Season 6, Episode 6:
Bury Her Next to Jasper's Leg
Directed by Sharat Raju
June and Sarah are now running a mobile clinic, but they have no good luck saving people, including the death of a man from a burst appendix that they tried to operate on. June is reunited with John, who tries to convince her to flee to his cabin with him, but they are interrupted by a message from Luciana about a disaster in Tank Town due to the explosion of a new well.
Virginia, John, June, Sarah, Luciana and the Pioneers fight to save survivors of the disaster, but a spray-painted message that reads "THE END IS THE BEGINNING" convinces Virginia that it was not an accident. Upon realizing and finding the art supplies of an injured Wes, Virginia tortures him for answers, believing he is responsible before being taken away by June.
However, June and Virginia get caught in an explosion, and Virginia gets attacked by a walker who manages to bite her hand. June hesitates to amputate her hand, blaming Virginia for the deaths of the workers, but Virginia insists there is a greater threat than her and that her methods are oriented to protect the people of her communities. June decides to save Virginia, who agrees to give June her own hospital. Tank Town is destroyed, and as a consequence, June refuses to leave with John and instead intends to build her hospital with the help of Luciana, Sarah, Wes, and Wendell. Though devastated by June's choice, John decides to implement his escape plan on his own.
Tropes:
- Foreshadowing: Virginia suspecting Wes of being loyal to the cultists based on his art supplies comes around later in the season when his brother Derek turns out to be a member of the death cult. Even moreso in Season 7 when Wes goes off the deep end, becoming an antagonist as well.
- Greater-Scope Villain: As Virginia points out, the people writing "THE END IS THE BEGINNING" are a background threat who may be worse than her given how fatalistic they are.
- Villains Want Mercy: The ruthless, violent Virginia who frequently refuses to give any quarter to enemies or allies alike is left begging June to save her from her walker bite.
