06x08 - The Door

[bunniefuu]

I want every single person we took from that damned Gulch.

♪♪ I found this in Cameron's hand.

From the pattern, I think, it's from the grip on the Kn*fe handle.

Everything I've done, I've done so that we could all be back together, and it doesn't work if it's not all of us.

Dakota is welcome.

I can't stay here.

If I do, I'm not gonna last long.

You can't just leave.

I don't wanna leave.

I don't wanna run anymore.

D.B.: I wouldn't do that if I were you, John.

It'll do you no good.

The mayor has policemen downstairs

with instructions to remove

all marks of identification you may have on your person.

You'll be buried in Potter's Field,

and you will have accomplished nothing.

[CLICKING]

JOHN: I've taken care of that.

I've already mailed a copy of this letter

to Mr. Connell.

♪♪ John, why don't you forget this foolishness?

Stop right where you are, Mr. Norton,

if you don't want to go overboard with me.

I'm glad you gentlemen are here.

You've k*lled the John Doe movement, alright,

but you're going to see it born all over again.

ANN: John! John!

[WALKER GROWLING]

[g*n COCKS]

[g*nsh*t]

♪♪ We'll start all over again, just you and I.

It isn't too late.

The John Doe movement isn't dead yet.

See, John!

It isn't dead, or they wouldn't be here!

It's alive in them

They kept it alive by being afraid of it.

That's why they came up here.

Oh, darling.

Sure, it should have been k*lled before.

It was dishonest.

But we can start clean now.

Just you and I.

It'll grow again, John.

It'll grow big.

And it'll be strong because it'll be honest.

Oh, darling, if it's worth dying for,

it's worth living for.

Oh, please, John!

[g*n COCKS]

[WALKER GROWLING]

Oh, please, God, help me.

[g*nsh*t]

♪♪ [SIGHS]

[g*n COCKS]

I'm sorry.

[WALKER GROWLING]

♪♪ [g*nsh*t]

♪♪ [g*n CLACKS ON TABLE]

♪♪

- [WALKERS GROWLING]

[METAL SIGNS CLANKING]

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

[WALKERS GROWLING]

[THUMPING ON WOOD]

Hey!

[g*n COCKS]

[g*nshots]

[WALKER GROWLING]

[g*nsh*t]

Snuck up on me.

[DOOR CREAKS]

Hey, I don't want no trouble.

But if it's trouble you want, I got something for you.

♪♪ DORIE: Ohh!

- John.

- Dakota?

[g*n UN-COCKS]

What...

What in the hell are you doing here?

Uh, I'm...

I'm running from my sister.

You?

Well, I guess you could say the same thing.

You the one that corralled those passed on the bridge?

No, uh...

He did.

[DOOR CREAKS]

Ah.

[CHUCKLES]

Hey, John.

Well, I'll be damned.

- How'd you find us?

- I didn't.

The passed on the bridge, they kept washing upnear my cabin, and, well, this river has a way of bringing people back to life.

But I gotta say, buddy, you've looked better.

Mm-hmm.

Getting across the bridge, putting the barricade up, trapping the dead, his wound had opened up.

But I patched it up as best as I could.

Good job.

[CHUCKLES]

We heard the sh*t at the Gulch that night.

We didn't think you made it, man.

Neither did I.

How'd you survive?

- Had some help.

- Who from?

That night?

I don't know.

I came to, I was already patched up, but they'd moved on.

Somebody else helped me out a while later.

But now I'm gonna have to add her to the list.

It wasn't hard.

Somebody stocked the shelves with everything I needed, so...

Yeah.

It's good to see you, John.

I feel like I'm looking at a ghost.

Oh, you are.

[CHUCKLES]

How'd you wind up with that big herd on your tail?

Virginia set her rangers on us.

We were trying to outrun them with Alicia and Charlie, but we hit the herd, got separated.

We should start looking for them.

She's right.

We should get back on the road and get ourselves there.

Just hang on, hang on.

You're not going anywhere, at least not like that.

Where are you trying to go?

He's got a place that he's building.

- One that's safe.

- Shh.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

[WHISPERING]

Hide that stuff.

Clean it up.

Come on, Morgan.

♪♪ Dakota!

Dakota.

♪♪ [DOOR CREAKS]

♪♪ [KNOCKS "SHAVE AND A HAIRCUT" ON CHEST]

Anybody home?

