# The Walking Dead; 2.13 "Beside the Dying Fire" SEASON FINALE (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171 "2012-03-18T23:16:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Billy\_Baroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Billy\_Baroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Baroo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/161 "2012-03-20T13:38:25Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > But I’m really glad they haven’t killed Hershel it’s interesting to see what happens to him with his world turned upside down. Also Andrea needs a love interest now that Shane’s bought the farm. There’s an open position for “old guy” in the band. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/162 "2012-03-20T13:42:45Z")
> [@Billy\_Baroo](#): > > There’s an open position for “old guy” in the band. Someone should live so long. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Baroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Billy\_Baroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Baroo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/163 "2012-03-20T13:56:26Z")
> [@lauren\_p](#): > > Did anyone else notice the shift in Rick after he finished telling Lori about killing Shane, right after he reached for her and she pulled away? The shot zoomed in on his face and there was an intensity in his look and in his heavy breathing. I felt that there was something more than just anger and frustration going on inside of him. It was reminiscent to me of the glimmers we saw of some intensity that seemed to be growing inside Shane in the pervious couple of episodes. Could it be that the living are vulnerable to manifestations of the virus? Perhaps certain strong emotions and stress can trigger the virus in the living?? What I think we saw there is Rick having a sea change in his worldview. He has to be more like Shane was morally to lead successfully. He started out way behind Shane because he slept through the first act of the apocalypse. Shane adapted to the new savage reality quickly for multiple reasons, e.g. natural proclivity, new family to protect and win over. Presently Rick is in the process of getting there. The trick is to ride the razor’s edge of madness and despair when you are completely rebuilding your belief system. Shane unfortunately failed to pull it off, no small thanks to that wily dame. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/164 "2012-03-20T14:04:01Z")
> [@Billy\_Baroo](#): > > Also Andrea needs a love interest now that Shane’s bought the farm. There’s an open position for “old guy” in the band. I’m looking for an Andrea/T-Dog alliance. He is way too cute and snuggly to remain on the periphery. Maybe we can find out his real name, too. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/165 "2012-03-20T14:13:34Z")
I’m not sure why people are up in arms about the prison. I don’t think it’s even been suggested yet in the show that no one knows about it. Leaving Atlanta didn’t they have a better plan to find a fort or something? They only got sidelined at the farm because Dale’s truck overheated, Sophia got lost, and Carl got shot. The farm seemed stable and safe so they decided to stay. Having been run off in a hurry, it’s only when they stopped that they really had a chance to catch their breath and start to consider what their plan is. Someone might still suggest the prison. There wasn’t really reason to bring it up before this point. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/166 "2012-03-20T14:21:17Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > He is way too cute and snuggly to remain on the periphery. Say what? He’s an over weight rather dumb guy who cuts his arteries open on driver side mirrors. And drops things. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/167 "2012-03-20T14:35:10Z")
if the swamp was the reason the farm was safe… how long would it have taken them to build a moat around the house? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/168 "2012-03-20T14:37:58Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > if the swamp was the reason the farm was safe.. how long would it have taken them to build a moat around the house? Longer than it would take a section of a herd of walkers to fall into moat and create a zombie bridge to the house. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/169 "2012-03-20T14:38:57Z")
I’m enjoying this show, despite its _many_ flaws. My real hope is that the high viewership numbers inspire some copycat post-Apocalyptic shows that are better-written. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/170 "2012-03-20T15:05:35Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > My real hope is that the high viewership numbers inspire some copycat post-Apocalyptic shows that are better-written. Zombie shows may become like Westerns on TV in the 1960s. “Have Chain Saw, Will Travel.” ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/171 "2012-03-20T15:08:59Z")
I know I was one who never understood why they thought it was so important to stay put on the farm. But given that they felt so strongly about this, I think I’m now going to have a hard time understanding why they don’t want to go back. The only thing that’s different is that the barn is gone, but they only used that for holding captives anyway. We’ve seen a shed on the property that they could use for that purpose. The writers could have covered their butts on this point by burning down the house as well, but perhaps I ask too much of them. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/172 "2012-03-20T15:21:30Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > I know I was one who never understood why they thought it was so important to stay put on the farm. Lori wanted a comfortable place to have and care for her baby, and Herschell was the closest things to medical help they could find. