The Fighting Kentuckian

Previously on "The Walking Dead: World Beyond"...

You have loaned us your greatest mind...

Dr. Leo Bennett.

I'm sure Iris is helping someone.

That's what you get.

And Hope... I'm sure she's with friends...

getting into some kind of trouble.

So, you admit it, you're one of them!

Yeah.

Will's scouting expedition was due back a few days ago.

I think it's possible we're being lied to.

Woman: Your dad's not in danger. Never was.

Hope: They need me to help my dad with his research.

Huck's mission was to get me there.

They think they need me to save the world,

but they have no clue what you can do.

This is how we give our lives meaning.

What the hell? I thought you were dead.

Wait. Why? Why would you think that?

You don't know?

The ones that are still out there, they're not a threat.

We'll talk. A lot's happened since you left.

You Bennetts are going to

accomplish great things together.

Hope: Yeah, we are.

Man: Clearing the lane.

Woman: Asset on vector at three clicks.

Ready egress charges.

Man #2: Alpha leader, stand by for extraction.

Woman: Asset on vector.

Both the Campus Colony and the Portland

are concerned about the communication break.

There's talk they're sending an envoy to investigate.

As we expected.

Clear Major Mullins to reach out,

offer to collaborate on the investigation.

And the lane to the Campus Colony?

Cleared.

We'll have the column there within 72 hours,

once its work is done here.

Good.

Your decision not to inform Staff Sergeant Mallick.

Her mission is separate from this.

With any luck, she's, uh,

reached a minimum safe distance.

Man: Firing egress charges.

New orders from Major General Beale.

Doing this...

and then again to the Campus Colony,

it's only the beginning.

Alert delta team we found their escapee.

Help...

me.

Ho.

I thought I heard someone up.

I'm sure she's okay.

You know it's her birthday today?

Uh...

Yeah.

I'll bet your dad's doing something for her.

Will you promise me

you'll try to get at least a little shut-eye?

Little sleep?

I'll promise if you promise.

Alright.

Wish me luck.

Hope: What the hell?

Your research place is here?

Change of plan.

The hell?

Why are we here?

Hey, what the hell is this?

What this is, Hope, is a lesson.

Don't worry. I know you know don't like school.

Think of it as more of a field trip.

You said you were taking me to my dad.

Was that a lie, too?

Why am I even asking?

Kid, she's taking you to your dad.

No, I'm not.

Not yet.

You gave us the map.

You told us it was New York.

You pushed us, and you lied ab...

The other helicopters.

You said you went to the university alone.

What was that even about?

We're 10 years into this new world,

Hope, and there are dead columns.

You... You call them mega clusters.

Others call them hordes.

Some call them herds... Roaming the continent,

and, as far as we can tell, the whole world.

And these columns, they're now so big, they...

They just break through everything,

just run through anything, whole cities.

The day after Monument Day, we were on our way to Omaha,

and we saw one such column.

So huge. It was like nothing we'd ever seen before.

It was unimaginable.

It had run through Omaha

and was headed for the Campus Colony.

We were mobilizing the rescue effort

and contacting Campus Colony officials

when a second column...

nearly just as big,

merged with the first.

There must've been over 100,000 in total.

We did everything we could to save as many lives as we could.

It wasn't enough.

For the few who came out alive, we airlifted them to Portland,

but, uh...

both Omaha and the Campus Colony are gone.

What?

No, that's crazy. What are you talking about?

Yeah, search and rescue are still...

Still combing through, but at this point it's...

No, you're wrong.

Don't touch me.

Elizabeth: I'm so sorry, both of you.

It's small words for something so big.

I don't care.

I brought us here to Albany

because this was my home at the end.

I was here, working as an attaché for the UK

Ministry of Defence when everything fell apart.

And it was then that I realized just how quickly any chance

for a future can crumble,

even when everyone does their best.

You've been through so much,

but with everything that's happened,

Hope, do you still believe a future's possible?

I, uh...

Uh, I did.

You should, because despite all of the fallen cities,

it still is.

And getting you to think differently,

think more positively about the future,

yeah, that was why we pushed you to go on this journey.

And I'm sorry, but now that you see how fragile civilization is,

I trust that you're understanding that no...

No one makes it alone.

No one.

It takes everyone coming together

to have a shot at that future.

No, no, you... you said you were taking me to my father.

I hope I can.

You hope?

We both know you're not ready.

For a community with a long-term plan predicated

on generational education and... and scientific progress,

geniuses are an invaluable resource,

but a genius who's a rebellious, strong-willed troublemaker,

that's a risk.

Used against us, those qualities can spread like rot.

And they make any kind of common goal unattainable.

We can't bring in someone who would jeopardize that.

Don't misunderstand me.

We want you to work with us.

Now, you have a lot to offer,

but I cannot bring you in to join your father

unless I know that, despite your grief

and despite your anger, you are fully committed

to being an asset for the future, right,

to dedicating the rest of your life

to learning, furthering his research,

and handing that knowledge onto the next generation

‘cause only then...

Only then will you be an asset to the future.

I am.

That's why I came with you guys, because I'm ready.

And I-1 think you need more time.

For what?

To think about what you want, Hope.

What do you truly want?

I'll need your answer by dawn.

After all the shit you just put me through,

I can just walk away, and you're gonna let me?

Um, I'm giving you that option, yeah.

You'd have every reason to,

given the extent of our manipulation.

I'll take my chances.

Alone.

You think you can find your sister and friends?

You can't.

Out there on your own, you won't make it out of the city,

never mind to any kind of future.

Being alive today, that's a gift,

and you can choose to waste it alone, waste all of your gifts,

or you can fight for a future... With others, for others...

So that what happened here

and to the 100,000 souls in Omaha

and your friends back home never happens again.