The Walking Dead season 11, episode 18 recap: A New Deal

The Commonwealth’s problems are just beginning but will our heroes be dragged into the mess? The Walking Dead season 11 episode 18 titled, “A New Deal” may just both work for and against several characters with one meeting their death.

The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 18 recap – Lance Hornsby’s Fate

The episode begins where we last left off. Daryl has Lance in a threatening position as Commonwealth soldiers surround the group.

Thankfully Pamela Milton, Mercer, Negan and Carol arrive. Daryl struggles to listen but eventually releases Lance after stabbing his hand.

Carol fills in the group present: Daryl, Negan, Maggie, Aaron and Gabriel that she made a deal with Governor Milton. Lance will take the fall for Sebastian and in return they can leave The Commonwealth, go back to Alexandria and be left alone.

Some agree, others don’t, especially Daryl who hates Lance profusely. Before the rest of the group returns to The Commonwealth, Aaron, Lydia, Jerry and Elijiah decide to go to Oceanside.

We have not seen the condition of the community in some time (my hunch is, they are all dead). Lance is in utter disbelief that Governor Milton refuses to aid him.

He is locked away in a cell for the time being. The Commonwealth is split between whether to believe Lance is the actual culprit or not.

The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 18 recap – Stay or Go?

The group is split between returning home to Alexandria or staying at The Commonwealth. This includes Gabriel who knows he brought hope and peace back to the community as their religious leader, Negan and Annie who are able to see their baby for the first time, Ezekiel who knows his place is there and Judith who believes they are abandoning people who need them.

Daryl, struggling to be a father figure for Judith, as well as the other kids, sees Judith’s point of view but doesn’t agree with it. Truth is, (I agree with this completely), it’s not their job to keep helping people.

If we look at The Walking Dead as a whole, that is all Rick and the others have always done. Trouble is, The Commonwealth is practically a lit powder keg and Daryl feels that they would all be safer back home.

Unhappy with Daryl’s decision, Judith decides to run off while she and RJ are supposed to be packing to go home. He’d later reunite with her after Gabriel and Rosita find her hiding at the church.

The two reconcile their differences and decide to stay for The Commonwealth Founders Day Celebration.

The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 18 recap – The Commonwealth Founders Day Celebration

Leading up to Founder’s Day, Max overhears Governor Milton instructing her son Sebastian how to be a leader himself. Sebastian, ever the pain in the neck, doesn’t want to be bothered.

It’s obvious he never wanted to be the leader of The Commonwealth. His deceased brother would have been the better choice (isn’t that always how it is).

Fed up with everything regarding Sebastian and fearing for the very future of The Commonwealth, Max decides to seek help from Lance. Eugene, ever the supportive boyfriend agrees for her sake and meets with him.

Lance doesn’t offer much advice outside of the fact that no one should ever go against the Miltons. Meanwhile, Shira and her villainous counterpart murder a group of workers who built the stages, leaving them to turn into walkers.

Attempting to look as though she cares, Max easily leaves a tape recorder on a table, already recording, and speaks to Sebastian with honesty. He, of course, spills the beans about everything from the lottery being rigged to how everything his mother is trying to do is a joke.

Fast forward to the beginning of the Founder’s Day Celebration, the people enjoy a wrestling match before Sebastian gives his big speech. Instead of reading from the prepared speech he speaks more so from the heart.

But that doesn’t stop nor convince Max to turn back from her plan. Eugene plays the tape she gave him, which was supposed to be a message from Sebastian’s grandfather who founded The Commonwealth.

As the tape plays, the audience grows angry and bitter, and right on cue the walkers emerge. Some move a little faster and hungrier than others, as several people get killed in the process.

Daryl and Judith take it upon themselves to help kill the walkers, along with Mercer and the Commonwealth soldiers. As this chaos is ensuing Max is trying to flee from an enraged Sebastian.

He sees a walker and attempts to throw her into it, so it will kill her. Eugene saves the day, pushing the walker off of Max and into Sebastian.

As he struggles to escape, he begs for help, but no one moves. No one.

Sebastian gets bit and killed by the walker before Judith is able to kill the walker (what a way to go).

The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 18 review

While Carol’s idea to make a deal is commendable, it is not going to fix everything. Even if they are able to leave and live in Alexandria once again, there is no telling when Lance would show up.

Locking him up is no guarantee. Daryl has every right to be unhappy with her decision.

The episode feels like a buildup, towards other endings, not just the episode itself. Is Annie going to die now that she and Negan had their happy moment?

Who amongst Aaron, Lydia, Jerry and Elijah will die once they reach Oceanside? The fact that we have another end of the world celebration to attend, this time Founder’s Day, means something will go wrong and people will die.

There is a level of predictability but mystery at the same time. We know Daryl and Negan won’t die but what about others they care about?

Sebastian’s death surprised me but yes, I agree with everyone else, he deserved it. No loss there.

Now that he is dead, Lance can become the main focus once more. But it looks like Pamela wants retribution for her son’s death.

Looks like everyone should have left while they had a chance. What’s going to happen to the group now?

What happened to Oceanside? My biggest concern is if a main character dies in the next episode.

If so, who?

What did you think of The Walking Dead season 11, episode 18? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Walking Dead season 11, episode 19 airs October 16 on AMC.