The Walking Dead Season 6 Discussion

[shapeshifter]

I was sitting there bored, making comparisons of this episode and FTWD, wondering if the Wolves story would ever be back in the spotlight soon...
and then I found out. Wow. Brilliant.

 

[Ryan8bit]

^ It's too hard to compare this show to FTWD in any way. I know some feel differently, but I much prefer this show.

These first two episodes have been great. I hope we're not in for some mid season filler (kinda hard with a horde coming at you), but I'd be OK if things slowed down a little bit anyways. Since they discovered Alexandria, this show has been balls to the wall. I really like it. After Terminus it seemed very plodding for a bit there.

 

[sojourner]

Taking a prisoner is pretty worthless. There is no meaningful intel to be gained from feral psycho's living in the woods. All you need to know is that they're there and will need to be dealt with; that's it.

Your using knowledge the characters don't have again. Which is why they needed to capture one for interrogation. They don't know if the wolves are crazy or not. In fact, the attack coming when most of the fighters are away from camp points to some planning and intent.

Talking to a prisoner and finding out that it's just some crazy cult psychos would have given them a leg up in how to handle them.

Now, they still have to guess as to what the wolves really want.

 

[hux]

They attack in small numbers with no plan, no guns and talk a lot of gibberish. Carol obviously came to the conclusion that she knew all she needed to know. These people are nobody's. Your common or garden post apocalyptic lunatic in the woods.

Rick needs to assign rankings and Carol needs to be promoted to 2nd in command instantly.

 

[Ryan8bit]

Taking a prisoner is pretty worthless. There is no meaningful intel to be gained from feral psycho's living in the woods. All you need to know is that they're there and will need to be dealt with; that's it.

Your using knowledge the characters don't have again. Which is why they needed to capture one for interrogation. They don't know if the wolves are crazy or not. In fact, the attack coming when most of the fighters are away from camp points to some planning and intent.

Talking to a prisoner and finding out that it's just some crazy cult psychos would have given them a leg up in how to handle them.

Now, they still have to guess as to what the wolves really want.

Except Morgan already talked with a couple of them and knows what they are about. He was only taking a prisoner because of his belief that life is sacred, not because he wanted to interrogate him. By the end of this episode, it looks like he is changing his mind on the matter.

It doesn't really matter what the wolves want anymore than what the Terminus folks, the Woodbury folks, or any other various group wants. At this point there is no diplomacy, and now several Alexandria folks know this. That's all they need to know. These people are attacking and there's not really a way to stop it.

 

[sojourner]

Taking a prisoner is pretty worthless. There is no meaningful intel to be gained from feral psycho's living in the woods. All you need to know is that they're there and will need to be dealt with; that's it.

Your using knowledge the characters don't have again. Which is why they needed to capture one for interrogation. They don't know if the wolves are crazy or not. In fact, the attack coming when most of the fighters are away from camp points to some planning and intent.

Talking to a prisoner and finding out that it's just some crazy cult psychos would have given them a leg up in how to handle them.

Now, they still have to guess as to what the wolves really want.

Except Morgan already talked with a couple of them and knows what they are about.

That would be fine, if Morgan had been the one to kill the prisoner, but it was Carol, who isn't aware of what Morgan knows of the wolves. And she's smart enough to want to collect information.

Robbing yourself of the opportunity to possibly learn something about your enemy is always a mistake.

 

[hux]

The whole point of Carol's arc is that she doesn't care who they are or what they want. They're animals that have broken into her home. You don't capture a fox and then interrogate it. You just slaughterer it. That's what these people are to Carol. Just another animal that you gut.

Carol is way ahead of everyone else.

 

[Ryan8bit]

That would be fine, if Morgan had been the one to kill the prisoner, but it was Carol, who isn't aware of what Morgan knows of the wolves. And she's smart enough to want to collect information.

That's not really Carol's character though. She's way more willing to kill first and ask questions later. I mean, she did burn two sick allies without knowing what the effect would be. In her world, it's very black and white, and she probably has a feeling that these people are not to be negotiated with.

 

[sojourner]

Who said anything abut negotiation? Learning something about your opposition gives you leg up on killing them. It may be Carol's character, that doesn't mean it was smart to do.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

The whole point of Carol's arc is that she doesn't care who they are or what they want. They're animals that have broken into her home. You don't capture a fox and then interrogate it. You just slaughterer it. That's what these people are to Carol. Just another animal that you gut.

Carol is way ahead of everyone else.

Absolutely correct; the series protagonists have learned that even if you talk to the enemy, you get nothing except lies and diversionary tactics: from Randall, to the Governor, Terminus' Gareth & Martin in particular, it was all wasted time. With the Wolves, they are indeed psychotic--or using that as a cover, but interrogation was not going to work.

From the Wolves who attacked Morgan to this latest group, they purposely spew altered reality, survival of the fittest gibberish, and they stick to that script.

As far as intel goes, they have enough: Morgan's 1st encounter in the woods, Aaron now knowing the elaborate walker truck trap was set by the Wolves, and Rick's group saw what happened to Noah's neighborhood. They might not know the motive, but they know they are a deadly, organized force. Carol--as is often the case--was correct in ending the bound Wolf.

 

[kitik]

We've reached the point where our group is going to have to go out and actively hunt other humans. To kill them.