♪♪ [WRAPPER RUSTLING]

♪♪ [FLOORBOARD CREAKS]

♪♪ [CLEARS THROAT]

Hill, you copy?

♪♪ You are not gonna believe this.

Do it.

Hey, Hill.

Ranger Dorie?

I think he's been here.

[MOUTHING]

Now.

HILL: Marcus.

Do you copy?

I didn't catch that.

♪♪ Damn walkie.

♪♪ Standby.

I'm coming for higher ground.

♪♪ [DOOR CREAKS]

♪♪ He's gone.

He's gone.

[SIGHS]

You should have sh*t him.

I didn't need to.

These times, John.

♪♪ They make us men we tried so hard not to be.

Let's get out of here.

We'll be safer at my cabin.

[CLEARS THROAT]

How'd you learn to cook like this?

Well, I spent every summer out here when I was a kid.

When in Rome.

Well, that's no good.

Place we're going is built on a dry riverbed.

Water nearby, plenty of fish.

Be nice to have somebody out there who knows how to cook 'em.

Come on.

June can cook 'em just as good as me.

Better, maybe.

[CHUCKLES]

How long you been out here?

Couple of weeks.

And where's June?

Why is she not with you?

It's not worth talking about.

Oh, it's not?

Where is this place you're settling?

[SCOFFS]

Alright.

miles north.

That's a ways to go on foot.

Probably got enough gas in the truck to get you there.

I was hoping you would come.

What we're doing, we could use somebody with your skills.

My skills?

What might those be?

Plan is shifting because we can't make a clean trade, but Virginia's still gonna want her sister back.

What, so you...

You want to use me as bait?

Yeah.

But you don't worry.

I'm not gonna let her get to you.

Hey.

Do it like this, it means a fight.

That's why you need me.

Well, things will be different, though.

We're gonna be set up to win.

We'll be fighting on our own turf and on our own terms.

God, John, it's for our family.

DAKOTA: What's this?

Nothing.

Looks like blood.

It's off a Kn*fe handle.

What Kn*fe?

The one that k*lled Cameron.

The ranger?

The one that Janis was with?

I thought if I could find the rest of it, it would lead me to whoever k*lled him.

I couldn't.

Why do you still have it, then?

- You're doing it again.

- What?

What you told me about before, when you were a cop, how you hid yourself away from the world up here.

Well, it's different this time.

Why's that?

VIRGINIA: Morgan?

You there?

We got something we need to discuss.

Don't.

Don't.

Rangers are nearby.

They might figure out where we are.

John's right.

Don't.

She's just trying to scare you.

GRACE: Morgan?

It's me.

Aw, hell.

Sorry, I have to.

DAKOTA: Morgan!

♪♪ Yes, I'm here.

VIRGINIA: I thought that might do the trick.

Grace, are you okay?

Is the baby okay?

GRACE: I'm okay, Morgan.

So is the baby.

I think this little one's about seven months now.

I thought you were dead, Morgan.

We all did.

Hey.

You hear that, Morgan?

Grace is fine, but that'll change real quick if anything happens to my sister.

Call the rangers off.

They're gonna get everybody k*lled, including your sister.

♪♪ Oh, my rangers will find you.

In the meantime, I know you'll keep my sister safe 'cause if anything happens to her, it's not just Grace and her little chick who are dead.

It's the whole damn coop.

♪♪ We'll talk soon.

♪♪ We need to get out of here now.

We need to draw Virginia to us before she does something to them.

Last time you locked yourself away up here, June washed up.

Today, it was us.

If that's not the universe telling you to come back, I don't know what is.

Yeah.

I just...

I don't care to k*ll anyone.

Yeah, you called me a ghost, and I am.

'Cause all I'm here for is to free our people, give that baby a chance at a next world, one where, I don't know, all life might actually be precious.

I think we can do it, John.

I think it's not gonna be the way that we want it, but we can end it.

Alright.

♪♪ I-I ain't right.

I just ain't.

I'm sorry.

I can't do it.

♪♪ But I will help you cross that bridge.

It's the only way north.

We gotta pack up.

♪♪ This is all I got.

Is that gonna be enough to k*ll all the chompers?

Your guess is as good as mine.

But there's only one way to find out.

