Previously on Dead City...
I'm a New Babylon marshal. Have you seen this man?
You're the last person that I wanted to ask for help.
They took your kid.
The man who's got Hershel,
they call him the Croat.
I tracked him all the way up to Manhattan.
Manhattan was one of the epicenters.
Military destroyed all the bridges and tunnels
hoping to contain it.
Death is the most abundant resource.
As the bodies break down, they produce methane.
Hey, when this is over,
will you look after Ginny for me?
I killed your dad.
Found this in one of those tourist shops,
I thought maybe you could give it to Hershel.
He needed a little push,
Mom!
but you brought him home.
You're obsessed with Negan, with what he did.
That is not true!
But you never see me.
There are others.
If we could unite them, we'll be indomitable.
Why would I help you?
My former guest and I had a lot of talks.
I eventually let him go in exchange for you.
But I kept a little piece of him
and I can always go back for more.
♪ Many years since I was here ♪
♪ On the street I was passin' my time away ♪
♪ To the left and to the right, buildings towering to the sky ♪
♪ It's outta sight ♪
♪ In the dead of night ♪
♪ I'm back, back in the New York Groove ♪
♪ Back in the New York Groove ♪
♪ In the New York Groove ♪
♪ In the back of my Cadillac ♪
♪ Wicked lady sittin' by my side ♪
♪ Sayin', "Where are we?" ♪
♪ Stopped at 3rd and 43
♪ Exit to the night ♪
♪ It's gonna be ecstasy ♪
♪ This place was meant for me ♪
♪ Ooh Who cares about tomorrow ♪
♪ So baby, you'd better believe ♪
♪ I'm back, back in the New York Groove ♪
♪ I'm back, back in the New York... ♪
Wait...
Overhand, remember?
It's more accurate. More spin.
It's okay. You'll get it. Okay.
You get scraped by the brambles?
I'm fine.
You sure about this?
Casey wanted a desk for her room and I don't use it anymore, so.
All right.
Probably got some old clothes you can donate to her brothers.
Looks like you outgrew the corduroy jacket.
Sure. Take it.
Actually, I'm feeling kinda tired.
Maybe we can take it down tomorrow or something.
Of course.
Our signal.
When you were little, in case we got separated,
so I'd know that you were okay.
Do you remember how it started?
You were five or six.
We were on the road, camping just north of Charleston.
I woke up, heard feet crunching on leaves outside.
Then I noticed your blanket was empty.
So I got up, pulled my knife out,
started toward the sound.
Then all of a sudden, this creature came running
from behind the bushes.
And a little voice said,
"Look, Mom! I got it."
And you had your hands cupped together,
and you opened 'em up to show me--
A lightning bug.
Yeah, a lightning bug.
You got any leftovers?
What's in it for me?
Well, what's in it for you is
you don't have to eat a plate of cockroaches.
Or I can trade you for this
lovely bucket of my very own piss and shit.
Yeah. I uh-- I have had my eye on that bucket
for the past couple of months.
I know you have.
But, I think I'll hold out for that ratty blanket.
Thank you.
You said a year ago that
I would be beggin' for cockroaches.
Christ.
How's it looking?
Unlock it.
It pains me to see you like this.
Time has run out, Negan.
She's going to talk,
and you need to listen now.
Are you ready to listen?
What about the boy?
You know, I have been thinking about that myself.
You see, he is home. He's safe.
And in order to get to him,
you would have to go through his mom.
Who, I'm not sure that if you recall, but,
she is a mama bear
that would tear out your throat with her teeth
right after she gutted you with her claws.
Yeah, that's what I've been thinking about.
Hey, don't you worry about me. I'm good.
Look at this. I got this nice bed.
I got a private toilet. Gourmet meals.
Mm, it's just how I like it,
crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.
In that case,
I fear things will have to escalate.
We need to get back.
If y'all don't remember me from admission day,
I'm Charlie Byrd,
governor of The New Babylon Federation.
Your governor.
I could ramble on, but,
I got a feeling you'd rather hear from someone
whose reputation precedes him,
a man who traveled to a distant land,
made huge discoveries. And as if that weren't enough,
tracked down the notorious outlaw, Negan,
and brought him to justice.
Thank you, Governor.
Looking around today, I think it's fair to say,
we're no longer just lucky to be alive.
We're living.
Getting back what we lost.
But our work isn't done.
There was a place once.
