About antonymaldonado

My name is Eric A. Maldonado. Don’t ask what the A is for, it will be all over the site shortly. I’ve been in love with literature and prose for years. While other little boys said they wanted to be astronauts and firemen, I proudly stated I was going to be an author when I grew up. After all, I have a knack for the English vernacular; though I do tend to be verbose at times.

As the Curtain Closes – The Walking Dead Episode 4: Around Every Corner Review

Posted on November 4, 2012 by antonymaldonado

The end is nigh, and if the penultimate episode is any indication, it won’t be pretty.

In the latest installment of the now epic episodic content from Telltale Games, we find Lee and company nearing what appears to be the end of their journey. As expected, this episode will be the last stop for some, as Telltale continues their brutal rampage through your psyche. Yet the question you should ask yourself isn’t, “Who’s next?” but rather, “Would I save them if I could?”

It’s an important question, because up until now Telltale Games has done a fine job weaving together a fiction that is compelling and gritty. They have crafted a masterpiece in which you feel for every character. You begin to understand how they work, and just when you believe you’ve pegged someone, the tables are turned and tossed aside. One moment, you hate their guts and everything about them, and the next minute you find yourself at the crossroads of Bad Decision A, Worse Decision B, Terrible Decision C, and Shit-Really Decision D.

This is the life Lee and Clementine survive through. They both push forward, guided by what could potentially be the only instinct man has left: survival.

When death surrounds you at every corner, you’re more worried about seeing that next sunrise than what’s on channel 35. It’s a cold truth that many of us can only swallow with the right substance. The Walking Dead is that substance. Why else do we come back month after month, episode after episode? I doubt any of us are expecting a happy ending; we’re too jaded for that.

Or are we too aware? Have we all come to the bone-rattling conclusion that life doesn’t always have a happy ending? Especially when you are the walking dead?

Whatever the reason, we return to our respective helms deep inside the mind of former-History professor, Lee Everret and his young ward, Clementine. We return to watch over them. We return… for Clementine.

That’s my main reason. I started out this adventure hoping to see the zombie apocalypse play out before my eyes. What I ended up seeing through these four progressively disturbing episodes, was how I would play out in a zombie apocalypse.

Every decision I made was electrically charged with a prime directive I could never override: For Clementine. That little girl wormed her way into my heart and kept it beating long after the dead killed it. Even Duck found a special, annoying place in my thoughts. These children, though they are made of polygons and pixels, are as real to me as my own niece. I want to protect them like I would protect her.

However, there is always a price. Some decisions cannot be unmade. Worse yet, the impact of your unsaid words weighs far heavier than those you breathed into existence. Not every decision is for the good of your ward; the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

Horrible truths come out to drape their sickly comforts among the weary survivors from Macon, Georgia. The cold fingers of Death grip tightly the same controls you do, and the cliffhanger of the penultimate episode strikes deeper than any before it. The everlasting question reveals itself as the one and only truth: How far will you go for Clementine?

Around Every Corner clocks in at roughly three and a half hours from start to finish. Aside from lag issues that surfaced in Episode 2, there were no game-ending glitches from my play-through to report. Telltale Games get a great job fixing the save file issue, so as long as you have the most recent version of the game you shouldn’t worry.

The penultimate episode precedes the finale, which should be released sometime in November, as well as the retail release of the entire 5-episode collection! Retail copies are scheduled for a December 4th, 2012 release. This shouldn’t be taken as a concrete date, but fans should definitely consider reserving their copy of the collector’s edition, as the goodies are too good to pass up.

The Dead Rise Again! The Walking Dead Magazine Review

Posted on October 31, 2012 by antonymaldonado

By this time, The Walking Dead Magazine has made its way to newsstands, store shelves, and even the digital medium. For those wondering, “Is there really enough Walking Dead to fill an entire magazine?” the answer is an emphatic, “Yes”. With content covering the iconic comic books, the hit television show, the downloadable episodic video game, and everything in between, The Walking Dead Magazine is sure to be a success with die-hard fans.

Produced by Titan Magazines in association with Skybound Comics, The Walking Dead Magazine is a definite hit. Featuring interviews with big name players such as series creator Robert Kirkman, and “the Bobba Fett of The Walking Dead” Danai Gurira as Michonne, this is definitely a great companion to the television series. There’s even a four page spread dedicated to the newest character in the series; no, not Michonne or the Governor, but the Prison itself! Including set photos of the prison as well as the cast, there’s enough of AMC’s The Walking Dead to satiate even the most gluttonous walker.

