Walking Dead Recap S2E8: Nebraska

It’s been a couple of months since the last episode of the Walking Dead, but this episode picks right up at Sophia’s second death, and it’s aftermath. Carol isn’t taking the whole Sophia thing well. Hershel’s group is more than a little distraught over the destruction of all the zombies, and that grief nearly costs Beth her life. Shane can’t leave well enough alone, and he attacks Hershel about knowing Sophia was in there, when they were all searching for her. But Hershel tells him Otis did most of the wrangling, and he may have been able to tell them sooner if he hadn’t been killed. Oooh, burn, Shane this is indda your fault since you killed him and all. And with his continued raging he loses Maggie’s sympathy, and Hershel wants the entire group to leave.

He just couldn’t leave well enough alone. Rick tries to see where the hell Shane is coming from, since he was so close to getting Hershel to let them stay, and now all his effort are for naught. But of course Shane and his paranoia know better. As much as I love Jon Bernthal I’m ready to see Shane take a bullet.

Andrea helps with the body disposal, and Carol wallows in grief. Glen asks Maggie for the truth, if she knew about Sophia, she didn’t. He sees the good in finding out about Sophia. He tells Maggie that they bury their dead, and then, then there’s no certainty.

Carl tells Lori about his dream, that he’d find her. That it was all suppose to be different, but even though it wasn't he was ready to kill Sophia, to do what needed to be done.

Rick joins the other in clean up. Andrea tells Jimmy they bury the ones they love and burn the rest. Once the group has a starting point Rick delivers Hershel’s ruling to Lori. He feels guilt over the whole situation, and Lori’s comfort isn’t enough.

Dale watches Shane, and under his scrutiny he cracks a little further. Shane thinks he’s keeping the camp safe, but he’s in a horrible downward spiral. Smartly Dale holds his tongue this time.

The group digs a few graves. Lori goes to get Carol so they can hold a small service for Sophia, but Carol’s guilt is too much, and Daryl’s looks to be right up there with hers.

Hershel gathers his wife’s things, and they have a service for their loved ones. It’s definitely different than the one they had for Otis, there’s no camaraderie, no sharing only silence.

Carol pulls the petals of the Cherokee rose that she finds, and the rest of the group goes back to disposing of the corpses. T-Dog makes a comment about Shane’s actions, thinking he did a good job, but Dale and Rick feel differently. Lori intervenes before they can argue. The walkers needed to be taken care of, but not the way he did it. Sometimes a little finesse goes a long way.

Maggie asks Glen his plans, if the rest of the group leaves, will he stay. Before they can talk, Beth collapses, and Hershel is missing. They find all of Hershel’s wife’s things on the bed, and when they find an old flask, Rick knows where Hershel could be. Glen offers to take Rick to the bar, but Maggie objects. Lori has her own objections, but Rick needs Hershel on his side.

Glen and Maggie say goodbye, and its clear that Glen is about to lay some news at Rick’s feet soon.

Shane nearly shoots Carol, when she comes out of the woods, but luckily he didn’t pull and Andrea. Carol is far from alright, and Shane shows his tender side, and takes care of her, offering her comfort.

Dale warns Lori that Shane is dangerous, and tells her of his theory that Shane killed Otis. Lori doesn’t want to believe him, or maybe she does, but she doesn’t want everyone to panic about it. But Dale points out that Otis knew the walkers and well, since he was the one that had been wrangling them, and his theory is spot on to reality. I think Lori just isn’t ready to admit to herself that her baby daddy just might be a cold blooded cowardly killer.

Glen and  Rick drive into town, Glen is all shifty, he’s about to spill something. And then he does, Maggie told him she loves him, and he doesn’t quite believe her. Rick tells him that its obviously she does, but Glen didn’t say it back, and he feels horribly about it. Rick gives him some sound advice, and Glen apologizes for not telling him about Lori.

The group gathers around Beth, who isn’t getting any better. She’s pale, her heart is racing, she’s burning up. She needs Hershel, and Lori goes to find the one man who could bring him back, Daryl. He’s not taking the Sophia thing well, and he’s unwilling to go find Hershel.

Glen and Rick find Hershel right where they thought they would, at the bar having a drink. Rick tells Hershel about Beth, and he doesn’t think he could be of any help. Rick tries to look on the bright side, but where Hershel was so full of hope, now there is only darkness. He thought Carl was a miracle, but now he knows he was not.

Lori sets out to find the men herself, and hurry them home, but she’s distracted. As a perfect psa for keeping your eyes on the road, she tries to read a map and drive at the same time, only to see a walker too late, she hits it, and flips her car too. Good job Lori, as if things weren’t bad enough.

Hershel tries to send the guys away, but Rick refuses to leave. Hershel lashes out at Rick, and tells him that Shane opened his eyes, and together they learned that there was no hope.

Shane and T-Dog pile the bodies for their bonfire.

Rick finally has his say. Death is death, nothing has changed. There is still hope, even if they don’t believe, it’s not about what they believe, it’s about the others, the ones that are depending on them. And right after Rick’s little inspirational speech, two very alive men walk in.

The guys are Rene (from True Blood) Dave and Tommy, they’re passing though. They’re down from Philadelphia. They’d passed though a lot of groups, all that had different ideas on escaping the apocalypse. They’re heading to Nebraska. They break the news that Fort Benning is gone, over ran. Rick and the others, remain a bit quiet about the farm. Dave and Tommy try to pry information about the area, but they give up very little, and they continue to pry. But Rick tells them that they aren’t welcome, and even though Dave is a little convincing, I’m with Rick on this one. These guys are trouble. Tommy threatens to shoot the others, and take the farm, before Dave calms him but Rick remains cool. And when they won’t take no for and answer, Rick shoots both of the men.

Shane and T-Dog set fire to the bodies, and Glen and Hershel say nothing about what Rick has just done.