Silas Plaskett

Gender Male Hair Color Brown Age 17 Occupation Pre & Post-Apocalypse Former Student Post-Apocalypse

Former Janitor for the Campus Colony Former Consignee for the Civic Republic of Philadelphia Soldier for the Civic Republic Military Family Mrs. Plaskett - Mother † Gary Plaskett - Father † Marco Voci - Maternal Uncle † (Unnamed) - Grandmother (Unnamed) - Grandfather Ethnicity Italian-American Silas is a shy, soft-spoken, hulking seventeen-year-old who works in the community, essentially as a janitor. A year ago, he transferred there from the nearby surviving city, and rumors of his violent past soon followed. Some started calling him a monster; others shunned him completely. When Silas learns about Iris and Hope's cross-country expedition, he jumps at the chance to join them, eager to prove he's not the person everyone thinks he is. Silas was born in 2003 and raised in Nebraska. Silas had a large family growing up - including a grandmother who taught him to sew and took him to ballroom dance classes when he was four years old. He also had an uncle, Marco Voci. In the fall of 2010, Silas survived the outbreak and apocalypse when he was seven years old, along with his parents and uncle. In time, they came to join the city of Omaha with his mother and father, while his uncle stayed in Lincoln, Nebraska, a satellite colony in Nebraska State University, and worked as an engineer. When he was 16 years old, he had a violent altercation with his abusive father. His father began to choke him, resulting in Silas fighting back and badly beating his father. Gary died of his injuries and reanimated, forcing Silas to put him down in front of his own mother. Silas' mother then testified against him in court, but the death was ruled self-defense, and he was transferred to the Campus Colony to work as a janitor and gardener and lived with his uncle, who fiercely defended him. Due to the rumors about his violent altercation, he has been shunned and has become the subject of other rum

When he was 16 years old, he had a violent altercation with his abusive father. His father began to choke him, resulting in Silas fighting back and badly beating his father. Gary died of his injuries and reanimated, forcing Silas to put him down in front of his own mother. Silas' mother then testified against him in court, but the death was ruled self-defense, and he was transferred to the Campus Colony to work as a janitor and gardener and lived with his uncle, who fiercely defended him. Due to the rumors about his violent altercation, he has been shunned and has become the subject of other rumors. While many shunned him, Iris Bennett, adopted daughter of Doctor Leopold Bennett, ignored the rumors and saw the best of Silas, and reaffirmed that every family has something going on. Intentional or not, Iris left behind a poem entitled "The Tyger and the Lamb" that Silas found touching and kept for himself. As Silas works on some gardening, ignoring some nearby students who are discussing him, Iris approaches and invites Silas to a party that her sister is throwing that night. Later, when the bus carrying the delegates returns, Hope realizes that Silas had witnessed her stowing away. After Silas promises not to rat her out, Hope also invites him to her party. Returning to Leo's office, Iris is excited to finally find a message from her father. However, the message reads "my safety not assured" before Silas and Elton enter, having seen Iris walk by the janitor's office. As Iris tries to hide the message, the two boys offer her some cake that they had made using an Easy Bake Oven before Hope arrives and notices that Iris has the cabinet open, even with their classmates present. Iris hands Hope the message, and Hope, warily eying Silas and Elton, is concerned by what Leo might mean when he says that his safety isn't assured. Silas is surprised that their father is sending them messages, and Elton promises that they won't say anything about it. In order to prove that he wi

Returning to Leo's office, Iris is excited to finally find a message from her father. However, the message reads "my safety not assured" before Silas and Elton enter, having seen Iris walk by the janitor's office. As Iris tries to hide the message, the two boys offer her some cake that they had made using an Easy Bake Oven before Hope arrives and notices that Iris has the cabinet open, even with their classmates present. Iris hands Hope the message, and Hope, warily eying Silas and Elton, is concerned by what Leo might mean when he says that his safety isn't assured. Silas is surprised that their father is sending them messages, and Elton promises that they won't say anything about it. In order to prove that he will keep their secret, Elton admits that he regularly sneaks out, which is how he'd found the Easy Bake Oven and why he wears his suit, which he calls bite-proof. Elton explains that he's looking for something that he lost and to see how their world is changing. They now have each other's secrets, and Silas promises that he won't tell anyone either. Iris insists that the message could mean anything or nothing and that the CR has always been very upfront, but Hope reveals that while Kublek claimed that the CRM could only spare one helicopter, there were actually five of them, some of which were carrying shipping containers.

Later, Hope and Iris lay out their plan to go after Leo to Silas and Elton, showing them the route that they have mapped out. Elton points out a couple of flaws in their plan, admitting that he's trying to talk them into letting him go with them, and Silas asks to go as well. Elton states that they need help, and in the time that he has left on this Earth, he wants to mean something and to see the world outside before he's gone, and he knows karate. Accepting this, the girls turn to Silas, who simply tells them that he doesn't want to be the person that everyone at the Campus Colony sees him as. Elton leads the group outside through an old door, and they look out over a river together. Crossing under a fence, the group avoids some immobile walkers nearby and walks through the ruined city, coming upon the wreckage of the plane that was brought down on the Night the Sky Fell and at night, continuing across a bridge where Silas and Elton find the dinosaur fossil that Elton had been looking for which was supposed to be a gift for his sister. Elton explains to Silas that his mother was pregnant with his sister on the Night the Sky Fell; they weren't together at the time that it happened, and Elton never saw her again. Silas apologizes, but Elton tells him not to be, quoting his mother's saying about nature deciding. With the girls calling for them, Elton tells Silas to go on ahead while he places the fossil in his bag and smiles at a picture of his mother.

