A New Beginning (Episode)

**"A New Beginning"** is the upcoming first episode of *Season 7: Remake* of *Strain Zero*, the rewrite of *The Walking Dead by EDStudios*. It is the thirty-third episode of the series overall.

## Plot

*Twenty years after the outbreak, our survivors and their descendants begin a new journey.*

## Synopsis

A young woman runs wildly through the forest, constantly looking around for her unseen pursuer. She trips and falls but manages to get back to her feet before her assailant can grab her. She takes shelter in a ditch and scans the trees; thinking it is clear, she sprints onwards. She screams when she runs right into a cluster of walkers, drawing her chaser's attention. She avoids the shambling corpses and makes it into a clearing, where the walkers have gathered into a small herd. She is soon trapped, walkers all around her, and has nothing to defend herself with.

A walker manages to grab her; in her struggle, they are both sent to the ground. She shruggles to push it off her before its head suddenly, and violently, explodes. Gunshots ring out across the clearing, followed by the galloping of horses. A small group arrives, using rifles, pistols, axes and swords to kill the walkers from horseback. Once the herd is thinned, the survivors dismount and deal with the remaining walkers; the girl is almost tackled again, but the walker is suddenly decapitated by a tall man carrying a huge battleaxe. He lifts the girl onto his horse and orders the survivors to regroup; he introduces himself as Henry. As the group gallops away, the girl's pursuer watches from the treeline before sprinting into the forest.

At Adams Air Force Base, aspiring pilot Hope Edwards receives word that her leave has been approved. She runs to her dorm, packs immediately and catches the next railcar to Bastion, the bustling capital of the Commonwealth. She navigates the city market towards her apartment on the east side of the Missouri river, keeping her hood up to avoid attention. Over the market loudspeakers, the city's radio station announces the victory of Governor Parker in the recent election, marking the start of her third term as governor of the Commonwealth.

Reaching her apartment, Hope packs two bags and says goodbye to her roommates Justin and Abby, fellow trainees who didn't get their leaves approved. Hope, an aspiring helicopter pilot, reveals that this leave will be her last break before her entrance exam, where she will hopefully learn under the Commonwealth's top pilot, captain Cara. Hope sprints to the bus station and barely manages to catch the next bus to Graystone.

Upon her return , Hope hears that her mother Holly is still busy preparing her victory speech. Instead of going home, Hope visits Ben's, the bar run by Nicolas. Hope receives a warm welcome from the residents, especially Nicolas, and surreptitiously serves her alcohol. They discuss Hope's childhood memories of the bar's namesake, whose picture is mounted above the counter; Hope reveals that she cannot remember Ben's voice, but always hears stories of his bravery. She asks about Ben's partner, Uncle Jimmy; Nicolas reveals that Jimmy left Graystone a while ago and now lives alone in a cabin a few miles away.

Their conversation is suddenly interrupted by Lawrence, now an officer, who protests about Hope drinking alcohol. He is met with resistance from Nicolas, hesitantly backs down and grudgingly welcomes Hope home. Conversation turns to the fact that Lawrence's dad, David, never told him about his true parentage despite it being common knowledge. Nicolas guesses that Lawrence's knows but won't admit it to himself.

Back out in the wilderness, Henry, the rangers and the girl follow the route of the old interstate, long retaken by nature. Henry asks for the girl's name; she reluctantly gives it as "Lucy". Henry explains that the group are "rangers", a special division that explores the wilderness for supplies, communities and walker herds; he introduces the others, including his son Kyle, veteran ranger Jane, survivalist Mike and new recruits Troy and Lucas. Henry further explains that they are going home to the Commonwealth, a vast nation built through cooperation and unity, and tries to uncover where Lucy is from; she avoids all questions about her home, and says she has nobody looking for her when Henry asks who her family is. Henry lightens her mood by quizzing her about the road they are travelling, revealing that it used to be an "interstate" that criss-crossed the entire country.

The rangers eventually reach the borders of Montana, where they split up: Henry and Kyle head home to Graystone, while Jane and the others take Lucy to Bastion for processing. Several hours later, Henry and Kyle arrive home in the middle of Holly's speech; Kyle reunites with his wife Florence whilst Henry reunites with Hope, whom he still refers to as "Little Wolf". They wait until Holly finishes her speech and meet her in the town hall; Holly slaps Henry for being late and embraces him. Henry reunites with his other children, Eric and little Layla, followed by news that Florence is pregnant.

Hope leads the children into the next room while Henry and Kyle report the findings of their expedition: three communities in Nebraska, one hostile; a massive herd in south-east Wyoming that is heading east; and a cart of fresh supplies heading to Bastion. Henry and Holly agree that another expedition will not be necessary for a few months.

In the evening, the Edwards clan hold a welcome home party for Henry and Kyle. Kyle, struggling with the idea of fatherhood, steps out for a cigarette and is shocked to find Emma on the doorstep. Kyle asks where she has been for the last year and a half; Emma simply replies that she had things to take care of. After some coaxing she agrees to see the rest of the family; she is welcomed as if she never left, especially by Henry, who takes her out onto the porch for a private conversation. He asks her if she completed "her mission"; she replies "kinda" and was late returning home because of "other commitments". Henry reveals that he intends to retire as First Ranger and offers her the position, including his Peacemaker axe. Emma agrees to think about it, and the party draws to a close.

In the middle of the night, Hope is awakened by Joel, a baseball player and childhood friend. He invites her to join him and some friends in sneaking out of town; Hope agrees. They meet up with some other youths, including Lawrence, and use a breach in the wall to escape into the countryside. Lawrence directs them to an abandoned barn where they can smoke pot; while inside the barn, they are ambushed by the "Pale Ones", the monstrous children of the Mother and the Carldweller.

Alerted by their children's absence, Henry and the other parents organize a search and follow the distant howling, arriving just as the Carldweller appears to recover its offspring. Henry and the Carldweller leave peacefully.

Back at Graystone, instead of punishing Hope, Henry shows her his private workshop in the attic where he gifts her a home-made mandolin he was saving for her birthday. Their talk over, Hope returns to her bedroom and finds a bite wound on her calf.

Meanwhile, out in the wilderness, a patrol led by Muldoon are attacked by a powerful creature.