The Whisperer War took a toll on our community.
We lost our brothers and sisters.
We succumbed to darkness and vengeance.
I've spoken to God. He told me to hang you.
But we kept the faith.
The Lord's house is a tower.
The righteous enter...
and are safe.
As we fell into moments of despair, a miracle happened.
He's with me.
By the grace of our friends, we were saved.
But we still have more work to do.
To rebuild our community.
To provide for our family.
To save our soul.
What happened here?
We'll never know.
What are you doing?
I'm gonna search them.
There could be something here.
Two more.
One, two, three.
Pull.
Hey! Do you see anything?!
Just a ladder.
Anything?
One more.
We've been at this for two weeks.
What do we have to show? I --
I -- I can't.
We've got to see this through.
No, we don't.
We can go back, check the hunting grounds --
There's no food there. It's spent.
So is other other place on Maggie's goddamn map!
Look, I just...
I miss my daughter.
I know you miss yours, too.
One more.
Little help?
Yeah.
Here.
There's a water tower
by our last location.
We just need to head north ...oa, whoa, whoa.
...until we see it, and then --We are not doing this without a map.
It's only an hour away.
I don't care.
Fine.
We'll follow our tracks back.
Was this on the map?
No.
Hello?
My name is Aaron.
I'm a friend.
Please -- don't be afraid.
Hello?
He --
He just came at me.
I didn't...
I didn't, uh...
What?
Nothing.
It's just... that was, um --
That was quite the scream.
These things are vicious!
Clearly. No.
Hence...
the scream.
I'm -- I'm sorry.
Alright.
Let it all out.
Oh...
Are you through?
I'm not through.
Oh, Lord!
Oh...
You know what I feel like?
What?
Dinner...
...and...
...drink.
Hey.
You remember these?
I remember news footage of people in toy stores
trampling over each other to get them.
Yeah.
Gracie's gonna go nuts.
One for Coco.
Okay.
That's it?
Yes.
That's all we get.
Why?
It's just whiskey.
No.
It's not "just whiskey."
It's perfection.
It's rare.
This bottle?
Easily cost over $2,000.
The fact that people would pay that much to get drunk
is a huge part of what was wrong with the world.
The point isn't to get drunk, it's --
Just take the cup to your nose and sniff.
Now take a moment
and tell me what smells you're getting.
What does it remind you of?
Maple syrup.
Vanilla.
Breakfast as a kid.
Now take a sip.
And let it sit.
Now pay attention to the finish.
How the flavor evolves.
Wow.
Yeah, exactly.
Now, we eat.
And the meat will taste even better.
Okay.
Hey -- look...
I get that it's, uh...
rare and all,
but, um...
...we've had a rough day.
You know?
Bullshit.
You don't have it.
Then call.
I don't have enough to call.
You have the whiskey...
Many thanks.
No, no, no, no, no.
Show me.
So, what does God think of you
drinking and gambling right now?
He's probably okay with it.
Oh, yeah?
Is card sharking part of proper Priest training?
Was there a whiskey class in the seminary?
Actually, yes, there was. Oh.
I'm serious.
I had a mentor.
Reverend George.
He was a good friend.
And a great teacher.
And my first "class" with him
was at a boy's funeral.
Tommy Franklin.
He died of cancer.
He was in his freshman year of college and...
...and he died.
And everyone in town came to the funeral.
And Reverend George performed the service.
He spoke as they lowered Tommy into the ground.
And he said all the right things.
Without even trying.
At least, you know -- it didn't look like he was...
Anyways --
funeral ends,
and we get in his car to go to the wake.
And he -- he just takes off.
80 the whole way.
He says, "We have to get there before the others!"
And he's running stop signs
and saying a prayer each time he does,
and my eyes were closed the whole way.
And we get there, and he --
he heads straight for the liquor cabinet.
I say, "What are you doing, Reverend?"
And he says, "Shut up, Gabriel!"
And he snatches off my collar.
And then he pulls off his. And he starts pouring.
And then Tommy's father walks in.
And Reverend George walks over to him,
two drinks in hand...
and...
...he just starts talking.
He talks to everyone...
and they're at ease.
They're smiling.
Laughing.
And he tells me, you know...
all I have to do
is be with them,
in the moment --
s-speak from my heart
and don't worry about what I think they want to hear.
And I -- I try, but I'm -- I'm not as good at it as he is.
And then later he tells me
that real ministering isn't preaching from a pulpit.
It's talking to people one on one,
on their own terms.
Relating to them, you know?
That's how I know about whiskey.
That's how I know about a lot of things.
You need to start preaching again.
No, you do.
I'm gonna be mad at you if you don't.
Listen.
When I was out there
finding people to bring to Alexandria --
that felt right.
Helping people was right.
We haven't done that for a long time.
We've gotta get back to it.
I don't want to preach anymore.
Why?
You really think
things are gonna go back to the way they were?
It has to.
It won't.
The world isn't built for the way we used to be.
You don't believe that.
Your head is all... over the Whisperers.
