I still hope they kill off Rick, I don't care how often people tell me it's his story, it's "The Walking Dead" not "Rick Grimes' zombie adventure", it should be an ensemble show with no central character, shift the focus to a different character depending on the storyline or episode. I'm pretty sure they'll kill Judith, she's not a character just a living prop, getting rid of her would mean lots of drama and the writers wouldn't be forced to include her in scenes or making up excuses where she is when the main cast is doing interesting stuff. The show started with a little blond girl being shot in the face, so I don't see why they wouldn't kill a baby. There was one scene that I really disliked in this episode, it was when Rick retrieved the buried gun, what kind of moron would put a working gun in the ground? They didn't have an accident for a month but that doesn't mean they're safe and don't need guns, the friggin zombies are still rattling the fence, they go out for supply runs, the governor is still out there and they know everyone who dies turns, so why would anyone hide a weapon when they're not even safe inside the prison? What if anyone drops dead in the shower ... oh wait, that happened, I hope whoever decides to take a shower next didn't forget to bring his or her gun to the zombie apocalypse?
It was my interpretation the gun was buried there for a long time, possibly by a prisoner at some point before the ZA?
I assumed it had fallen there during the Governor's attack on the prison, suggesting some time had passed.
So, as long as Judith isn't blonde, she might have a chance! I assumed that the gun was not Rick's, but was one lost at least a few months ago (by the Governor's men or earlier, by those in the prison when things went to Hell). Even if it is his gun (which I doubt), I can forgive it due to its symbolic nature. Rick digging up the gun, then being told by Hershel he needs to arm himself when he goes outside the prison really summed up what Rick's journey has been since we've seen him last and foreshadow's a time in which he'll need to take up arms again. If I have one criticism about Rick, it's that he doesn't have so much of a character arc, as he allows the events to mold him (yes, I realize that is a character arc, in a way). What I mean is that, to me, Rick's changes aren't meaningful. Contrast this with Daryl becoming less of an asshole for the sake of being an asshole into a leader or Andrea's slow journey from a "woe is me, everything sucks character" to one who tried to make a difference, or Glenn's arc which brought him from someone willing to risk himself since he didn't have anything to live for to someone who'd die to protect what he has. This could be viewed in two ways: (1) the writers, partly due to show runners changing at the drop of a hat, haven't put much thought into what they want to do with Rick's character or (2) Rick is the most "human" character, in terms of the fact that we don't have character arcs, we just adapt (or not) to the circumstances of our lives.
I just took it as some buried gun, from a time before the encampment, that's unearthing was entirely symbolic. Clearly, there'd be no reason to be burying a community weapon in the garden
The other thing could be is that if Carl has picked up his dad's new attitude he could have buried it. On the time issue, last season started with the season change back to Spring after the ZA. Given Judith is still an immobile infant I'd guess were just a couple months after S3 maybe in that following Summer.
Haven't read much of the thread (spoilers) but just watched episode 1 - better than most of season 3, but still on the tedious side...
It seems he actually dug up the gun, it wasn't just laying there. Now, a buried gun won't do you much good against a zombie. So my interpretation is that it was buried by a prisoner as a sort of insurance policy or perhaps in a jailbreak plan, or some kind of secret trade. Regardless, it would take a long time for a gun to get buried by natural forces in that environment, so I doubt the Governor had dropped it. Now, in light of the season opening with community building, and them trying to make a life for themselves - I see the gun as a reminder, or even foreshadowing, that there was still danger to face within the walls. That any sense of community and safety was an illusion. As leader, Rick would have to remain aware of that even as he convinced the community of their safety and normalcy. It seemed to me like one of those little details that separates a leader from a group - the sacrifice of any sense of safety. He pulled out his earbud to hear the truth of what was occuring on the other side of the fence. IE, his blanket of security and sanity was a tool, but not his trap. - And he threw it in the barrow and kept digging, working for improvement, no matter how Sisyphusian. So it reveals the tenacity of his character.
Good episode! Seeing Rick holster his gun was a fist-pumping, iconic, moment like Indy grabbing his whip or something.
Omg! Love Michonne. Still. And Carol. Though I wondered if the girl would off herself or Carol. And I like Carl's evolution. Am I the only one thinking the little girl was feeding Nick? As for "Ash," well, it's not Judith. Sucks if they didn't wait to see if Ash was infected or not.
Hmm. Hadn't thought it would be one of the kids; I had assumed it was someone from the Governor's group. I hope they have a better night watch from now on.
I don't think the kids would be quite tweaked enough to just feed the heads and then leave the bodies though. Their pig distraction was pretty badly thought out. At least then let the squealer go with some time to spare so it can run away into the woods and draw the walkers off for more than 5 minutes. No one thinks to check the water supply, or bring it up at all. No one thinks to have the veterinarian check the dead pig. Seems like they would have thought to close doors and limit movement through the prison at night before now, especially if they're bringing in new people regularly. Who is the new doctor/nurse character? Not the one from last episode, the new one. Are they just going to play fast and loose with the cast for a while like on the first few seasons of Lost, never actually showing them all at once so they can bring new actors in and out as needed? Just kind of 'meh' overall.
Considering that the illness could be coming from the livestock, the prison folks need to consider going vegan.
Now it seems like the gun Rick dug up had been Carl's, & he might have buried it himself months earlier after finding out about the kid Carl killed