The Walking Dead continues the war against the Saviors with The Damned. Episode two has our heroes attacking bases with varied results. Characters face moral crisis as Rick's (Andrew Lincoln) "kill them all" mantra is truly put to the test. Morgan (Lennie James) declares his immortality, while a character from season one returns. The bullets fly fast and loose as the casualties start to mount.
The Damned opens with Rick and Daryl (Norman Reedus) in the woods. King Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and Carol (Melissa McBride) recover from the smoke bomb. Jesus (Tom Payne), Tara (Alana Masterson), and Morgan are by the satellite compound. Aaron (Ross Marquand) is armed and ready. Cut to a new group of Saviors. They radio to each other, but get no response. Suddenly, Rick's team drives in with their armored cars. They pour out guns blazing.
At the satellite compound, they're preparing to attack. Jesus says they can't use a gun or the surprise will fail. Morgan tells the others that he "doesn't die" and sets off by himself. Carol and King Ezekiel's group at the pharmacy fights a herd of walkers in the smoke. Carol is worried that the man they saw escape will alert others. Ezekiel assures they will find him. He orders a man to unleash Shiva if there is trouble. They head into the woods to hunt the escaped Savior.
At the other Savior outpost, Aaron's team is laying down heavy fire at the front. Rick and Daryl kill several guards before entering. They are looking for an arsenal of Savior weapons. Eric (Jordon Woods-Robinson) is with Aaron's group. We cut to the satellite compound fence. Morgan bangs on the fence to attract walkers. The Saviors investigate and are shot in the head with arrows. Tara, Jesus, Morgan and the others enter the compound.
Rick has a map and is looking for the guns. He and Daryl kick in doors, search the rooms. Meanwhile, Aaron's group is holding the front. At the compound, they are picking the Saviors off in their beds. Morgan's team encounters a group of Saviors and gets shot. Rick and Daryl's search is coming up empty. Daryl is beginning to doubt if Dwight's (Austin Amelio) map is accurate.
At the compound, Tara and Jesus find a man locked in a closet. He's peed his pants. He swears he's just a worker for the Saviors. Tara wants to kill him, but Jesus says they can't murder an unarmed man. Behind them, their group is pinned down by gunfire. Morgan has not been heard from. Tara looks around to see the Hilltop's medical supplies. She wants to kill the Savior. As she and Jesus argue, the Savior grabs Jesus' gun and takes him hostage. He mocks them for their gullibility, then smashes Maggie's pre-natal vitamins. Jesus breaks away and they knock the Savior down. But once again, Jesus doesn't kill him, but ties him up.
Jesus and Tara's team continue through the compound. Morgan regains consciousness. He's alive, unlike the men who came with them. He picks up two pistols and rejoins the fight. Back with Aaron, the barrage is working. The dead Saviors are coming back and biting the ones still guarding the front. Cut to the forest, Carol and Ezekiel's team kill a walker covered in a strange substance. As they proceed on, Ezekiel continues to brim with confidence. He tells her it's important to guide the people. "Fake it, until you make it." They find blood on the trees and continue searching for the injured Savior.
Daryl opens a door to find handcuffs and a half-eaten sandwich. It reminds him off his incarceration at the Sanctuary. Rick is still going door to door. A savior gets the drop on him. They have a bloody fist fight before Rick get's him in a head lock. He then slams the man into a spike on the wall.
Morgan is on a killing spree. He goes through the compound capping Saviors left and right. He remembers a conversation with Rick in the church. Rick tells him that they must kill them all. Jesus and Tara's group are back outside. They corner the escaping Saviors. Jesus yells for them to drop their weapons and surrender. Tara does not like this plan. Jesus responds that Maggie will listen to him. Tara replies that Rick is in charge and he would kill these people. Morgan emerges behind the Saviors. He rejoins the group, but sees Jared, the Savior that killed Benjamin. He puts a gun to his chest. Jesus convinces him to let the prisoners live.
Rick continues to search. He finds a playroom painted with murals. There is a sleeping baby in a crib. "Gracie" is painted above her head. The Savior he killed had a "Gracie" tattoo. Rick sees himself in a mirror and breaks down crying. In the woods, Shiva the tiger has caught the fleeing Savior.
Aaron's group is taking casualties. He sees they are being flanked by the Saviors. He gets in a car and drives towards Eric's position. He gets out to help Eric, but discovers his lover has been shot in the stomach. He gingerly takes Eric away. In the woods, Carol and Ezekiel's men have the Savior's radio. They know that they are coming. Ezekiel raises his sword and rallies his troops. Carol smiles at his bravado.
Rick stumbles on. As he looks into another room, another Savior sneaks behind him and puts a gun to his head. They stare at each other, before Rick recognizes him. It is Morales from season one. He tells Rick it's over. He's called the Saviors for reinforcements. "The Damned" ends with a gun cocked at Rick.
The war has hit the inevitable snag. The whole infiltration idea is horrendous tactically, but makes for better television. They could have burned both compounds to the ground easily and shot the survivors. But where's all the drama and fun in logic. There's no doubt that the Saviors taken prisoner and left alive will come back to haunt them. It looks like the baddies are getting ready to strike back, next week on AMC.