‘The Walking Dead’ recap: Zombies, Wolves pose double threat for Alexandria

As if an advancing mega-herd of zombies isn’t threatening enough, vicious scavengers calling themselves Wolves invade the Alexandria Safe-Zone and begin killing everyone in sight on AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

Episode 602’s title, “JSS,” is an acronym for “Just Survive Somehow.” That’s the motto of Enid (Katelyn Nacon), a quiet teenager whose parents were eaten by undead “walkers.” Now Enid strives to make a new life for herself within Alexandria’s metal walls, where she’s courted by Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) and Ron Anderson (Austin Abrams).

Carl and Ron have a hostile relationship, and not just because they’re competing for Enid’s affections. Carl’s father, Rick (Andrew Lincoln), executed Ron’s abusive father, Pete (Corey Brill). Consequently, Ron grew defiant and seems bent on revenge.

When the Wolves attack with their crude weapons, Enid takes shelter with Carl and helps protect his baby sister, Judith. It’s a crucial responsibility given that Rick, Darryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and most of the other A-team fighters are outside the walls trying to divert thousands of zombies away from Alexandria.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >>

What’s attracting the walkers en masse is the noise of an air horn that started blaring when a bullet-ridden Wolf crashed his truck. Stick-wielding Morgan Jones (Lennie James) silences the horn then finds himself in a standoff with an ax-swinging Wolf.

“Leave,” pacifist Morgan implores. “Please!”

Taking the polar opposite approach is Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), who abandons her meek housewife act and morphs into a killing machine. She disguises herself as a Wolf by donning a hoodie and smearing a bloody “W” on her forehead.

When Carol discovers that Morgan would rather reason with than battle a Wolf, she whips out a knife and stabs the intruder in the gut.

“We have to get to the armory before they do,” Carol urges Morgan, knowing that Wolves bearing guns would destroy Alexandria.

“You don’t have to kill people,” Morgan protests.

“Of course we do,” pragmatic Carol insists.

Now Carol goes all out to save her adopted community as she slaughters Wolves without mercy then fills a tote bag with handguns and distributes them to other Alexandrians. When the violence is finally over, Carol succumbs to her emotions and silently cries.

Carol isn’t the only warrior, however. Seasoned fighter Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan) pulls out her pistol when the Wolves start throwing firebombs. After making sure that Alexandria’s shell-shocked matriarch Deanna Monroe (Tovah Feldshuh) is safe, Maggie begins picking off invaders.

Also rising to the occasion is Ron’s mother, Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge), who ferociously defends her youngest son, Sam (Major Dodson), from a female Wolf. After nearly being knocked unconscious in a struggle, Jessie springs to her feet and brutally kills the trespasser with a pair of scissors.

While this carnage unfolds, phobic psychiatrist Dr. Denise Cloyd (Merritt Wever) maintains that she’s medically unqualified and too fearful to operate on an Alexandrian who’s bleeding out from a severed femoral artery.

“You’re afraid?” Tara Chambler (Alanna Masterson) asks in disbelief. “I don’t care. Help her!”

“You don’t want to be a coward,” chimes in timid Eugene Porter (Josh McDermitt). “I know.”

Summoning her courage, Denise takes charge of a makeshift clinic and does her best to save the wounded patient. But despite surgery and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the woman dies on the operating table.

“Denise, you tried. You are a doctor,” Tara remarks when the psychiatrist falls into despair. “All I was gonna say is,” Tara adds, “make sure you get her brain” so the deceased patient doesn’t “turn.”

That’s standard procedure now, for Alexandria is already menaced by too many zombies. And by too many hungry Wolves with nothing to lose.

MORE ON SHOW TRACKER:

‘The Good Wife’ recap: Romance, bribery and a little GHB

Tracy Morgan gives ‘Saturday Night Live’ ratings a boost

‘Homeland’ recap: Carrie’s off her meds and hunting for an assassin