What We Are

"**What We Are**" is the seventh and penultimate episode of season one and the seventh episode of the series overall.

## Plot

*With a new sense of normality falling on the group, tensions grow over what to do with Cain. Meanwhile, Blake makes an offer to the Cottons.*

## Synopsis

### Part One

The episode opens on the changing rooms, a tiny area with small, dirty windows along the top of the walls. Tied to a radiator with some rope, Cain is still bruised from his beat-down. A door opens and Blake enters the room, dragging a chair in with him. He places it in front of Cain and sits down, his face blank. Cain laughs when he is asked how he is feeling. On the other wall, Tim watches on curiously as a tense silence falls between the two. Then, Blake asks him "was it worth it?" to which Cain laughs again. The camera zooms in on Blake's face slowly as Cain can still be heard laughing.

After the intro, most of the group, barring Maeve, sit around the campfire that morning. They discuss what they should do with Cain. Claire suggests that they "could just, like, banish him. Y'know, throw him out and lock the gate." Joely seems to agree with the idea, stating that "it's the best option we have, really." Chloe, leaning against a wall, shakes her head, saying "he knows where we live. I don't know about you guys, but I don't wanna spend every waking moment wondering whether he's managed to sneak in here. This is a big place for seven people to watch over twenty-four seven."

After a moment of silence, Charlie suggests that "we could kill him." Chloe immediately agrees with him, but Frank and Joely both seem disgusted by the idea. Charlie says that he doesn't "want to, but he's obviously dangerous and we have no other option!" Chloe then suggests that she does it herself, stating that she's "already a killer. One more isn't going to hurt," but Frank is having none of it, saying that "that doesn't give us an excuse to just start killing people whenever we feel like it!" he then calls on Blake for support. Throughout the conversation, he has remained silent. He now stands up and announces that "we can't execute him. That's what it would be. An execution. We can't banish him, either. I don't know...I just...don't know, yet." He then walks away

### Part Two

At the front gates, Maeve twiddles with her knife as she takes watch. When an infected approaches the fence, she quickly takes care of it, stabbing it through the eye. Frank then approaches, telling her that she's "getting good with that." he then asks her "how're you finding your first watch?" She tells him that it's been boring. He laughs, sitting on the ground next to her and agrees, stating that it "reminds me of fishing with my dad. We used to sit for hours and hours for nothing. Not a single bite." She asks him if he misses his parents and he gives a small nod, not looking at her.

Blake is sat in front of Cain again. This time, he offers the other boy some water, but he ignores it, instead asking if they have "decided what to do with me yet. I know you're talking about it. I can see it in your eyes." Blake pulls the bottle away, taking a sip of it himself. Cain laughs and says "so no, then. I wonder how long it'll take before you consider killing me." When Blake tells him they've already decided not to kill him, he tugs at his bindings, yelling that "that's why you're weak, Floyd. You don't have the balls to do what you have to do." Calmly, Blake asks "what happened to you? This world's destroyed you." when Cain just laughs, he gets up, dragging the chair with him. When he passes Tim on the way out, he stops. Tim looks up at him and Blake asks him if he needs anything. He simply looks at the remaining water in the bottle. Blake kneels down, opens the bottle, and tips the water into his mouth. Tim thanks him, and Blake heads out.

On the other side of the door, Joely waits for him. She asks if he's "thinking of releasing Tim? 'Cause if you were, that'd be a controversial decision." The two begin walking towards the gates and Blake confirms her suspicions. When she asks if he's decided what to do with Cain, he shakes his head. "Why does it have to be up to me? I can't decide on a guy's life like that. I'm supposed to be studying and doing homework. But here I am, deciding what punishment fits the crime of trying to murder me." He then rubs his eyes and tells her that he "miss[es] coffee." She laughs and, when they reach the front gates, asks him if "that's what you're going out to get?" At the gate, Maeve and Frank are still sat. Frank asks where they're going and Blake tells them that he "have some unfinished business. Gonna be gone for an hour or two." He tries to leave on his own, but Frank tells him that he "know[s] the rules. No fewer than two people outside the fence," winking at Blake. Joely then volunteers to go with him, asking Frank to take over watching over Cain and Tim. He nods and tells them he'll see them "in a few."

