The Distance (The Walking Dead)

Plot

Maggie and Sasha bring Aaron to the barn and introduce him to Rick and the group. Aaron explains he belongs to a larger community protected by reinforced steel walls and believes the group would be trustworthy additions. Rick distrusts Aaron, knocks him unconscious, and ties him to a column. Under pressure, Aaron admits he has one partner hiding at a distance and gives directions to two waiting vehicles.

Michonne insists they investigate the possibility of a new home, and Glenn agrees. Maggie, Abraham, and Rosita go to check for the vehicles while the rest guard the barn. Alone with Rick, Aaron says he worked for an NGO delivering food and medicine on the Niger River delta and that "bad guys" often threatened him, but he does not believe Rick is a bad guy. Glenn questions why Aaron would want people who have done what the group has done, but Michonne notes the group has taken in Father Gabriel, Tara, and herself.

They find a car and an RV as Aaron said. When everyone reconvenes, Michonne declares they will join the community; no one disagrees. Aaron says they will travel the next morning via Highway 16 but refuses to reveal the camp's location. Rick decides to travel that night via Highway 23, despite Aaron's protests that the road is not cleared.

Michonne questions whether Rick intends to join the camp; Rick replies it is a struggle to believe anywhere is safe for his family and he will decide when he is outside the walls.

Reception

Many viewers were surprised by the same-sex kiss between Aaron and Eric, as the two are boyfriends in the comic series. The episode was watched by 13.44 million American viewers with an 18-49 rating of 6.9, an increase from the previous episode's 12.27 million viewers and 6.2 rating. In New Zealand, 150,020 viewers watched; in Australia, it was the most-watched on pay television that day with 85,000 viewers; in the UK, it was the second most-watched on the network that month with 1.13 million viewers.