[g*nsh*t]

Down!

[GRUNTS]

♪♪ [g*nsh*t]

♪♪ - Morgan!

- I'll pull him down!

♪♪ [HORSE NEIGHS]

[GRUNTS]

Dakota!

You know how to drive?

Turn this thing around.

[g*n COCKS]

Ah!

♪♪ [ENGINE SPUTTERS]

DAKOTA: Something's wrong with the car.

I think the b*llet may have hit the engine.

- Try again!

- [r*fle COCKS]

[ENGINE GRINDING]

♪♪ - [g*nsh*t]

- [GROANS]

♪♪ [GRUNTS]

Morgan?

[GROANS]

Geez.

Morgan?

You alright?

Yeah.

♪♪ [g*n COCKS]

♪♪ - DORIE: [GRUNTS]

- Sorry, John.

Sorry?

What do you got to be sorry for?

You're the one got dragged through the woods by your neck.

Yeah, I've been racking up a whole lot of miles lately.

You almost got k*lled.

I didn't, though, 'cause you stopped him.

Well, it shouldn't have come to that.

I should have taken my sh*t when I had it back at Bill's.

You didn't take it 'cause you didn't have to.

You know that's why I need you, right?

Help keep us from becoming like Ginny.

You know that, right?

That's not the only reason.

Got all the gas out.

That's about all it's good for now.

We're gonna need another car.

We could get back in a canoe, head upstream, find another vehicle back by Bill's.

I can't risk it, not with all those rangers out there looking for us.

And there might be more once he doesn't check in.

Right.

What about that one?

That?

That's just been collecting rust since I was a kid.

[METAL CREAKS]

[GRUNTS]

[METAL CLANKS]

Where'd this come from?

Well, it belonged to my dad.

We were gonna fix it up together once upon a while.

Hmm.

You know, I've spent more than my fair share of time in one garage or another making cars in much worse shape than this run again.

We're gonna need a battery and a distributor cap, but I think I can get this going.

[CHUCKLES]

It's not too late.

What's that?

Ah, just something my daddy used to say.

It's not to late to learn something, to do the right thing, fix a mistake, and apparently, get an old Chevy truck running again.

Well, there's some wrecked cars one cabin over.

Lot less likely of running into rangers over there.

You should go with John.

No, I can handle it.

Any other rangers show up, I'm not sure that I can.

They get ahold of Dakota, everybody else is gonna be in real trouble.

Alright, well, let's go.

You get those g*ns when you were a cop?

No, they belonged to my pop.

And he gave you the g*ns?

Well, he sent them to me that same summer we were supposed to fix up the Chevy.

- Why didn't he bring them to you?

- [CHUCKLES]

Well, he never showed up.

Moved to a cabin on his own up north, away from everybody.

Me and my mama included.

I got the occasional birthday or Christmas card.

A phone call every once in a blue moon.

But I never saw him again.

Ah.

Here, hold that.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Why did he leave?

Did he k*ll someone, just like you did?

No.

What was it, then?

Well, he did the wrong thing, but for the right reasons.

If that makes sense.

[GRUNTS]

[TOOL CLACKS]

Kind of seems like he was punishing himself.

Yeah, maybe.

[GRUNTS]

Just like you.

Morgan was right, isn't he?

That's why you're here.

Come on.

There's one more thing we got to get while we're here.

Know-it-all.

Hey, you know what happened with Janis?

You don't have to feel bad about that kind of thing.

It's...

It's just how life is now.

People...

People k*ll, people die.

It still should mean something.

Why?

Well, if it don't mean nothing when you die, then it must not have meant much when you were alive, either.

So?

Boy, I'm glad Morgan's taking you - to that place he's building.

- Why's that?

'Cause you're starting to sound an awful lot like your sister.

Now stand back.

Hey!

[POUNDS ON DOOR]

Anybody home?

[LOCK CLATTERS, DOOR CREAKS]

Alright.

There's nothing in there that we need for the truck.

Who said we're here for the truck?

[CHUCKLES]

What do you need a door for if you're coming with us?

MORGAN: 'Cause he's not coming with us.

- Are you, John?

- What you doing here?

I found these.

There's only so many words you can spell out with those.

- These are not meant for you.

- I know who they're meant for.

♪♪ Look, I was gonna tell you after we cleared the bridge.