Now any fan of the television series should really delve deeper into The Walking Dead universe, particularly where it all began. However, since the comic series has already hit its 100-issue mark, it can be a rather daunting task to undertake. Not to worry though, because TWDM has you covered! Inside you’ll find a synopsis of the comics’ most important events from issue one, all the way to issue 100. How’s that for playing catch up?

Speaking of issue 100, there’s a wealth of juicy content surrounding the issue, including variant cover artworks and the major affects behind the death of a main character! Don’t let the spoilers detract you though; TWDM handles all potential spoilers with an appropriate air of tact.

Also within the hallowed 100-page magazine are first looks at various Walking Dead swag, including a vinyl Walker Coin Bank. The collector in us all will certainly giggle with joy. The real prize however, is the world’s first look at some truly unique and exclusive content. Fans who have read and enjoyed Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga’s best selling novel, Rise of the Governor, will definitely want to get their hands on issue one of TWDM. For inside is the exclusive prologue to the sequel, The Road to Woodbury, which is also available for purchase. The short story was written exclusively for TWDM, so I suggest you pick up a copy if you have even the slightest interest.

Those looking for an easier way to keep up-to-date on all things The Walking Dead, a subscription to the six issue magazine will cost you $47.99US. At just $8 an issue, many Walking Dead aficionados will find it a steal! Did I mention early subscribers can take advantage of an exclusive t-shirt offer? Act fast, because exclusive swag like this rarely last long.

Five Hours of Horrible Decisions: A Review of The Walking Dead Episodes 2 & 3

Posted on September 6, 2012 by antonymaldonado

From the moment I caught wind of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, I was hooked. I scoured the Internet high and low for any and all information that simply mentioned the then upcoming episodic game. Honestly, I still scour the Internet though not nearly as persistently, and only after completing the most recently released episode.

So here we are again: you, reading my raving review of The Walking Dead Episode 2: Starved for Help and Episode 3: Long Road Ahead; me, struggling to find the correct, spoiler-free words necessary to get you off this site and on your console of choice, ready to hand over your hard earned 5$ to experience Lee Everret’s life.

After all, let’s not kid ourselves regarding two key factors: first, I am indeed going to rave about this game like a giddy fanboy; second, this “game” is an experience through the life and times of Lee Everret.

I’ve tried to explain in past articles exactly what it’s like to play The Walking Dead, but I feel that I’ve somehow fallen short… Until now. In Telltale’s The Walking Dead you are not Lee Everret; you are his conscience. You are the little voice in his head that motivates him, convinces him to do or not. You interpret his situations and influence his reactions. That is what is so tantalizing about this game. Though this perspective isn’t necessarily new to the video game world, (one could argue ANY game in which you play a defined character creates a similar perspective) what makes The Walking Dead different is its point and click approach.

By limiting the amount of “freedom” the player has in terms of physical manipulation of the character’s environmental interaction, the developers at Telltale have architected an experience into the conscious mind of a rational individual: you. They have subtly forced you as the player to become Lee’s conscience. They have eased you into a conversation with yourself, as well as others. They have asked you one simple, ubiquitous question: What would you do in his shoes?

Much like the conscience that resides within, you advise Lee on his ever-changing and challenging journey. Not just in the dialogue choices you make, but also in the ones you avoid.

But enough contemporary jibber-jabber.

Since the first episode of Telltale’s The Walking Dead a lot has happened to the survivors held up in Macon, Georgia. Three months have gone by, and rations are running dangerously low. This isn’t the same world you left in the dark at A New Day‘s closing scene.

Not only has the environment become filled with tension and uncertainty, but the consequences have all become more severe. The choices have become less Karmically inclined and more subjective in terms of motive and intention. As the series progresses, the line that separates humanity from monstrosity grows more transparent. This series is a perfect example of developers, nay, PEOPLE delivering on a promise. Now if only Telltale could do something about the audio-visual synchronization issues in these and future episodes…

Those familiar with the television series of identical name will appreciate the pacing of the story thus far. Telltale has done a great job of emphasizing the mentality, “You’re never safe; just safer”. Every second I spend in Georgia with Lee and company has me poised and ready for something, everything to go wrong. Even when the clues and story cues lead you to the climax prematurely, (Ha!) you’re still left in awe of the twists and turns you take to arrive there.

