The Distance

"The Distance" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on February 22, 2015. The episode was written by Seth Hoffman, in his fifth writing credit for the series, and directed by Larysa Kondracki. This episode marks the first appearance of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, a prominent location in the comic book series of the same name. It also features the first appearance of Eric, a recruiter for Alexandria and Aaron's boyfriend. The episode focuses on the group's being introduced to Aaron, who promises the group would be valuable additions to his community, although his encouraging and optimistic outlook convince the group that he is a threat. Michonne strives for a safe haven and believes in the opportunity Aaron's community offers. The group take a different route than expected for safety precautions, which in turn causes multiple dangerous threats along their journey. Overall, the episode was critically acclaimed, with many praising aspects such as the action and sense of urgency, as well as the change of tone in comparison to previous episodes demonstrating hope for the characters and moving the story in a new direction. Plot Maggie and Sasha return to the barn and introduce Aaron to Rick and the group. Aaron tells them he is part of a larger community surrounded by reinforced steel walls that provide protection from intruders and "roamers", and after observing the group believes they would make trustworthy additions to his community. Rick, however, doesn't trust Aaron and knocks him unconscious before tying him to a wooden column. A search of Aaron's pack reveals, among other things, a flare gun, suggesting there are others nearby.