The Walking Dead has aired its second episode following the annual midseason break, and while not propelling the story on drastically, it was heavy on character development and saw a heartfelt reunion between two of the show's original characters.

Titled 'New Best Friends,' the episode catches up with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) who we last saw smiling despite being surrounded by a group of weapon-wielding individuals.

Elsewhere, this week's instalment picks up with Daryl (Norman Reedus) who was left behind at The Kingdom in a bid to lie low from The Saviours who now know he escaped his cell.

You can check out last week's five major talking points here.

THE WALKING DEAD - Season 7 Episode 10 trailer

1 - Daryl v Richard

Richard (Karl Makinen) wants Daryl (Norman Reedus) to help him take out some Saviours. His plan is to gun down approaching members of Negan's men before luring move over via a signal fire. Once they've seen the body count, they'll follow a trail left by Richard heading directly, he tells Daryl, to the cabin "some loner" is living in. Richard believes that they'll kill that person, showing King Ezekiel (Khary Payton) "what he needs to do." Realising he's referring to Carol (Melissa McBride), Daryl refuses to let Richard proceed and attacks him.. "If anything happens to her, I'll kill you," he states.

2 - Daryl and Carol's reunion

Carol hears a knock at the door - the last person she's expecting to see is her old friend. Bursting into tears, the pair embrace having not seen each other for 11 long episodes after Carol left Alexandria on her volition in the latter stages of season six. Enjoying a dinner together, Carol explains that should The Saviours hurt any of their group, she'd kill again. Without wanting to know the answer, she asks Daryl whether Negan killed anybody. In a bid to protect her, Daryl lies and tells her The Saviours didn't hurt anyone.

3 - The Scavengers

Surrounded by the new faction we last saw at the end of the midseason premiere (known as The Heapsters to some and The Scavengers to others), Rick wastes no time in attempting to recruit them in their war against Negan's men. Their leader, Jadis (Pollyanna Macintosh), refuses instead pushing Rick into a pit where he's forced to face off against a ravenous walker perilously impaled by spikes. Cutting his hand up pretty badly - yet another allusion to the character's injury in the graphic novels - Rick soon overcomes it much to the admiration of Jadis. Guns is what they want - "....and then we'll fight your fight,“ she tells Rick who can barely contain his smile.

4 - The bromance nobody expected

Namely former-coward Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) who has rarely seen eye-to-eye with Rick. He explains how he left Alexandria (as seen in last week's midseason premiere) having been lured away by the mysterious new faction. “I was beginning to lose faith but then I saw you,” he tells Rick. But why did he smile when he saw this new faction? Rick puts his hand on Gabriel's shoulder and says solemnly: "Because someone showed me enemies can become friends." Even Michonne (Danai Gurira) is shocked by this development, smirking at the sight as she watches on.

The most shocking Walking Dead moments Show all 10 1 /10 The most shocking Walking Dead moments The most shocking Walking Dead moments Sophie's a walker (season 2, episode 7) Much of season two's opening half is spent looking for Sophia, the missing daughter of Carol (Melissa McBride). Turns out she was locked up in Hershel's barn as a zombie all along. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Shane reanimates without being bitten (season 2, episode 12) When Carl (Chandler Riggs) guns down a deranged Shane (Jon Bernthal) to protect his father, the shock arrives when he manifests into a walker despite not being bitten; turns out everyone's infected with the virus and will turn whichever way they die. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Axel's bullet to the eye (season 3, episode 10) A character introduced in the show's prison arc, Axel is a reformed prisoner who strikes up a friendship with Carol - until he's gunned down mid-sentence. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl kills Lori after she gives birth (season 3, episode 4) Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) goes into labour at the very moment a zombie siege breaks out at the prison. Unfortunately, she doesn't make it through the procedure with her son Carl being the one to put a bullet to her head. The most shocking Walking Dead moments The Governor slays Hershel (season 4, episode 8) The Governor makes his dramatic return for a showdown at the prison after he captures Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Hershel (Scott Wilson). Rick reaches out, attempting to reason with him - but The Governor starts a war when he proceeds to decapitate poor old Hershel instead. The most shocking Walking Dead moments "Look at the flowers" (season 4, episode 14) In a standout episode from the show's fourth season, Carol is forced to take drastic measures when young teenager Lizzie murders her sister Mika in the belief that she'll live on as a zombie. Realising Lizzie's depraved mind would endanger those around her, Carol puts a gun to the young girl's head and, telling her to "look at the flowers," pulls the trigger, fighting back the tears. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl's bullet to the eye (season 6, episode 9) Season six returned from its mid-season break in typically dramatic fashion when an iconic moment from the graphic novels came to life: Carl takes a bullet to the eye. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Beth is killed (season 5, episode 8) Upon being kidnapped, Beth (Emily Kinney) is taken to Grady Memorial Hospital managed by Atlanta Law Enforcement. Forced to reside there against her will, the group - including Rick and Daryl (Norman Reedus) - eventually find her - only for her to be accidentally shot in the head by her captor. The worst thing? Her sister Maggie (Lauren Cohan) had just arrived outside. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Abraham Season seven opened in brutal form as we discovered it was Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) at the opposite end of Negan's baseball bat. "Suck my nuts," the soldier growls as the Saviours' leader brings Lucille raining down on his head until nothing remains but a pulpy mess. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Glenn Negan decides to punish the group once more after getting clocked round the face by Daryl. Without expectation, he thwacks Lucille round the head of poor Glenn. With his eyeball popping out of his head, he manages: "I'll find you, Maggie before Negan proceeds to finish the job ending the former pizza delivery boy's life.

5 - Daryl leaves the Kingdom

After pleading with Morgan (Lennie James) to help wage war against The Saviours, Daryl decides it's time to get the ball rolling; he leaves the walls of The Kingdom with a newly-acquired crossbow (Dwight's still for his old one) and heads back to the Hilltop Colony - a dangerous move considering Negan knows he's escaped the Sanctuary.