Okay... I know that not everyone has had the chance to watch this week's episode, yet, so I'll refrain from an "in depth" review for the time being... *bites tongue, ties hands, etc* ... I will say, though, that despite a relatively 'slow' start to the episode (which, honestly I've come to expect and are almost necessary to 'frame a reference point' after WTF moments like the one that ended last week's) the last 15 minutes or so of this one were heart-pounding and heart-breaking (maybe not the right term but close, anyway) all at once.

I've been waiting for that moment since Season 1 and all I can say is that it's about fuh-reakin' time!!! Of course, given the way the series has been going, I'm not entirely sure that, by the time this episode aired, I was rooting for what happened as much as I was originally... buuuuut... YAY!!!!!

..... an Applaud for Not Spoiling with Details!

Have not even seen the previous week's episode!

..... so I went online and caught up on last week's episode and also yesterday's episode!

Not so sure everybody has seen last week's episode which was a gut wrencher with one of my favorite characters (Dale) and a pivotal point in the direction of this TV series!

Still have not read any of the Graphic Novels to have any original reference opinions, but I will say of the episode 'Better Angels' that the characterization of last week's episode and this one were outstanding!

The Season 2 Finale is drawing near and I will definitely purchase the Season 2 dvd collection when it is released later this year!

The outcome of yesterday's episode 'Better Angels' was not only plausible, but has succeeded (at least in my mind) to further define the characters of the 'broken' group as Dale had called them!

Looking forward to the Season Finale!

Not to mention Season 3 which I think was mentioned that AMC has decided to continue this compelling series: that focuses upon the survivors and how they deal with a world that has gone mad and out of control from the society they were once a part of and knew their place!

Hopefully, Eol and the others who have read the Graphic Novels are enjoying the TV series with its unexpected twists and turns!

I Know I Am!

I haven't read the graphic novels at all, but am loving this show. FINALLY the last couple of episodes have gone back to their roots a bit, and given us some of those tense zombie apocalypse moments... as opposed to the neverending prattling about the missing girl and how everyone felt about everyone else that seemed to eat so much of season two.

Loved that big moment from this last episode (been waiting for that since almost the beginning), but man, does the cast seem FUBARed next week!

Also, I am extremely interested to discover why things have changed in terms of how the infection is spreading. It would seem that the disease has perhaps mutated? What does that mean to our survivors?

Can't remember if they ever said it WAS a disease. Maybe it's radiation that causes alterations in the brain after death, or any other reason they can come up with. Read a Stephen King story once where zombies were caused due to an alien spaceship. Could be anything.

But in this show... don't know what the doctor said in his research facility anymore. DID he say anything about a cause?

...okay, maybe not really a spoiler because I can't say that I know buuuuut.... Honestly, I don't think there's really been any mention as to how the whole 'outbreak' started in either the show or even in the graphic novels up to this point and, from what I understand, I don't think there's any real plan to address it any time soon, either. I can say that it's become pretty obvious (especially in the print version) that one doesn't have to be 'killed', bitten, scratched, or even breathed on by a walker in order to be infected and become a walker themselves... aaaaand, I'm kind of guessing that that is what Dr Jenner whispered to Rick at the CDC.

Everyone is already infected... doesn't matter how you die (unless it's from major brain trauma of some sort), all you gotta do is die and you'll be back as a flesh-eater.

Kinda creepifying, ain't it?

Just watched a Walking Dead marathon today of three episodes, after not following the series for several weeks. Pretty big events!

I'm still waiting for that dad and his son from the beginning of the first season to come back. This has got to be the longest set-up in a TV series that I've ever seen. Let's hope the pay-off is worth the wait! If nothing else, they could use two new cast members right about now.

When Shane was turning into a zombie, they showed quick close-ups of a zombie growling. I remember that from somewhere. Did it appear earlier during the series, or is it from somewhere else? It might be from Serenity (where River gets similar flashes about the Reavers from time to time), but I'm not sure if that's it.

Does anyone else think it's time for a change of location? From the looks of it, it will happen whether they plan for it or not. If so, where should they go next? I hear Nebraska is nice, but I'm sure you could make all sorts of zombie jokes about Florida. I would suggest Sweden since I've been waiting for a zombie flick to be set here, but we actually got our own zombie TV series just a week ago. It's about a bunch of washed-up celebrities who turn into zombies. Sounds pretty epic, doesn't it?

