The Walking Dead: TEN characters are brutally killed off in gruesome penultimate episode as Alpha and her Whisperers wage war on the survivors

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The Walking Dead's gruesome penultimate episode saw 10 characters brutally killed off as the series nine blood bath prepares to draw to a close next week.

Having already endured the departure of much-loved Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), a seven year time jump and the absence of show favourite Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan), fans were left reeling by the latest development on Sunday night's show.   

King Ezekiel's meticulously planned fair provided the backdrop as Enid,  Highwaymen Ozzy and Alek, DJ, Frankie, Tammy, Adeline and Rodney were routinely beheaded by Alpha and her band of Whisperers. 

Penultimate episode: The Walking Dead's gruesome penultimate episode saw 10 characters brutally killed off as the series nine blood bath prepares to draw to a close next week

It was the deaths of Tara, a show regular since season three, and Henry that prompted the biggest gasps.  

The incendiary was Lydia, Alpha's fugitive daughter and love interest of Henry, whose desire to protect her from the nihilistic Whisperers led to the teenager inadvertently signing his own death warrant - and by extension everyone else's.

Her desire to leave her mother's group and join the survivors at Alexandria provoked Alpha into infiltrating the fair in search of revenge, before making an undeniably gruesome statement by placing all ten severed heads on a row of spikes. 

Alpha had previously captured Daryl Dixon along with Michonne, Carol Peletier and Yumiko. 

Ten dead: The Whisperers killed 10 people, including Tara, a show regular since season three, and Henry, and placed their heads on spikes to set a boundary to their land 

Killer: Alpha, played by Samantha Morton (left), had previously captured Daryl Dixon (right) along with Michonne, Carol Peletier and Yumiko 

She singled out Daryl and lead him away to show him a horde of zombies in a valley.

'My people are among them. Steering them. The only reason you're alive is because I let you live,' Alpha said. 

'What do you want?,' Daryl asked.   

'I've seen how you live, I've walked your streets. A joke, a shrine to a long dead world. My people, the Whisperers, we live as nature intended,' she said.

'They follow me because I'm the Alpha and if the Alpha doesn't assert herself, there's chaos,' she said ominously. 

In charge: Alpha told Daryl that she had to assert herself as leader of the Whisperers

'What'd you do?' Daryl said.

Alpha told Daryl that his friends were fine but warned him that next time they crossed into Whisperers' land, the horde of zombies would be unleashed.

She then defined the Whisperers' territory and told Daryl that a new northern boundary marker for his people had been set.  

'You'll see it as you leave,' Alpha said before releasing Daryl. 

Daryl hugged Carol as he reunited with her, Michonne and Yumiko.

Michonne found Siddiq tied to a tree and he pointed them to a nearby field. 

Northern boundary: The Whisperers leader ominously told Daryl that he would see the boundary marker as she set him free with a warning not to cross into her land

Left alive: Siddiq was left alive after being captured by the Whisperers and was reunited with Carol and Michonne

Grisly sight: Daryl and Yumiko approached a ridge with spikes in the distance after hearing Alpha's ominous warning

They saw spikes in the distance and as they approached started recognizing familiar faces atop the string of 10 poles. 

'Just look away,' Daryl said to Carol after seeing the head of her adopted son Henry on one of the pikes.

Carol looked up and began sobbing at the sight of Henry.

The next scene cut to The Kingdom where the multi-community fair was being held with Siddiq addressing the crowd.

Border marker: Ten spikes with the severed heads of survivors were placed on a ridge with the group breaking down as they began to recognise the faces

Hard loss: Tara Chambler and Enid were among the victims decapitated and spiked

Horrific scene: Michonne reacted after Siddiq showed them the horrific scene

Look away: Daryl told Carol to look away after seeing her adopted son Henry among the dead

Siddiq said he was taken with the others and was 'supposed to die with them' and then Alpha whispered in his ear, 'Tell them' before he was knocked unconscious.

The doctor said that Alpha wanted him to share that story 'to scare you and drive us all apart again'.

He told a different story of heroism and said that after they were captured that Ozzy [Angus Sampson] and his Highwaymen cohorts DJ and Alek found them and attempted a rescue.

'They gave us an opening and everyone fought back,' Siddiq said.

'They fought like hell. What they did was more than brave. They defended each other and sacrificed for each other,' he added. 