I’m referring to Starved for Help specifically here. For the sake of being spoiler-free, I’ll just say those surprised by the story of episode two will be in the minority.

That’s not to say it’s told in a boring way! It’s an exciting story, aptly delivered by both the writers and voice actors. Exceeding the first episode’s two hour duration by several minutes, Starved for Help introduces new characters, new enemies, and a more dramatic human element. Do you trust easily? Are you cautious? Are you forgiving? Are you vengeful? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to keep your group safe?

You’ll have to play through episode two to find out for yourself.

The latest episode, Long Road Ahead, is the longest episode to date; I clocked about three and a quarter hours by the closing credits. While it is true that the series to date lacks any overwhelming story deviations, it’s the little roadblocks, detours and conflicts within the main narrative that draws you in and gnaws at your throat. The parts that you do control, the elements of the story that can be tailored to each individual player are enough to grab me and make me think. Who do I like? Who should I help? Who has rubbed me the wrong way lately? Is it worth playing the peacekeeper in a world where peace is often violently murdered by circumstance?

These questions shuffle into my brain and begin to chew slowly. But in true Walking Dead fashion, contemplation can lead to death just as quickly as action.

Episode four of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Around Every Corner, should drop within the next 45 days or so. The series is rated Mature for strong language, alcohol use, suggestive themes, and violence. At the time of this writing, members of PlayStation Network’s PlayStation Plus can download episodes one and two for free through to the end of the month. Episode three is 4.99$ on PSN, 800 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live, and 4.99$ for the PC/Mac download. The entire five episode series is available for 24.99$ on PC/Mac, or the discounted 19.99$ via PSN.

You can also purchase The Walking Dead Game from Amazon. It is available for PS3, XBOX 360 & PC.

GREAT NEWS FOR MOBILE GAMERS! The Walking Dead has shuffled its way to the iPhone App Store for 4.99$! Episode one is available for download directly from the App Store, with episode two available as an in-app purchase. Look for my review of the mobile version in the future!

A Review of Morality and the Human Condition that Plagues Us All

Posted on July 31, 2012 by antonymaldonado

Telltale’s The Walking Dead Asks the Hard Questions – A Review of Morality and the Human Condition that Plagues Us All

We all knew this was coming. The defining moment of a true apocalypse: food rationing.

It’s hard to decide which is more frightening between the different factors; lack of food, monstrous humanity, disease, dangerous surroundings. Nevertheless, strength is required to survive in less than ideal conditions. Strength of character, physical endurance, mental fortitude; each play a pivotal role in propelling a survivor forward or dragging the weak down to Hell.

Any way you slice it, food is important to maintain that strength. So those bastards at Telltale start the aptly titled second episode, Starved for Help, with a lose-lose. Choose whom to feed out of ten starving survivors. Oh, and in case you forgot, two of those survivors are children.

Clementine and Duck, the entire reason for this article. Up until the release of A New Day, Clementine was rumored to be many things: an escort, a hindrance, a spike in difficulty, a plot device. What she actually turned out to be far out shadows the assumptive rumors. She’s become a reason. A reason to push forward, a reason to trust and a reason to care about something as ubiquitous as humanity in a world that seems ironically void of it.

I can only speak for myself, but when I play The Walking Dead, I enter a world where I am a protector. Much more than in games like BioShock or Resident Evil 4, because I’m not just protecting a little girl from bodily harm. I’m also shielding her soul from corruption, keeping pain and reality at arm’s length; I do all of this to protect something that I know will ultimately die: her innocence.

From the moment I met that shy girl in the baseball cap, I felt connected. I saw within her eyes a familiar sight of mingling fear, misunderstanding, and reality. I saw myself.

Everyday I question the very fabric of reality that forms this tapestry of deception, greed, and malice that can be life. Everyday I ask myself if it’s worth it to push ever onward, wandering aimlessly at times in a land that’s less than hospitable. Everyday I long for an innocence that I parted with way too early.

