Monday, March 9, 2015

Walking Dead Kills the Horse

The Walking Dead is in a strange spot in Alexandria. We are used to this scene: the group being tricked into a sanctuary that turns out to be full of humans more evil than any zombie. But so far, it's different here. The people have been nice. Besides a few incidents, they have been warm and kind and good neighbors. Naive, sure. And mysterious, a little. But it's a good place to raise a kid.

Alexandria seems oblivious to what's really going on in the world, like most any suburbia who tries to wall things out, and I felt relieved when Shay finally freaked out a bit. Thank you for that.

A politician you can trust.
Is it safe here? It's got to go bad, but how and why? I have no idea what to expect, but it seems like the Rick-managed group have acted a bit like the bad guys. Sneaking the guns back is not going to be seen as an act of kindness. When the town cop can't be trusted with guns and goes around kissing people's wives, there might be riots. 

Then there's Carol, who scared the shit out of me and that little boy who saw her stealing guns. Damn... Where the hell did she learn to do that? There is an irony that Carol, a past victim of domestic violence who must know what it's like to be scared into silence, could do such a thing. Her story has been one of victim to survivor to kick-ass powerful yet nurturing mother to us all. But now she goes all "don't tell anyone what I am doing or the monsters will get you" and then promises cookies.

That's what Perps do, right?

Darryl is back to being kick-ass Darryl.  I think he's at his best when he feels outside of the group. When he doesn't shower, doesn't buy-in, eats rodents, and mumbles semi-philosophical sweet nothings under his breath. "The longer they're out here, the more they become what they truly are"  he said of the horse, if I heard him correct through his dirty hair. Very cool how he's connected with the gay couple as outcasts. Oh, what would Merle think?

Then there's the horse. The horse was quite the twist. We all expected Darryl to lasso and tame the horse which was a beast of beauty in the land of the rotting dead. He nearly did, communing to the horse with a few sweet words before the horse trotted off. Next thing we know, the poor animal is getting eaten by walkers.

Did Darryl's action cause the horse let his guard down? thinking humans were not so bad, maybe I can be close to them, only to find that humans want to munch on your flesh as much as ride on your back? "Horse as symbol for the group trusting others and losing their wild nature" is an essay I'm sure I could get a B+ on in any English lit class. As it was, the writers had some guts and broke the one and only rule of horror: "never, ever kill the dog" (or the horse, for that matter).

This was a quiet episode that planted the seed for some interesting things to follow, one can only hope.  Now someone get me a god-damn pasta maker.


1 comment:

SupermomE13 said...

After the time change and a 20 miler yesterday morning, I fell sleep on the couch five minutes into the episode last night. I did hear Josh say loudly to the older kids (who were watching) "It's a good thing she is sleeping through this". I am a major horse lover. :) Guess I am glad I missed this episode. i am still traumatized from the horse getting killed in the very first episode with Glen.

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