The next morning, as Hope plays with the S-pole that they stole from Felix, Elton adds his Triceratops horn to Hope's training pole, which Iris excitedly takes for herself as a weapon. Iris happily tells Hope that she was drawing things that she's been thinking about for living in the now, and she didn't have any dreams the night before. As the group continues through an abandoned neighborhood, they spot a lone walker in the distance, and Iris decides to deal with it herself. Excitedly, Iris approaches the walker and raises her weapon, ready to put it down. Iris struggles against the walker, repeatedly stabbing it in the wrong place and making mistakes. Hope calls out to Iris that they're not ready, but Iris insists that she is before her fight causes Iris and the walker to fall down a hole, leaving the walker impaled upon a fallen tree. As the others descend to join them, Iris laughs at the fallen walker, and Hope makes sure that she's alright before berating her sister for her recklessness. Elton takes pictures of the walker and comments upon its different physiology. Retrieving her weapon, Iris once again tries to put it down, but she ends up throwing up on the walker instead. As the group leaves the walker trapped, Hope tells it that she's sorry. The group continues through the ruined city, with Hope and Iris joking about their memories of their childhood there.

After stopping, Silas cleans out his boots and chats with Iris about her fight with the walker and his taste in music. Iris encourages Silas to play some music for them when it's safe to. Silas agrees before Hope interrupts their conversation by bowling into some crates before them. Staring through a pair of binoculars, Iris notices a plume of smoke rising into the sky and, handing the binoculars to Hope, tells her that it's the Blaze while Elton is amazed that the Blaze of Gory is real. As Silas is confused, Iris, Hope, and Elton explain that it's an everlasting fire that has drawn massive amounts of walkers, which Elton explains is the reason that they haven't seen too many walkers in the area. Iris argues for them to at least see if they can pass through the Blaze, as otherwise, they have to detour 60 miles to get around it. Hope reluctantly agrees to check it out, while Elton wants to see it regardless of whether they pass through it or not. As the others leave, Hope secretly leaves behind an empty can of sliced peaches in the middle of the road.

As they continue towards the Blaze, Elton collects a rock and pulls out a can of spray paint, explaining that he can continue Dr. Bavolar's experiments into studying the walkers' migration patterns, and Silas agrees to help him. The group stops in front of a walker that is weirdly covered, only to have a swarm of bees emerge from inside the walker, which they had been using as a beehive. While trying to shake off the bees and flee, the walker comes after Elton, who falls to the ground. Silas steps up to his defense, but he hesitates to use his wrench on the walker and instead helps Elton up, and they flee along with the others. Iris reassures Silas that they've lost the walker, and he admits to being bummed out that he couldn't kill it; he questions why Iris tried to kill hers, and she tells him that she had to, as she's the reason that they're out there, and they will all have to kill one eventually. Spotting a treehouse, Elton stops the group for the night. Inside the treehouse, the group enjoys playing with the bowling ball, Silas with a little reluctance, before they are interrupted by the arrival of the walker that they had earlier encountered. Hope reluctantly agrees to drop her bowling ball on the walker, but while she succeeds in destroying part of its face, she fails to destroy the head completely and put the walker down. As Elton begins looking for something else to throw at it, Silas apologizes for not putting it down earlier. Iris reassures Silas that it's okay, stating that walkers are supposed to get distracted pretty easily and that if it's still around in the morning, they can deal with it then. Elton finds Monopoly in the treehouse, and the group enjoys a game before going to sleep. When Hope returns to bed after fighting the walker, Silas wakes up and asks if she got rid of it, but Hope states that she didn't do anything. Nevertheless, Silas thanks her as it was his mistake for not putting it down earlier, but Hope tells him that it wasn't, but eve

Inside the treehouse, the group enjoys playing with the bowling ball, Silas with a little reluctance, before they are interrupted by the arrival of the walker that they had earlier encountered. Hope reluctantly agrees to drop her bowling ball on the walker, but while she succeeds in destroying part of its face, she fails to destroy the head completely and put the walker down. As Elton begins looking for something else to throw at it, Silas apologizes for not putting it down earlier. Iris reassures Silas that it's okay, stating that walkers are supposed to get distracted pretty easily and that if it's still around in the morning, they can deal with it then. Elton finds Monopoly in the treehouse, and the group enjoys a game before going to sleep. When Hope returns to bed after fighting the walker, Silas wakes up and asks if she got rid of it, but Hope states that she didn't do anything. Nevertheless, Silas thanks her as it was his mistake for not putting it down earlier, but Hope tells him that it wasn't, but even if it was, "that doesn't mean it has to follow you around forever." Silas agrees to keep it a secret and puts his headphones on, and goes back to bed. The next day, the group stops near the Blaze of Gory, and Iris peers at it through their binoculars. At Hope's request, Iris gives her the binoculars while Elton takes a picture with the binoculars showing a smoke-filled bus depot crowded with walkers. Sitting on a tennis court, Hope argues against going into the Blaze, calling what she saw crazy. Elton agrees that the Blaze is quite big, but Iris argues that they can do it. According to their map, there is an airfield on the other side of the Blaze, which is surrounded by a fence, meaning that the walkers coming from the east have to go around it, leaving them a clear path to go through due east. Hope asks about what they will do about the walkers before the fence, but Elton believes that they can evade them by using the buses for cover. Hope points out that

The next day, the group stops near the Blaze of Gory, and Iris peers at it through their binoculars. At Hope's request, Iris gives her the binoculars while Elton takes a picture with the binoculars showing a smoke-filled bus depot crowded with walkers. Sitting on a tennis court, Hope argues against going into the Blaze, calling what she saw crazy. Elton agrees that the Blaze is quite big, but Iris argues that they can do it. According to their map, there is an airfield on the other side of the Blaze, which is surrounded by a fence, meaning that the walkers coming from the east have to go around it, leaving them a clear path to go through due east. Hope asks about what they will do about the walkers before the fence, but Elton believes that they can evade them by using the buses for cover. Hope points out that they've barely survived two encounters with single walkers, let alone a whole herd, but Silas states that they will probably get caught if they go around, and he can't go back. Having come outside to see what the world is start to finish, Elton agrees with Silas as he doesn't intend to finish before he starts. With darkness coming, Iris decides that they'll wait for dawn, when the shadows will be long and they'll have more cover.

