4.15: The Walking Dead - Us

[ctg]

Survivors rely on brutality and faith.

 

[ctg]

*** Spoilers ***

Clack, clack, clack ... the rail seems going forever forward. There is no real ending to them. But every once and a while they're broken up by fallen trees, landslides and stuck zombies. So when Terminus comes into scene it is almost too perfect. Too nice place, with nothing but happiness attached to it, but knowing the past what looks too good might have hideous secrets hiding behind the props.

Who knows the steaks lady is barbecuing yard might have some dodgy stuff in them? Maybe they have been carved out from previous visitors and this is really the end for the whole series, as the poster for the season final asks who will make it to the Terminus?

Oh, you haven't seen it. Well, check the 4.16 thread and you'll see what I mean, but in this episode I had heart in my throat way too many times. For example I was so scared for Daryl, when Len shot an arrow past his head. I wanted to scream on my screen: "What the h3ll dude?"

But then again I wanted to do that same thing to Glenn, when he decided to carry following tracks into the dark tunnel that was most probably full of walkers. And I was not wrong. His decision was so stupid, especially when he decided to empty his gun on biters trying to climb over the landslide, and alert all damn walker in five mile radius.

Luckily his day was saved by no other than rest of group, who'd found his lover coming over the tracks. So only if he would had listened Abraham's wise words they could have had more bullets, when they entered yards of Terminus.

However, I have to say Glenn and his group are in much, much better position than Daryl, who has three arrows left plus his trusty old knife. So I hope he can play cool and wait for the moment, when he sprung and run away from those horrible people. But then again is Joe's group really that horrible is it all in the eyes of beholder? Am I barging wrong tree just because I don't like people, who have abandoned to old ways and accepted that anarchy rules till the foreseeable future?

In the same time as we've seen on group arriving in seemingly perfect paradise, I have to say that I have ominous feeling for Rick's lot basking in the sunlight, eating candies that they could had saved for the rainy day. Don't they realise that there's a storm brewing over the horizon?
​

 

[Culhwch]

But then again is Joe's group really that horrible is it all in the eyes of beholder?

Pretty sure they were discussing who'd get to rape Michonne when she returned to the house a couple episodes back. Claimed, and all that. Pretty sure they're despicable human beings.

 

[ctg]

Pretty sure they were discussing who'd get to rape Michonne when she returned to the house a couple episodes back. Claimed, and all that. Pretty sure they're despicable human beings.

How long it would take from us to fall in their level?

 

[Culhwch]

Are you saying that in this situation, all men will inevitably become rapists? That's the strangest take away from this show I have ever seen. Given enough seasons, then, you're insinuating that Rick, Carl, Darryl, Glen, Tyrese, Bob, Abraham, and Eugene are gonna get all rapey with Maggie, Carol, Beth, Sasha, and Rosita. I'll have stopped watching by that point if so.

I'm not going to speak for you, ctg, but I can pretty safely say I'll never fall to that level, thank you very much, no matter the circumstances.

 

[ctg]

I'm not saying that Culhwch. No. You're getting me wrong. I understand that the bandits aren't exactly most glorious people that walks on the face of earth. But I can imagine it wouldn't take long before a lot of us - in same situation - would abandon good moral practices and start murdering people left and right for silly things, instead banding together and follow the rules. So when Joe said about the rules binds us together I knew he'd been one step away from total anarchy, and in a way, he was applying confidence to his newest "recruit."

The whole TWD world has gone to sh1t, and even Rick has done morally despicable acts despite his "lawgiver" background. So none of them are actually walking on moral high ground or am I wrong?

So please stop going on about raping when that wasn't even that I meant. But if that is what you're seeing than I'm done with these threads.

 

[ctg]

I made a mistake. I went back and watched episode 11, listening carefully what the bandits were saying and yes, Culhwch, you're right, they are implicating of raping Michonne in that episode. But I never intended, when I said that how long it would take from us to fall in their level, that one should start acting like savages. All I wanted to say was that it doesn't take much for one to fall from the ladders of civilisation and starting acting like a savage, a person with no moral restrictions.

I also realise the bandits Daryl is with does not have anything to keep them above the line the Governor set in the first half, and no they are not the last people in the TWD world who are morally despicable beings. In fact whole lot of people are beyond that line and that is exactly the kind of world Kirkman wants to portray to lot of viewers and readers of his comic.

The only good people in the series are the ones Rick meet and make friends with even if sometimes they have stepped beyond that line. I understand Abraham, Eugene and Roseta haven't met him, and therefore I shouldn't be vouching for them, but I am and all I can say is that what the bandits present aren't any way good. In fact, there was a strip in the comic <spoiler>that went exactly the way you implied with Michonne (even though she wasn't there) and I can say that they met their end pretty much the same way the Governor did few episodes ago.</spoiler>

So there I'm sorry.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

It's amazing that Rick and his group have kept their humanity and decency (for the most part). I think that is the one thing that is most exceptional about them, not just that they have survived; a fair number of people have survived, but it seems that most of them have succumbed to the fouler instincts of human behavior. It is remarkable that this group of people even met, and then became survivors in such a nightmare of a world; but that they were also exactly the right group of people to care for each other, and support each other in their quests to retain their humanity, as well as simply survive the horror, is the true wonder of their story.

 

[Dave]

I never intended, when I said that how long it would take from us to fall in their level, that one should start acting like savages. All I wanted to say was that it doesn't take much for one to fall from the ladders of civilisation and starting acting like a savage, a person with no moral restrictions.

It isn't a case of no morals, but of different morals. One does what is necessary in order to survive. I think picking that group as an example was the problem here, because they aren't very likable even to begin with. The idea itself is one well explored: 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding, 'The Death of Grass' by John Christopher, 'A Song of Stone' by Iain Banks.

