“The Road Back” picks up hours after the events of the previous issue, wherein Dwight took up arms against Governor Milton, only to be slain by his ally and friend, Rick Grimes. In the wake of this confrontation, Governor Milton addresses the Commonwealth and makes it clear that not only did Rick save her life, but that she still sees he and his people as allies. With tensions quickly rising in the Commonwealth, Princess decides its time for her to make her leave. Mercer confronts her while she is packing and asks if there is anything can do to make her stay, to which she tells him there isn’t. Meanwhile, back at Alexandria, Magna directs Siddiq to head to the Hill Top to procure more men so that they can all travel back to the Commonwealth and gather more intel. 

This months’ issue of TWD saw Dwight and Rick butt heads as they both assessed the Commonwealth and how their group might ameliorate the community from its current caste system.

This months’ issue can be summed up by the conversation that took place between Yumiko and Magna, wherein Magna commented on how, “when things are peaceful, that’s just killing time between the horror.” While that moment felt as though Kirkman had his tongue in his cheek, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true. While, on the surface, everything seems to be going smoothly (or as smoothly as can be expected) it’s only a matter of time before shit hits the fan in a far worse way than that small riot that took place a couple of chapters ago. While the caste system being implemented in the Commonwealth has (barely) worked thus far, it is obvious that it is beginning to crumble, and with individuals within, like Mercer, and outside elements, like Dwight, both seeking to demolish the established society, its only a matter of time before, well, as Magna so aptly put it, “the horror” starts.