The Walking Dead
Photo: Josh Stringer/AMC
A zombie apocalypse might not seem like the ideal setting for personal reflection and soul searching, but Eugene and Maggie find themselves facing some serious introspection thanks to recent developments. Shattered after learning he’d been duped, Eugene struggles to find a path forward after this crushing disappointment, which cements his status as the Charlie Brown of the new world — always one tug of the football away from landing flat on his back. Meanwhile, Maggie holds more power than she even realizes, and her decision to either unite with the Commonwealth or go it alone turns out to be a fraught one, with impacts far beyond Hilltop’s flimsy walls.
First, Eugene finally gets some clarity on the Stephanie catfish situation, courtesy of the Real Fake Stephanie, a.k.a. Max. It all started when she found old parts in a dumpster and turned someone’s trash into a fully-functional radio. Her CB rendezvous with Eugene led to genuine emotions, but when your brother is the head of security and he learns you’re planning to meet a stranger at a railyard, it’s goodbye meet-cute. Next thing Max knows, Fake Fake Stephanie (a.k.a. Shira) is going on ice cream dates with a smitten Eugene; given Max’s proximity to Governor Pamela and Lance Hornsby, she decides just to let this happen, lay low, and let Eugene be happy. This decision makes sense as a self-protection move, but it’s still really weird — Max was ready to risk everything to meet her mystery man, then watches as he’s duped by someone who must have intercepted his calls.
It’s a crushing gut punch for Eugene, who runs away as Max looks after him with…
