Which makes the savage attack by the bandit tribe even more frightening. Although Carl has seen much of what his father is capable of, he has been blissfully shielded from much of the brutality that comes with a lack of law and order in the world. The tribe is what is important, the tribe with whom a relationship has been cultivated is all that matters. These are the lessons Carl is learning from his father, along with planting vegetables and setting string traps. He is learning from his father and yet beginning to make his own choices, and so, when Carl runs toward a group of walkers attacking an unarmed man, he is forced by Rick and Michonne to fall back in order to save his own life, which he may see as a selfish action, albeit, necessary to survive. Carl moves forward in life with his father as a moral compass, and as he grows older, his definition of morality is being built on personal experiences and relationships. He killed a boy from Woodbury who probably was no real threat to sure-shot Carl Grimes and ever since, his father has tried to teach him to help the living when possible and abstain from violence unless unavoidable. Rick Grimes, who has lost everyone that he loves except for Carl (and maybe, Michonne) is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his son safe, even if that means exposing Carl to the violent truths of post-apocalyptic life.Ĭarl–who survived the attack by the Governor, walkers, even the insanity of the Atlanta CDC–is no stranger to violence. While Rick can be considered a “good” man, the spectrum of good versus evil is shaded in such a way that the things people are forced to do simply to stay alive has the potential to push even the best man to make some truly heinous decisions.
RICK GRIMES TERMIUS FULL
For Rick, Hershel became a fixed point of morality, full of wisdom and honesty in a time and place that held little to no truth except kill or be killed. Without Hershel–who reminded Rick that Carl was always watching and guided the man toward the prison garden and an outlet during his psychological break–the former Sheriff would have continued to press forward through the shit, never allowing himself time to heal and process. What must they give up for this utopian sanctuary and will they have a choice in the matter? image property of AMC Episode: So4圎16 “A”īalancing fatherhood and leadership of the prison tribe almost killed Rick Grimes. The idea of a utopian sanctuary away from the frights of the zombie apocalypse is really, really nice, but, as with any group, the question of how invested individuals must be at a site to become accepted looms over the factions as they begin to trickle in to Terminus. But, if the factions have learned anything since the prison, it is to fear the living. Faction members have fought side by out in the Georgia woods, traveling toward a common goal–Terminus–where there is “sanctuary” for all.
For the tribe members–who have spent time together, cultivated relationships with one another, experienced shit storms and life affirming moments together–the camaraderie they feel toward each other is built on a foundation of trust. In a post-apocalyptic world, the good guys have to do bad things and, occasionally, bad guys turn good there is a lot of gray area. Humankind is made up of layers of emotional, spiritual and physical purpose, and so only time and experience can really show a person’s true essence. Gauging morality on a few superficial interactions or first impressions is impossible.
Don’t forget–aim for the brain and always pack a second weapon. I hope you’ve enjoyed our time exploring the Walking Dead universe together. The fall premiere and season 5 seem so far away! I know that our tribe will rally together, and seriously? These Terminus fuckers have no idea who they are messing with. Thinking about events of living in a post-apocalyptic world in an immersive way has forced me to acknowledge the spectrum of morality in us all, reviewed spectacularly in a television show that is not all about killing zombies, but about discovering the core of humanity. I have really enjoyed writing about the show, especially after taking the UC Irvine Zombie course online back in fall 2013. This television show, while one of the most gory and violent on television, is also the most honest and thoughtful examination of morality, human nature versus nurture and the choices individuals make that keep us moving forward. Season 4 of The Walking Dead took character development and metanarrative to an unsurpassed level.
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