Full of so many buildings, so packed together,
you could barely see where the sky started.
A strategic port.
The center of music,
food, art,
and commerce.
A city that announced to the world, we are here.
Humanity is here.
All that's left today are crumbling buildings
and a million dead souls.
It's been overrun by lawless barbarians.
So what's our interest in it? Why would we go there?
To bring it back. It's not too late.
Manhattan can once again inspire and spread hope,
and serve as a bastion for civilization.
Now, look- I'm not gonna lie, it's not gonna be easy.
Which is why we've been going from town to town,
drafting soldiers for an exploratory mission,
as is the federation's right by treaty.
You're scared. I get it.
But look, this is a fight.
This is a mission worth fighting--
Go! Ginny.
State your name and town.
Jason Ornell. Madgeburg.
State your crime.
After arrival at Madgeburg, Mr. Ornell
chose to shamefully flee
rather than face conscription.
He was apprehended in the forest.
Code 52, section 8.
"Refusal or evasion of registration
"into the armed forces of The New Babylon Federation
shall be punishable by public execution."
Our eyes and ears on the mainland
have intercepted messages between the colonies.
There is to be an exploratory mission
followed by a massive land invasion,
so we must be ready with an army of our own.
To that end,
uptown is controlled by three groups.
They are ferocious and territorial.
And the park sits between them,
acting like a buffer.
No man's land.
Yeah, because no man comes out alive.
If we can form an alliance,
bring everyone onto our side,
then New Babylon won't stand a chance.
Now, the groups interface once a month,
at this plaza for a form of street trade.
Gambling on sport.
Got your own farmer's market.
Yeah.
It was a brainchild of a man named Bruegel.
And unsurprisingly, he has accumulated
a good deal of wealth from this, this trade,
weapons and food, armor, shelter.
He's a snake, snake charmer.
Silver-tongued--
Well...
The next meeting is tonight.
I've invited them to the church afterwards
for a little nightcap.
My overtures have gotten us as far as they can go.
What's required now is leadership.
Inspire them.
Manipulate.
Terrorize.
Put on a show.
Whatever it takes to get them on board.
Is it to your liking?
You're a gin man, right?
I am, indeed.
Here's the thing, I--
I feel like we had this conversation
a couple of months ago.
My answer's still the same.
Hell no.
You yourself have seen
what New Babylon is capable of.
As Dama says,
we have been given a gift.
The old world, it was a place of suffering and injustice, yes.
But our past has been erased.
With the methane,
we can bring the city back
in wondrous new ways.
A church can be a power plant.
A gym teacher can command an army.
This is a little too fancy for my taste.
But I do appreciate the gesture.
You know, when our people were out searching for you,
they heard whispers of a settlement in Tennessee
that was home to a woman and child.
Annie and Joshua, if I'm not mistaken.
Their wagon train was meant for Missouri, as you know,
considering you yourself paid the driver.
But a flooded Mississippi rerouted them to Memphis.
I hate spoiling the surprise,
but now that they're en route to the island,
I suppose you'd want to make your preparations.
At least with Manhattan, there's a chance.
- We don't know for sure-- - No.
No, it's a death sentence either way.
Anyone they take to Manhattan, we'll never see them again.
It was the capital of the old world.
Home to museums, theaters, churches.
Avenues as wide and open as a prairie plain.
And will all soon be restored just as sublime as it once was.
Excuse me?
Nothing. It's just everything you're saying is total bullshit.
Well, considering I've spent years poring over old textbooks,
maps and periodicals,
I would think that what I'm saying is not total bullshit.
But you haven't been there.
Wait, you've... What's it...
It's full of walkers.
More than you've ever seen before.
And-- and those museums and churches,
they've all been looted or blown up.
There's this one bridge, high up between the buildings,
it started to fall, but then it caught itself
and got all twisted, so it's like uh...
Here, I'll show you.
It's better now than it ever was.
Can I keep this?
Uh, yeah, sure.
Why don't we pick this up after dinner?
So that's your son.
That's my son.
It's been a while.
Yeah. Congratulations, by the way.
Tracking down the notorious outlaw, Negan,
and shooting him dead.
I only said that to protect him.
Where is he? What happened to him?
Still on the island for all I know.
What do you want?
I'm gonna recommend your conscription.
I think you could be an asset to the mission.
You've been there.
You got your son back from the Croat.
You know his weaknesses, how he operates.