You guys need to hurry up and watch that last episode! I dunno how long I'll be able to hold my tongue on that one!

Anyhoo... Spoiler-free review... Definitely an intense episode (although I don't know that I'd call it worthy of being a "season-ender"). More survivors munched in the onslaught of the walker herd... not surprised at which ones became zombie-chow, really, and kind of surprised that one or two more weren't... Found myself just a wee bit disappointed in Rick (or, perhaps the writers responsible for his lines, this episode, anyway) regarding his dialogue about what happened with Shane; somehow, he took a justifiable situation and, in his "justification" of it, made himself sound less than credible about the whole thing... not sure where that might be going.

So... my Rickappointment aside... I find myself jazzed that we've wrapped Season 2 and can't wait for Season 3... I mean, after all... Yay, Prison!... and better yet... Yay, Michonne!!! (Did she look super bad@$$ or what? )

Okay... going back to chewing on my tongue, now.

Without spoiling anything, I believe I can ask this: Why was Lori so shocked over the fact that Rick killed Shane? She had been pressuring him to do just that, and that was back when Rick still thought Shane could be redeemed. (One might say that Lori was simply warning Rick about Shane, but Rick already knew that Shane was dangerous, so her only real reason for bringing it up was to persuade Rick to get rid of Shane.)

Also, I don't know anything about this Michonne thing, but seeing her definitely reminded me that this thing is adapted from a comic book.

...I'm not sure that Lori was angry with Rick for "admitting" that he killed Shane as she was that he "allowed" Carl to "put Shane down" after he became a walker. If you watch the scene again you'll notice (or, at least, I seemed to notice) that Lori was okay with everything that Rick said up until he got to the part about Carl killing Walker-Shane. *shrugs* Still, as I said in my previous post, the way Rick related the tale of what happened didn't help matters either way, I'm sure... He could have re-told that a LOT better, IMO.

Also, regarding the "snarling zombie flashes" in the "Better Angels" episode... I'm still not entirely sure if it was Rick having those flashes or, instead, if it might have been Shane. Given Rick's revelation as to what Jenner told him, I can see, now, where they might have been Rick-flashes as he watched and waited for Shane to turn but another part of me wonders if those images weren't flashing through Shane's mind as he turned. What are your thoughts on that one, Walker Watchers? Oh, Scabby; there were similar scenes in Serenity, btw, and I think that may be why you found them so familiar... not sure I've seen that sort of thing on TWD in previous episodes.

With the strange, narrowed lens, the odd coloration, and the pans back to Shane's face... I took the "snarling zombie flashes" to be what was happening in Shane's mind as he transformed.

Now, please allow me to chime in on Lori.

I despise this character. The only reason for her continued survival is the baby that she carries, and thus, a chunk of the future of the now endangered human race. Otherwise, she could become a zombie buffet at any time and I would heartily cheer.

This woman does nothing but stupidly endanger herself and others time an time again. "Hey guys, Rick has been gone for at least thirty minutes. If you won't go after him, I will - and I'll needlessly destroy one of our vehicles in the process because I'm an empty-headed moron!"

Rick's description of the final Shane incident was poorly done and made him look much worse than it should have... but seriously, this is how Lori is going to react? So Rick wanted to kill him.

Shane murdered that boy, lied about it, and ensured that he and Rick could be alone - all for the purpose of murdering his best friend. This was no heat of the moment, sacrifice someone you barely know to ensure the survivial of yourself and others. This wasn't even the fight with the wrench (which should have reulted in Shane being left for the walkers, since he had shown his true colors). This was premeditated, calculated MURDER in his heart, and she's angry at Rick for doing the only thing that could have been done?

Was Rick supposed to ignore attempt after attempt on his life until Shane finally did manage to kill him?

Please tell me that Lori will die in childbirth. Please.

..... this morning I finally found a website that would allow me to watch the season finale!

After previously reading your posts before I saw the episode, it seemed to me that Rick was completely in character the way he divulged what happened between him and Shane.

The pressure of the entire unfolding of circumstances and how he blurted it out to the group after Lori spurned him was completely plausible and in character from my take of the episode.

Those flashes in the previous episode were from Shane going through the transmutation.

Rick divulging that the scientist told him was in character as well, since there was no proof (at the time) and when told they were all infected Rick obviously would not want to believe it from a man who was about to have the place blown up with them inside and no choice in the matter.