It's --
Who and what they were --
that is... not most people.
Evil people aren't the exception to the rule.
They are the rule.
Well. Now I'm sober.
After this next round,
I'm gonna
climb up to the roof and jump off head first.
You want me to perform your last rites?
I'll get back to you.
Ow.
Sorry.
Where are you going?
To piss.
Aaron?
Aaron?!
What were you cooking?
What?
I said...
"What were you cooking?"
Boar.
Boar...
How was it?
The boar.
How was it?
It was...good.
I'd like a bite.
My name is Gabriel.
What's yours?
I came here with a friend of mine.
Have you seen him?
Can I ask what it is that you want?
Seems like you're the ones that are wanting.
Wanting to break into my place.
Eat my boar.
Drink my whiskey.
It didn't look like anyone lived here.
So you figured that boar
got into that room by itself?
We were just looking for food.
We meant no harm.
Does this say "no harm" to you?
You should know that we're part of a larger group.
More than 20 armed fighters.
They'll be coming if we don't get back soon.
I don't bluff as easy as your buddy,
in your little card game.
You think it's loaded?
Aren't a lot of bullets left in the world.
You think he made it?
What?
Your friend.
He's in there.
Easy.
Still breathing, I think.
I want to see him.
Why do you wear that?
What?
The collar.
Why you still wearing it?
Probably for the same reason you keep all those bibles.
I wear it because the word of God still matters.
It's a light in an otherwise very dark world.
And a reminder of the goodness still within us.
Things like love. Mercy.
Forgiveness --
Toilet paper.
What?
The bibles.
They're my toilet paper.
I like the thin pages.
And I can find them everywhere.
Maybe instead of wiping your ass with it,
you should read it.
Yeah, I've read it.
Cover to cover.
That's why I wipe my ass with it.
Must be hard,
preaching about something you don't believe in.
I do believe.
"Evil people aren't the exception to the rule.
They are the rule."
I was drunk.
A drunk tongue's an honest one.
There's nothing left in this world
but thieves and murderers.
No. There's still goodness.
You just have to look for it.
Who are you trying to convince, Padre?
Me or you?
You're so close.
Close to what?
One round...
one in six chance...
Well, you got a choice.
Each time, you can point it at yourself,
or the man sitting across from you.
Winner goes home.
We're not doing this.
Then you both die.
How do we know you won't kill us both anyway?
You don't.
We can make this right. Get you a new boar.
It's not about the boar.
Then what is it about?
Enlightenment.
Now go ahead.
Him or you, Father?
Pick.
Now you.
Why are you doing this?
What happened to your arm?
It was crushed.
In a construction accident.
Who blinded you?
No one.
It was an infection.
Huh.
What? You wanted to hear that someone plucked my eye out?
Or chopped his arm off?
Why?
To prove how evil man is?
That what this is about?
You think I'm gonna shoot him, or he's gonna shoot me?
Quiet.
Now, you pick it up and point it at your head or his.
Now.
Now!
Did you hear that?
Makes a different sound when the chamber loads...
You got a choice to make, son.
We're not "thieves and murderers."
We d-- We don't kill each other.
We protect each other.
Like family.
Family?
Is that supposed to mean something?
You want to hear about family?
When I was with my brother and his family
when we were on the road,
and I saved their lives more times than I can count,
and then one day, I wake up,
and there's my brother stealing the last of my food.
And he just stares at me.
And then he comes at me, with a knife and...
What happened?
I handled it.
But I didn't blame my brother.
'Cause he gave me something valuable that day.
He didn't "give" you anything.
What did you say?
You're just trying to make sense out of what happened to you.
So you wall yourself off in here,
believing that everyone left
is evil or only out for themselves.
Because it's easier to accept than the truth.
That you meant less to your brother
than some scraps of food.
Gabriel --
No. He's gonna hear this.
I know something about looking for the meaning in things.
But most times, there isn't any.
No answers, no "grand design."
Your brother didn't give you any enlightenment.
Just a ripped up face.
And you're so full of hate that you can't see
that you're about to murder two good people,
and for what?
To prove what?!
That you aren't different!
Yes, we are.
Pull that trigger.
I said pull it!
Him or you? Who's it gonna be?
What about Gracie?
You want to see her again, don't you?
Well, then, you know what you gotta do.
Don't look at him.
Do you want to see your daughter again or not?!
-Yes, I do! -Then what are you waiting for?!
Three! Two! One!
Aaaaah! Stop!
This is who people are!
This is truth!
You're wrong.
I was wrong.
People in this world are capable of more
than just killing each other.
They still love.
Still sacrifice.
Your brother didn't give you any truth.
He just betrayed you.
And if you punish others for his sins,
then you're no better than him.
Now, you weren't always like this.
None of us were.
You have to remember who you were.
-I know who I am! -I do, too.
Because I know people just like you.
We both do.
Good people,
who've been broken by this world.
You don't have to be like this.
There is another way.
Our community is real.
It's full of people who were lost
and found their way back.
You can, too.
We can help you.
If you'll let us.
Father...