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/173 "2012-03-20T16:11:50Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > I know I was one who never understood why they thought it was so important to stay put on the farm. But given that they felt so strongly about this, I think I’m now going to have a hard time understanding why they don’t want to go back. The only thing that’s different is that the barn is gone, but they only used that for holding captives anyway. We’ve seen a shed on the property that they could use for that purpose. > > The writers could have covered their butts on this point by burning down the house as well, but perhaps I ask too much of them. I also think they were under the (false) impression it was secure enough with the swamp and fencing for the cattle. As demonstrated, a zombie or two will get stopped by these barriers. A hoard of zombies, with the numbers and weight, could press through their existing barriers fairly easily. I think even Hershel commented at the start of the attack that the house was not safe for refuge as that many zombies would tear it down. MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/174 "2012-03-20T16:18:39Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > I think even Hershel commented at the start of the attack that the house was not safe for refuge as that many zombies would tear it down. I think it was Darryl who said that when someone suggested hiding in the house. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/175 "2012-03-20T16:35:41Z")
Rick turning more like Shane ain’t such a bad idea since Shane was right about absolutely every single thing that they argued about. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/176 "2012-03-20T16:48:14Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > Until I knew that everybody was infected and would reanimate after death I might actually think a prison would be a good place to go. > > Easily defended and the assumption would be that once cut off if the prisoners were released they’d have dispersed and if they weren’t released they’d have starved to death by then. I like the idea of a prison when I think about it. You have the yard to make a garden, and you have a big, thick wall. You just need to make sure you have an escape route in case ‘person goes crazy and opens gate’. Or some way to \*prevent \*this from happening. But the thing about everyone being infected that bothers me is that sometimes people die in their sleep, while \*you’re \*sleeping. During the day time you have more chance of noticing _‘oh, hey, Sue has zombie face and is coming my way’._ Working within a prison, one could assign each person a cell and the _key_ to their cell. Each person would then lock themselves in. If they have a heart attack in the night and come back as a zombie they are then too stupid to open their own cell and are not out wandering around noshing on sleeping people in the dark. But our group won’t do anything of the sort. They’ll pitch up tents in the prison yard or something. > [@randwill](#): > > I know I was one who never understood why they thought it was so important to stay put on the farm. But given that they felt so strongly about this, I think I’m now going to have a hard time understanding why they don’t want to go back. The only thing that’s different is that the barn is gone, but they only used that for holding captives anyway. We’ve seen a shed on the property that they could use for that purpose. > > The writers could have covered their butts on this point by burning down the house as well, but perhaps I ask too much of them. Yeah, I never understood why they stayed at the farm, left it, and most importantly why they didn’t do anything to \*improve \*it. What about thinking about a nice, strong wall? They could have \*started \*work on a concrete wall. Just a small one around the house might have made a difference, maybe with some converted farming tools you could safety kill zombies until there are no more. But no, that would take time away from all the drama, bitching, and stupid decisions. This may have been shared already as I’d tried to stop following these threads when I stopped watching the show (before my husband sucked me back in), but [penny arcade](http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/03/02) has the right of it. My husband’s idea was a moat with crocodiles. (Not all of our plans are good plans…) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/177 "2012-03-20T17:04:53Z")
You’d think it’d be easy to protect yourself from a mindless horde, but now we know it’s not so easy. The zombies could wait you out, unless something else distracted them. I guess you could keep a few animals in the house and let them loose – the zombies would follow and would likely keep moving even after eating the animals. They aren’t going to remember where the animals came from and go back for more. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/178 "2012-03-20T17:07:26Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I’m looking for an Andrea/T-Dog alliance. He is way too cute and snuggly to remain on the periphery. Maybe we can find out his real name, too. It’s Theodore Douglas. He reveals it during his feverish ramblings in the second episode of season two. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/179 "2012-03-20T17:07:56Z")
> [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](#): > > \ > > But the thing about everyone being infected that bothers me is that sometimes people die in their sleep, while \*you’re \*sleeping. During the day time you have more chance of noticing _‘oh, hey, Sue has zombie face and is coming my way’._ Working within a prison, one could assign each person a cell and the _key_ to their cell. Each person would then lock themselves in. If they have a heart attack in the night and come back as a zombie they are then too stupid to open their own cell and are not out wandering around noshing on sleeping people in the dark. > \ You mean, like I suggested in Post #134 in this thread? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171/180 "2012-03-20T17:10:05Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You mean, like I suggested in Post #134 in this thread? 🙂 I can’t believe I missed that. I even remember \*reading \*that very post of yours… 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-2-13-beside-the-dying-fire-season-finale-open-spoilers/616171.md?page=10)