‘The Walking Dead’ Recap, Season 6, Episode 5: Rick Is Alexandria’s New Leader In ‘Now’

The Walking Dead episode “Now” opened with Deanna Monroe (Tovah Feldshuh) surveying Alexandria, the formerly safe community she once led with an iron fist.

‘The Walking Dead’ Season 6, Episode 5 Recap

While standing on some scaffolding, Deanna overhears Michonne (Danai Gurira) telling Maggie (Lauren Cohan) that they couldn’t find Glen (Steven Yeun). Deanna then sees Rick (Andrew Lincoln) running for his life from a horde of zombies – enough zombies to surround them 20 deep. After he’s back within the gates, Rick reassures the residents of Alexandria that the wall will hold together. Aaron (Ross Marquand) stands by Rick, and then admits that the people who attacked them had found their way to Alexandria because of his map.

Following the invasion, there’s mutiny at the pantry, as people want more than their rations. Spencer (Austin Nichols) gets them in line with a speech about working together to survive. The speech inspires  Deanna to go back home and start making a plan for the community. When she’s done, she finds Spencer drunk. She also finds that he stole from the pantry. When Deanna confronts Spencer, he unloads on her for creating this false sense of security, as they were never truly safe behind the walls.

Trying to get on the other side of the walls is Maggie, who wants to search for Glen.  Aaron tries to stop her. When he realizes he can’t, he offers to help her. Aaron ends up bringing Maggie out of the town through a sewage drain, where they encounter two walkers. They continue on only to find a group of walkers on the other side of the gate that was meant to be their exit. Maggie decides not to test her luck, and upon convincing Aaron it’s no use to press forward, reveals she’s pregnant.

Carl (Chandler Riggs) also wants to go over the wall to find Enid (Katelyn Nacon). Ron tries to fight him. He’s not strong enough to beat him with fists, but he manages to win by telling him that if he goes, someone will likely die in the search. Ron eventually decides it’s time to learn to wield a knife from Rick, telling him about Carl’s desire to find Enid in the process. Meanwhile, Ron’s mom Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) kills a walker in the town with a knife.

As the drama was unfolding outside Tara (Alanna Masterson) visits Denise (Merritt Wever) in the infirmary. As her first patient, Alanna encourages Denise and believes she’ll be able to help Scott. Later on, Denise does manage to find a potential solution to his ailment and kisses Tara.

Defeated by the words of her son, Deanna passes the baton of leadership off to Rick. She believes the people of Alexandria need his leadership far more than hers.