‘The Walking Dead’ season 7, episode 1 recap, spoilers: ‘The Day Will Come When You Won't Be’

Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and company are on their knees before Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and the Saviors. What Negan intends to do shall permanently scar those who survive on “The Walking Dead” season 7, episode 1 (Walking Dead 7x01).

Spoiler alert: This recap contains plot details about season 7 of “The Walking Dead.” The seventh season premiered Oct. 24. The series is available for Australian viewers to watch on Foxtel every Monday, 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Negan taunts Rick Grimes after viciously killing Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz) with “Lucille,” his barb-wire covered baseball bat. He does this as punishment due to Rick and his group killing a number of his Saviors last season. Negan then forces Rosita Espinosa (Christian Serratos) to look at the blood-dripping bat, believing she and Abraham may have been in a relationship following her reaction to his death.

Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) tries to pounce on Negan but fails. Dwight (Austin Amelio) offers to kill his rival but Negan spares Daryl, opting instead to savagely bludgeon Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun) to death. Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan) screams in horror at the sight of his husband’s carnage.

Rick initially threatened to kill Negan during the first scene when Negan dares him. Rick tries to use his axe on Negan until the latter directs a machine gun at him before striking him at the rib area. Negan then forces an extremely distressed Rick to kill walkers at a nearby area as a test.

Rick is eventually joined with his group, but Negan, displeased that Rick doesn’t get the point that he owns him, decides to further test him. Negan forces Rick to chop off Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) arm but stops him at the last second, realising he now has Rick and his group at his mercy.

Daryl is then taken hostage by the Saviors but leaves Rick and his companions an RV. Negan gives them a week to come up with proper provisions and warns Rick that if he ever crosses him again, Rick himself will be forced to cut Daryl to pieces.

Maggie attempts to face the reality of Glenn’s demise and tells Rick to return to Alexandria with the group while she proceeds to Hilltop on her own. The group refuses and decides not to leave her alone. In a dream sequence, the group is shown to be in Alexandria joyously having a meal, the polar opposite to what they are currently going through.