. There's a little bit of her left in me and that little bit is the only thing keeping you breathing. But I don't know how long that's gonna last. So keep pushing me, Negan. Please.