The Walking Dead delivers a violent, disturbing episode that sheds light on the events after Rick's disappearance. "Scars" shows Michonne's (Danai Gurira) incredible resilience and commitment to protecting her family. Daryl (Norman Reedus) brings the injured Henry (Matt Lintz) to Alexandria. Judith (Cailey Fleming) questions her mother's decisions. The Whisperers discover the location of the fair.

Scars opens in the past with Michonne searching for Rick's body. She finds his python revolver in the mud by the riverside. We then see her, near full term pregnant, still searching. Daryl approaches in the woods. He tells her he's searched the riverbanks to the ocean for Rick's body. Michonne asks him if he's okay being alone. Daryl acknowledges. She says he's always welcome in Alexandria.

In the present, Michonne cleans the revolver and puts it back in Judith's box. Aaron (Ross Marquand) summons her. Daryl is at the gates with the injured Henry, Connie (Lauren Ridloff), and Lydia (Cassady McClincy). When Michonne opens the gates, it's in the past and she's pregnant. An injured woman (Rutina Wesley) is surrounded by children and a couple of adults. Michonne knows her, she screams "Jocelyn" in amazement.

In the present, Henry is having his knee stitched in the infirmary. Connie thanks Michonne for helping them. Daryl tells Michonne they're heading to the Kingdom to update Carol. Aaron let's Michonne know that Daryl covered his tracks. They weren't followed to Alexandria.

In the past, Jocelyn staggers away from Siddiq (Avi Nash) and the infirmary. She collapses into Michonne, "There are others". We cut to Michonne, Aaron, and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) searching a building. They find the remaining frightened children. In the present, Lydia is touching Henry's fixed knee. Michonne asks to speak to her alone. She tells Lydia in no uncertain words, it's better for her to leave. She's putting Henry and everyone else in danger by staying with them.

Judith and Daryl are sitting by the water in Alexandria. She misses him, but Daryl cannot stay. She's heard the stories about the war with the Saviors. Daryl gently tells her that she's not heard all of the stories. In the past, everyone is having a feast. Jocelyn's children have caught several deer. Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) delights the laughing children with games. The pregnant Michonne wishes that Rick would have seen this. Aaron comments that he does, wherever he is, then regrets his words. Jocelyn and Michonne catch up in the kitchen. They talk about before, and their long friendship. Jocelyn knows that Michonne will keep searching for Rick.

In the present, Aaron is walking Daryl and the others to the gate. He tells Daryl that he would have been a great father. Michonne hugs Daryl goodbye. Judith watches silently. Daryl wants Michonne to tell her the truth. Michonne wants her to continue being a kid. She looks at a manhole cover that is boarded up.

In the past, the pregnant Michonne walks past the manhole cover. She and a few other parents go to Jocelyn's house. Judith and their children had a slumber party with Jocelyn's group. The house is empty. The pantry has been looted, the guard killed. The infirmary has also been cleaned out. Michonne looks at the manhole cover. It is open.

In the present, Michonne, Judith, and RJ are eating dinner. Judith wants to go to her room. Later that night, Michonne gets out of bed. The "X" scar burned in her lower back. She goes to Judith's room, but the girl is gone. Michonne races to Negan's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) cell. What the hell does he say to Judith? Negan admits Judith's "as badass as Carl". He tells her the straight truth. Michonne questions whether he told her about Glenn and Abraham. Negan says Judith is upset that Michonne doesn't let in new people. He knows that Judith has run away. She's just as headstrong as her mother. Michonne runs home and looks into the gun box. There is a note from Judith. She's gone to help Daryl.

In the past, Daryl and a weary Michonne are searching for Jocelyn and Judith. Michonne is upset she didn't see Jocelyn's betrayal coming. They find the kids hiding in a building, but are captured. Daryl and Michonne are strung up, then branded with an "X" by the children. Jocelyn instructs them to mark the target and kill.

We then see Daryl loose. He knocks out the guard and frees Michonne. They separate to find Judith and the Alexandria kids. Jocelyn orders her kids to attack Michonne. One cuts her stomach, but she is able to recover her sword. Michonne then kills Jocelyn in a brutal fight. She is surrounded by the children. Michonne is forced to kill them to get to Judith. The last kid runs away from guarding Judith. She sees Michonne is covered in blood. At first Judith stares, than races to embrace her mother.

In the present, Michonne is on her horse galloping down the highway. She sees Judith's bicycle. She cuts through a swarm of walkers. Judith is also killing walkers, until one grabs her. She screams for her mother. Michonne goes into ass-kicking mode and saves her. Afterwards, they sit together. As Michonne dresses a wound on Judith's arm, she asks why she left. Judith wanted to help Daryl. Michonne is about to explain why she doesn't allow new people. She's stunned that Judith remembers everything about the Jocelyn incident.

In the past, Michonne and Daryl return to the children to Alexandria. In the present, Michonne and Judith stand over Carl's grave. Michonne admits she was more scared than she's ever been when Judith was kidnapped. Judith replies that loving someone is taking care of them no matter what. She wonders why did they stop loving Daryl, Carol, and the King. Her words affect Michonne. We then see them in a horse drawn cart. They meet Daryl and the others in the woods, then give them a ride to the Kingdom. At the Kingdom gates, two Whisperers watch as wagons enter for the fair.

"Scars" was unflinching on every level. Michonne slaughtering the evil children to save Judith was hardcore. We finally learned why she closed off Alexandria, and how they got the scars. All the primary characters are converging on the Kingdom. The Whisperers know the Kingdom's location. The season's last two episodes are must see television on AMC.