Summary:
After Carl is shot, Tyreese tells Rick, who is about to kill Otis for accidentally shooting his son Carl, that he is still alive. Rick asks what they are going to do now and Tyreese says to him that they have to stop the bleeding. Rick says they have to get back to Dale’s RV, but Otis says there’s a farm where the owner would be able to treat his son. Rick asks if he is able to treat Carl and Otis says the farmer isn’t a doctor, but he can do something. Otis says they should be able to get there quickly by foot as it’s less than a mile away. While Rick and Tyreese roll Carl in Rick’s coat, Otis gives Tyreese directions where the farm is. Rick tells Tyreese to tell Lori there is nothing to worry about. Rick, Carl, and Otis race to the farm.
Tyreese arrives at the RV and tells everyone to start moving. Meanwhile, Rick and Otis arrive at the farm. The farm owner tells everyone to get inside when he hears the news. While Otis and the farm owner are patching Carl up, everyone else arrives. Lori runs for Rick, and he says at least the bleeding has stopped. The farm owner, introduced as Hershel Greene, explains that Carl is unconscious, but still in good shape.
Inside the farm, Hershel tells everyone they are welcome to stay until the boy heals. Hershel introduces his family and friends; oldest son Arnold, oldest daughter Lacey, another daughter Maggie, youngest son Billy, and twin daughters Rachel and Susie. Also in the farm resides Otis and his girlfriend Patricia. Hershel asks Lacey to show the guests around the farm. Allen announces that Billy, Ben, and himself are going to sit this one out, and Andrea says she can take care of the boys by showing them the cows.
Lori and Rick are sitting at Carl’s bedside. Lori wishes that Carl could have a break from all of the madness that is going on. Rick comments about how nice it would be if he slept through all this horror,, but Lori says they don’t want him to be in a coma. Rick says that wasn’t what he meant, he doesn’t want Carl to go through all the things that they go through. Their conversation ends when Rick says he’s worried about him. Lori and Rick start to hug and tell each other they love each other.
Tyreese talks to Otis, who’s very worried about Carl. Otis says he wouldn’t hurt a fly, but Tyreese says what is done is done. Tyreese tells him that Rick has been under a lot of stress, recounting Donna’s death at Wiltshire Estates, telling him Carl’s shooting just made him snap. Otis recounts his experiences with Wiltshire as well, having barely made it out alive. He mentions the possibility of Atlanta being another safe haven, but Tyreese tells him otherwise, based on what he’s learned from other members of the group.
Andrea finds Allen watching over Ben and Billy, and she tells them to go play with Carol and Sophia. She starts to talk to him about his children, that he needs to think of them instead of shutting down. Allen angrily tells her that she doesn’t understand his grief at losing Donna so recently. Andrea reminds Allen about her losses, saying she knows something about the grieving process. She tells him she’s just trying to help and calls him an asshole. Allen once again responds by noting his wife has just died. Now agitated as well, Andrea reminds him about her parents, Jim and Shane, and tells him that the group’s all been dealing with the same losses. Allen says he’s thinking about his children and how they will grow up without their mother. Allen tells Andrea to leave.
Hershel awakens Rick and tells him that his son is awake. Lori and Rick run to their son. Carl asks where his hat is. Rick asks if he feels any pain, and Carl says his shoulder hurts pretty bad. Lori tells him he’s going to be okay. Carl says nobody better take his hat. Tyreese comes to Carl’s room and gives his hat. Tyreese tells Rick that Otis is very sorry. While discussing Otis, Carl asks if someone shot him. Rick explains everything, and Carl says he’s happy to meet new people. Carol and Sophia arrive in Carl’s room. Everyone leaves Carl and Sophia alone. Sophia states she’s happy that Carl is okay, and kisses him on the cheek.
Dale takes Lori outside to talk. Dale says Rick is the backbone of the group, and that he’s the one stable thing they have, and that they need him. Dale says he doesn’t know if the baby is Rick’s or Shane’s but tells Lori not to tell Rick about this, because otherwise he might crack. He takes his leave for dinner, while Lori silently processes what he has said to her.
At the dinner table, Rick says to Hershel he’s got quite the set-up there, noting how Tyreese probably felt when he bumped into Rick’s group and saw their canned food. Lori says she’s going to take a plate for Carl before all the food has gone. Tyreese jokes that the next guy he bumps into is going to be running a restaurant. While small talking, Glenn watches Carol jealously.