I don’t want that for Clem. And I’m not the only one; Kotaku’s Patricia Hernandez shared a similar sentiment in her article, The Walking Dead’s Brave Little Girl Taught Me How to Trust. In her article, Hernandez shares her view on video games and her trademark logical cynicism. Both of which stood no chance against the frizzy-haired Clementine.

That’s how powerful innocence is, even in its virtual form. It calls out across the divide to any and all capable of hearing it. Being without innocence, I hear it like a Siren’s call. It beckons me and enlists me as a dutiful guard without any resistance. I would do anything to protect it. I would even harm it inadvertently, all in the name of preservation.

That’s the real heart of this review: the decisions we make to protect something as ephemeral as innocence. We try anything in an attempt to pay down the debt that only innocence can dispel, from the lies that we tell to the bodies left in our wake. Even the very food I gave to Clementine and Duck is down payment, a sacrifice to the digital gods to grant them some peace.

What I didn’t realize was how profound of a mistake that act of compassion could end up being.

In my quest to protect fleeting innocence, I very well put it in harm’s way. Now you’re probably wondering how that’s possible; I did the right thing by feeding the children first; that’s what I originally told myself. In reality, all I did was stack the odds against us both.

Now this isn’t true in every instance of apocalyptic horror, but for the most part children are baggage. Heavy, bored, energy-craving, slow baggage. Worse yet, they consistently need protection or supervision. Anyone with children or who has spent five minutes alone with a child knows this. So why should I starve myself to “save” a useless child?

Don’t get me wrong: I haven’t performed a 180. I’m merely posing as the Devil’s advocate, shedding light on a particular angle that most people don’t see.

For if I am required to shelter and protect a child, my needs come first. I need all the energy I can muster to protect them, to think clearly, to adequately weigh each option with care. So if I feed our last scraps of food to Clem and Duck, I’m not only depriving myself of food, I’m putting all of our lives at risk.

If walkers attack and I lack the strength necessary to push them back, they’ll overpower me. And then Clementine is left utterly alone. Where will she go? How will she survive?

I found it hard to answer these questions optimistically. Even now, weeks after finishing Starved for Help, I don’t think they can be. So I came to a different conclusion than what’s perceived “normal”. Maybe feeding the children first is the exact opposite of what I should be doing.

Of course hindsight is 20-20, but this new development makes me question how altruistic my motives are. It also makes me take a deeper, harder look at elements like “humanity” and “morality”, and I can’t help but wonder if that’s the real disease we should be fighting.

Telltale’s The Walking Dead Episode Two: Starved for Help has begun to pick up the pace in terms of hard decisions. From the opening to the closing scenes, it’ll have you on the edge of your seat. Though it is suffering from visual and audio issues at times, (latency, skipping and unsynchronized audio) fans of the game will ultimately walk away from the experience with a mingled sense of anxiety and satisfaction.

Look for Episode 3: Long Road Ahead in August!

Review – The Walking Dead, Episode One: A New Day

Posted on May 9, 2012 by antonymaldonado

Most people begin their day with a yawn and a scratch, grumbling about the routine to which they’ve become accustomed. Lee Everett began his day in the back of a Georgia Patrol car leaving Atlanta.

As the officer driving Lee catches his eye in the rear view, he says something you wouldn’t expect: “Well I reckon you didn’t do it.”

And thus, A New Day has dawned…

Reviewing The Walking Dead, Episode One: A New Day

Now the very first thing you’ll notice about The Walking Dead Game are the visuals. Accomplished with a brilliant form of cell shading and hard lines, fans of the series will immediately draw connection with the famous Kirkman and Adlard graphic novel. This is done masterfully and purposely by the designers at Telltale Games, precisely because this story runs congruent with the comic series, and not the Andrew Lincoln television horror/drama.

So you may be asking: Where’s Rick Grimes? Where’s Shane Walsh? Where’s Daryl Dixon?! All I’m going to say is, slow your roll. This incarnation of The Walking Dead takes place during the beginning of the apocalypse. That means no Rick.

It also means you’ll get to know Mr Lee Everett, a former University of Georgia professor. He’s an original character created specifically for the video game, because let’s face it: hasn’t Rick been through enough? Now I won’t reveal too much, but let’s just say that Lee has some skeletons to empty out of his closet.