I don't believe you.
You should.
Because that's who we are.
Mays.
My name is Mays.
It's okay.
We're good.
Are we?
We couldn't take him with us.
He killed his brother's family.
Let's just go.
What?
He heard everything we said last night.
Where was he hiding?
Ugh!
It's his brother.
My family.
He made me play.
We are not going to hurt you.
Hey. Drop it --
Easy.
We just want to help you.
Help? Help?
Yes.
Get you out of here.
You can come with us.
Just put the gun down.
No. No -- wait!
Water tower.
Last place on the map.
What do you think?
One more.
I -- I can't.
This episode is about Aaron and Gabriel
on this grinding mission to findfood for their community.
At every turn, they just are faced with obstacles
that make them want to stop, and yet, they have to keep going.
One round.
I also feel like it's a nice representation of, like,
there's this one bullet in the chamber
for the Russian roulette scene.
Is that bullet gonna be the thing that breaks them,
and breaks who they are?
It's just an episode that I think has really interesting,
evocative writing, in that way.
So, this episode definitely has a lot
in the way of these visuals that our two characters see along the way.
They come across these places,
and there's just this sadness to that,
that the world is so broken that,
everywhere you go, what you see
are just images of destruction,
but yet, there's also beauty in that.
They see this family of charred skeletons,
and there's flowers that are growing up through the skeleton.
I miss my daughter.
I know you miss yours, too.
Family is just repeated over and over again
in these various tableaus that they see.
And I think, for the two of them,
this is really gonna shape some of their approach
to the world, going forward.
Making sure that their home is safe
becomes that much more important for both of them,
as leaders of Alexandria.
Little help.
We intended for the episode to be funny.
I think, you know, my writers, Jim and Eric,
did a really great job balancing both the seriousness
of some of the situations they're in,
as well as the levity that they find in that.
What?
That was quite the scream.
These things are vicious.
Underneath all of it, they're on the same team,
they want to get the same thing done.
And they can make fun of each other a little bit,
and make fun of themselves a little bit.
Alright.
Let it all out.
I think that that's really important,
to kind of cut against, like, some of the real darkness
that you see in this episode, too.
We've had a rough day, you know?
Part of the centerpiece of this episode is,
these two guys, they get drunk.
And I think, like, that's a very, very human impulse.
Just like the real pandemic that we've been living through,
like, people want to find moments in there
where you can just unwind from it all.
Wow.
Exactly.
These guys start getting kind of honest
about some of the things they're thinking about.
Seth Gilliam does this beautiful job in this monologue.
And that's all just done in one take.
It is so hard to pull something off like that,
where, just, throughout the performance,
he captures all these little moments that are in there,
and you really get a sense of the thoughts
running through his head.
I don't want to preach anymore.
Why?
Do you really think things are gonna go back
to the way they were?
Here's this person that I think has come a really long way.
And so, it's really, like, lovely to see him
be vulnerable about what faith and human connection
meant to him, but to also see him say,
"I don't think that's for me anymore."
Evil people aren't the exception to the rule.
They are the rule.
That's a bold claim.
And I think that Gabriel might have started off
in a place like that, at one point.
But seeing the darkness within himself,
as well as within others, I think there's a part of him
that thinks, "Maybe I'm not a worthy vessel of God,
because I don't believe that I see goodness
in His creation anymore."
The boar -- how was it?
It was good.
I'd like a bite.
He comes out, and he's got this big gun.
And, you know, it's Robert Patrick,
who we were so, so excited to cast.
He's just got this real easy menace about him,
and the way he inhabits this role.
He can just play that gravitas
where you just know, from the first minute you see him, like,
this is not somebody to be trifled with.
And that's great.
Well, you got a choice.
Each time, you can point it at yourself
or the man sitting across from you.
Winner goes home.
Mays wants them to play this Russian roulette game,
but once you get to the end of the episode,
you realize this is a guy who clearly made his brother
play the same game, and the brother shot his own family,
and then, was kept as a prisoner for,
like, the rest of his years.
This is who people are! This is truth!
You're wrong.
From Mays' perspective, human nature
is to do the selfish thing that helps you survive
as an individual.
He fully believes that, when he gives that gun
to these two guys who act like they're friends,
they will ultimately turn the gun on each other.
Mays is kind of, like, watching this,
and gets increasingly frustrated by the fact that the game
didn't go the way he thought it would.
That rips apart his entire worldview.
To prove how evil man is? Is that what this is about?
You think I'm gonna shoot him, or he's gonna shoot me?
Quiet.
In his mind, you know, he thinks Gabriel
is relying on this book, the Bible,
which he thinks is stupid.
For Gabriel, what he takes from the Bible
is that there is light.
In spite of anything else that's in there,
in spite of the darkness, there's a message in there.
We can help you.
I don't believe you.
Is Gabriel even telling the truth?
The whole thing was a bluff.
So, we sort of don't know whether Gabriel
even fully believes the things that he's saying anymore.
So, maybe Mays is right, because Gabriel lied,
and killed him.
My name is Mays.