Patrick was just the first of many casualties of a new flu that seems to be sweeping through the prison on Season 4 of “The Walking Dead.” As things progressed in Episode 402, titled “Infected,” people got very, very sick, walkers attacked Cell Block D, piglets became a zombie lunch feast, Michonne broke down in tears, Beth sang and Carl and Rick got their guns back.
And, a sinister figure has emerged inside the prison walls!
Here’s our blow-by-blow account of “The Walking Dead’s” Episode 402:
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At The Prison Fence: A flashlight shines on the face of hungry walkers as an unknown party tosses them rats to feed them and keep them at the gates!
The Prison Library: After a moment to remember Zach, Beth’s boyfriend who died in last week’s episode, Tyreese serenades his lady, Karen, with the Cole Porter classic, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” “Your place or my place?” Tyreese asks. It’s not time for “that” yet, Karen tells him, heading off to the bathrooms. A noise startles her and she grabs her flashlight off the sink. Finding no one, she heads to her cell. Zombie Patrick follows slowly, pausing at the sheet that covers her cell door. Before he can go in, he hears a cough and follows the noise, making a meal out of a man in another cell.
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The Prison Farm: Michonne is preparing to leave again. “Any requests? Books? Comics? Some stale M&Ms?” she asks Rick and Carl. Carl points out it’s his dad who likes the stale M&Ms, and, in that case, she promises to bring him some. Before she leaves, Michonne asks Carl why he’s not wearing his hat anymore. “It’s not a farming hat,” Carl replies.
As Rick gets to work in the fields, Carl mentions some of the others are going to try clear a cluster of walkers at the prison fences. He wants to help, but dad says no, they need to farm. Carl finally gets to the point. “Dad, when can I have my gun back,” the youngster asks, clearly wondering if he’s done enough penance since shooting one of the young Woodbury men in Season 3. Rick changes the subject.
Gunshots ring out. Michonne turns her horse and rides back as Glenn runs out Cell Block D screaming, “Walkers in D!” Rick runs to help.
Attempting to ride back in, Michonne is attacked by walkers. Carl runs to assist her, grabbing a gun from a nearby shed and taking a walker out. Michonne manages to throw the other one off, twisting her ankle in the process.
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Cell Block D: It’s total chaos in Cell Block D as new walkers feed on those who haven’t yet turned. Carol protects the children while Daryl, Glenn and Rick take down the walkers. Tyreese looks after Karen.
Ryan, the father of two of the girls introduced in last week’s episode (Lizzie and Mika), has been bit. Dying, he asks Carol to take care of his daughters. She agrees.
Clearing the second floor cell block, Daryl sees dead zombie Patrick on the ground. Hershel, Rick, Daryl, Bob and the new doctor in the house discuss what’s gone on. It appears a sickness, like a fast spreading flu, has infected some of the group. Rick tells them about Violet, the pig, and the dying boar he saw in the woods. “Pigs and birds, that’s how things spread… We need to do something about those hogs,” Hershel says, noting they’ve all been exposed.
Ryan’s Cell: Lizzie and Mika come in to say goodbye to their dad. Lizzie tells Carol they should be the ones to stop their dad from turning. “Are you sure?” Carol asks. Turns out she wasn’t. Lizzie starts hyperventilating and Mika has to coach her to breathe. As the two girls focus on that, Carol puts a knife through Ryan’s brain.
Outside Cell Block C: Heading outside, Rick sees Michonne limping and flanked by Maggie and Carl. Patrick got sick, died and attacked the cell block, he explains, warning them not to get too close to anyone who was in Cell Block D.
Prison Library: The council discusses what happened. “We have to separate anyone that was exposed,” Carol says. They decide to use Cell Block A, which Glenn notes was once Death Row.
As they exit their meeting, Karen walks by with Tyreese. She’s coughing. The council (and a particularly worried looking Sasha) tell Karen she has to be separated from the group. Karen says David has been coughing too. It’s agreed they should be quarantined.
