'Walking Dead': Its most brutal moment yet?

[SPOILER ALERT: Read on only of you have already watched Sunday’s “Spend” episode of The Walking Dead.]

The you-know-what hit the fan in tonight’s episode of The Walking Dead. We all had our doubts on how these two groups would integrate in Alexandria, and that integration took several rocky turns in Sunday’s “Spend” episode, including what may be one of the most brutal deaths ever on the show.

While out working on the wall, Tobin was ready to let one of his workers die before Abraham stepped in to save the day. But that was just about the only positive thing that happened (thanks to Tobin’s gracious gesture of ceding power after the incident). Elsewhere, Carol suspected Pete of beating Jesse and Sam, and told Rick “You’re going to have to kill him.” Meanwhile, in the night’s most shocking development, both Noah and Aiden died after cowardly Nicholas took off to save his own skin rather than help to make sure they all made it out alive while out on a run. (First he ran away rather than aid Aiden, then he left Glenn and Noah trapped in a revolving door surrounded by zombies, and then he attempted to flee in the van—leaving them and Eugene behind, before Glenn caught up and decked the scaredy cat.) Man, Nicholas totally sucks.

And as the rotten cherry on top of all of this, Father Gabriel came to Deanna and warned her that “you made a mistake letting in the others….Rick, his group, they’re not good people. They’ve done things. They’ve done unspeakable things…. They can’t be trusted. They’re dangerous…. The day will come will they will put their own lives before yours.” Hey, you know what I say—nothing like a priest in the midst of a mental breakdown to foster trust and a strong communal bond. (Who sucks more: Nicholas or Gabriel? Discuss.)

The match has now been lit and the fuse is burning. All that’s left is to see what explodes in the final two episodes, especially with the Glenn-Nicholas situation. Will they both return to Alexandria with two completely different stories? How will Deanna react to the death of her son, and whom will she blame? Are sides about to be drawn for a civil war?

Regardless, it was one of the most ambitious episodes of the season, with five different storylines all working at once. And the haunting image of Noah being consumed by a pack of zombies in a revolving door—while Glenn watched helplessly from a mere foot away—has to be one of the most brutal deaths in Walking Dead history, right up there with zombie Sophia at the barn, Hershel’s beheading and Carol putting down Lizzie. Where does this rank for you in terms of horrifying Walking Dead demises? Weigh in below. Also make sure to read our exclusive Q&A with Steven Yeun. as well as our Q&A with Noah himself, Tyler James Williams. And for more Walking Dead scoop, follow me on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

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