Season 4 - Ep. 9 - Mid Season Premiere

AnaNotBanana

This thread serves as a place to discuss speculation, and then reaction to the 02/09/14 episode

PLEASE REMEMBER TO NOT DISCUSS COMIC BOOK SPOILERS IN EPISODE/SEASON THREADS

AMC Sneak Peek:

http://www.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/videos/mid-season-premiere-trailer-the-walking-dead-season-4

_TastySnoBalls_

I desperately need TWD back in my life! :sad:

red_road

I read the thread title and got all excited that it was back! Damn you :laugh:

Tiernan1212

So, so bummed it's still a month away! :sad:

BikerGirlElaine

LOVE that promo Can't hardly wait for it to get here!

mmartinez_az

Since the governers GF died I am bumbed.

AnaNotBanana

Here's the link to the AMC promo:

http://www.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/videos/mid-season-premiere-trailer-the-walking-dead-season-4

soaps54

3 more days, woop woop!

kellyskitties

How will you watch? Any special plans?

wertgirlfor

I am totally avoiding responsibility today and watching the marathon leading up to the premiere lol. My homework can always wait until tomorrow :P I'm so excited! I'm curious who will be making an appearance in the first episode.

SMarie10

Excellent episode tonight. Love Carl the "teen years" - want's to be an adult and hates his father, but still very venerable and scared. Loved his reaction when he went into the bedroom in the house - you could tell he wanted to jump back into that vibe. Love that Michonne overcame the zombie herd and chose to live again.

Booksandbeaches

Loved the episode. I could understand Carl's rage. Rick's leadership has been lacking. Loved how the Carl came full circle to realizing while he is a badass, he still needs his father.

I just don't understand the magic of having two pet zombies. With two pet zombies none of the zombies notice Michonne even when the pets are a bit far from her like they were in the woods and even when she's walking right next to them close enough for them to smell her as non-zombie. But at the prison when she's walking toward's Hershel's head every zombie spotted her as live meat. In Season One, Glenn and Rick had to smear themselves with entrails and gore when they outside in downtown Atlanta. But now all you need are two pet zombies.

TamTastic

It was a great coming of age episode for Carl and for Michonne too in a way. He grew up...went through a typical teen rebellion...thinking he knows everything, cocky, doesn't need Rick. He vented big time. It was about time! He's been through A LOT including losing his mother, losing friends, seeing a lot of death and horror.....and he finally exploded and said how he felt to Rick who has made a lot of mistakes. And the result was a full circle moment and realizing he can't do it alone and didn't want to without his father.

And Michonne was able to see that living was preferable. Being vulnerable, caring about people and choosing to live was better than that zombie version of herself she saw...and she made the decision to live and care about people.

I can't imagine going through what they've gone through and imagining how I would survive and get through it. Especially losing a child!! To make that decision to go from auto pilot, survival mode to being alive and allowing yourself to care again is terrifying and she did it. Amazing.

As far as the armless/jawless walkers..they explained that last season. You cut off their jaw and the ability to eat..and they lose interest in doing so. Maybe it's a part of the disease that just makes you want to chew and eat and bite...and if they can't do that, they become almost docile. Like when you neuter a pet...they lost that drive. How she's able to walk like that without the others noticing, I'm not sure. But they are brain dead, auto pilot animals...and she is walking among the other walkers..so it's not until she makes a "Human" move....that they notice her.

fbmandy55

I loved the flashback to Michonne's previous life, but it made me so sad she had and lost a baby. I figured that was the case when she didn't want to hold Judith a few episodes back.

Wonder how long it will take everyone to find their way back together.

_TastySnoBalls_

Greg Nicotero is a genius. This was an amazing episode. Danai and Chandler were fantastic!

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UsedToBeHusky

Dang! I just started another thread because I couldn't find this one.

AnaNotBanana

I LOVED the way that the episode started, coming through the smoke to an overhead shot of the ruined prison. But my heart was quickly broken when Michonne found Herschel's zombie head. That part definitely had me tearing up. I was sad to see her giving up and just becoming part of the zombie horde. I'm glad that she finally realized that she didn't want to just be like a zombie. Plus the scene of her killing all those zombies was pretty bad *kitten*.

I’m really conflicted with Carl. Part of me wants him to mind his father and be a kid. The other part of me knows that he needs to be the way that he is so that he can survive. I think this episode really did a good job of showing how Carl is struggling with those two sides of himself. He wants to be a little bad *kitten* that can take care of himself but ultimately he’s still a kid that wants and needs his dad around.

I'm glad that we got a somewhat happy ending with Michonne and Rick and Carl coming back together. I can't wait to see where everyone else has managed to end up.

AnaNotBanana

I loved the flashback to Michonne's previous life, but it made me so sad she had and lost a baby. I figured that was the case when she didn't want to hold Judith a few episodes back.

Wonder how long it will take everyone to find their way back together.

Remember when she told Andrea that her "pets" got what they deserved? I wonder if they had something to do with her son dying and that's why she said that to Andrea. I'm glad that we're finally getting some of Michonne's back story.

soaps54

I was so pissed at Carl when he started mouthing off but the moment I saw his reaction to what was probably a teenager's room in the house they were staying in - I felt for him. The TV, video games, posters...realization of what his life should be versus what it actually is.

Loved the episode, can't wait to catch up with everyone else.

Hershel's zombie head broke my heart all over again.

fbmandy55

I loved the flashback to Michonne's previous life, but it made me so sad she had and lost a baby. I figured that was the case when she didn't want to hold Judith a few episodes back.

Wonder how long it will take everyone to find their way back together.

Remember when she told Andrea that her "pets" got what they deserved? I wonder if they had something to do with her son dying and that's why she said that to Andrea. I'm glad that we're finally getting some of Michonne's back story.

