The Walking Dead - Season 8

Rick's forces split into separate parties to attack several of the Saviors' outposts, during which many members of the group are killed; Eric is critically injured and rushed away by Aaron. Jesus stops Tara and Morgan from executing a group of surrendered Saviors. While clearing an outpost with Daryl, Rick is confronted and held at gunpoint by Morales, a survivor he met in the initial Atlanta camp, who is now with the Saviors.

Daryl finds Morales threatening Rick and kills him; the duo then pursues a group of Saviors who are transporting weapons to another outpost. Gregory returns to Hilltop, and after a heated argument, Maggie ultimately allows him back in the community. Eric dies from his injuries, leaving Aaron distraught. Despite Tara and Morgan's objections, Jesus leads the group of surrendered Saviors to Hilltop. Ezekiel's group attacks another Savior compound, during which Kingdom fighters are annihilated while protecting Ezekiel.

After confessing their sins to each other, Gabriel and Negan manage to escape from the trailer. Simon and the other lieutenants grow suspicious of each other, knowing that Rick’s forces must have inside information. The workers in the Sanctuary become increasingly frustrated with their living conditions, and a riot nearly ensues, until Negan returns and restores order. Gabriel is locked in a cell, where Eugene discovers him sick and suffering. Meanwhile, Rick and Daryl argue over how to take out the Saviors.

After learning of Dwight's association with Rick's group, Eugene affirms his loyalty to Negan and outlines a plan to get rid of the walkers surrounding the Sanctuary. With help from Morgan and Tara, Daryl drives a truck through the Sanctuary’s walls, flooding its interior with walkers, killing many Saviors. Rick finally convinces Jadis and the Scavengers to align with him, and they plan to force the Saviors to surrender. However, when they arrive at the Sanctuary, Rick is horrified to see the breached walls and no sign of the walker herd.

Realizing his time alive is limited, Carl writes several letters to his loved ones. After the Saviors leave Alexandria, the survivors make for the Hilltop while Rick and Michonne stay behind to say their final goodbyes to a dying Carl, who pleads with Rick to build a better future alongside the Saviors. Morgan and Carol launch a rescue mission for Ezekiel and successfully retake the Kingdom from the invading Saviors; their lieutenant, Gavin, is killed by Benjamin's vengeful younger brother, Henry.

Aaron and Enid try to convince Oceanside to join the fight against the Saviors, but they refuse; Enid returns to Hilltop while Aaron opts to stay at Oceanside until he can convince them to join. Upon learning of the Scavenger’s siding with Rick, Negan orders Simon to kill only one of Jadis’ people. Rick and Michonne travel to the junkyard to try to regain help from the Scavengers, but they are too late; Simon had ordered the Saviors to slaughter the entire group; Jadis, who managed to escape lures her reanimated comrades into a waste shredder to protect herself.

The Saviors hunt the surviving Alexandrians as they make their way to the Hilltop; Dwight affirms his loyalty to Rick's group as he distracts the Saviors and helps lead the group to safety. Eugene leads a crew of Saviors in crafting bullets at a new outpost while Negan plans to taint the Saviors' weapons with walker blood, in order to make the others "turn" instead of killing them. Doctor Carson tries to help a feverish and nearly blind Gabriel to safety, but the Saviors eventually catch up, killing Carson and recapturing Gabriel.

The Saviors attack the Hilltop with their tainted weapons, leading to a battle in which both sides suffer heavy casualties. Tara is non-fatally shot by Dwight in an effort to prevent Simon from killing her. Overnight, the injured die from their tainted wounds and attack the sleeping survivors after reanimating. Henry tries to take revenge for the murder of his brother, leading to the breakout of the Savior prisoners and the disappearance of Henry. Having seen the Saviors' callous attitude for themselves, Alden and several other Saviors choose to remain at the Hilltop rather than return to the Saviors.

Negan returns to the Sanctuary and regains control of the Saviors. Dwight secretly prepares notes to Rick about Negan's plans, and later sends Gregory to deliver the notes. Daryl and Rosita capture Eugene from his outpost, but he manages to escape and continues pushing his workers to craft bullets. Dwight lures Simon into a meeting where Negan accosts him for going against his orders with the Scavengers and kills him in a fistfight. Negan then reveals that Laura informed him of Dwight's siding with Rick and that his planning was a ruse upon knowing of Dwight's disloyalty. Negan is contacted by Michonne - who reads Carl's letter to him at the request of making peace; Negan remains intent on killing Rick and his allies once and for all.

Rick's group follows the false plans given to them by Gregory, leading them into a trap. As the Saviors fire, their weapons backfire due to their ammo being sabotaged by Eugene. The surviving Saviors surrender, while Rick chases down Negan; the two brawls and Rick manages to slice Negan's neck, but immediately has Siddiq tend to the wound, knowing that Carl wanted Negan to survive. Meanwhile, an attack at the Hilltop is stopped with help from Aaron and the Oceanside soldiers. The survivors regroup and rebuild their communities, but Rick's decision to spare Negan anger Maggie and she vows to take action against Rick in the future.