Half an hour before dawn, the group begins packing up to go into the Blaze. Before they leave, Hope uses Elton's spray paint to spray paint a message onto the signs outside of the park: "WE WERE HERE - THE ENDLINGS." Entering the bus depot, the group sneaks between the vehicles, but the herd is between them and the exit to the east. As they continue to sneak through the bus depot, the smoke gets a lot thicker, blocking out the sun and making it almost impossible to see, causing the Endlings to get lost. As the herd closes in from all directions, Hope finally spots the fence nearby and they run for it, knocking walkers out of their way. After getting through the fence and blocking it behind them, Iris celebrates that they did it, only for them to find that they have reached the heart of the Blaze with burning tires and more walkers nearby. That night, the Endlings stare at the fire and the building on the other side of it with the sounds of walkers growling. Elton guesses that the airfield must be on the other side of the rest of the Blaze, and Iris is dismayed that she didn't think of there being a rest of the Blaze before, but Hope points out that none of them saw it because it was behind the smoke. Elton proposes an idea that he knows will be unpopular: one of them can manually sound the old tornado siren on the building roof and create a distraction for the rest of them, hopefully escaping themselves afterwards. Elton admits that he wants to send someone in as bait, but Iris rejects the idea as too dangerous, stating that they all came in together and they will all go out together. Silas wonders how, but Iris has no answer, and she admits that Hope was right to question her, as she isn't as ready for this as Iris had believed. While Iris had wanted to be brave like her sister, Hope tells her that she's not brave but rather that she's "a shit person, who does shit things, because I don't give a single shit about anything." On the other hand, Iris had the guts to d

That night, the Endlings stare at the fire and the building on the other side of it with the sounds of walkers growling. Elton guesses that the airfield must be on the other side of the rest of the Blaze, and Iris is dismayed that she didn't think of there being a rest of the Blaze before, but Hope points out that none of them saw it because it was behind the smoke. Elton proposes an idea that he knows will be unpopular: one of them can manually sound the old tornado siren on the building roof and create a distraction for the rest of them, hopefully escaping themselves afterwards. Elton admits that he wants to send someone in as bait, but Iris rejects the idea as too dangerous, stating that they all came in together and they will all go out together. Silas wonders how, but Iris has no answer, and she admits that Hope was right to question her, as she isn't as ready for this as Iris had believed. While Iris had wanted to be brave like her sister, Hope tells her that she's not brave but rather that she's "a shit person, who does shit things, because I don't give a single shit about anything." On the other hand, Iris had the guts to do something big and crazy that meant something to all of them, and she should be proud of herself for that, no matter what. Hope decides that they should get some sleep and that they will all do better with fresh heads. Later, while everyone else is sleeping, Hope sits awake, crying and playing with her bead necklace. Spotting the two radios amongst their belongings, Hope takes her pack and S-Pole, covers her face in a handkerchief, and walks off alone into the Blaze of Gory. In a flashback, Silas sits in the back of an ambulance staring at his bloody and bruised hands while listening to the tape that his grandparents had made for Silas' sixth birthday. The blanket is removed from around Silas' shoulders, and he's handcuffed by the police.

In the present, Hope wakes Silas, Iris, and Elton up over the radio, announcing that they're doing Elton's plan. Iris refuses to let her, but Hope states that she can get to the factory and sound the siren, which is their best chance of getting out alive. Iris points out that they don't know if the tornado siren even works or if they can get it to work, and that they had decided against the plan, but Hope states that Iris had decided. Iris pleads for Hope to come back, but Hope tells her that it's not so bad further in and jokes that Iris' cooking is worse. Hope refuses Iris' pleas to come back, telling her sister that they knew how it was going to have to be when they left, but they did it for their father, and this should be her job. Hope suddenly swears and has to go, and Iris isn't able to raise her on the radio again. In a flashback, Silas and his uncle meet with Felix Carlucci who tells Silas that his uncle has decided to sponsor him at the Campus Colony and that while Omaha is pretty great, he gets a fresh start at the Campus Colony. Felix notes that Silas wants to work with his uncle in the physical plant instead of going to school, and Marco proudly calls Silas "the hardest worker you're ever gonna meet." Felix reassures Silas that if he ever changes his mind, school is still an option for him. Silas remains silent, but his uncle states that they appreciate the opportunity, and he reassures Felix that no matter what anyone says, Silas is a good kid. After a few minutes of trying, Iris finally reaches Hope again, who explains that for a second there, things had gotten hairy. Hope reveals that she's in an office in front of the factory, one that is a straight shot from the entrance with not too many walkers in the way. From there, Hope will be able to use the siren to clear a path to the exit. Iris orders her to wait and that they are on their way, but Hope tells her sister that she will be gone by the time that they arrive and that they just need to get ther

After a few minutes of trying, Iris finally reaches Hope again, who explains that for a second there, things had gotten hairy. Hope reveals that she's in an office in front of the factory, one that is a straight shot from the entrance with not too many walkers in the way. From there, Hope will be able to use the siren to clear a path to the exit. Iris orders her to wait and that they are on their way, but Hope tells her sister that she will be gone by the time that they arrive and that they just need to get there. Hope orders Iris to stay put once they get there, wait until she hears the siren, and then make a run for the exit, where Hope will meet them. Iris tries to get her to wait so that they can go together, but Hope knows that she will move faster and quieter alone, and she insists that Iris just needs to trust her. Iris reluctantly agrees to do as Hope wants, and Hope tells her that she needs to turn off her radio until it's safe. In goodbye, Hope tells Iris to grin and that she loves her. Iris flips Hope off through the radio and claims to be grinning, but Hope knows that she's lying and gets Iris to grin for real.

