'In Harm's Way'

**'In Harm's Way'** is the fourth episode of the second season of *The Walking Dead by EDStudios*. It is the ninth episode of the series overall.

## Plot

*Edwards must recover from his injury, solidify new alliances and discover old friends if he wants to hold onto the little hope he has left.*

## Synopsis

A flashback reveals Edwards chopping firewood outside the cabin with only a small, rusty axe. It takes him several attempts to chop a single log, causing him much frustration.

Hours after their escape from Hometown, the group stops to rest and also to allow Carl to examine the unconscious Edwards more closely. With most of the group unable to sleep, they chat around the campfire until Carl reappears from the darkness. As everyone waits anxiously to hear the news, Carl reveals that, while Edwards is not blind in his right eye, the blow from Stoffman's hammer severely damaged his orbital and his eye, causing his pupil to be permanetly dilated. This, combined with possible damage to Edwards' brain, could cause him to suffer a brain hemorrhage due to the combined physical and neurological stress. Stephan says that they should put him out of his misery, but both Holly and Justinas fight back, saying that Edwards is solely responsible for the group having escaped Hometown and that they owe him their aid.

To everyone's surprise, Edwards begins to stir and slowly regains his senses over the next few days. The group takes turns carrying him on his stretcher as they head north to escape the herd they summond at Hometown. Eventually, Edwards finds the strength to stand and walk unassisted, but continues to struggle to see and talk. That evening, he sneaks away from camp and tries to aim his pistol at a nearby walker, only to discover that his right hand is uncontrollably shaking and spoiling his aim. He switches to his left hand and finds that he can aim much better.

As the group continues to travel, Edwards falls behind and eventually collapses, falling unconscious. While the group gathers around him, Edwards has a vision of Alex offering him passage to the "other side" where his loved ones are waiting. Knowing he still has something to live for, Edwards refuses and regains consciousness, mysteriously able to talk and see again. Still plagued with an overwhelming headache, he suggests they make camp.

As the group gather around the fire, Edwards demands to know what Drew's group is fleeing. After some convicing, they reveal that they are being chased by a group of bandits led by a former member of their group named William Carter. Convinced that it is the same bandit group that he fought three months earlier in Bennington National Park, Edwards decides that himself, Holly, Justinas and AJ will continue to travel with Drew's group while they come up with a plan.

The group continues north into the mountains. Exhausted, they decide to aim for a nearby ski lodge. While Edwards, Holly and Justinas hang back to discuss a plan about them heading west, a ruckuss breaks out between Drew's group and the current occupants of the lodge. Edwards heads over to settle things, only to discover that his old friend Ben Appleby is among the lodge residents. The two reunite with a hug and Ben welcomes the group inside.

After the group settles in, the remaining members of the Clarkson Survivors sit around the fire and talk about what happened after they were all split up. Edwards, Holly and Justinas talk about everything that went down in Port Collier as well as everything since, while Ben reveals that, upon discovering that the train had left, he walked down the tracks until he found their old RV. At some point, he met the other residents of the lodge but refuses to discuss what happened between then and now.

## Trivia

* Justinas Grant has been promoted to series tritagonist from this episode onwards.
	+ This marks the first time the series has had a tritagonist since the season finale of *Season 1*.
* This episode sees the return of Ben Appleby, who has been absent since '*A Long Road Ahead*'.
* This is the last episode where Edwards slicks back his hair.

 **Season 15: A Last Showdown** | "The Final Stand"