The Walking Dead finale this week was BANANAS and a great way to end the season: some questions answered, some new ones raised, a new character to ponder over the summer, and everyone important made it out alive (a big "Sorry!" to all TWD fans that were hoping to see Lori or Carol not make it out - both are alive, to throw disapproving glares at us for at least another episode). Last night opened with the black helicopter Rick saw in Season 1 still hovering, and in a "let's kill two confusing birds with one stone" angle, said helicopter can be blamed for the crazy horde of Walkers that descended on the farm. As some have guessed, the Zombies are sound driven with a herd mentality - the helicopter sparked interest in a few of them and they started walking toward it, others mindlessly followed. This snowballed into an even bigger mass of the undead. There was a really cool scene when the horde comes upon the perimeter fence of Hershel's farm and just by sheer numbers breaks the fence down.
Daryl and Glenn get back to the farm before Rick and Shane, unaware that Shane is dead and Carl is missing from the house. (Anyone actually surprised that -gasp- Lori can't keep an eye on her son??). Lori asked Daryl if he would mind going out and looking for Rick and Shane - and it looks like "Caring Daryl" is back because without hesitation he starts to leave to go find them before they all get out on the porch and realize that the shit is seriously about to hit the fan.
Carl and Rick are walking back to the farm after they took Shane down together when they see the oncoming horde. They run to the barn but the Walkers give chase. They come up with a plan to douse the barn in gasoline and draw as many Walkers as they can inside before torching it, hoping this will distract the zombies long enough for their friends and family to make a getaway. The group on the porch see the barn go up in flames and know someone's over there on their side - they just don't know if its Rick, Shane or both of them, and they don't know if Carl is with them. They decide to kill as many Walkers as possible before escaping - Hershel's all "This is MY farm!" and okay, sure, but hey buddy - this is your family - what's more important? Screw the farm; get your kids out alive!
But logical decisions make for boring TV - so instead they fight it out, and lose a few people in the process. Andrea got stranded and left to fend for herself, but Jimmy (Hershel's son) and Patricia (Otis's wife) were the only two that technically didn't make it and became Walker-Food. Daryl and Carol are on Daryl's motorcycle heading to the meet point. T-Dog has Lori and Beth in one truck and Rick, Hershel and Carl are in the other truck, Maggie and Glenn got out together in the compact car.
Rick, Hershel, and Carl are the first to arrive at the rendezvous point - the traffic jam at the highway that started this whole farm-mess in the first place, so very fitting. Luckily, since this is TV, just when they're debating staying or going, all the other survivors show up, conveniently at the same time. They regroup and count their losses but no one can say for sure that Andrea was actually killed. Daryl mounts his bike to go back for her - but Rick stops him and says it doesn't matter - IF Andrea was left behind (she was) then she's dead by now (she's not) or she's left the farm (she has). So they actually decide to leave her behind. Whenever they do run back into Andrea, I hope she kicks all their asses. Just saying.
The caravan gets moving but Rick's truck runs out of gas. He decides they should camp then go on a gas hunt in the morning. Rick steps away from the group and Lori joins him; he admits that he was the one who killed Shane. He explains what happened, and that he had a feeling Shane was setting him up but wanted to be done with their rivalry and get it over with. Cue where I continue to dislike Lori - because the death glare she gives him after he tells her what happened made me want to slap her. Back at camp Rick admits what we all guessed over the past two weeks: Jenner from the CDC did in fact tell Rick during Season 1's finale that everyone is infected, which means you don't have to be bitten or scratched to become a Walker when you die. It's all about your immune system, and how strong it is dictates how long it will take you to turn into a zombie. This of course means that I'm completely screwed, as I get so much as 10 feet from a sick person and like clockwork I'll feel like death in a matter of days. I guess it's good to know that in the Zombie Apocalypse - once I go, my Happy Walker Fun Times will soon be upon me.
They camp for the night, Rick tells everyone that this is no longer a democracy; he's calling all the shots and if they don't like it, then leave the group. No one leaves, but they all give him "shady-face" so we'll see what happens later. I have a feeling that if they find a comfortable place a few of them will break away from the Grimes and strike out on their own.
Speaking of striking out on your own - Andrea showed all of us she's a force to be reckoned with. Much like Daryl in 2.1's "Chupacabra" episode, Andrea is left to fend for herself in the woods. She's running like crazy, hasn't slept at all, the Walker's have her scent so they're not letting up. She falls and hits the ground and turns to fend off an oncoming Walker - who's suddenly decapitated by an unknown hooded figure who has two armless and jawless Walkers on chains behind them. BAD. ASS.
That's right everyone, Michonne has finally entered the building. Bow down to your new favorite character ever. We didn't get to see her face but she's being played by Danai Gurira, best known for her role as Jill on the TV series Treme. Just one quick note to settle something for those that haven't read the comics - some viewers noted the two Walkers Michonne has in chains were African American, and might think that's in poor taste. Before non-comic-readers get their collective panties bunched - the two zombies Michonne keeps on leashes are actually her boyfriend and the bf's bestie, and all three are AfAm - they're two people she won't part with so she removed their arms and their jaws, and keeps them as pets. So don't get upset - that tidbit probably gets revealed early next season, but until then - let's just get that part cleared up. Okay now I'm done. Oh crap! That's right - I really am done! What am I going to do with myself now?? Interact with others? Why on earth would I want to do that? Obviously I prefer the undead to the living. Maybe I'll volunteer at the morgue and do makeup. I'll figure something out.