Studying the factory through the binoculars, Elton reports that he can see the office, which is a straight shot just like Hope had said, but he warns that while most of the walkers are being drawn by the fires to either side, they still might run into a few. Iris decides that they should leave now, and the group gathers their belongings. Elton notices Silas staring worriedly at his wrench, and while Elton hopes that they don't have to kill any, he asks if Silas thinks that he can do it. Flashing back to his bloody hands, Silas doesn't answer, putting away his wrench and offering to carry his friends' bags so that they both can kill should the need arise. When Elton hesitates to give Silas his bag, Silas tells him that he's strong and this is the best he can do for now, and they will also go faster this way. Elton hands over the bag, and the three put handkerchiefs on their faces as makeshift masks in order to protect themselves from the smoke and head out through the tire junkyard towards the office. As the three make their way through the smoke, Silas gets separated from the others and, after a moment, spots what he believes to be them. However, it proves to be a walker who, after a moment, appears to Silas as a man. As Silas shoves the walker to the ground and draws his wrench to put it down, he is hit by flashbacks of a violent altercation in which Silas is beating and slamming somebody into the ground, and he is unable to bring himself to hit the walker. Iris and Felix find him moments later and, although confused by his strange behavior, lead him through the smoke to the office.

Inside the office, a concerned Iris asks if Silas is alright, and he claims that he simply got turned around, obviously shaken up by his experience. Iris decides that until they hear from Hope, they should search the office for anything that they can use. As Elton and Silas start searching, Iris looks out through the window at the growing herd milling around in concern. Going through the office's supplies, Silas stares at a can of food and admits to Iris that his mother used to buy them for him all of the time at Silas' request before the incident that had led him to moving to the Campus Colony. While Silas at first claims that he doesn't miss his mother, he quickly admits that he does sometimes, and Iris admits that she misses her every day. Iris asks Silas what had happened outside, and when she tries to reassure him that it's alright to be scared, Silas tells her that he's not scared, "not of them." Having trouble opening a door, Elton calls out to Silas for help, and when he gets it open, to everyone's shock, Felix and Huck appear on the other side. Felix and Huck demand to know where Hope is, and the group tells them the story, although Iris claims that she had talked her sister into going. Felix asks if it was Silas and Elton who had left the breadcrumbs, and when they are confused, Huck explains that they had found an empty can of peaches on the street and a graffiti sign - the trail one of them had left behind to get Felix and Huck there. Iris denies the fact that Hope would've left those clues behind for the two, as Hope wants to find Leo as much as Iris does. Felix pressures Iris to tell him where Hope has gone and where the siren is, but she refuses, believing that if they go after her, Felix and Huck will only get themselves killed. Iris defiantly states that they have a plan and that this part of it is Hope's. While Iris hates it, right now it is their best chance of getting out of the Blaze alive, and Felix will just have to trust Hope like the rest of

Having trouble opening a door, Elton calls out to Silas for help, and when he gets it open, to everyone's shock, Felix and Huck appear on the other side. Felix and Huck demand to know where Hope is, and the group tells them the story, although Iris claims that she had talked her sister into going. Felix asks if it was Silas and Elton who had left the breadcrumbs, and when they are confused, Huck explains that they had found an empty can of peaches on the street and a graffiti sign - the trail one of them had left behind to get Felix and Huck there. Iris denies the fact that Hope would've left those clues behind for the two, as Hope wants to find Leo as much as Iris does. Felix pressures Iris to tell him where Hope has gone and where the siren is, but she refuses, believing that if they go after her, Felix and Huck will only get themselves killed. Iris defiantly states that they have a plan and that this part of it is Hope's. While Iris hates it, right now it is their best chance of getting out of the Blaze alive, and Felix will just have to trust Hope like the rest of them. Looking out the window, Huck agrees, as there is a herd incoming, and without some kind of distraction, they will never get out alive. As Felix and Huck talk to each other quietly, Elton reassures Silas that they can still get out of this and that it's not over, but Silas states that he knows that it will now go the same way that it always goes.

In a flashback, Silas listens to music while mopping Leo Bennett's lab's floor before noticing two girls staring at him from outside, muttering to each other about Silas before leaving. Silas spots a picture of Leo, Hope, and Iris on Leo's desk, and he is drawn to it. Iris enters, and Silas quickly puts the picture down, wiping away tears, and Iris explains that the lab belongs to her father and she had left her English literature homework there. Promising to leave Silas alone, Iris collects her homework and starts to leave, before changing her mind and explaining to Silas that Leo had left a week before for "this Alliance science exchange thing" with the Civic Republic. Iris admits that she doesn't know where Leo went or when he'll be back, but while Hope is mad at their father, she just misses him. Noting that every family has something, Iris leaves, dropping a piece of paper as she goes. Silas picks it up, but he sees no sign of Iris outside. Looking at the paper, Silas sees that it's a copy of the poem The Tyger.

