# The Walking Dead; 4.09 "After" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934 "2014-02-10T01:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/1 "2014-02-10T01:12:38Z")
Season 4 resumes tonight. The Governor’s dead, the Prison’s been breached, the group’s scattered, Judith may or may not be dead, and Glenn was put on a bus with a bunch of background characters. Greg Nicotero and Dania Gurira are guesting on **Talking Dead**. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/2 "2014-02-10T02:08:16Z")
It would have been nice if Michonne turned the reanimated Guvna’ into one of her zombie pets, assuming he reanimated… ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/3 "2014-02-10T02:12:37Z")
Is anyone else getting lots of static/interference on AMC tonight? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/4 "2014-02-10T02:14:02Z")
Nope, but I kinda liked the shot of Hershel’s reanimated head. And then there was Carl looking longingly at the TV for a moment. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/5 "2014-02-10T02:21:41Z")
Rick has quite the zombie-esque mannerisms about him, labored breathing, weakness, looks like the Guvna really did work him over pretty good… Wonder if anyone dies / reanimate tonight Aha! Michonne is a Galifreyan!, her butcher block is clearly bigger on the inside… ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/6 "2014-02-10T03:18:22Z")
The most dangerous thing Carl did the whole episode was eating that tub of chocolate pudding in a world with no toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/7 "2014-02-10T03:41:05Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > It would have been nice if Michonne turned the reanimated Guvna’ into one of her zombie pets, assuming he reanimated… Bullet hole in the head. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/8 "2014-02-10T04:22:50Z")
Weird dynamic between Carl and Rick the first portion of the show. Carl was being a real dick to his obviously seriously injured Dad…walking too fast, making Rick carry the bag of food, etc. Also thought it strange WRT Herschel’s reanimated head…I thought that couldn’t happen because he was decapitated…has that happened before? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/9 "2014-02-10T04:30:11Z")
Decapitation severs the spinal cord, but leaves the brain intact. Remember the Governor’s aquaria? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/10 "2014-02-10T04:39:39Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Weird dynamic between Carl and Rick the first portion of the show. Carl was being a real dick to his obviously seriously injured Dad…walking too fast, making Rick carry the bag of food, etc. He was pissed at him - blaming him for the loss of the prison, Judith and the rest of the group. ---
**Author:** ![Blueberry\_Buckle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3bc359/32.png) [@Blueberry\_Buckle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blueberry_Buckle)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/11 "2014-02-10T04:53:54Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Weird dynamic between Carl and Rick the first portion of the show. Carl was being a real dick to his obviously seriously injured Dad… You have to remember, while this IS Walking Dead, Carl is still a child. It’s probably his way of processing and dealing with all the emotional trauma he has experienced, in addition to being forced to acquire such intense survival skills so quickly and at a young age. He’s angry about things he isn’t able to fully understand, scared, and is grieving. Even the adult characters in the show deserve a little melt down and venting every now and then. I rather enjoyed the episode, especially the Michonne character development and walker massacre, and look forward to next week. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/12 "2014-02-10T05:15:57Z")
How much of the Michonne dream was memories of her old life? Did she really have a kid? Were those two guys the two original pets? I could swear she claimed she took the sword from a neighbors house. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/13 "2014-02-10T05:49:02Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Decapitation severs the spinal cord, but leaves the brain intact. Remember the Governor’s aquaria? 😉 I do…but I guess for some reason I assumed zombies were killed when decapitated. That means Michonne has left a HUGE trail of hungry zombie heads in her wake! > [@Blueberry\_Buckle](#): > > You have to remember, while this IS Walking Dead, **Carl is still a child. It’s probably his way of processing and dealing with all the emotional trauma he has experienced, in addition to being forced to acquire such intense survival skills so quickly and at a young age. He’s angry about things he isn’t able to fully understand, scared, and is grieving**. Even the adult characters in the show deserve a little melt down and venting every now and then. > > I rather enjoyed the episode, especially the Michonne character development and walker massacre, and look forward to next week. Yeah, I got that out of it but it just seemed a little out of character, especially since Carl was his old self again at the end of the show once Dad perked up. That scene with Carl about to blast his wheezing would-be-walker Dad in the head was pretty intense though. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/14 "2014-02-10T05:50:39Z")
> [@grude](#): > > How much of the Michonne dream was memories of her old life? Did she really have a kid? Were those two guys the two original pets? I could swear she claimed she took the sword from a neighbors house. From what I understand, those two guys (her husband and his best friend?) WERE her original “pets”. Don’t know about the sword. That dream sequence with her was pretty weird though…seeing her engaging intelligently in witty repartee with those two is certainly not what we’re used to! ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/15 "2014-02-10T06:11:33Z")
I think it was implied with Michonne’s previous reaction to holding little Judith that she may have once been a mother. I found myself channeling Rick this episode and exclaiming “Dammit, Carl!” throughout most of it. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/16 "2014-02-10T06:20:22Z")
The prospect of baby Judith as a walker is pretty horrifying. ETA: I should say “crawler”. Brrrr… ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/17 "2014-02-10T06:24:16Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > The prospect of baby Judith as a walker is pretty horrifying. > > ETA: I should say “crawler”. Brrrr… I would venture to guess that if she did end up walker food there wouldn’t be enough of her left to crawl around afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/18 "2014-02-10T07:00:31Z")
Not a terrible start, though I missed the rest of the gang. I assume this has already been posted to the boards, but since I just saw this for the first time tonight I figure some of you may not have seen it yet either: [Honest Trailers - The Walking Dead](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNxvo8AcpQQ) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/19 "2014-02-10T10:18:02Z")
This episode made me realize that I think I’m done with this show. This episode was 40-minutes of rummaging around with peek-a-boo zombies and bored me to tears…which is also how you could describe most of the episodes up to this point. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934/20 "2014-02-10T13:07:31Z")
Ah, the semi-annual “Carl is all pre-teen angsty and is confused about his relationship with his dad” episode. This focus on Carl might have been interesting if it explored anything remotely new. I found myself honestly hoping that Carl would get bitten. I was kind of excited when it looked as if Rick might be dead, as well. I wasn’t necessarily rooting for his character to be gone, but at least it would have ended the Rick/Carl angst, which was played out after season two. Carl’s little gambit with leading the walkers away started out interesting, because he seemed to have a plan as to where he was taking them. Suddenly, he’s leading them down some side yard? Stupid. Michonne’s backstory was about the only interesting part of the episode. The exploration of her sense of becoming a walker, going back into her isolation from the living, and likening it to her husband/boyfriend/whatever killing himself was a bit more of a yawner. All in all, this was another episode that spent a lot of time going nowhere. Not a good sign to open this half-season. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-4-09-after-open-spoilers/680934.md?page=2)