That's a good question! I figured out one guy was her lover/husband/boyfriend but who was the other? I thought maybe they were her brothers when we first saw them but maybe I just missed it..

UsedToBeHusky

I loved the flashback to Michonne's previous life, but it made me so sad she had and lost a baby. I figured that was the case when she didn't want to hold Judith a few episodes back.

Wonder how long it will take everyone to find their way back together.

Remember when she told Andrea that her "pets" got what they deserved? I wonder if they had something to do with her son dying and that's why she said that to Andrea. I'm glad that we're finally getting some of Michonne's back story.

That's a good question! I figured out one guy was her lover/husband/boyfriend but who was the other? I thought maybe they were her brothers when we first saw them but maybe I just missed it..

I have been told... according to the comic book, one guy was her boyfriend and the other was his brother.

AnaNotBanana

I loved the flashback to Michonne's previous life, but it made me so sad she had and lost a baby. I figured that was the case when she didn't want to hold Judith a few episodes back.

Wonder how long it will take everyone to find their way back together.

Remember when she told Andrea that her "pets" got what they deserved? I wonder if they had something to do with her son dying and that's why she said that to Andrea. I'm glad that we're finally getting some of Michonne's back story.

That's a good question! I figured out one guy was her lover/husband/boyfriend but who was the other? I thought maybe they were her brothers when we first saw them but maybe I just missed it..

I have been told... according to the comic book, one guy was her boyfriend and the other was his brother.

The back story in the comic book is that Mike was her boyfriend and the other guy has his best friend. They didn't make that really clear in the episode last night. The show and the comic book have been so different at points it's hard to tell what parts they are keeping the same and what parts are being changed.

red_road

I think I said awwww a million times. Andrew Lincoln was amazing as usual in this episode. It was great to see some of Michonnes( am i spelling that right?) back story. I felt like the first half was slow but the second half really made up for it.

Also R.I.P Hershal's Head

Tiernan1212

Really liked the episode, already counting the days til Sunday.

I like the tension between Carl and Rick. Carl is growing up fast. He can definitely handle business, but can't quite handle life on his own yet. Totally still wanted to backhand him for the Shane comment :laugh:

Loved seeing more Michonne, watching her take out the mini-herd was badass.

Question though, how did Herschel's head turn into a walker? I figured head chopping would be enough to save you from being turned. It seems to be the way most walkers are killed lately. But I guess a bullet to the brain is the only way then?

AnaNotBanana

Really liked the episode, already counting the days til Sunday.

I like the tension between Carl and Rick. Carl is growing up fast. He can definitely handle business, but can't quite handle life on his own yet. Totally still wanted to backhand him for the Shane comment :laugh:

Loved seeing more Michonne, watching her take out the mini-herd was badass.

Question though, how did Herschel's head turn into a walker? I figured head chopping would be enough to save you from being turned. It seems to be the way most walkers are killed lately. But I guess a bullet to the brain is the only way then?

Yes, the zombie has to be hit in the brain to be completely taken out. Last season The Governor had his zombie head trophies floating in fish tanks and they were still alive. Even at the beginning of the season the weird lady Clara was carrying around her husband's head.....but they never showed it. During the mid season finale (episode 8) the Governor purposefully went and found Herschel as he was crawling away and cut off his head. I don't know if it's because he wanted to start a new collection like he had at Woodbury if he wanted to do it just to torture Herschel.

Booksandbeaches

The back story in the comic book is that Mike was her boyfriend and the other guy has his best friend. They didn't make that really clear in the episode last night. The show and the comic book have been so different at points it's hard to tell what parts they are keeping the same and what parts are being changed.

I wonder what it is that they did that was so bad. Was it suicide and killing the toddler too? It seems like it has to be something more than that. I remember Michonne telling Andrea that the two pets " weren't human to begin with." That made me think she had been raped or hurt in a violent way by them.

Tiernan1212

Really liked the episode, already counting the days til Sunday.

I like the tension between Carl and Rick. Carl is growing up fast. He can definitely handle business, but can't quite handle life on his own yet. Totally still wanted to backhand him for the Shane comment :laugh:

Loved seeing more Michonne, watching her take out the mini-herd was badass.

Question though, how did Herschel's head turn into a walker? I figured head chopping would be enough to save you from being turned. It seems to be the way most walkers are killed lately. But I guess a bullet to the brain is the only way then?

Yes, the zombie has to be hit in the brain to be completely taken out. Last season The Governor had his zombie head trophies floating in fish tanks and they were still alive. Even at the beginning of the season the weird lady Clara was carrying around her husband's head.....but they never showed it. During the mid season finale (episode 8) the Governor purposefully went and found Herschel as he was crawling away and cut off his head. I don't know if it's because he wanted to start a new collection like he had at Woodbury if he wanted to do it just to torture Herschel.

Aha, got it. I had actually forgotten about the head tanks :laugh: It's hard to rewatch episodes with a 5 year old that always wants to watch TV when I do!

I was seriously amazed at how lifelike the Herschel head was. Amazing job.

Edit to fix quoting :grumble:

AnaNotBanana

The back story in the comic book is that Mike was her boyfriend and the other guy has his best friend. They didn't make that really clear in the episode last night. The show and the comic book have been so different at points it's hard to tell what parts they are keeping the same and what parts are being changed.

I wonder what it is that they did that was so bad. Was it suicide and killing the toddler too? It seems like it has to be something more than that. I remember Michonne telling Andrea that the two pets " weren't human to begin with." That made me think she had been raped or hurt in a violent way by them.

You would think that if that's how she really felt about them, then she wouldn't be involved with them. Especially romantically. I think the part of the story where she hates her "pets" is something that is only part of the show. I don't remember her being like that towards them in the comic book.