I'll keep my word.

I'll get you across.

But then I'm coming back here after.

'Cause of what you had to do to Marcus?

No, not 'cause I had to k*ll him.

It's because I didn't k*ll him before.

- [HAMMERING]

- Damn it!

♪♪ I don't know why...

I'm not meant to live in this world.

If I'd have just kept my nose out of it when Cameron was k*lled, Janis would still be alive.

If I'd have sh*t Marcus when I had the chance, you wouldn't have nearly d*ed.

Hiding away in that cabin ain't the answer.

Best one I can think of.

[SCOFFS]

You went looking for a door to shut yourself away from the world, and you found us.

Does that not tell you anything?

You're like that guy who walked halfway across the country to get away from the people he cares about most and found himself sitting across from your campfire.

And because I found you, I found everybody I think of as family right now.

I found Grace.

And that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't insisted that I sleep in the bed of your truck that night.

You gave me that family, man.

You gotta help me get them back.

♪♪ The best way I can think of to do that is get you across that bridge and then stay out your way.

That door is not gonna keep us away.

Not me, not June.

This door ain't for keeping people out.

What the hell's it for, then?

It's to keep the passed from getting at me after I do what I need to do.

♪♪ I just want it to be over, Morgan.

♪♪ [g*n COCKING, UN-COCKING]

Got the truck running.

That's good.

Wasn't that long ago I was in something like the place that you are now, John.

Uh, every time I work myself up to it, one of the passed washes up, steals my nerve.

That's 'cause it's not your time.

This is not how you should go out.

Here.

Night at the Gulch...

... whoever saved me, they left me that.

- Made me realize what I had to fight for.

- _ That place you're building?

Yeah, and that it wouldn't mean anything if it wasn't all of us.

But if I was gonna get everybody there, I had to...

I had to make a change.

Or I would lose, well, all of you.

You know you're not your dad, right?

- I know that.

- And that you don't have to make the same mistakes that he made, that you can come with us.

I found my way to keep going.

I think maybe you could find yours.

Well...

[WALKER GROWLING]

Wouldn't count on it.

[g*nsh*t]

We better get up there.

The passed must be building up on the bridge.

You know, we might need these doors after all.

[WALKERS GROWLING]

Alright.

We'll clear the passed from up there.

Keep them from getting tangled in the wheels.

Provided you can get us across.

[SIGHS]

Uh, my daddy used to let me drive his six speed in the church parking lot on Sunday afternoons, so I...

It didn't usually get this crowded.

Okay.

Well, I'll talk you through it.

Here.

In case things get bumpy.

♪♪ [CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

♪♪ [GRUNTS]

[r*fle COCKS]

♪♪ Ready?

Ready.

♪♪ [g*nshots]

♪♪ DORIE: Come up.

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

- Now!

- [POUNDS ON ROOF]

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

[ENGINE CHUGGING]

♪♪ That's it.

♪♪ Steady, steady, steady.

♪♪ Here they come!

♪♪ [GRUNTING]

♪♪ Keep going!

♪♪ Second gear!

[CLUTCH GRINDS]

Alright.

I'm sorry.

Just pretend it's one of those Sunday drives, okay?

You got it.

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

♪♪ - You okay?

- Yeah.

Yeah, I'm fine.

♪♪ Hey.

Hey, guys, what's going on?

[ENGINE REVS]

Alright.

Put it in first.

Then give it the gas.

You'll clear it.

[TIRE SQUEALING]

[ENGINE REVVING]

[SQUEALING CONTINUES]

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

[g*nshots]

♪♪ Punch it.

♪♪ [ENGINE SPUTTERING]

Something's wrong with the engine!

MORGAN: The alternator.

I'll go.

No, you're in no shape.

You're in no shape.

♪♪ I'll tell you when.

♪♪ [GRUNTING]

No!

Get off!

[GRUNTS]

[g*n COCKS]

John!

Lean back!

♪♪ [g*nsh*t]

[GRUNTS]

Nice sh*t!

♪♪ Okay.

Try now.

♪♪ [ENGINE STARTS]

[SIGHS]

[SHOUTS]

[g*nshots]

♪♪ Get down!

♪♪ [TIRES SQUEALING]

John, hold on!