Another Side Of The Prison Fence: As Lizzie and Mika look out at the walkers, Carol tells them they are going to bury their dad, but they also need to talk about what just happened. “Honey, you’re weak,” Carol tells the pre-teen. “If you wanna live, you have to become strong.” Lizzie freaks out again, this time mumbling about the walker she spotted in Episode 401 (with the name tag). “What if they kill Nick?” she cries.
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Prison Graveyard: Digging a grave, Daryl says he was thankful Rick helped during the incident. Rick says he wasn’t much use in there without his gun. Not so, says Daryl. “When the sh** hits, you’re standing there with the shovel.”
Maggie runs over screaming. There’s a huge buildup of walkers threatening to topple over one of the fences.
Michonne’s Cell: Beth wraps Michonne’s ankle. “I was so stupid,” Michonne says. “They should have just left me out there.” Beth explains they care about her and that’s why Carl and Maggie put their lives in danger to help. “When you care about people, getting hurt is kind of a part of the package,” Beth tells her. Thinking about the new casualties, Beth talks about how some people are left widowed, some children motherless. She then says something curious: “What do you call someone who lost a child? You’d think someone would’ve given that a name.”
The Prison Fence: Working as a team to take down the walkers gathered at the fence, Sasha sees something on the ground that is unsettling – a collection of dead rats. “Someone’s feeding these things?” she asks. There’s no time to dwell on it, the fence is collapsing under the weight of the herd. “Daryl, get the truck,” Rick says.
Inside The Prison: Carl is making crosses for the gravesites when Carol comes in to ask if he’s told his dad about her walker self-defense class for children. “I have to keep teaching those kids to survive. You know that,” Carol says, asking the youngster not to say anything.
Michonne’s Cell: Michonne is doing exercises with her good leg as Beth walks by cradling Judith and singing a song. “That’s some lullaby,” Michonne quips. The baby starts to spit up on Beth and she asks Michonne to hold the infant. “No!” Michonne protests, strongly, but finally relents. As Beth walks away, Judith is crying and Michonne looks at the baby. Tears stream down her face and she hugs Judith close. The tears seem to be a subtle nod that Michonne was once a mother.
The Fields Outside The Prison: Driving through the gate, the walkers turn in the direction of Rick and Daryl. Rick reaches into the wagon and pulls out a piglet, slices it and puts it on the ground. The walkers gorge themselves. Rick and Daryl repeat the act two more times. Over at the fence, Glenn and Sasha reinforce it with beams.
Another Side Of The Prison Fence: “Lizzie, those are walkers. Nick was a walker. You don’t feel bad about that walker dying, you feel bad about your dad. You loved him and he’s gone,” Carol tells the pre-teen. A calmer Lizzie lets Carol put a flower behind her ear. They exchange a warm smile and Lizzie takes Carol’s knife for safety.
The Pig Farm: While dismantling the pig farm for burning, Rick sees Carl walk up. “Think the pigs made him sick?” Carl asks Rick, referring to Patrick. “Or we made the pigs sick,” Rick replies.
Carl fesses up about Carol’s knife class. “Their parents don’t know and she doesn’t want you to know,” Carl says, advising his dad to let Carol continue teaching the kids. Rick agrees.
Tossing gasoline around the pen, Rick sets it on fire, and heads over to his tool box. He hands Carl a gun, and puts his own gun belt back on. Rick looks around at the fences, the parade of walkers seems endless.
Cell Block A: Smiling and carrying flowers, Tyreese heads into Cell Block A/Death Row to visit his girl, Karen. She’s gone. He follows a stream of blood from her cell, through a hallway and outdoors. Tyreese stops in his tracks as the blood ends. Looking down, he sees a gasoline can off to the side as smoke rises off two bodies — Karen and David.
“The Walking Dead” continues Sunday nights at 9/8c on AMC
— Jolie Lash
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