'The Walking Dead' finally reveals how Michonne and Daryl got their scars and the answer is intensely dark

• Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Sunday's "The Walking Dead," season nine, episode 14, "Scars."
• AMC's "TWD" finally revealed how Daryl and Michonne received those mysterious "X" scars on their backs.
• The two were kidnapped and branded by feral children on Sunday's episode. 

Sunday's episode of AMC's "The Walking Dead" revealed how Daryl and Michonne received those "X" scars on their backs, and the answer is not for the faint of heart.

A child branded both Michonne (played by Danai Gurira) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) after they were captured on orders by one of Michonne's old friends, Jocelyn (Rutina Wesley). Daryl was branded first before Joceyln ordered a child to brand her old friend, Michonne.

The scenes are incredibly difficult to watch as both scream out in pain. It was also one of the toughest scenes to direct.

"We were physically in a very small space and to have the kids actually put the brand... We had a stand-in that did not understand it. We had to replace the stand-in, because the stand-in was freaked out by it. But our lead kids were not," episode director Millicent Shelton told INSIDER of how tough it was to film the branding scene. 

"It was very uncomfortable for Norm and Danai to be hanging from those poles," Shelton added.

That final moment where Michonne screams out in pain and then extends herself out towards Jocelyn wasn't planned.

"For me, the most uncomfortable thing to watch as a director, but I'm so glad they left it in the cut, is when Michonne gets branded and she screamed and she leans. And she leans forward into Jocelyn's face," said Shelton. "Rutina was standing next to that [camera] operator and Danai leaned so far forward, he stepped back and panned [the camera]."

"It was unexpecting and he got that profile and I let it play and I was just like, 'Oh my God!' And I was just holding my breath. It was so powerful. It was just the most powerful moment," said Shelton.

In that one moment, so many feelings are conveyed. There's the pain Michonne is experiencing from the branding mixed with the pain of looking into your former friend's eyes and screaming out, wondering how they could betray you like that and then let this happen to you — all while you're with child. 

Fans felt the intensity of the scene as well as they responded to how Daryl and Michonne wound up with the brands.

How did you react to this scene and learning how Michonne and Daryl were branded? You can follow along with our "Walking Dead" coverage here. 

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