AMC's 'The Walking Dead' brings back an old friend in 'Clear'

Sunday's episode of AMC's "The Walking Dead" was titled "Clear," and marks the half-way point of 2013's first eight-episode run.

Rick, Carl, and Michonne get their car stuck in the mud while on a run for weapons, and get attacked by walkers. Rick doesn't even seem to show fear, and kills them all. While getting it fixed up, Rick tells Carl he took Michonne with them not because he trusts her, but because he didn't want to leave her at the prison with Merle. They drive off in the car, ignoring a screaming uninfected person trying to get their attention.

Well, it's time to face the facts. Rick's a jackass. Between the Governor and Tyreese and Andrea, and now this survivor on foot, Rick hasn't made an ally in months. With his group losing a member every time the writers want to make a point, it sure seems like it would be a good idea to start recruiting. And you might want to start with a guy savvy enough to be living on the road with camping equipment.

At Rick's old police station, there's no guns or ammunition left in the weapons locker. As they go to check out the rest of the town, they find a pile of burned bodies and arrows painted into the concrete, pointing them in a direction. Written in the road by a half-barricaded street are the words "Turn Around And Live." As a walker approaches, she's cut down by a rooftop sniper who tells Rick to leave. A gunfight ensues, and just as the sniper is about to kill Rick, Carl shoots him in the chest. Carl shows exactly zero remorse, and Rick examines the body to find the sniper is wearing body armor and is still alive.

He pulls off the helmet to reveal Morgan, who back in season one took Rick in and saved his life in the early days of the outbreak.

Rick and Michonne take Morgan into his heavily-booby trapped building. They find out Morgan's the one who looted the weapons locker, and his home is covered in writings, notes he's scrawled on the walls about his situation. Rick sees one that says "Duane turned," which means Morgan's son became a walker.

Rick says they're going to wait on Morgan to wake up, even though Michonne completely disagrees. Carl finds a hand-written map of the area, and sees that Morgan has marked their old house as burned out. Carl and Michonne leave to go scavenge, and Carl leaves her behind to go do something on his own, saying he's going to get Judith something.

Morgan wakes up and attacks Rick, and Morgan stabs Rick in the shoulder. Rick pulls his pistol, and Morgan begs him to kill him.

Well, it looks like we're settling into a race to crazy, and Rick has now slipped back into second place.

(For part two of this article, please click here.)