How It's Gotta Be

"**How It's Gotta Be**"
"How It's Gotta Be"
The Walking Dead episode
Episode no.	Season 8; Episode 8
Directed by	Michael E. Satrazemis
Written by	David Leslie Johnson; Angela Kang
Original air date	December 10, 2017
Running time	65 minutes
Guest appearances
	Callan McAuliffe as Alden; Deborah May as Natania; Jayson Warner Smith as Gavin; Cooper Andrews as Jerry; Sydney Park as Cyndie; Jason Douglas as Tobin; Kenric Green as Scott; Avi Nash as Siddiq; Thomas Francis Murphy as Brion; Sabrina Gennarino as Tamiel; Kerry Cahill as Dianne; Lindsley Register as Laura; R. Keith Harris as Dr. Harlan Carson; Joshua Mikel as Jared; Briana Venskus as Beatrice; Nicole Barré as Kathy; James Chen as Kal; Peter Zimmerman as Eduardo; Mike Seal as Gary; Nadine Marissa as Nabila; Adam Fristoe as Dean; Mandi Christine Kerr as Barbara; Ted Huckabee as Bruce; Aaron Farb as Norris; Matt Mangum as D.J.; Alan Heckner as Savior; Karl Funk as Neil;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Time for After"	Next →; "Honor"
	The Walking Dead season 8
	List of episodes

"How It's Gotta Be" is the eighth episode and mid-season finale of the eighth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on December 10, 2017. The episode was written by David Leslie Johnson and Angela Kang, and directed by Michael E. Satrazemis.

This episode focuses on the ongoing war between the Saviors and the combined forces of Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom escalates, continuing the "All Out War" arc from the comic book series of the same name. Free from the Sanctuary, the Saviors launch multiple attacks to gain an edge in the war. At the Kingdom, Gavin (Jayson Warner Smith) and his group declare everything the community produces to be theirs. On the road, Simon (Steven Ogg) overtakes Maggie's (Lauren Cohan) convoy. At Alexandria, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his soldiers attack with grenades and explosives.

The episode received mixed reviews from critics.