'The Walking Dead: World Beyond' may have just revealed the mysterious CRM's master apocalypse plan

Hold on just a hot second, Mr. Scott Gimple. You're telling us the CRM might actually be...the good guys? Season 2 of The Walking Dead: World Beyond has started to give fans some answers about what the Civic Republic and its well-organized military wing, the Civic Republic Military (or CRM for short), are truly up to in AMC's zombified universe.

And sure, the CRM's shady methods make for an effective threat across the different Walking Dead TV shows, but their intentions seem quite noble: rid the world of the undead in order to give humanity a second chance.

***WARNING! The following contains major spoilers for this week's episode!***

Aptly titled "Foothold," Episode 2 of World Beyond's new season led viewers behind the curtain Sunday night with a look at some top-secret scientific research being done to solve the zombie affliction. Giving a tour of the CRM's research facility to Hope Bennett (Alexa Mansour), Lyla Belshaw (Natalie Gold) reveals the overall goal is to find out "why the world turned." Hope asks if this means they're working on a cure, but that's not exactly the case. It's more about "pinpointing exactly what inside us makes us turn — whether it be fungal, bacterial, viral, or something else entirely," Belshaw explains. 

In addition, the scientists want to fully understand the specific biological reasons behind reanimation and how it's capable of slowing the rate of decomposition. If they solve the mystery, then they might be able to find a way to get rid of those who have already become members of the undead. To that end, we learn Hope's father, Leo Bennett (Joe Holt), is attempting to create a bio-engineered fungus capable of growing on necrotic flesh, hastening decay, and thus removing the Walkers' ability to move.

Put simply, they're trying to find a way to "kill" the undead.

Leo's also been leading the charge on a "Biorecorder" device affixed to Walkers in the wild (think animal tagging in our world). The technology collects "massive amounts of data," allowing the CRM to create a full profile on the zombie lifestyle and potentially predict future behavior on the part of the shambling ghouls.

Elsewhere, Silas Plaskett (Hal Cumpston) finds himself gainfully employed at a "decontamination" site, where Walkers are lured to a specific area with bright lights once a week before they are disposed of. The site's manager, Dennis (Maximillian Osinski), calls it "an experiment in mass culling." The entire purpose of decontamination is to rid an entire state of its zombie infestation and give members of the Civic Republic an opportunity to restart various industries.

We, for one, applaud the essential work of The Walking Dead's frontline workers. 

Though we didn't get any information on what the CRM is doing with our long-missing Rick Grimes, it did peel back a new layer on what exactly the group is working on. You know, along with marking people with colors and kidnapping them.

Episode 3 ("Exit Wounds") of World Beyond premieres on AMC next Sunday, Oct. 17 at 10 p.m. EST.