As the group waits to hear from Hope, Felix looks out the window at the large herd milling about and questions why Hope, who had wanted Felix and Huck to find them, would suddenly go on an apparent suicide mission into the Blaze. Iris explains that it's to spare Iris the responsibility of having to do it herself, and she admits that while she doesn't know what's going on with Hope, it's not just about their father. To the interest of everyone, Silas admits that he thinks that he knows why: at the treehouse, the walker hadn't gone away by itself but rather Hope had led it away and then she had told Silas not to tell anyone else as well as the fact that their mistakes shouldn't have to follow them. When Felix wonders about the point of this, Silas quickly states that it's because sometimes their mistakes do follow them, and he thinks that Hope has done something that she feels bad about. Huck asks if Silas is out there because he's trying to get away from the things that he's done, but Felix admonishes Huck for her harsh words, while Silas walks away, followed by Iris. Alone, Silas tells Iris that he shouldn't have come with them because he has to be different and strong, but he's not strong in the way that he wants to be. Flashing back to the violent altercation, Silas states that what he is and has done is why he shouldn't and can't be strong in the way that he wants to be. Iris admits that her sister is going through something, and Iris has no idea what it is. Iris doesn't feel strong; all she wants is for her sister to be okay. While Iris doesn't care about Hope or Silas' mistakes, he tells Iris that she should. Silas sits down, and Iris wonders what he's so afraid of. Staring at his shaking hands, Silas once again remembers the violent altercation, and he admits that Iris that what he's really afraid of is himself.

In a flashback, Silas walks through a high school hallway listening to music before his tape player suddenly fails. As Silas tries to fix it, he hears a couple of nearby students discussing their disbelief that he was let in there and that they have walls in order to keep the monsters out. In the present, Silas angrily bangs his fist on the table, making a dent and startling Elton and Iris. Suddenly, Hope contacts the others and informs them that she found the siren, but the crank was broken, so she took the whole thing apart, and now she can't figure out how to put it back together again. Iris gives the radio to Felix, who demands to know where she is. Hope is surprised to hear from Felix, who tells her that Huck is with him, too. However, Hope refuses to tell Felix where to find him, which would put him in even more danger. Hope resumes work on the siren and tells Felix that the second she sounds the siren, it'll clear a path for them, but they need to haul ass. Elton is confused by Hope's terminology and, annoyed, Hope orders him to just run to the exit, and she promises to meet them there. Hope has Felix give the radio back to Iris, and Iris reassures her that she can do this, just like when they were kids. Hope asks Iris to promise not to come back for her if she doesn't make it to the exit in time, and Iris makes that promise because she's sure that Hope is going to make it. Hope states that she wishes that she hadn't had a stupid fight with Leo before he left, and that while she still wants to find him and see him, she didn't think that they'd be any good to him dead. Iris knows and promises that they will talk about it and make it out of the Blaze, and she orders Hope to haul ass to the exit, or Iris will kill Hope herself. Agreeing to no goodbyes, Iris flips Hope off again through the radio, which Hope appreciates, while Elton finally understands what she meant by haul ass.

Felix orders everybody to get ready to move while Huck provides Silas and Elton with some extra masks that she and Felix had brought along. A distressed Silas tells Elton that he doesn't think that he can do it, but Elton and Iris express confidence in him. Elton hands Silas his bag, and as Hope begins sounding the tornado siren, the group heads for an exit at the rear of the office. With the siren drawing most of the herd to the wall of the factory, the group runs through the mostly cleared path, Felix and Huck putting down a few walkers that get in their way with their S-Poles. As Silas runs, he remembers reading The Tyger after work and while waiting for the others near the exit, he remembers Felix's promise that he would get a fresh start, along with happy memories with his new friends. However, while putting down a walker, Huck knocks into a wall of tires, causing it to collapse. Silas holds it up while the others rush through the gap between it and the wall next to it. Elton suddenly runs back through for his bag and gets back just in time before the wall collapses, the tires forming a blockade that prevents the herd from following the Endlings any further.

After escaping from the Blaze, the Endlings relax on a dock while laying most of their clothes out, where Silas naps and Elton fishes. Later, as the Endlings eat, Felix approaches and tells them that they should pack up and leave. Iris questions where he wants to go, and Felix informs them that they aren't going back through the Blaze, and with the other options on foot not being much better, they head up to Omaha and resupply. The group can then return to the Campus Colony with the next transfer in about two weeks. However, Iris refuses to go back, and Silas backs her up, telling Felix that this is the fresh start that he had promised him. Felix tells Silas that his uncle is worried sick about him, but while Silas misses his uncle, Silas believes that he's supposed to be out there, and his uncle would want him to be where Silas is supposed to be. Elton declares that he's where he's supposed to be, too, and Hope agrees with the others. Hope tells Felix that if he really wants to keep his promise to their father, he will help the Endlings find him. Leo is in New York, and Kublek has given them the map. Felix already knows this, but he's convinced that the Endlings are only going to get themselves killed trying like they nearly did back at the Blaze. Hope implores both Felix and Huck to come with them then, telling Felix that while he keeps saying that there's nothing that he can do to help their dad, he can help the Endlings help him. However, they are going with or without Felix's help or approval. Huck agrees that Hope has a point, telling Felix that they can't turn them around at least for the moment and that all they can do right now is to keep them safe "till there's something more we can do." While he's not happy, Felix reluctantly agrees and walks away.