Outside, Maggie asks Glenn why he watches Carol all the time. Glenn says he had his eyes on her before Tyreese arrived. Maggie guesses she’s pretty, but Glenn clarifies by saying there’s not many women left on the planet, and he wants to have sex at least a couple more times before his death. Then he apologizes to Maggie for unloading all he’s feeling on her without even knowing her yet. Maggie says she’ll have sex with Glenn. Glenn is confused, and Maggie explains her boyfriend is probably dead. Maggie asks again if he wants to have sex. Glenn does.
While Glenn and Maggie are leaving, Tyreese catches Julie and Chris grabbing each other behind the house. Julie, surprised to see him, calls out to him in a welcoming manner. Tyreese tells Julie not to “Dad” him, and tells them not to have sex, and reminds them what would happen if Julie gets pregnant. Tyreese leaves, and Chris tells Julie that he doesn’t want to wait forever.
Hershel tells Rick about his former life, his life before the zombie-apocalypse. Hershel grew up with his father at this farm, but always wanted to be a veterinarian. Hershel tells Rick about his wife who passed away almost six years ago, and that his father’s last wish was that Hershel could take care of the farm. Again, Hershel reminds Rick that he and the others can sleep in the RV, but Rick asks what about the barn. Hershel says he doesn’t want to go there; that’s where they keep all their dead ones.
Discussion / Thoughts:
Rick tries to kill Otis for shooting Carl. Tyreese stops him. Otis knows how to help. They take Carl to the farm for help. Herschel is a vet and humans and animals are different. You still work on them the same way. He’s able to get the bullet out and stitch up Carl. Not sure how infection would be prevented without medicine like antibiotics. Time will tell how Carl recovers. Thankfully, Carl appears to pull through and wake up.
Allen is an interesting character. I’m not sure if he was pretending that everything was fine and they were just on an adventure until Donna was killed by zombies but his reaction to Andrea seems to be a bit extreme. The kids lost their mom just like he lost his wife. All three have lost but he’s acting like it’s just him. There may be a secondary upset for him as well. I’m guessing the kids stayed with their mom the most and she was the primary caretaker. That does seem to be what happens in most heterosexual relationships. The father just comes and goes as he pleases while the mom is stuck doing pretty much everything with only occasional help. Now all roles fall on Allen. I don’t think he can handle it.
Dale’s little chat with Lori. This is my favorite part of this book. Dale is correct. The baby is Shane’s. Rick is the only person holding everything and everyone together. If Rick finds out it is Shane’s and not his it would break him. He stated that in an earlier book that if it was Shane’s it would drive him out of his mind. Lori’s decision has put everyone at risk, herself included. She never says a word back to Dale. Her expression in the last panel is priceless. She clearly knows she’s made a huge mistake and its having a negative outcome in several ways.
Maggie and Glenn’s chat outside is not one you see every day. The zombie situation has changed many people. Sadly, Glenn and Maggie don’t start out as a grand love story. They just want sex. They get together for carnal and base needs. Maybe it grows into something more as the book progresses. Time will tell.
Tyreese’s daughter is very nearly in a bad spot with her boyfriend yet again. Julie’s age is not clear at this time. I don’t know if she is 18 yet or still legally a kid. I hope this is clarified soon. Her boyfriend Chris is clearly trying to take advantage of the whole apocalypse to get sex out of her. I agree with Tyreese that getting pregnant right now would not be the ideal situation. There’s no doctors or hospitals and therefore no help if something goes horribly wrong. He reminds her about Lori’s condition as in her pregnancy and how worried everyone is about it. She seems to agree and stops everything. But Chris is not happy. He only cares about instant gratification, not the consequences that could come from the action.
The barn. The barn is being used as a holding pen for Herschel’s loved ones that have become zombies. Most of his family (minus the children still alive) are all in the barn. Rick realizes what a serious issue that poses because the zombies look at anything alive and breathing as food. From his perspective the barn is a ticking time bomb. He is not aware of any cure at this time. I’m not sure that a cure for turning into a zombie is even possible. Herschel explains he’s kept them there because he doesn’t know or understand what is going on. It’s very possible that something can be done. He doesn’t want to permanently put people down that could be cured of this “Illness”. I can appreciate and understand where he is coming from. But these zombies don’t have blood flow. Outer skin and internal organs are decomposing, that’s part of their horrible smell. They aren’t breathing anymore. It seems they are only capable of walking and attacking anything they perceive as a meal. His family and all the rest of the undead will not be cured and brought back to life. At this stage, you could only hope that they can come up with a way to stop more people from turning into zombies and a way to end all the zombies that currently exist.
Categories: Podcasts, Wonder Woman Comic Book Podcast