"The Tower" is the fifteenth episode of the tenth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on April 5, 2020. The episode was written by Kevin Deiboldt and Julia Ruchman, and directed by Laura Belsey.
As Beta (Ryan Hurst) plans his next move to eliminate the survivors, the communities prepare for the final battle of the Whisperer War. Meanwhile, Eugene's (Josh McDermitt) group encounters Juanita "Princess" Sanchez (Paola Lázaro).
"The Tower" was originally the penultimate episode of the tenth season and was the final episode to air of the tenth season before the series went on hiatus in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The original intended season finale, "A Certain Doom", was delayed due to post-production delays. "A Certain Doom" eventually aired on October 4, 2020, along with the confirmation that the tenth season would include an extra six episodes, which aired from February 28 to April 4, 2021. The episode received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
Princess introduces herself to Eugene, Ezekiel, and Yumiko, but as they are trying to figure out her personality, a group of walkers appear. Before they can stop her, Princess uses a machine gun to put down the walkers, which frightens their horses away. Princess apologizes and says she knows where they can get transportation.
Elsewhere, Beta has arrived at Alexandria with the horde, but finds it apparently empty. Unbeknownst to him, all the residents have fled to a nearby hospital (referred to as the "Tower"), with only Alden and Aaron staying behind in order to spy on the horde and radio their observations to Gabriel. As he discusses their next assault with the other Whisperers, Beta begins to hear voices in his head. He then decides to retreat and begins to lead the horde toward Oceanside; Aaron informs Gabriel that they are heading toward Oceanside as expected.
As Eugene's group walks across the city, the trio find Princess' directions to be erratic. At one point, they walk through a live minefield where they find the remains of their horses; Eugene later realizes they could have taken a much quicker route. Princess again apologizes, admitting she's been alone for so long and only wanted to endear herself to them. She takes them to a garage with transportation – bicycles – and the trio prepares to depart for their meeting with Stephanie.
Meanwhile outside the hospital, Carol and Kelly scavenge wires from some cars during an errand for Luke. While scavenging, Carol apologizes to Kelly about her actions in the cave, but Kelly thinks nothing of it and believes that Connie is still alive. Inside, Negan apologizes to Lydia for killing her mother. However, Lydia emotionally struggles with both her anger toward Negan for the act, but also letting out her hatred of Alpha.
Out in the woods, after finding Judith out on her own, Daryl teaches her some of his own survival tips. After this Daryl shoots, interrogates, and kills a nearby Whisperer, much to Judith's dismay. Concurrently, Beta continues leading the horde toward Oceanside, but suddenly stops when he feels something is amiss and begins to suspect that the survivors are leading him into a trap. Just then, he spots one of the hospital cats prowling and the voices in Beta's head then direct him toward the hospital. Alden and Aaron, who have been following the horde from a distance, notice it changing direction and try to contact Gabriel. Failing to get a signal, the two decide to retreat, but are unexpectedly surrounded by a group of Whisperers.
Negan and Lydia have a cathartic talk at the hospital, and eventually embrace, while at the city, Yumiko, frustrated with Princess, has a change of heart and allows her to join the group. Meanwhile in the woods, Judith tearfully tells Daryl that she has become more concerned about losing more of her family after Michonne's departure, including Daryl. In response, Daryl says that, while he can't promise that he will never leave, he knows she has a larger family than just him. Immediately after their talk, Daryl is contacted by Gabriel over walkie-talkie; Gabriel reveals that the hospital is surrounded by the horde. Once arriving outside the hospital, Beta begins to chant and hallucinates the walkers doing so too.