Road warriors: The Highwaymen - Matt Mangum as DJ, Jason Kirkpatrick as Alek and Angus Sampson as leader Ozzy - tried to keep the roads clear for the multi-community fair

Hard fight: Siddiq told the crowd at the fair that the 10 people killed by the Whisperers fought hard, and declared the group heroes

Tough girl: Enid was shown fighting for her life against the Whisperers before her gruesome end

'We need to honor them and remember these friends and families died as heroes. That's the story that I want to tell you. That's the story that I want us all to remember,' Siddiq said.

The episode opened with King Ezekiel [Khary Payton] opening the multi-community fair, with a spirit of festivity before the bloodshed unfolded.

The long-planned fair kicked off with Daryl bringing back Henry and Lydia [Cassady McClincy] as they arrived at the event with Michonne and Judith Grimes. 

Warm welcome: King Ezekiel and Carol welcomed visitors to the fair at The Kingdom at the beginning of the episode before the inevitable bloodshed

Surprise guests: Daryl surprisingly arrived at the fair with Henry, Lydia, Connie, Michonne and Judith, making a grand entrance to their retreat

He's back: Henry was back at the Kingdom after getting Lydia back from the Whisperers

Plus one: Daryl brought back Lydia after giving her to the Whisperers earlier during a prisoner exchange, which ultimately led to the massacre

Tara immediately objected to Lydia's presence after she previously was returned to her mother Alpha during a prisoner exchange. 

Father Gabriel Stokes [Seth Gilliam] announced that Alexandria had agreed to give Lydia asylum, but Tara worried that Alpha would seek her revenge against her Hilltop community.

'Lydia didn't choose where she came from but she chose where she wanted to be, just like everyone in this room,' Michonne said.

A multi-community fighter group was sent out to protect Hilltop and Michonne proposed a long-term mutual protection pact.

Big hug: Connie extended her arms to hug her sister Kelly as she arrived back at Hilltop

Abuse survivor: Lydia [Cassady McClincy] caused controversy when she arrived at The Kingdom after she previously was returned to her mother Alpha during a prisoner exchange

Not welcome: Tara Chambler [Alanna Masterson] was worried that Lydia's presence would bring violence to Hilltop, a concern that proved to ring true

Ezekiel brought out the multi-community charter that Michonne first drafted and each community leader signed it.

Meanwhile a group from the Hilltop were ambushed on the way to the fair and Alpha cut off the woman's hair to blend in at the event.

She spied in disguise and even exchanged small talk with Ezekiel.

'I look forward to meeting the queen,' she told Ezekiel referencing his wife Carol after seeing a portrait of them together. 

Fun fair: Dr. Eugene Porter was trading items at the fair as Father Gabriel Stokes and pregnant Rosita Espinosa walked with him

Good times: Jerry was having fun a the fair with Nabila in the calm before the storm

Given asylum: Lydia was granted asylum at Alexandria but it worried her friends 

Young love: Henry and Lydia kissed as they grew closer at the fair, after he stuck up for his love interest among the group - only for him to meet a bitter end just hours later

Henry and Lydia grew closer at the fair after he confessed that he liked her and she reciprocated.

They kissed again and Henry asked Lydia to save a seat for him next to her at the movie.

Lydia was sitting alone as the show started in a packed theater and was watching the cartoon Quack-A-Doodle-Do when Alpha slipped in and sat down next to her.

Alpha took Lydia outside and accused her of betraying her values and said she was coming with her. 

Movie date: The adopted son of Ezekiel and Carol made a date with Lydia for movie night

'I'm staying here. They care about each other, they care about me,' said Lydia who threatened to scream if Alpha didn't leave. 

Alpha claimed that she was only trying to protect her, but Lydia pleaded with her mother to leave.

'I was just trying to make you strong, but you're not one of us. You never were,' Alpha said, leaving Lydia tearful as she left.

Alpha back at her camp was asked about Lydia and said she wanted to be alone.

Talented duo: Alden and Luke performed together at the fair but looked out and noticed some of their loved ones missing

She cried in solitude, but a Whisperer broke a twig watching her and she called him over.

Alpha then stabbed him in the neck for witnessing her moment of weakness.

Daryl and Lydia after Alpha's mass slaughter paid tribute to Henry who risked his life to rescue Lydia from her abusive mother.  

The season nine finale of The Walking Dead titled The Storm will air next Sunday on AMC.

Paying tribute: Lydia and Daryl went out to the spot where his severed head was left on a pike and paid tribute to him