You've got it all figured out, I guess.
I know how you feel about New Babylon.
- I've got my doubts, too. - Why now?
Why all of a sudden do you wanna bring back Manhattan?
You want the methane.
I've seen the moths. You're running out of ethanol.
They've spread all over the south.
Laying eggs in the corn, rotting it from the inside.
We can survive without it.
New Babylon can't, which is just fine by me.
It's true.
If we can take over their methane operation,
it's ready to go, practically unlimited.
It'll fuel power grids.
Give us back technology and medicine.
People wouldn't have to die of infection or the flu.
And I'm not just talking about my people.
Your people.
Everyone.
But if we don't get that methane,
if New Babylon falls,
we've lost too much.
Why would we put ourselves through that again?
We're in this together.
Are we?
Where's your wife then? Where are your daughters?
Why aren't they coming to Manhattan?
Exploratory mission, huh?
'Cause we're just the first wave, the conscripts,
just a bunch of fucking guinea pigs.
I'll remind you that you're treaty-bound members
- of the federation-- - Which you forced us into,
cut off all of our trading partners--
Even if you can't see it's in your interest as much as mine--
- Not that I voted for it-- - You're coming.
- Is that right, Marshal? - Colonel. It's Colonel now.
If I'm treaty bound, then it'd be my duty
to inform your superiors what really happened to Negan.
If I come to the island,
no one else from the Bricks gets drafted that doesn't want to.
I'd have to sell it to the governor.
Get selling.
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned...
And sinned, and sinned, and sinned.
I'm sorry your wife and son got dragged into this.
But think of it as less a threat to your family and more a
chance to welcome them into our larger family, huh?
Hey...
I have a surprise for you.
Huh?
Just like the original Lucille.
Although I have added some, shall we say, improvements.
I understand.
After a long break,
when a performer takes the stage again,
he wants to try out new material.
But in the end,
all the audience really wants are the greatest hits.
We have to go. It's time.
Get him!
That is one big-ass walker.
Goddamn, farmer's market.
No! Get up!
Major Narvaez,
I read that Manhattan's power grid was run underground
after the blizzard of 1888.
Which means that it's probably survived the destruction
of the city.
I'm getting ahead of myself, but is it possible--
Don't you have some journaling to do?
She's just jealous, Mr. Pierce.
The history you'll be recording along the way,
the tales of discovery and glory,
they'll be our biggest victory of all.
Speaking of which...
Only to be smoked in celebration
when we get what we're after.
Have you given any thought to what we talked about earlier?
That Bricks woman?
Is she really that important?
She's the woman I met on the island.
She single-handedly rescued her son from the Croat.
So let's just draft her.
We could try.
Over her dead body, as she put it.
Either we bring her on incentivized alive,
or we throw away yet another opportunity.
By my count, we have 20 able-bodied soldiers here.
Is this woman worth 20 soldiers?
I think she is.
So then let her prove it.
I think that's smart.
We'll conduct an assessment of the woman.
Why does it have to be you?
Because that's the only way that this works.
Yeah, but you didn't try to find another way.
You just...
It's almost like you wanna go.
I don't wanna go.
I'm doing it for you, for the Bricks.
Hersh-- Hershel.
No, no, no.
If you plan on taking the place of 20 conscripts on the island,
it won't be soldiers you'll be fighting.
I only just found out.
Anyone intending to enlist, step up to the corral.
Ginny, you're not going in there.
Wait, hold on. We can't--
- What's the problem? - She's just a kid.
And kids can't fight?
This isn't what we decided.
No one gets drafted involuntarily.
That was the deal.
Don't make me say it again.
Please.
No, Ginny! I said--
Goddammit.
Ginny.
Ginny!
We gonna start this shit or what?
Thank you all for coming.
From what I gather, y'all hate each other's guts.
I gotta say, I get it.
I just walked in the door
and I already hate your guts.
And yet, here we are,
all together in God's house.
I gotta say, I was a little surprised that nobody got--
I don't know, struck by lightning,
or burst into flames.
I mean, after all, we are the walking manifestation of sin.
But here's the thing.
Why bring this motley group of shitheads together?
I mean, what is the fucking point?
Anybody recognize this?
It's a badge.
A lawman's badge.
Do you remember the law?
I mean, I know it's been a minute.
From The New Babylon Federation.
See, I got this badge
when the asshat that was chasing me down lost it.
That is correct. I was once a wanted man.
