Vendettas & Confrontations

Episode Twelve: The pre-credits scene of episode twelve of The Walking Dead’s second season, “Better Angels,” opens at Dale’s funeral.  Killed by a walker at the end of the previous episode, the gory sequence jump cuts between the solemn burial – with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) eulogizing over the elderly victim – and the survivors engaging in what can only be described as a walker vendetta. Shuttling around the perimeter of Hershel’s farm in a pickup truck, they approach the shuffling undead, smashing and crushing their skulls. Rick explains, grimly, that Dale would have wanted them to pull together and take control of their lives. The survivors listen silently and reflect on the message…

Post-credits, the survivors take stock of their situation. The impending winter will soon dry up the swamp and nearby creek, eliminating the natural barrier against the walkers. The farm is left open and vulnerable, and Hershel (Scott Wilson) is allowing the group to move into his house for refuge. As Rick barks guard duty and lookout tower instructions, it’s evident that he elevated Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) to his second-in-command, leaving Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) somewhat grumbling and bitter. Rick’s son Carl (Chandler Riggs) reveals to a stunned Shane his guilty feelings over Dale’s death. Later, Rick’s wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) bares her soul to Shane, sharing her appreciation for him, but it’s a sly ruse to keep Shane with the group.

Later, Shane sneaks into the barn where the prisoner Randall (Michael Zegen) is held. Feigning discontentment with the group, he tricks Randall into taking him to his renegade comrades. On their way, he murders the boy then smashes himself into a tree to fake assault injuries to the group. A search party goes out for Randall, with Rick and Shane in one pair and Glenn (Steven Yuen) and Daryl in the other. The latter two find Randall, now re-animated as a walker, but suspiciously he has no bites. Meanwhile, Shane leads Rick further away from the farm; Rick sees through his trick and confronts him…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading about Episode Twelve

Gory Climax

The pre-credits sequence for “Besides the Dying Fire,” the thirteenth episode and exciting season finale of season two of The Walking Dead, opens with the lead-in to the previous episode’s finale. In an eerie glimpse of deserted Atlanta, inhabited only by walkers, a helicopter passes overhead. As one walker mindlessly follows, hundreds soon join, forming a terrifying mass herd. Incapable of tiring, they shuffle on, day and night, drifting out of the city and into the countryside until they end up at the gate to Hershel’s (Scott Wilson) farm. The rickety, weather-beaten wood is no match for their sheer mass and the groaning undead crash through. Hearing the gunshot (that killed the re-animated Shane) they plod on in that direction, confronting Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his son Carl (Chandler Riggs)…

Post-credits, the survivors in the farm react uneasily to Daryl Dixon’s (Norman Reedus) news that their prisoner Randall (Michael Zegen) re-animated with no bites. Daryl slips out of the house into the darkness to look for Rick but stops upon seeing the approaching walkers. Outside, Rick thinks fast; ordering Carl to follow, they run to the barn, dodging walkers on the way. Once inside, Rick sets it on fire and flees up to the barn’s hayloft with Carl. In the thrilling, twelve-minute action sequence, the other survivors arm themselves and prepare for the fight, but things turn awry: Jimmy (James Allen McCune) drives up to the barn, saves Rick and Carl (who jump onto the RV’s roof and to the ground), but the RV is overrun by walkers; Patricia (Jane McNeill) is killed; Andrea (Laurie Holden) and T-Dog (IronE Singleton) barely escape; Carol (Melissa McBride) is cornered but rescued by Daryl on his chopper; T-Dog picks up Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and Beth (Emily Kinney); and Glenn (Steven Yeun) escapes with Maggie (Lauren Cohan).

Hershel intends to stay and protect his land, hopelessly firing away with his shotgun, but is finally convinced by Rick to abandon ship. In the ensuing chaos Andrea, armed with only a pistol, gets separated from the rest and escapes through the woods. Running for her life, she stays alive, picking off walkers until running out of ammo…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading about Episode Thirteen

Evan Rothfeld