Acheron: Part I

"Acheron: Part I" is the first episode of the eleventh season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. The first of a two-part season premiere, the episode was written by Jim Barnes and showrunner Angela Kang, and directed by Kevin Dowling. "Acheron: Part I" was released on the streaming platform AMC+ on August 15, 2021, before airing on AMC on August 22, 2021. The second part aired on AMC one week later.

In the episode, Daryl (Norman Reedus) leads a mission team to scavenge the military base he discovered. Back at Alexandria, the safe-zone experiences a food shortage. Maggie (Lauren Cohan) tells a story about her old community, prompting a new mission for survival that only Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) can lead. Once on the road, a violent storm erupts forcing the group to descend underground into a subway station where tensions quickly escalate between Maggie and Negan. Meanwhile, Eugene (Josh McDermitt) and his group are relocated to an undisclosed location and go through "level one assessment" by the Commonwealth's paramilitary police.

"Acheron: Part I" also features the debut of Mercer, portrayed by Michael James Shaw, a prominent character from the graphic novels of the same name.

The episode received generally positive reviews from critics, though many felt that splitting the episode into two parts was unnecessary.