Lawman chased me down, so I came here.
I came here because I hear this island's got no laws.
Got that right, bitch.
The question is, are you gonna keep it that way?
You see, where this badge came from,
there's a hell of a lot more of 'em.
And they are coming here right now as we speak.
See, New Babylon, they found out about your
kick-ass, bad-ass way of life.
And to them, that's a problem.
For New Babylon, the solution to that problem is their laws.
So you join us,
you put aside your differences,
and we fight.
We keep New Babylon--
♪ Kumbaya, my Lord Kumbaya ♪
And you are?
Christos.
Christos? Christos. Very cool name.
Here's the deal, Christos, I'm wondering if we can save
the Q and A until-- I don't know, afterwards.
What if we don't wanna join you?
Yeah.
Hmm?
What if we don't want to uh, put aside our differences?
Yeah.
Why don't we all just take a breath?
What if we like things just the way they are?
And we don't give a fuck about someone else's problem.
Yes!
Hmm?
Now I don't know what the old lady was hoping for,
but there is no way I am bending the knee
to some skinny fucking bitch-ass old man.
Who's come here out of fucking nowhere
thinking he can sell us on some bullshit!
'Cause if we're fighting, I think we know whose ass
we're fucking up.
Damn right! Damn right!
This is my fault. It is.
I'm gonna take all the blame for it,
but I think we're having a little bit
of a misunderstanding.
I am not asking for any kumbaya.
You see, I am not a preacher.
And you sure as shit ain't no congregation.
But you are gonna fight.
And not for the common good.
I could give a rat's ass about the common good.
No, you are gonna fight...
You're gonna fight because I say so.
Get that fucking thing out of my face.
Nah.
Get that fuckin' thing--
Methane...
We got it. You don't.
We got the bright lights, the cool cars,
the awesome weapons. We got bombs.
You see, power,
equals power.
It's as simple as that.
So if you ain't with us...
I guess you're in for a bit of a shock.
So why don't y'all talk amongst yourselves.
Think about it.
But do me a favor, yeah?
Don't think too hard.
I need my compass.
Why? What's going on?
She thinks she's coming to Manhattan and she's not.
The three of us,
we know what it means to go back there.
I'm worried about you.
Okay?
I made him a promise.
I swore that I would look out for you.
Is this about Negan? Is that why you wanna go?
- I can't let you. - You're not my mother.
You're not anything to me.
- I'm going, too. - What are you talking about?
I'm coming with you.
- No. - Ginny can go, but I can't?
Yeah, because you're my son.
And, I'm only going because I have to.
Or maybe you're going for him, too.
What is it 'cause you feel bad?
You feel guilty 'cause you left him there?
What are you talking about?
Or is it still about everything from before?
I mean, I thought we were past that.
I thought we finished it.
That's what you said, it was finished!
I thought we were getting better,
but you just keep holding on.
This has nothing to do with Negan.
Why are you doing this?
Why do you wanna go back?
After everything that happened?
Why?
You went through my things?
What do these mean to you?
Nothing.
Did something happen to you there?
Other than being kidnapped?
Does the city have some kind of pull on you?
No.
Who is this woman?
I don't know.
I saw her face on some billboard or something.
I'm not lying, Mom. They're just drawings.
I don't wanna be apart.
I just...
I don't want you to go.
You know, I...
I didn't-- I didn't know my mom.
I mean, not for very long and not very well.
By the time I got things right with my dad,
I was all grown up.
And I had my own life.
All I'm trying to say
is that these last few months with you
have meant the world to me.
And it's like you said,
we're finally getting better.
We're finally moving past...
all of it.
That's why I have to go, so that you don't have to.
So I can protect what we have here.
I'm gonna go. I'm gonna come right back.
And we are gonna pick up right where we left off.
Okay?
Okay.
Guess you won't be eating today.
But don't worry...
It won't be long.
You'll get there.
The Dama: You've been getting a lot of attention.
There's something I gotta do.
The Dama: You know what he's capable of.
The Croat: We received the signal.
The new Babylonians breached the island.
If the soldiers are dead, I'll find them.
If they're not, I'll finish them off.
Happy hunting!
The Dama: We've only won a battle,
not the war.
We need our army.
Power is a funny thing.
It fuels you.
We have to get the methane ourselves.
I want you to bring Negan here.
I'm gonna line them all up and kill them all.
Boom!
Was this a game to you?!