The Walking Dead season 9, episode 11 recap: Bounty

Movies, music, and Jerry’s babies make up this week’s episode of The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead channeled something it hasn’t in the past–some bumping beats and a lot more comedy. It’s a pleasant and unexpected change for a show that’s usually always serious and I accepted it with open arms. Last week we left off with Alpha and her merry band of Whisperers standing outside the gates of the Hilltop community asking for Lydia to be returned to them.

Of course, this is unlike Alpha whom Lydia said would never come looking for her, but it looks like she doesn’t know mommy dearest as well as she thinks she does. But before we dive deep into the Whisperers story arc for the episode, let’s talk about the flashback and that Jesus cameo! It was a pleasant surprise to see Jesus once again in a flashback scene to the days Carol’s hair wasn’t that long just yet, and Jerry just found out that he is going to be a father.

In the present, Daryl was left to deal with the Whisperers mess because if I’m being honest, ain’t nobody wants to deal with those scary fake walkers. However, Daryl isn’t exactly getting on Alpha’s good side when he refuses to give Lydia back. It leaves Alpha with no choice but to up the ante of threats because guess what? She has Luke and Alden, and won’t hesitate to kill them if necessary. She’ll exchange the two of them for Lydia, and even though Luke and Alden haven’t been around for long, they’re still more valuable than her.

There is just one slight problem when it comes to Lydia, however. And that problem is named Henry. Ugh, he’s sort of the worst, isn’t he? The Walking Dead always gives us a character to hate, and I think Henry is up there on the list, at least for me. After a back and forth conversation between Daryl and Alpha, it became clear that the only way of getting Luke and Alden back is to give Lydia back. But before Daryl could get a chance to find Lydia, Henry had run away with her. See? The worst.

While Ezekiel and the group are out on a hunt, Carol learns that the King has another side mission he wants to complete–get a projector bulb from the movie theatre. He’s hoping to start a movie night so kids from the last five years can learn what movies are. It’s quite the noble idea but it requires them to fight off a herd of walkers. But thanks to Jerry and Carol’s reluctant but full support, they acquire the bulb–and it works!

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Can we please talk about the moment one of the Whisperers put down their crying baby?! It was hands down frightening to think The Walking Dead might be going there, but luckily Connie grabs the baby and makes a run for it. Before the Whisperers and the actual dead can hurt Connie and the baby, Daryl and the others show up and rescue her. Phew, that was a close one.

Enid offers to go find Henry and convince him to let Lydia go, and after some forcing and convincing, her plan works and they get Luke and Alden back! It’s safe to assume that Henry is salty AF about having to send Lydia back to her mother and the other Whisperers (Side note: Alpha slapping Lydia was horrifying), but it had to be done, and he’ll just have to live with it.

By the episode’s end, Adeline finds a note in Henry’s room that says he has left to go find Lydia (seriously, dude?!), so it leaves Daryl no choice but to go after him for the sake of Carol and Ezekiel. Henry, you’re going to cost someone their life, and if/when you do, we will so not forgive you.

The Walking Dead airs every Sunday on AMC at 9 PM EST!