### Part Three

Maeve looks around the common room for Claire, calling out her name but getting no answer. She opens the door to her room only to find her sister sleeping next to Chloe. Her eyes widen and she quickly leaves the room before Claire can get up and say anything. She calls out Maeve's name and begins to get up, but Chloe grabs her shoulder, saying "it's too late. There's no turning back, now." Claire sighs, agreeing with her. She lies back down and tells her "I guess you're stuck with me now."

Blake knocks on the door to the Cottons' house, which is opened by Trevor, who holds another pistol in his hands. Blake immediately throws his hands up and Joely takes a step back, reaching for her knife. Trevor lowers the gun when he realises who it is, and Blake asks how many more guns he owns. Trevor waves him off and says "it's just the kid," to Phyllis, who then rushes forth and begins examining Blake.

Cut to the four of them sat around the table, where Blake has finished explaining what happened at the school. Trevor gives a short laugh and tells him he's "impressed, but why are you here, kid? You just come to boast?" Blake shakes his head and says that "for one, I want to return this," and places the gun Trevor gave him on the table. Joely's eyes widen and she looks at him, but he shakes his head. "And for another, I wanted to make you an offer. Come back with us. Our walls are much safer, we have more people-" but Trevor cuts him off, plainly saying "no." When asked why, he tells him that "this is our home. We've lived here for forty years, nothings moved us away from it yet. The end of the world won't either." Phyllis appears to be in agreement, nodding along as Trevor speaks. "We appreciate the offer, kid, but if we're gonna die, it's gonna be here." Blake nods silently. "Oh, and you can keep the gun," he tells him.

In the changing room, Cain looks curiously at Tim and figures out that he is asleep. He then straightens up and begins sawing away at his ropes with a sharp edge on the radiator, checking back on Tim every now and then. Soon, the rope breaks, freeing Cain.

### Part Four

On the way back from the Cottons', Joely asks why Blake never told anyone about the gun, to which he admits that he "was scared that they'd call me weak for not using it when I had the chance. I mean...Cain was choking Claire. To death, probably. I was well within my rights to just shoot him, but I...couldn't do it." She then tells him that he's "not weak for not wanting to kill someone." They stop walking and Blake tells her that "it's been, what, two months since this all started? In two months, I've killed a living person, countless infected, been stabbed, and am currently debating whether to kill or spare someone else. How long is it going to take for me...for all of us to lose ourselves? The only thing holding me together is everyone back there. If I were to lose them...If I were to lose you..." For a moment, neither of them speak. Until Joely says that she's "not going anywhere." She pulls him into a kiss, which they hold for a few seconds.

Outside the changing room, Frank paces back and forth, bored. Maeve approaches and he asks her what's wrong. She tells him what she saw in her sister's room. Frank's only reply is "oh" and she admits that she "suspected that maybe...but I didn't expect to just walk in on them." He laughs and says that he might suggest putting locks on all the doors to Blake when he gets back. Before he can finish his sentence, however, Cain springs from behind the door and launches himself at Frank. He digs his teeth into his neck and tears a chunk out, spraying blood everywhere. Maeve screams and begins to run. As Frank collapses to the ground, gurgling and clutching his throat, Cain runs after Maeve, tackling her and covering her mouth. He shushes her as she squirms in his arms, blood still dripping from his mouth.

Moments later, Blake and Joely return, stumbling across Frank, who is still alive and holding his neck. Joely calls for help as Blake tries to put pressure on the wound. A moment later, everyone but Maeve arrives on the scene as Blake begs for Frank to stay with them. Claire hugs Chloe and Charlie has to turn away. Tears form in Blake's eyes as he keeps begging for Frank to live. He grabs Blake's shirt and manages to utter a single word: "Maeve."

His eyes go dim and Blake finally lets go of Frank's throat. He looks up, tears running down his cheeks, with a look of pure hatred on his face. He pulls out the gun and the screen goes black.