 

[Ryan8bit]

At this point, Rick only seems interested in just keeping to themselves, but I think the recruiting idea is the smartest idea Alexandria had. Well, I can't recall how Aaron and Eric were doing the recruiting in the show, but in the comics they used long range monitoring equipment, and Alexandria was on a hill so they were able to have the high ground. That way they were able to avoid bad people, but bring in the good people.

After a certain point though, I can't imagine there would be too many wandering innocents. They'd be more likely to start running into other communities, and not every single one can be as bad as Woodbury.

And realistically, Woodbury was only as bad as the Governor and some of its higher-ups. There were definitely still good people in the bunch. I don't know if the same can be said about the wolves or places like Terminus though.

All I know is that if they treat everyone outside like an enemy like Rick wants to, that will eventually be to their detriment. He's lucky he didn't fuck things up with Aaron. Hopefully Daryl sets him straight on the matter.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

At this point, Rick only seems interested in just keeping to themselves, but I think the recruiting idea is the smartest idea Alexandria had. Well, I can't recall how Aaron and Eric were doing the recruiting in the show, but in the comics they used long range monitoring equipment

On TV, they were using parabolic microphones to listen to Rick's group from a distance, which is how Aaron knew to leave water, and their taking shelter in the barn.

After a certain point though, I can't imagine there would be too many wandering innocents. They'd be more likely to start running into other communities, and not every single one can be as bad as Woodbury.

Maybe, but they must be few and far between, since some might not be able to defend themselves against herds or subversive people.

Further, there's an increased potential for wanderers like the ill-fated "backpack guy" from "Clear," who was looking for help, and had been on the road for some time. That could mean there's not that many stable (or friendly) communities around.

All I know is that if they treat everyone outside like an enemy like Rick wants to, that will eventually be to their detriment. He's lucky he didn't fuck things up with Aaron. Hopefully Daryl sets him straight on the matter.

Right out of the season 6 gates, Rick is already disagreeing with Daryl about finding new people. I would not be surprised if Rick tries to conflate the Wolves' attack with the "danger" of letting new people in.

 

[kitik]

I'm thinking just the opposite. After losing a number of residents over the last few episodes, I think Rick and Deanna and company will decide that they need to go out and find more reinforcements for the town. The more people they have inside those walls, the easier it is to defend.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

They've thrown the Wolves at us pretty early which suggests to me that they might just be machete fodder. How interesting can mindless, feral maniacs be as long term enemies? They dealt with the crazies at Terminus pretty swiftly and moved on which was necessary and I suspect that will also happen here.

It's also the reason I agree with Carol's actions. Taking a prisoner is pretty worthless. There is no meaningful intel to be gained from feral psycho's living in the woods. All you need to know is that they're there and will need to be dealt with; that's it.

Their early introduction in season six makes me think they're just the starter and the main course is still to come.

There's always significant intel to be had. If nothing else, lives could easily depend on finding out how many Wolves there are and roughly where they live. It is possible that none of the wolves would be susceptible to interrogation, but there's no reason to just assume that without even trying.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I'm thinking just the opposite. After losing a number of residents over the last few episodes, I think Rick and Deanna and company will decide that they need to go out and find more reinforcements for the town. The more people they have inside those walls, the easier it is to defend.

That's what I was thinking. The population of Alexandria has been reduced significantly after that attack. They really need to recruit.

 

[EmoBorg]

I think Carol killed the bald wolf a little too quickly. The wolf was already bound. They could have put him in a secured place and questioned him about the Wolves, what motivated their attack on the ASZ ? Where their main base and outposts are located ? How many of them they are ? Who are the leaders ? That wolf could have provided so much intell to them. But Morgan did knock out and capture the long haired Wolf that he encountered in the house. That guy should provide a little intell.

 

[Starkers]

^Did he knock him out or did he finish him off? He did seem to apologise just before his final blow?

 

[kitik]

So this coming weekend, TWD is it's usual length, only an hour long. But the following weekend, on November 1, it's going to be another 90 minute episode. Which is a little odd for the 4th episode of a season. Which makes you worry that someone is going to die. But then again, the first episode this season was 90 minutes too, and no one of significance died, it was just full of a gigantic walker herd. But now I'm going to be worrying for the next week and a half.

 

[hux]

There's always significant intel to be had. If nothing else, lives could easily depend on finding out how many Wolves there are and roughly where they live. It is possible that none of the wolves would be susceptible to interrogation, but there's no reason to just assume that without even trying.

So you capture one and he says there's a thousand of them and they're five miles away. How does that help you?

Or you capture one and he says there's twenty of them and they're two hundred miles away. How does that help?

Honestly, I think Carol just instantly recognised what these guys were just feral animals. You don't chat with them, you just gut them and then go back to having your lunch. If it isn't them, it will be some other group of rabid animals you have to deal with. The problem is not what's out there (we already know what's out there). The problem is... can we deal with it when it inevitably comes and tries to slit our throats.

Rick has been trying to explain that "crazy fucked-up people" will be coming for them soon. This was long before he had ever heard of the Wolves. Because the Wolves are irrelevant. Their numbers are irrelevant. Whoever comes is irrelevant.

Being in a position to slaughter them effectively when they come is the priority.