'The Walking Dead' Season Two Finale Recap: Who Dies, Who Appears, And What Do They Discover?

Warning: Contains Spoilers

Over the river and through the woods to Hershel's farm they go. They walkers know the way for a murderous slay ...

The season-two finale of The Walking Dead immediately answered fans' questions about how the herd of walkers stumbled upon Hershel's farm. Panning to the overrun city of Atlanta, a helicopter sweeping above it seemed to have caught the walkers' attention, driving them to follow the sound.

Hundreds, but more likely thousands, of walkers charge toward what happens to be Hershel's farm. The audience witnesses their power in numbers, as they stupidly walk into a sturdy wooden fence, trying to get through. The force of their bodies breaks down the fence, letting them continue on their way to their forthcoming destructive journey. It's the shot fired during the struggle between Shane (Jon Bernthal) and Rick (Andrew Lincoln) last week that directs the walkers to the survivors' safe haven.

While the walkers slowly march toward the survivors, Daryl (Norman Reedus) returns to tell everyone about Randall (Michael Zegen) and his theory that Shane killed him. Meanwhile, Rick has to explain to Carl (Chandler Riggs) what happened with Shane. As Carl asks -- How did Shane die? -- the audience can't help but think, HOW DO YOU NOT SEE THOSE WALKERS BEHIND YOU? Luckily for Rick, he gets to avoid Carl's question when he finally notices the herd marching toward them.

Around the same time that Rick and Carl notice the walkers, so do Daryl and Andrea (Laurie Holden), as they look on in disbelief from the house. Considering their options, Daryl tells the others that a herd that size will rip the house down.

While plans are being made inside the farmhouse, Rick and Carl lock themselves in the barn, in an attempt to escape the walkers. It's at this point that viewers can't help but think Lori must be the worst mom ever. With the walkers coming toward the house, she finally realizes that Carl is missing.

The group begins making moves while still undecided on whether to abandon the farm or fight for it. Hershel (Scott Wilson) has his mind already made up, though: You can go if you want. This is my farm -- I'll die here. Daryl places his humor on the table while stepping up as a leader of the group, All right, it's as good a night as any.

In the barn, Rick and Carl plan their escape by throwing gasoline on the floor to burn, or at least distract, the walkers.

As Daryl leads a group of vehicles to kill walkers, and drive them away from the farm, he realizes that the fire could be a sign that Rick and Carl are stuck in the barn. Jimmy (James Allen McCune) is sent in the RV to the burning barn, and he manages to get Rick and Carl out alive, but unfortunately gets eaten alive in the process.

Jimmy isn't the only original farm resident to come face-to-flesh with the walkers. As the women try to flee their overrun farm, Patricia (Jane McNeill) gets snatched up by walkers, turning into their late-night snack.

Carol (Melissa Suzanne McBride) also faces a close call with death, but is saved by Andrea, who takes down the walkers who were close to feasting on her. In the midst of saving Carol, Andrea gets left behind, being forced to do the only thing she can do -- run.

Hershel also has a close call with death while shooting the walkers invading his farm, but is saved by Rick. It's my farm, he tells Rick, fighting against leaving. Not anymore, counters Rick. Dragging Hershel away with them, Rick and Carl escape the farm. Carol and Daryl are close behind as he whisks her away on his motorcycle. Everyone alive has currently escaped the farm, except Andrea.

As the barn collapses, everyone on the run begins to stress. Did you see my dad? Did he make it? Maggie (Lauren Cohan) hysterically asks Glenn. It's in this moment that Glenn finally tells Maggie that he loves her. It's been true for a long time, he tells her.

Rick and his two survivors go to the highway where they lost Sophia at the beginning of the season. The group had originally made plans to meet there in the case of emergency. As the horror and danger of the events that just occurred sinks in, the gang's original plan seems to be falling short from everyone's mind.

I hate to say it, but they're on their own, T-Dog (IronE Singleton) tells Lori and Beth, as he drives in the opposite direction of the highway. It's only upon Lori threatening to jump out of the car that T-Dog finally turns around.

Viewers finally realize how amazingly quick everyone gives up and drops their emergency plans when something horrific occurs. The every man for himself mentality really kicked in this episode.

While for a minute it seems the group is ready to abandon each other, Daryl and Carol make it to the highway point with the others right behind. It may appear that the survivors haven't given up on each other, but Daryl's suggestion to go back for Andrea quickly gets shot down.

Traveling away from the highway site, the group eventually runs out of gas on a side road, prompting an argument that continues to drive a wedge between the survivors. Rick wants everyone to stay on the road overnight, and then search for gas and supplies in the morning. They're migrating or something, Glenn tells the group, fearing that more walkers will stumble upon them at night.

The group's overnight safety becomes less of a concern when discussion turns to Randall's walker-absent turning, and Shane's death.

We're all infected, Rick says, slapping the group with his words. What? Daryl says, encompassing what the others, and fans, are thinking. Jenner told me. Whatever it is, we all carry it, says Rick about the CDC doctor.

I thought it best if people didn't know, Rick says to his group of survivors, who are increasingly growing angrier.

Feeling like he needs to continue releasing guilt of his chest, an isolated Rick tells Lori about Shane. I killed him. I killed Shane. He came at me, killed Randall to get me into the woods. He planned it. I had no choice, I gave him every chance, and he kept leading me further out. He pushed me, and I let him. After a while, I knew what he was doing, what he was up to, and I kept going. I didn't stop. I could have, but I just wanted it over.

Audience members were shocked by Lori's reaction. A couple weeks ago, it seemed that Lori had practically told Rick to kill Shane, but now Lori seems to be changing her mind a little too late.

While Lori pushes Rick away, Andrea is still running in the woods, and has gotten herself in a situation in which she can't push a walker away. It's here where fans catch a first glimpse of the much-anticipated comic-book character, Michonne. She appears in the woods to rescue Andrea, wearing a hooded cloak with two armless walkers chained to her.

With Lori no longer at his side, Rick is standing alone at the group's makeshift campsite for the night. We're not safe with him, Carol says to Daryl about Rick, but he disagrees. Nah, he's done all right with me, Daryl counters. But in the last couple of minutes of the final episode, Rick doesn't seem to want anyone on his side.

After telling the doubting group they should leave if they want to, no one goes. No takers, fine. But let's get one thing straight, if you're staying, this isn't a democracy anymore. Rick has pretty much turned into a monster, but while viewers are thinking over Rick's new dark side, a major distraction ends the second season of the Walking Dead.

A short distance from the group's temporary camp is a prison.