Later, Felix leads the Endlings, now including Felix and Huck, in continuing their journey. As they walk, Silas listens to another taped message from his grandparents where his grandfather quotes Pastor Ridgway about how God loves even the hardest people with problems, and he doesn't give up on them. Iris walks back to Silas and bandages the hand that he had injured holding the wall of tires up. Sharing his blanket with Iris, Silas continues walking, listening to his grandmother adding her opinion to that of his grandfather's. Walking down a path, Elton tells Iris that based on the coded map that she was given, the Civic Republic Research Facility is somewhere in New York, but she points out that they don't know where exactly it is yet. Felix calls out that it's all the more reason to turn around, but Hope simply calls it a nice try. Iris states that they might've taken a wrong turn, but this path should still lead to the interstate. Felix states that the bad news is that they are almost out of supplies, and rain is coming. Huck states that it would've been one thing if the waystation that Will mentioned had panned out, but it didn't. Silas reassures the others that they will figure something out, surprising her with his smiling even in this situation.

Elton wonders where the Civic Republic itself is, but Iris points out that it's called the Hidden City for a reason and states that she had always pictured it as being underground. Elton agrees with her, but he points out that they refine their own fuel, fly helicopters, and grow their own crops, which can't all be done underground. Iris points out their research facility, where Leo is located, isn't actually where they are, and that maybe the Civic Republic does all of that other stuff elsewhere, too. Elton states that, regardless, the Civic Republic's high resource output suggests that they have a large population, which causes their security approach of not saying where they are to be understandable. Hope calls it shady, which Elton agrees with, along with the fact that the messages from Leo are certainly a cause for concern. However, if the Civic Republic has technology and agriculture, and sophisticated governmental systems, it would be smart to stay hidden even if it makes others question their motives. Elton concludes that they should feel lucky that the Civic Republic hasn't taken over or taken things. Hope states that they don't know that, but Felix insists that they do since they trade with the Civic Republic, as does Portland, and Huck reminds the group of their joint protection agreements. Iris simply states that the CRM has their father, and Felix acknowledges that they don't know anything about them at all. "Ergo the long walk, Champ," Hope sarcastically quips to Felix. The others walk ahead of the two adults, and Iris finds and breaks the chain on a gate leading into a high school. Felix suggests that a place like this, which is hidden from the world, could be a good place to find supplies, while Huck points out that it could also be a good place to ride out the rain, and Iris is excited about the idea of being inside a real high school for the first time.

Elton and Silas enter the auditorium with a large round trophy, which Elton says they can use to collect rainwater. Entering, Felix tells the others that the school is huge with no sign of any walkers, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any around. Huck states that their priorities are food, clothes for Hope, and anything that they can use to collect water, as they can take advantage of the downpour outside for that. Huck agrees that the trophy that Elton and Silas have found is a good idea for catching rain, and Iris suggests that they should split up in order to cover more ground. When Felix and Huck hesitate, Iris states that they can handle themselves, and she quotes Felix's own words in class right back at him. Amused, Felix agrees and orders Silas to keep his radio on and takes Elton with him to collect water. Hope tries to talk to Iris as they haven't really spoken since the docks, and she promises that they can talk later and states that she and Silas will take the first floor. Felix orders the others to keep their eyes open and their weapons drawn, and to run if they see any walkers, and to be careful. The Endlings split up, with Hope pairing off with Huck, although she's not happy that her sister is avoiding her.

Silas and Iris enter the school's gym, which is set up for a party. While Iris looks through an old cooler, Silas sees is startled when a walker bangs on another set of doors. Silas reassures Iris that the door is holding and that it's okay, and the two resume their search. On a banner on the ground, Iris sees that it was the school's Sadie Hawkins dance, and Silas suggests that "Sadie Hawkins" must've been someone who had gone to school there. Iris picks up some painting supplies before dismissing them as not being useful. However, Silas disagrees with her assessment and places a couple of paintbrushes and tubes of paint into Iris' backpack. Iris suggests that they'll have better luck checking out the teacher's lounge down the hall, but she and Silas are unable to open the doors that they had come through. Checking it out, Silas determines that water damage has caused the door to get stuck for good. Iris asks for Silas' radio and calls for Felix, getting a little more frantic as the sound of the walker banging gets louder, but she is unable to reach him. Silas suggests that the batteries are dead, but when he checks them, Silas discovers that they are corroded instead.

Sitting on the bleachers, Iris looks at another picture of Sabina in the yearbook, and Silas suggests that, if need be, they can make their way past the walker and upstairs, which Iris agrees with. The two enjoy a couple of cans of soda that Silas had found under the bleachers, and Iris wonders if the students knew how good they had it with dances, sodas, art class, and the freedom to be whoever they wanted to be. Silas asks if Iris hadn't had all of those things back at the Campus Colony, and Iris admits that she wishes that she knew then what she knows now so that she wouldn't have put so much pressure on herself to make up for everything and live for everybody else. Silas asks what she means by making up for everything, but Iris dodges the question. Iris tells Silas that she definitely would've gone to more dances, and she wouldn't have been afraid to just have fun. Iris drapes a veil around her neck as Silas asks about her art, telling Iris that she's an artist, but she's different now, leading the Endlings. Iris despondently states that she's trying, but Silas reassures Iris that she is. Iris tells Silas that he's different now, too, and reminds Silas of what he did back at the Blaze. Silas admits that he knows how people talk about him, but Iris calls those people stupid. Silas points out that it's most people, but Iris is unconcerned. Silas tells Iris that if people talked about him and what they thought he did, Silas would hear it over and over all day in his head, but he doesn't with the Endlings, and Iris is pleased by this.