I was getting a little bored with the 'journey' to Terminus. It is obviously not what it seems. How could it survive if anyone can walk in and take what they want? Obviously, next week is going to be a big Season finale with some major twists as well as the big reunions.

 

[Marvin]

Obviously, next week is going to be a big Season finale with some major twists as well as the big reunions.

'Obviously' is a dangerous word to use about The Walking Dead, but I think you are right on this one.


I for one am very much looking forward to it!

 

[ctg]

I was getting a little bored with the 'journey' to Terminus. It is obviously not what it seems. How could it survive if anyone can walk in and take what they want? Obviously, next week is going to be a big Season finale with some major twists as well as the big reunions.

If it's not what it seems to be then what it is? Why to post posters all over the train tracks if you have no intention on full filling the promises? Are people really that desperate to cling on any hope, or are is it so simple that the only good people left in the world are the people around Rick's group?

Think about it, Rick was willing to offer the Governor a sanctuary in his safe-heaven even though he knew what had happened in the past. He was willing to let the bygones be bygones and start from the clean slate. So in a way it would have been the same if he'd plastered posters all over the road network to let people know that there is hope in the Prison. That there are sanctuary, where all can live and repopulate till they are ready to take on the challenge and start cleaning the world from the undead.

 

[Dave]

Woodbury seemed okay from the outside even though it had guards posted on the walls. No one suspected the chambers of horrors hidden inside or that the Governor was not the charming man he appeared to be.

A Monastery offers sanctuary yet it still has locked doors, defence systems or monks trained in martial arts. Who or what is guarding Terminus?

 

[Culhwch]

Are people really that desperate to cling on any hope, or are is it so simple that the only good people left in the world are the people around Rick's group?

Abraham's group, and to some extent Tara and her family, are proof that this isn't the case. The problem is that the plague is indiscriminate and as many if not more 'bad' (or perhaps morally ambiguous) people have survived as well.

I think the biggest factor in the argument that Terminus is not going to turn out to be sunshine and lollipops is that it wouldn't make for a good story. It's either bad news, Woodbury-style, or it's an ideal sanctuary like the prison, with bad news around the corner, Woodbury-style.

 

[Huttman]

It has been a refreshing change of pace, these last 6 or so episodes, because I enjoy the character studies. When there were major conflicts between the groups for the previous season and a half, the show wore thin on me. It's writing is at its best on the survival of one or a few although I look forward to the group reuniting.
I have to make this one observation, though. We were introduced to three new characters recently (the nerd and boy/girl soldiers). While I'm glad they found some 'good guys' to add to the group (eventually, I hope), they are all three total cliches. The red headed soldier guy is right out of the pages of a G.I. Joe comic, the girl soldier has her cute little mid-drift sexy army outfit and perfect make-up look and the 'scientist' is COMPLETELY out of his element. It has been (2 years?) in the zombie apocalypse now and there is little chance they would look as clean cut and Eugene would be that amateur-ish in this world still. Regardless I like them, but they stick out a bit more than everybody else in this show. Oh, and the outbreak reason is classified??? Wouldn't the more people who know the better the chance of this reason getting back to the proper authorities...if they still exist? I have not read the comics but I hope the core group that we have now gets together and they go on a road trip for a while. Maybe to D.C.? The coast? Disneyland?

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Great observations on the new group of 3, Huttman! Agree about Eugene, especially...I mean, it doesn't seem likely that he could have been protected every second of those 2 years by others...it seems he would have to be a bit more self-sufficient to have survived. And really, wouldn't there need to be others who understand even a little of the science behind the explanation for the apocalypse, just in case he was killed? I would think others would insist he explain his theories to them...the more who know, the more likely that the info gets to the right people (Washington...?) so the humans can start taking back their world.

 

[ctg]

I have to make this one observation, though. We were introduced to three new characters recently (the nerd and boy/girl soldiers). While I'm glad they found some 'good guys' to add to the group (eventually, I hope), they are all three total cliches. The red headed soldier guy is right out of the pages of a G.I. Joe comic, the girl soldier has her cute little mid-drift sexy army outfit and perfect make-up look and the 'scientist' is COMPLETELY out of his element.

LOL. Man, you're perfect, but I have to tell you Rosita ain't soldier even if she likes wearing them type of clothes. In fact, her way of clothing tells very little about her past, and you might think that she's been wearing them to keep Abraham happy.

It has been (2 years?) in the zombie apocalypse now and there is little chance they would look as clean cut and Eugene would be that amateur-ish in this world still.

Great many scientists are a bit odd. So please forgive Eugene for his "weirdness." It's not his fault, it's his characteristic.

I have not read the comics but I hope the core group that we have now gets together and they go on a road trip for a while. Maybe to D.C.? The coast? Disneyland?

Aliens got them. They came down from the heaven with the big great saucer to save them from the menace as it was part of the deal.

 

[Marvin]

As ctg said (sort of) it seems as if Eugene does have some kind of condition (no expert - at all) along the lines of autism or something, not relating to situations in a 'normal' way? Given what little time we have spent with those characters it is surprising he has lasted quite so long; the lorry incident, firing every which way for example


Maybe If they meet up with Rick he will insist on a little more sharing of the withheld info. Since the CDC (was it CDC?) he has always had the bigger picture in the back of his mind, I think?

 

[thaddeus6th]

Glenn was unbelievably moronic. It was literally incredible, given all he's been through and what he knows. He risked, er, Newgirl's life just because he didn't want to wait a whole day extra. Fair enough missing Maggie (she is delightful), but that's just a getting-yourself-killed level of stupid.