[WATER SPLASHES]

♪♪ [BREATHING HEAVILY]

[WALKERS GROWLING]

[GRUNTS]

♪♪ [GROWLING STOPS]

♪♪ God, John.

That is some ugly mustard.

- Ha!

- [CHUCKLES]

Yes, it is.

♪♪ [GRUNTS]

I found something when I was working on the truck.

Thought you might want it.

That's you, isn't it?

And your dad?

You know...

I spent more of my life than I care to admit wondering why he never showed up that summer.

Now I think I'm starting to get it.

I ain't coming with you, Morgan.

You know you're stuck.

Making the same mistakes you made before, and they're the same mistakes that he made.

Man, it's like...

It's like a loop.

[RADIO CLICKS ON]

[STATIC]

What you doing?

Virginia, can you hear me?

I repeat, Virginia, can you hear me?

What's your plan, Morgan?

VIRGINIA: I copy, Morgan.

You finally ready to talk?

Yeah, yeah, I am, but not like this.

I want to meet in person.

- So, there's a general store off of old route .

- No!

No!

Morgan!

It's called Bill's.

- Stop!

- And a couple miles down river...

Get off of me... there is a cabin.

Lemme guess.

Ranger Dorie's?

Yeah, Marcus told us about his terrible taste in movies.

♪♪ I'll be waiting there for you.

We'll see you soon, Morgan.

♪♪ Now you can't go back.

Morgan, you had no right!

That was not your choice to make!

Just like it wasn't yours to chase me down that road when I had my busted leg, but you did it all the same.

And I'm alive right now because you did.

♪♪ sh*t, John, hate me if you like, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna stand by and let my best friend try and k*ll himself.

♪♪ [STATIC]

I'm gonna try and get a signal, hear where Virginia's at.

Don't wanna cross paths with her on the way outta here.

You're gonna have to talk to him eventually.

Well, looks like the clip that was holding the wire in place fell off.

Probably why she stalled.

We'll have to make sure she's fixed up before you two hit the road.

It's a little red clip.

I'll take this side.

You take that side.

Hey.

Thanks.

Nah, thank you.

What are you thanking me for?

Well, letting me drive.

Trusting me with this.

Not making me feel like I had to be locked behind Lawton's walls all the time.

You should come with us.

No, that wouldn't be a good idea.

I think it would be a good idea.

I really like being around you.

Well...

You can't go back to your cabin.

Sure, I can.

Well, my sister's gonna be there soon.

If Morgan leads her to whatever place he's building up, that's gonna get real messy real quick.

[GRUNTS]

People we care about could end up dead.

If I'm waiting for her, I can end this.

You can't do that alone.

She won't be expecting me.

Well, she would.

She is.

I mean, she's gonna have rangers with her.

So what, even if you get her, then they're just gonna k*ll you.

Well, then my death will mean something.

[GRUNTS]

As it should.

Hey, John.

I found it.

[WALKER GROWLING]

Dakota!

♪♪ It's okay.

I got it.

- What is it?

- I got it.

What are you hiding?

♪♪ Where'd you get this?

♪♪ - Where'd you get this?!

- It's not what it looks like, okay?

I just...

I-I-I found it.

Don't you lie to me!

♪♪ Oh, my God.

You k*lled Cameron, didn't you?

Virginia was covering for you.

♪♪ [VOICE TREMBLING]

I didn't know that she was gonna k*ll Janis.

♪♪ Why'd you push me to investigate?

I knew that Ginny wouldn't let it get back to me.

And I thought if it seemed like...

if it seemed like she was hiding something or trying to protect somebody, that, you know, people would start to doubt her.

What did you k*ll him for?

♪♪ - What did you k*ll him for?!

- He figured out the way that I was sneaking in and out of Lawton, and he told Ginny.

He took away the one way that I had to get out of Lawton.

And you thought he deserved to die for that?

That's what you thought?

♪♪ It's no different.

It's no different than what everyone else is doing to get what they want!

It's what my sister does.

It's what all of her rangers do.

You don't understand.

No.

No, I don't.

You don't understand.

It's just how things are now.

I can't.

I can't let you ruin this for me.

Alright.

Listen to me.

- I can't have youtelling people.

- Listen to me, Dakota.

I am...

I'm not gonna tell anyone.

Alright, look.

- Lookit...

Look here.

Alright?

