AMC’s The Walking Dead had to postpone its Season 10 finale, leaving its latest episode as the finale further notice. In this final entry, Daryl (Norman Reedus) takes young Judith (Cailey Fleming) out on patrol around the hospital after the latest battle and overall war on Alexandria with the Whisperers put them on the run.

However, as Daryl takes the reins, which he has been doing since Rick Grimes’ death, Judith makes a great point by calling him out. But as she questions him about the way he, and many other leaders, have operated, she may have started a crisis that could well be the alliance’s most important yet.

The discussion comes after Daryl spots and shoots a Whisperer in the forest, whom he then finds in a ditch. She’s unmasked, mortally wounded and begs him not to put an arrow in her head as she wants to live out her days as a zombie. The woman even gives up the Whisperers’ plan to attack Oceanside, but Daryl swiftly pays her back by shooting her through the skull. Judith’s stunned and proceeds to question his merciless attitude.

She and Daryl eventually have a pow-wow to rebuild trust as he lets her know over the years, they’ve had to take severe actions to protect themselves. People like him, Michonne, Maggie and even Father Gabriel needed to toughen up, but Judith gently scolds him because you can tell at such a young age, she’s being affected by the death. It’s a mark of maturity as she questions if this is the way to truly succeed in a heartless world. It’s a profound conversation and one can understand where Daryl is coming from as the lot of them have faced tyrants from the Governor to the Saviors, knowing if they are too soft they’ll be taken advantage of. In this case, a dead Whisperer means one less zombie to bite someone, but Judith wonders if that woman had a family.

It’s powerful hearing her address the double standard and actually wondering if they’ve become the very thing they fight: monsters. It’s clear that one day, once she survives, Judith will lead too so it seems she already has the doctrine of change in her from young. After all, for years fans have seen Rick skirting around this issue of being kinder, bending laws and gaining audiences’ forgiveness. But again, Judith’s concerns are valid because she knows — and it’s no surprise given all the books she reads — one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. She’s seeing her own people from the perspective of her enemies and looking at how they way they’re perceived can be shifted. In fact, piece of her is even contemplating if their methods of retribution, as well as mortals and ethics over the years, have brought karma upon them in the shape of the Whisperers.

And to the surprise of many Daryl doesn’t try to ignore her. He instead speaks about protecting a family and how only the strong can survive in these less than ideal times. So they basically reach a middle ground, for now. As for Daryl, it’s obvious that Judith’s words hit home because Carol’s sinister behavior justifies what the kid said. More so, with Carol forcing Negan once more to be a war-hound, when it was clear to Judith at least he wanted a life of peace, Daryl has seen this season that they really have a dark side to them. In his mind, they had no choice to embrace it, but with Judith’s words resonating, maybe once they can stop Beta’s horde, he’ll push the other leaders down a more peaceful path.

The Walking Dead stars Norman Reedus, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Josh McDermitt, Christian Serratos, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton, Cooper Andrews and Samantha Morton. The Season 10 finale is yet to receive a new air date.