The Suicide King (The Walking Dead)

"The Suicide King"
The Walking Dead episode
The group leave Woodbury with the rescued Daryl and Merle.
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 9
Directed by	Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by	Evan Reilly
Original air date	February 10, 2013 (2013-02-10)
Guest appearance(s)
Emily Kinney as Beth Greene Lew Temple as Axel Dallas Roberts as Milton Mamet Chad L. Coleman as Tyreese Williams Sonequa Martin-Green as Sasha Williams Jose Pablo Cantillo as Caesar Martinez Alexa Nikolas as Haley Melissa Ponzio as Karen Tyler Chase as Ben Travis Love as Shumpert Daniel Thomas May as Allen E. Roger Mitchell as Paul
Episode chronology
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The Walking Dead (season 3) List of The Walking Dead episodes

"The Suicide King" is the ninth episode and mid-season premiere of the third season, and 28th episode overall of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. It was directed by Lesli Linka Glatter and written by Evan Reilly, and aired on AMC in the United States on February 10, 2013. The episode's first airing was the most-watched episode of the series and beat several ratings records for a basic cable series.

Brothers Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Merle (Michael Rooker) are forced to fight to the death for the entertainment of the residents of Woodbury, despite Andrea (Laurie Holden)'s protests to The Governor (David Morrissey). As they wrestle, Merle discreetly tells Daryl to follow his lead as walkers are herded into the arena. Suddenly, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) appear, throw a smoke bomb into the arena and help Daryl and Merle to escape through a breach in Woodbury's fence. On rejoining Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) nearby, Merle's past interactions antagonize the group, particularly when he reveals that he had brought Michonne and Andrea there. Rick forbids Merle from returning with them to the prison, and Daryl refuses to leave his brother's side, and they set off on their own. As the others return to the prison, Rick tells Michonne that she will also have to leave once her injuries are treated. Glenn accosts Rick for the failure of their mission, not only failing to bring back Daryl but forgoing the opportunity to assassinate The Governor.