- [Kn*fe CLATTERS]

I'm not gonna hurt you.

Look.

Okay?

♪♪ You're lying.

[SIGHS]

I know you've been through a lot.

I get why you wouldn't believe me.

Just give me a chance to show you.

Why?

Because we can get past this.

I can help you.

Morgan said I need a reason to live.

To keep going.

Maybe that's you.

That would have meaning.

Right?

So just put the g*n down.

You don't want to sh**t me.

You don't want to do that to yourself.

You...

You don't want to live with that.

That's not what I want.

[g*nsh*t]

[BREATHING SHAKILY]

[GROANING]

♪♪ I'm sorry.

[WHEEZING]

♪♪ It doesn't always have to mean something, John.

♪♪ [GRUNTS]

[WATER SPLASHES]

♪♪ [THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA'S "TO BELIEVE" PLAYS]

♪♪ ♪ Tell when it breaks all ♪ ♪ Howling ♪ ♪ Same little girl ♪ ♪ You fell, you fell, you fell ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And when it all aligns ♪ ♪ Silent watchers are in front ♪ ♪ And when our worlds collide ♪ ♪ Eyes remember every light ♪ ♪ Are you able? ♪ ♪ Find your ground ♪ ♪ Other people ♪ ♪ Falling down ♪ ♪ I can be your someone ♪

- [GASPS]

- ♪ You believe in ♪ ♪ Someone you can believe ♪

It's not too late.

♪♪ MORGAN: Dakota?

Hey.

♪♪ What did you do?

♪♪ [CRYING]

I didn't want to do it.

But I had to do it.

John.

Where is he?

[CRYING]

Where is he?

♪♪ Floating down river, with a b*llet in his chest.

♪♪ It was your Kn*fe.

You k*lled that ranger.

[SNIFFLES]

♪♪ You're gonna take me to the place you're building.

You're gonna let me be a part of it like you were before.

♪♪ [GASPS, SNIFFLES]

You're not gonna hurt me.

I wouldn't be so sure.

I am the reason you are alive!

I saved you at the Gulch.

- That is not what happened.

- It is.

Ginny... she left you to die.

Dragged yourself up to the church.

The dead followed you.

They were on top of you, about to eat you.

But I was there.

I k*lled them.

That's not possible.

It is.

I followed Ginny and the rangers to the Gulch 'cause I wanted to see her go down.

And, I mean, even though that didn't happen, I mean, it's a good thing, right?

'Cause I stitched you up, stopped you from bleeding.

I gave you antibiotics.

I gave you painkillers.

I-I left you food and supplies.

Okay, stop.

No more lies.

No, you don't know me!

But I've heard your message.

You need to do the same.

"You still have things left to do".

♪♪ I wrote it.

I wrote that note.

I left it for you.

And I was right to because that thing that you have to do, you're gonna have to do it now.

And what is that?

♪♪ k*ll my sister.

♪♪ You're not breathing because you have some silly, little paradise that you have to build.

You are breathing because you are the only person left that can end her!

Hey.

- That's not what this is about.

- It is.

It is.

And it is the only reason that you are still here!

[Kn*fe CLATTERS ON PAVEMENT]

♪♪ Someone cleaned the place out.

Where the hell are they?

June, where are they?

I don't know.

I don't know!

You sure about that?

- I am sick of your sh...

- MORGAN: Virginia?

Morgan, you're late.

It's John.

He's been hurt.

You need to help him.

It was your sister.

She did it to him.

Morgan, where is he?

Where's my sister?

He's heading your way.

He's coming down river.

I'm trying to get to him, but if I can't find him first, please help him.

Then we talk.

You heard Morgan.

Go find Ranger Dorie.

[DOG WHINES, BARKS]

Well...

This is it.

Yeah, it's what we rebuilt so far, but it's a start.

Where's Morgan?

We got separated.

MORGAN: Al?

Dwight?

Do you copy?

Go for Dwight.

Start getting the dam wall ready.

We may end up bringing this fight with Virginia to our own doorstep.

Copy, Morgan.

And, Dwight, maybe reach out to Sherry.

'Cause we're gonna need all the firepower we can get.

You need to send more rangers to look for him.

I already have.

Radio Morgan.

I need to know what happened if I'm going to help.

Damn it!

Hill, what's going on down there?

- What do you have?

