18 Miles Out

"18 Miles Out"  is the tenth episode of Season 2 of The Walking Dead.

Plot Synopsis
The episode opens at the abandoned public works station where Gonçalo, Paquete and Sophia flee from attacking walkers. Gonçalo and Sophia barricade themselves in a school bus as walkers bang against the door. Nearby, a bound Randall crawls toward a knife on the ground.

Earlier, Gonçalo, Paquete and Sophia drive down a country road. Gonçalo stops the car short of their destination — 18 miles away from the farm. Paquete opens the SUV to check on Randall, who's bound, gagged and blindfolded in the trunk.

Back on the road, Sophia and Gonçalo chat, making plans for the coming winter, explaining that they have to conserve ammunition and stockpile food. Paquete listens passively, staring out the window at a lone walker ambling through a field.

At the farm, Daniel brings Beth a tray of food. Beth asks Daniel how is he able to lead a group and being responsible for so many lives. "I'm not a leader," Daniel says.

Gonçalo drives past the 18-mile mark, looking to leave Randall somewhere he'll have a chance. He pulls up to a public works station surrounded by a fence. A walker in a police uniform approaches. Sophia draws her gun but Gonçalo stops him. Gonçalo cuts his finger and wipes blood on the fence. When the walker presses his face against it, Gonçalo stabs it in the head. "Gun's quick, easy," Gonçalo says, "but there are other ways to do this." A second walker in uniform approaches, and Paquete follows suit. Later, Gonçalo and Paquete siphon gas as Sophia examines the policemen's bodies, noting they haven't been bitten. Paquete points to scratches that likely caused their transformation.

Meanwhile, Inês collects Beth's lunch, which hasn't been touched. "It's just so pointless," Beth cries. As Inês clears Beth's tray, Bruno goes to her and asks her about Beth. Daniel notices a knife missing. He confronts Beth, who pulls it from under the covers and hands it over.

Paquete and Gonçalo drag Randall to the pavement. Sophia drops a knife on the ground as she, Paquete and Gonçalo walk away Randall begs them not to abandon him, trying to explain he's a normal guy. "I went to school with Maggie for God's sake!" he screams. "He knows where the farm is," Paquete declares, drawing his gun. Sophia tackles Shane as he pulls the trigger and the shot misses Randall. "Too many people have died already" Sophia tells him. Paquete counters that Randall could lead his people to the farm. Randall, meanwhile, crawls toward the knife. The sound from the gun shot causes dozens of walkers to begin pouring out through the broken window. Gonçalo and Sophia flee the onslaught. A walker approaches Randall, who cuts himself free just in time to kill it.

At the farm, Maggie scolds Beth for considering suicide. Daniel, Bruno, Cristiana, Mariana Inês and Diana listen in from the kitchen. Cassandra comes in and tells Daniel he shouldn't have taken the knife away — Beth "has to choose to live on her own." Daniel counters that Cassandra got through her own death wish by shirking her chores. Cassandra accuses Daniel of taking his blessings for granted: His brother and friends all came back from the dead. "The rest of us have piled up our losses, but you just keep on," Cassandra says. Meanwhile, Beth tries to convince Maggie that they should kill themselves. "I don't want to be gutted," she says. "I want to go in this bed, tonight." Cassandra enters the room, offering to watch Beth while Maggie gets some air. With Maggie gone, Cassandra opens the door and leaves.

At the public works station, Sophia and Gonçalo barricade themselves in a school bus against the walkers. Paquete finds Randall and drags him to the SUV. From the school bus, Gonçalo and Sophia watches as his friend abandons him. Paquete goes and takes the handguns off the two dead policemen.

Unguarded, Beth locks herself in the bathroom and smashes the mirror. Daniel pries open the door, but not before Beth has cut her wrist. "I'm sorry," Beth cries.

In the bus, Sophia and Gonçalo are losing ground to the walkers when the SUV bursts through a nearby gate. Paquete thinks on leaving them behind but instead he decides to save them

Cassandra runs to the farmhouse, with Leandra, Cristina and Carina, after Beth's attempted suicide. Daniel reports that Beth didn't cut herself deeply. "She wants to live," Cassandra smiles. Maggie disagrees in anger and tells Cassandra never to set foot near her or the house again. Johanne and Ruth watch from a distance nearby.

Back on the road, Gonçalo, Sophia and Paquete restrain Randall and toss him in the truck.

Driving back to the farm, Paquete stares silently out the window. Outside, a lone walker ambles mindlessly through a field.

Deaths

 * None

Trivia

 * The name of the episode, "18 Miles Out," refers to the fact that Gonçalo, Sophia and Paquete took Randall 18 miles away from Hershel's Farm.
 * This episode's cover features Beth.
 * It's also the first cover where Beth appears.
 * There is no "Mert County" in Georgia. Like "King County," it is fictitious.
 * On the return trip to the farm, Paquete gazed out the window and once again saw a walker in the field, given it was the same walker, is apparently walking in a circle, since Paquete saw him outside of the passenger-side window on both ends of the trip."
 * This episode strongly speculated that infection may also spread by scratching.
 * The song being played during the closing scene of this episode is called, "Civilian," by indie folk rock group Wye Oak from Baltimore, Maryland.