The Walking Dead/Rogue Element

Rogue Element
Season 11, Episode 11
Airdate	March 6, 2021
Written by	David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Directed by	Michael Cudlitz
Stream
← 11x10 New Haunts	11x12 → The Lucky Ones
The Walking Dead — Season Eleven

Rogue Element is the eleventh episode of the eleventh season of The Walking Dead, and the one hundred sixty-fourth episode overall.

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

and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan) (credit only)

Also Starring: Eleanor Matsuura (Yumiko Okumura) (credit only), Nadia Hilker (Magna) (credit only), Cailey Fleming (Judith Grimes) (credit only), Cassady McClincy (Lydia) (credit only), Lauren Ridloff (Connie), Paola Lázaro (Princess), Michael James Shaw (Mercer), Lynn Collins (Leah Shaw) (credit only), Josh Hamilton (Lance Hornsby), Margot Bingham (Max), Laila Robins (Pamela Milton) (credit only), Angel Theory (Kelly), Chelle Ramos (Stephanie Vega), Michael Tourek (Roman Calhoun), Aneesh Sheth (Jan)

Co-Starring: William Mark McCullough (Moto), Maryjean Feton (Old Woman), Bruno Rose (Comms (Monitor), Darrell Snedeger (Hospital Trooper), David E. Collier (Logistics Officer), Carrie Walrond Hood (Nurse)

Uncredited: Rebecca Ray (Elaine), Jason Fernandes (Livits)

Plot Overview

Eugene's happiness with Stephanie crashes when she suddenly disappears and he begins an investigation into what he believes is a conspiracy.

Connie and Kelly try to get to the bottom of what they feel is a cover-up regarding Tyler Davis.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Davis is said to have PTSD and has been put in the hospital under armed guard. When Mercer later goes to his room, he finds he as moved without his authorisation. Connie and Kelly are later slipped a note under their door that includes a list of names, including Davis's.

• After Stephanie disappears Eugene puts pieces together traces things to a building he believes to be a base of operations. He spots four people going in and out with an unidentified fifth he believes to be the leader. He later breaks in where he finds Stephanie is one of them and is actually named Shira. The unidentified man turns out to be Hornsby who confesses to manipulating him, but assures it was for the best of his community.

Characters

• Eugene's relationship with Stephanie goes to the level of him giving her the key to his apartment. After she disappears and learns the truth, he burns the novel he had been writing, even after being told Shira really liked it. He then is confronted with another woman who reveals that she is the real Stephanie.

• It's revealed that Max, who Davis took hostage, is Mercer's sister.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• Publicity stills for "Acheron: Part II" and "Out of the Ashes" had Stephanie credited as "Decoy Stephanie". Shortly after the latter were released, AMC amended it to Stephanie in an attempt to avoid spoilers.

Quotes

• Nurse: General Mercer, how can I help you?

Mercer: Where is the patient who was in M-33 and the soldiers that were with him?

Nurse: There's no one in M-33.

Mercer: I realise that. I want to know what happened to the man who was in there. He can't be moved without my authorisation.

Nurse: I'm sorry, but, apparently, he can.

• Princess: Dude, none of this is happening! Stephanie broke up with you!

Eugene: (laughs) That's utterly absurd.

Princess: Look, I've been thinking it, but, you know, what if you were right about this Calhoun guy? But the dude is a plumber, Euge. You've got... Mira. You've got Stephanie's work-transfer order. Moving guys literally came and took her furniture. Maybe it's not that complicated.

Eugene: But the first bit of advice you gave me was, "When a woman tells you she loves you, believe her."

Princess: Yeah, well, when a woman quits her job and moves away without telling you, maybe you should believe that, too. The day my dad had enough, my man just split. And I thought that it was because I smoked his cigarettes. And I never saw him again. So, who knows? Maybe that was it. I mean, you can think you know someone and then find out you never even met them. Yeah, it sucks, man, but it happens all the time.

Eugene: I can appreciate how you might reach that conclusion. However, I'm privy to one piece of data that you are not. I know how it felt.

• Eugene: You played me. I knew. You corroborated Calhoun's bogus alibi, I was certain you were involved with covering up Stephanie's disappearance! But now I realise the depths of my self-delusion because Occam's razor should have led me to this conclusion before a well-placed kick to the belly ever did! There was never any Stephanie. Who is she?! Is she an undercover agent?! A con artist that owes you a favour?! Well, she was very convincing. You used her to pull at my heartstrings and to trick me into telling you everything you wanted to know about our communities! Well, it worked! She led me to the train yard, where we were captured by you! You thought I wa-- You thought I was an easy mark, the most trusting of the police, so you - you split off my friends one at a time, thinkin' I'd break, but I didn't break! Then she led me to the - the radio room, where we were captured again. Oh, and you certainly got your money's worth there! I actually fell for that one twice! She's the one that told me I can trust you! And I did. She even read my book so that she could get any helpful autobiographical information that might serve your needs! But now that you've gotten everything you wanted, what?! No need to continue the ruse?! Is that it?! But you didn't see this twist! I'm gonna make absolutely certain that everybody knows exactly who and what you are!

Hornsby: Okay. And who or what is that, exactly? The villain? The boogeyman? Or the best goddamn thing that ever happened to you? You're right, Eugene. I did lie to you. Just like you and your friends lied through your teeth to get inside these walls.

Eugene: No. No.

Hornsby: But who's keeping score, right? So, I did what I had to do to get you here. And you know what? You should be thanking me for it. It's not my fault you people are too stupid to know a good thing when it landed in your laps.

Eugene: You're just... You're just admittin' it? I fell in love and everything I know about her is a fiction!

Hornsby: Look, we tried to rip the band-aid off when we saw it was getting serious and I did everything I could to get you to stop looking for her, but you wouldn't. And here we are. At least you can stop now, right? It wasn't gonna get better for your people, Eugene. They were about to starve. And now you're here and your community is getting fixed and you've got everything, from concerts to cancer surgery. And literally the only thing we've ever asked of you all in return is to be productive members of society here for as long as you choose to stay. So, tell them whatever you want. The statement you signed to get out of jail says you were suffering from paranoia as a result of nervous strain. Remember? I mean, look at you, Eugene. This has obviously taken a toll. Am I sorry your heart got broken? Absolutely. And I'm sure your friends will be very sad to hear about it, too. But in the balance of things, I still think it worked out in everyone's favour. And they probably will, too. (walks away before stopping and turning around) Oh, by the way, Stephanie's real name is Shira. And she hates Iron Maiden. But she genuinely enjoyed your book. You should stick with it.