- [SCOFFS]

[GASPS]

John!

John!

[WHEEZING]

[GROWLING]

♪♪ [GROWLING CONTINUES]

♪♪ ♪♪ What do you need a door for if you're coming with us?

MORGAN: 'Cause he's not coming with us.

Are ya, John?

GOLDBERG: This episode is called "The Door".

The title has a couple of different meanings, as we see as the episode goes on.

We see that the door itself is something that's missing from John's cabin, and it's the thing that he's trying to find to cut himself off from the world and from people, but also because he's planning to end his own life.

[g*n COCKS]

The other meaning of "The Door" is that, you know, sort of ironically, he finds renewed purpose and connection and opens himself to people with the person who perhaps he's closest to in the world, who's Morgan Jones.

I think we can do it, John.

I think it's not gonna be the way that we want it, but we can end it.

I...

I ain't right.

I just ain't.

This is the darkest place we've ever seen John Dorie, and John is really in a place where he's punishing himself, where he feels unworthy to be alive.

[g*n COCKS]

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

I'm sorry.

GOLDBERG: What we see in this scene is that every time he gets up the courage to pull the trigger, walkers keep interrupting him.

John doesn't want walkers to tear him apart.

[g*nsh*t]

And so he goes looking for a door so that he can essentially k*ll himself and have that be the end of it.

It's good to see you, John.

I feel like I'm looking at a ghost.

Oh, you are!

[CHUCKLES]

GOLDBERG: I think there's a few meanings to that.

There's the literal meaning of, he had no idea Morgan was alive after what happened at the end of season five at the Gulch.

But then there's the other aspect to it, where Morgan is a completely changed person.

He's reinvented himself.

I'm not meant to live in this world.

If I'd have just kept my nose out of it when Cameron was k*lled, Janis would still be alive.

GOLDBERG: Because John Dorie has this humanity in him, he sees that as a weakness because he feels like even when he's trying to help people, they get hurt, which is the same thing that he felt about what happened with Janis.

This door ain't for keeping people out.

The hell's it for, then?

It's to keep the past from getting at me after I do what I need to do.

I just want it to be over, Morgan.

John starts in a place where he doesn't see a reason to live, and Morgan tells him, "You're gonna find that reason".

And he does end up finding it in the last place and the last person he expected, and it's with Dakota.

[WALKER GROWLING]

[GROWLING STOPS]

It's okay.

I got it.

Of course, it's a huge shock and a gut punch for him when he realizes, "Oh, my God.

You're the one who k*lled Cameron".

But on the other hand, he sees this as a real opportunity.

Here's someone who needs help, who he believes he can help.

We've seen him forge a connection with her over the course of the episode, and he's finally found that reason to live, that reason to open the door...

Can't let you ruin this for me.

All right.

Listen to me.

I can't have you telling people.

... that just as he's opened that door, Dakota is not ready to walk through it with him.

Because of who she is and because of what the circumstances are, John pays for it with his life.

You don't want to sh**t me.

You don't want to do that to yourself.

Y-You don't want to live with that.

That's not what I want.

[BREATHING SHAKILY]

It was emotionally devastating for us at every stage of the process.

We love that character so much.

We love how Garret brought him to life, you know, just also thematically and emotionally.

Someone who really laid himself out there and could have helped Dakota, and it just didn't work out.

♪♪ One of the other aspects of this episode that's so important to understanding John is his relationship with his father.

It's not too late.

What's that?

Ah, just something my daddy used to say.

It's not too late to learn something...

♪♪ ... to do the right thing, fix a mistake.

What we wanted that scene in the water to be about is, he looks at that picture of his father and he's remembering those words.

"It's not too late".

He really, really wants to live.

It is the opposite of the man who was sitting at the table loading the g*n to k*ll himself in the beginning.

Now he's fighting for every breath he's got.

John!

♪♪ [GROANS]

We always thought it was tragically poetic that June, who washed up on the shore outside John's cabin and brought him back to people, is now in the position where she sees John washed up on that very same shore where he rescued her...

and he's d*ed and he's become a walker.

It just felt like kind of the right circularity to that story.

[GROWLS]

As we get deeper into season six, we're gonna see that this has profound implications for June as a character.

It's really important in terms of where we're going for the rest of the season.

This is obviously a game-changer for June.

♪♪