At Iris' request, Silas plays her a song on his tape player. Iris laughs about his choice of music, the waltz, and Silas states that it was his grandmother's favorite. Laughing, Iris decides that she likes the music. Playing with a couple of pieces of fabric, Iris muses on what dances before the world ended must've been like and how glamorous they were. Silas shares a memory of being taken by his grandmother to a dance at the Senior Center when he was only four, and how it was not so glamorous. Iris convinces Silas to dance with her and, after an awkward start, they waltz together through the gym, imagining themselves as part of the dance that was supposed to have occurred there. As Iris and Silas finish dancing, Elton spots them through a window in the gym. Felix calls out to the two, but the door is stuck, and Iris tells him that there's no way of opening it. Iris and Silas inform Felix that there's a back way out that leads to the basement, but there's a walker there. Felix decides that he and Elton will go down and come back up through the other door, and he will take care of the walker for them. However, Felix needs them to stay put until then, as there is something else roaming the hallways, and he doesn't think that it's friendly. Elton and Felix then leave to find the basement.

As Iris and Silas wait for Felix and Elton to return, they hear a howling noise before the wolf that has been stalking the school starts snarling and trying to get through a grate in the wall. With no other choice, the two open the doors to the basement, lure the walker into the gym, and then escape downstairs. In the basement, Silas finds a flare to light their way, but they encounter a few more walkers. Fighting them off, Iris and Silas manage to escape into the fallout shelter and lock the door, only to find more walkers trapped inside lockers in the shelter. The two make their way through the fallout shelter, but they find the door on the other end locked, and a walker breaks free from the locker that it's trapped in. As Iris bangs on the door, she catches the attention of her sister and Huck, who are gathering supplies in the pantry on the other side. Huck begins working on getting the door open while Iris calls out to her sister that they need to get the door open, as there are walkers in the shelter, and it's about to get bad. Huck promises that they are going to get the two out of there and orders her to hang on. As the walker approaches them, Silas tells Iris that it's coming and "they always keep coming." Iris shoves the walker backwards with her weapon and Silas puts it down by impaling the walker through the head with the sharp end of his wrench. As another walker breaks free of its locker, Silas stares at his wrench and remembers flashes of the violent altercation, sitting in the back of the ambulance, and Felix promising him a fresh start while snippets of people saying that even Silas' own mother had testified against him, they can't believe that he was let into the Campus Colony, and that he should be in jail for what he did runs through his mind. Flying into a rage, Silas screams and charges the walker, knocking it to the ground. Throwing aside his wrench, Silas begins bashing the walker's head in with his bare fists while Iris yells for him to stop

As the walker approaches them, Silas tells Iris that it's coming and "they always keep coming." Iris shoves the walker backwards with her weapon and Silas puts it down by impaling the walker through the head with the sharp end of his wrench. As another walker breaks free of its locker, Silas stares at his wrench and remembers flashes of the violent altercation, sitting in the back of the ambulance, and Felix promising him a fresh start while snippets of people saying that even Silas' own mother had testified against him, they can't believe that he was let into the Campus Colony, and that he should be in jail for what he did runs through his mind. Flying into a rage, Silas screams and charges the walker, knocking it to the ground. Throwing aside his wrench, Silas begins bashing the walker's head in with his bare fists while Iris yells for him to stop. The others finally break in, and as Felix puts down the other walkers, Elton tries to stop his best friend. Caught up in his rage, Silas throws Elton to the ground and continues pounding on the walker's head even after it's dead until Felix manages to break through to him. Everyone stares at Silas in shock while Silas, staring at his own shaking hands, apologizes to his friends.

Later, Silas sits in shock at his actions, his face and hands covered in the dead walker's blood. Iris approaches her friend with a damp cloth, trying to clean off his face, but Silas leans away from her touch. With everyone ready to go, Silas tells Iris that they should leave him there, but she refuses. Silas points out that he'd hurt Elton, but Iris states that it was an accident, and Elton knows that. Silas knows that Iris has heard what people used to say about him and asks if she honestly thinks that he killed his dad. Iris interrupts Silas, telling him that it doesn't matter and that maybe she could've taken care of the walker herself, and that maybe he should've let her, but he's saved them twice now, which is what matters. Silas allows Iris to help him up, and he leaves the bunker. In the auditorium, Felix checks that Silas, now cleaned up, is good, which he confirms. Patting Silas on the shoulder, Elton reassures his best friend that he is, before having the Endlings line up for a group picture together, much to the surprise and teasing of Iris, due to Elton only ever using his camera to document things. Elton smiles at a sign for Daiquiritown on the side of the road. As the others walk by him, Iris and Silas, talking and laughing, Elton turns and follows his friends, smiling at Iris and Silas' jovial mood. Elton looks back at Felix, who gives him a nod as they continue their journey.

That night, as the Endlings camp, Huck proposes that for now, they divide and conquer, and she explains to the group that she's going to spend the next day or two scouting ahead. Their intel is weak for this side of the river, and they are only as solid as their intel. Hope is surprised that Huck is going off on her own, but she promises to be back within 48 hours at the most, and until then, they are in good hands with Felix. With a pat on the shoulder to Felix, Huck ducks under the netting strung around the camp and leaves on her scouting mission. A little while later, the group is disturbed by a branch breaking nearby, and Elton and Hope rejoin the group. Believing it to be a walker, Iris goes to take care of it with Hope, Silas, and Elton right behind her. However, a boy emerges from the woods instead, holding a stick. Aiming his stick at the Endlings, the boy demands that they stay back as Hope tries to get answers from him. The argument turns into a standoff before Felix comes up from behind and holds the boy at gunpoint. Felix forces the boy to disarm himself and sends Elton and Silas to check the perimeter just in case there is anyone else with the boy. Iris pats him down for weapons, and the boy insists that he was alone and taking a leak in the bushes when he heard voices. Hope asks if he intended to rob them while Hope determines that the boy is unarmed. Iris asks where his food is, but the boy tells them that he doesn't have anything. Silas and Elton confirm that there are no signs of anyone else, and the boy introduces himself as Percy.