Then when Shane turned the grisly truth seems to have hit Rick who has 'turned' in his attitude! Liked the touch where Rick seemed to be growling when he was breathing after blurting out that he killed Shane.

As for Lori, her world has changed and Rick and Carl are now different in a different world and she has to adjust.

Herschell seems to understand Rick. The others have been blasted with the reality that Rick is not a wimp anymore!

Foreshadowing earlier with the hooded person who made an appearance was also great plot advancement.

At the end of the episode, when the camera panned past the dam and the fenced compound was revealed on the other side of the water, just wets my appetite for season 3 to begin.

Scareb posted he is looking forward to seeing the man and his son from the first episode of season 1, which I am also, but am looking more forward to the brother of Daryl to make his appearance!

Nice touch with the helicopter causing the Walkers to migrate towards the farm. Kind of a deja vu from when Rick was first in Atlanta and saw the helicopter and no one believed him.

I think most everyone who usually regularly posts has seen the final episode now, so am looking forward to some more input from Eol who was chomping at the bit to share his thoughts without spoiling anything!

...your point re: Rick's revelations to the group (both concerning Shane and Jenner's "secret"), Hammer and, quite honestly, the way he handled the "everyone's infected bomb" I thought was in keeping with his character and the way it's developed. To a certain extent, too, I can see where his state of mind at the time could have made his re-telling of the "here's what happened with Shane" what it was... but only to a certain extent.

Rick's never been super-silver-tongued-eloquent, sure, but up until the whole "I killed Shane" bit, he was "eloquent enough" and you got the impression that he was actually thinking through what he was saying (or had thought through what he would say, as the case may be) even in those high-stress moments and, personally, I feel that that sense was tossed right out the window in his "admission." I'm totally fine with Rick losing the "wishy-washy" aspect and taking on the "this is no longer a democracy" attitude - had to happen at some point - but his retelling of the Shane bit just kind of rubbed me the wrong way... I mean, he basically confessed to murdering the guy, right?

IMO, what Rick did to Shane was as far from 'murder' as it could possibly get. Sure, Shane was setting Rick up... Rick knew that... Admitted that he had plenty of chances to 'turn it around' so that he wouldn't have to kill Shane out in that field, etc... But failure to 'turn that situation around' when given the opportunity doesn't make it pre-meditated, cold-blooded, murder, just acceptance of the inevitable and refusal to put it off any longer (especially in the Shane-specific case). The bottom line of the situation is that Shane was planning on murdering Rick and Rick defended himself, pure and simple. The way Rick pi$$ed and moaned about it, later, though, it made it sound completely the other way around. *shrug* I dunno, maybe I 'heard it wrong' or something... Anyway, not at all a game buster for me by any means... just thought it could have been written a little better so as to avoid the "poor me/I'm guilty" undertones...

For the record, in the comics, Shane died even before our little group left their campsite outside of Atlanta... He was angry/jealous that Rick had returned (much as he was in Season 1 of the series) and decided much earlier on that he was going to have to make sure Rick was dealt with so he didn't usurp his leadership of the group... and, it wasn't Rick who killed Shane, either, it was Carl. Rick returned later on in the comic series (after it was discovered - without the benefit of a CDC scientist telling him so - that you came back as a walker regardless of how you died), dug Shane up out of the grave they'd put him in, and "put him down"... So, it was kind of a neat little role-reversal where that situation is concerned on the TV series.

Any of you Walking Dead fans who would like a really good laugh at something funny then go to the Action Flick Chick website (you can google, but it is sometimes at the top of the Inn)and read her spoiler synopsis of episode 13.

She really likes Dale and has his pics before each synopsis and has captions under the stills of Dale from the TV show as he pontificates about things.

This synopsis has an exchange between Dale and Shane that is FUNNY and worth the look if you need a good laugh today!

.... for your thoughts and insights into the final episode!

Every man has a 'snapping point' and it seemed to me that Rick spilling his guts to the group as he did was his!

Am definitely buying season 2 when the dvd series is released later this year!

The Season Finale action balanced out all the episodes of characterizations precedeeding!

Still anticipating the return of Daryl's brother!

Enjoyed the character development of Andrea from wanting to die to becoming a Walker Survivalist person!

Now there is something to look forward to in the Fall in addition to American Football season!