‘The Walking Dead’ Recap: “Judge, Jury, Executioner”

‘The Walking Dead’ Season 2 brings to life its eleventh episode of the season, as the group struggles over the fate of their captive survivor Randall (Michael Zegen), while Carl gets himself into trouble and Dale does his best to win everyone over toward sparing their dangerous captive.

Last week’s ‘The Walking Dead’ “18 Miles Out” saw Rick and Shane finally coming to blows over Randall and all the existing bad blood between them, while Hershel’s youngest daughter Beth faced a difficult decisions back on the farm, so what will the latest episode bring?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘The Walking Dead’ “Judge, Jury, Executioner!”

Not faring much better than he was last week, poor Randall endures torture at the hands of Daryl toward revealing that apart from the 30 or so members of his camp, some of the men would rape women encountered in the wild, making their parents watch.  Daryl brings the information to the rest of the group, who all seem to silently agree with Rick’s decision to “eliminate the threat.”  That is of course save for Dale, who protests Rick to allow him one day to change people’s minds.  That’s all it takes, right?

Dale sets up Andrea to protect Randall in the meantime, and while she and Shane muse on the idea of taking over the group, Carl sneaks in for a peek at the captive boy.  Randall predictably fails to coax young Carl over to his side, and nearly gets a gun in his mouth for the trouble when Shane realizes what’s happening inside the shed.  Meanwhile, Dale next attempts to coax Daryl over to sparing Randall, but Daryl insists he doesn’t care either way as the entire group has been broken.

Still frustrated and lashing out, Carl insults Carol for believing that Sophia went on to heaven, and Rick offers a stern lecture to his son, however stumped when Carl asks about killing Randall.  So who’s Dale going to try to convince next?  Why not Hershel?!  Tending more to the busted fences that his steer broke earlier, Hershel insists that the decision to spare Randall lies with Rick, and he’d rather not be involved, preferring to protect his girls no matter the cost.  Dale next attempts to break the ice with Shane, and while Shane obviously lies in favor of killing Randall, he agrees to respect the group’s wishes if Dale manages to convince people that murder is the wrong course for the group’s humanity

Meanwhile, off on his own (seriously, doesn’t anyone ever watch this kid?), Carl finds a gun in Daryl’s motorcycle satchel, and trots off to the woods, where he encounters a walker with its foot stuck in a sinkhole.  Believing himself not to be in any danger, Carl hurls rocks at the captive ghoul, and attempts to move in close for a shot, when the walker suddenly frees itself and lunges after him!  Thankfully, Carl manages to get away, and promptly tells…no one.  Jerk.

While upstairs Hershel bestows a pocket watch on Glenn as a blessing of his relationship with Maggie, Rick and Lori struggle with the necessity of killing Randall.  Rick insists that he has to be the one to do it should the vote turn that way, and while Lori doesn’t’ necessarily condone the execution, she still supports her husband.  The entire group gathers in Hershel’s living room to discuss the fate of Randall, but it seems Dale remains the only one to want to spare the boy’s life.  He passionately pleads the group to find some other solution and keep there humanity, and in the 11^th hour Andrea comes to agree that Randall should be spared.  It’s of little value however, considering the group still votes to kill poor Randall.  Stupid democracy.

That night, Rick, Shane and Daryl prepare to execute the boy inside the barn, but when Carl appears to watch the killing (no, not the AMC Show), Rick relents and tells the group they should indeed find another solution.  Andrea rushes off to find Dale and deliver the good news, but in his grief, Dale off on his own stumbles upon a mutilated cow, transfixed long enough not to notice the walker that did the deed approaching from behind!  After a valiant struggle, the ghoul tears open Dale’s abdomen, but takes a screwdriver to the brain from Daryl before it can inflict further damage.

The entire group rushes to the gravely injured Dale’s side, as Hershel informs Rick he can’t patch up such a grievous wound.  Poor Carl notices Dale’s attacker to be the Walker he inadvertently set free earlier, while Rick, and finally Daryl step up to the plate with a revolver to finally end poor Dale’s suffering.  Way to go, Carl.

Hot diggity dead, that poor Dale just can’t catch a break!  Dale’s suffering might be over, but what will happen now that Rick’s decided to spare young Randall (again), while Shane’s frustration grows?  And will someone make sure that Carl doesn’t get anyone else horribly murdered?  How does it all tie in with a certain recently-cast season 3 villain?  We’ll find out soon enough!

Did you get your fill of zombie action?  What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for an all-new episode recap of ‘The Walking Dead’ “Better Angels” on AMC!