Iris invites Percy to have something to eat, and he tells them a story about two guys that he had met, Mike and Tony, who had robbed Percy a couple of days before. They had gone to a settlement that they'd heard was friendly to newcomers, but they had heard wrong. Hope sarcastically suggests that the people there might've just not liked Percy, but Percy ignores her and explains that they had found a place to camp out, and when he woke up, Mike, Tony, and his stuff were all gone. Percy thinks that they are in Andersonville down the road, and he intends to go there and get his stuff back. Felix suggests that Percy just be grateful that they left him with his life and move on, but Percy responds that "this isn't a vigilante type deal and it ain't about the principle of it all either. Some things just can't be replaced," which Elton understands. A little while later, Silas goes over to where Felix is stretching out extra netting around the camp, which Felix explains is an extra precaution just in case Percy is lying and his friends show up. Looking at where the others are laughing with Percy, Silas suggests that they can just give him some of their supplies now so that he can go, but Felix points out that Percy doesn't seem to be in a rush to leave.

That night, Iris leans against Hope as Percy and Tony set up a shadow puppet show, but she is still obviously upset when she sees Percy. Watching Percy, Silas comments to Felix that some people make it look easy starting over. Iris admits to Hope that she wishes that she knew which part of Percy is the lie and which is real, but Hope calls Percy the same as them, everyone having parts that they want people to see and other parts that they want to hide, but it's all real. Percy and Tony put on a show depicting the end of the world, which the Endlings enjoy, although they grow somewhat more somber, and Hope starts silently crying as the story gets sadder and sadder. Hopping out of the truck after they arrive at their destination, Huck tosses the boots that she took from Dawson to Silas, who is surprised that she managed to find him 13 and a half-sized boots. Huck notices Hope sitting on some nearby stairs holding Amelia's manuscript and watching Tony teach Elton a magic trick. Huck smiles as she watches Tony and Elton, but her smile drops as she turns and looks at where Hope is watching them. That night, Tony dramatically presents a CRM map to the Endlings, which has no landmarks designated or points of interest labeled. While the map, to all appearances, looks to be useless, looks can be deceiving. Percy brings his uncle a wooden box with a few plastic squares, and Tony holds one up, explaining that when Percy first discovered them in the truck, they had reminded Tony of the colored lenses that he used in his Prism of Light illusion. As a result, Tony has discovered that you set the squares up at proper distances, shine a beam of light through them, and symbols appear on the map, in this case, oil drops, which Tony identifies as hidden CRM fuel caches and all of the gas that they need. Percy adds that the ones that he and Tony have hit so far have mostly just been shacks with landing pads, and they were all unmanned and unguarded, where helicopters touch down, refuel

Upstairs, Percy offers Elton, Silas, Hope, and Iris a drink, which everyone but Silas accepts. Hope calls it not as good as her own, but agrees that they should party. Taking seats in a circle, Percy gives Iris some gloves for her cold hands and suggests that they play truth or dare. When Iris chooses truth, Percy asks what she would do right now if she could, and Iris responds that she would hit the Louvre and see some good art, but Percy fakes falling asleep out of boredom as Iris starts to go into more detail. Laughing, Iris insists that the Louvre has the best art in the world, and, although she knows that it probably isn't even standing anymore and that even if it were, she doubts that she'd ever get to see it, Iris still dreams of going there, which Percy calls fair enough. The Endlings, aside from Silas, share a toast to dreaming and never saying never, while Silas only just watches Iris and Percy. As the game continues, Hope chooses truth, and Percy interjects to ask her what the worst thing that Hope has ever done is. Defensively, Hope asks what kind of question it is and points out that it isn't even Percy's turn. Percy presses her and, taking a drink, Iris tells him that back at the university, she locked the faculty bathroom and spiked the teachers' coffeemaker with laxatives. Everyone but Percy laughs with Iris, confirming that Hope really did do that. However, Percy isn't satisfied, and he asks Hope for the truth; while she insists that it is the truth, Percy doesn't buy it, asking if Hope thinks that she can con a conman. Percy continues to press Hope, and Silas angrily orders him to stop. Having had enough, Hope tells Percy that the worst thing that she's ever done is agree to play the game, and she storms off, followed by Elton. Percy insists that he was just playing around, and Iris tells him that Hope knows.

In the Civic Republic, Silas stands with Jadis in her office, and she thanks him for coming in. Silas knows that Jadis heard about what he did, and Jadis acknowledges it, noting that shooting Huck's treasonous husband in the face must've been quite the ordeal. Silas tells Jadis that Dennis was trying to force him into something that Silas didn't want to be a part of, and Dennis got what he deserved. Jadis asks if Silas knows that his friends were a part of the mutiny too, but Silas states that he had been banished from the group while going cross-country, and they were never his friends. Jadis calls it a convincing story, but she knows that Dennis put Silas up to killing him to try and save Silas. Despite Silas' denials, Jadis knows that she's right. However, what matters is that Silas actually went through with it after killing his own father and Silas' mother abandoning him for it. That takes strength that the CRM could use. Jadis has heard that Silas is interested in their military, and she asks if that was a lie, too. Silas tells her that it wasn't and that he thinks that he'd make a good soldier. Jadis admits that she thinks that Silas would make a great one, and she offers to start Silas off in basic training immediately and to take him on as her own special project. Silas agrees, but he tells Jadis that she's wrong about him: he believes in the CRM. However, Silas doesn't have to convince Jadis, who claims to see him for who he really is, even if Silas doesn't yet, but Jadis promises that he will. Jadis can't wait for Silas to see who he's gonna become. Together, Silas and Jadis look out the window at the Civic Republic and soldiers running around the lawn in front of them.