At the end of last season of The Walking Dead, when Maggie (Lauren Cohan) arrived to help out with the Whisperers, she brought back-up. Of her ranks, the badass, sickle-wielding slasher stood out the most, rocking a hockey mask and moving with ninja-like speed and reflexes.

Now, with the Season 10 bonus episodes unraveling, fans are seeing just how this soldier, Elijah, is being positioned and it’s similar to how Glenn was with Rick — a young but trusted ally. And interestingly enough, in “Home Sweet Home,” the show provides an origin story for Elijah, and it’s a heartbreaking one that resonates with one character.

Daryl’s in awe of how Maggie’s got this small military unit in play, opting to accompany her to get to her camp. Kelly, though, wants to tag along because she’s still hoping she can find her missing sister, Connie, who was lost after Alpha’s antics in the cave during the Whisperer War. But as they make the trek, something’s clearly haunting Elijah, and it’s only revealed when Kelly breaks ranks.

They spend the night in some containers at a yard after killing the walkers, but Kelly’s not on duty the next morning. They track her to an abandoned bus where she’s seeking clues regarding Connie. Maggie’s upset, but Daryl sticks up for Kelly, revealing what happened to her sister. When Elijah scales the bus and throws a jacket down for Kelly to inspect, Maggie then admits he lost his sister, too.

At this point, Kelly’s grateful for the compassion and empathy Maggie showed and the warmth of  Elijah. However, things get cranked up a notch, when the group comes face-to-face with a sniper from the Reapers, who starts picking off the crew one by one. Elijah’s with Kelly, but when they have to make a run for it, he’s frozen stiff. Kelly quickly realizes Elijah lost his sister in a fight like this, so she unmasks him, revealing a young man who’s scared for his life.

She comforts him, looking into his eyes to rebuild his confidence before they scamper off. Maggie and Daryl’s team eventually win the battle, and later that night, Elijah comes into the container again as they’re heading back to the alliance, heartbroken that the Reapers burned their camp. But rather than be scared and despondent over losing his home, he gives Kelly something to eat.

It could be a new romance brewing, but even if it’s not, Maggie’s proud. Later on, she tells Daryl how much it means to her for Elijah to have someone, mostly because he’s lost so much and is suffering trauma. Elijah’s like a son to Maggie and she wants to find him and her son, Hershel, a new home, which is why she’s hoping the alliance’s teens take to them. Thankfully, from the way Kelly’s getting close to Elijah, that shouldn’t be a problem.