Along with Lee we have little Miss Clementine as our secondary protagonist. Clementine is an eight year old orphan from Atlanta, Georgia who saves Lee from a zombie. As thanks, Lee promises to take care of Clementine until they find her parents.

For those worried that this is a giant escort mission, I can assure you it isn’t. The inclusion of Clementine is to showcase the innocence that can exist in even the most dangerous of situations; you’re meant to experience the change in both Lee and Clementine by comparing them to one another. You’re meant to see that even in the face of overwhelming odds, we can ban together for good; that the most important thing in post-apocalyptia is humanity.

The Walking Dead is not your traditional zombie game, nor is it your traditional video game. So if your looking for a zombie shooter or a Dead Rising equivalent set to Kirkman’s universe, keep shopping. It is a point and click adventure set to a visually stunning stage that changes according to the decisions you make and the ties you keep. Each “stage” is set with items that Lee can interact with, by using the left analog, (based on XB360 and PS3 controls) to move and the right analog to “aim” your “reticle.” This reticle mimics the shape of a directional pad, allowing four areas for the face buttons to appear depending on the type of interaction Lee can complete with the specific object, person or zombie.

This is how you play The Walking Dead, or rather how you interact with the story, propelling it ever forward. Certain areas require a dialog between Lee and one or multiple non-playable characters. At this point in the experience, you are given four response options each of which Lee will, (most of the time) reiterate verbatim to the other character. But be quick; each dialog comes with a timer to add that sense of desperation and life or death decision-making that comes with living with the dead.

Now while this element of gameplay is not unique to the virtual gaming scene, what is unique is the way it impacts your future conversations and stage set ups. NPC’s remember and take note of your conversational choices, effectively changing the relationship Lee has with that person until they go their separate ways. This is by far the most interesting aspect of the experience, in my opinion. Theoretically, it will create different playthrough’s for each and every individual, tailoring their experience to the choices they make in Lee’s shoes.

Ultimately, what the writers and developers at Telltale games wish to accomplish is to bring a fresh, yet familiar take to The Walking Dead universe. They want you to live through the controversial changes a man goes through during a zombie apocalypse. They want you to make the calls no one should have to make. To put you in split second situations that require decisive action, while laboring you with the heavy consequences that follow. And in that regard, I believe they are on their way to performing at expectation!

The Walking Dead is rated M for strong language, intense violence, and blood and gore. It’s a great experience for fans and newcomers alike, clocking in at roughly two hours. Players can choose between two game modes: Standard, which outlines interactive objects within Lee’s vicinity, as well as displaying consequences to Lee’s actions, and Minimal, which displays nothing outside of dialogue choices and face button interactions. The series will run for five episodes, to be released monthly at $4.99 a piece. A season pass is purchasable for the PS3 at $19.99, a must have for those looking to see it through to the end, as it saves you $5; PC and Mac owners can have the entire series for $24.99; XB360 owners are left with purchasing the series one episode at a time at 800 Microsoft Points at piece.

Look for the next episode, Starved for Help on May 30th.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Posted on April 12, 2012 by antonymaldonado

I want to take some time and talk about Daryl and his relationship with his brother Merle. Daryl’s a fan favorite of The Walking Dead, and I’m glad he his, (I thought I was the only one!). As such, I think it’s best to study the character, find out what makes him tick, and where Merle fits into all of that.

Now we’re not given the gritty details, but we can infer quite a bit about the two brothers:

Merle’s attitude proclaims his racism; he says what he wants, when he wants, and he’s more than willing to fight any who oppose him. He’s crass, belligerent, and regrettably obstinate. I mean, you’d pretty much have to be to sever your own hand to survive!

Merle is a crude individual who looks out for número uno para siempre, (roughly translated to “number one forever”). If someone was on fire, Merle’s the kind of guy who would put it out only if he had to piss. An opportunist through and through, and Daryl knows it.

Conversely, Daryl is a good-hearted man. Daryl is the guy who would watch a bar fight out of the corner of his eye, interrupting only if it wasn’t a fair fight. Under his tough exterior is a saint, (see what I did there?).

Daryl is a defensive, he’s self reliant, but he’s generally a loner. He appears aggressive as a defense mechanism, because he doesn’t do well with emotions. Everything is logical and has a purpose in the cold world. He’s observant, contemplative, and deep down, someone longing for a place.

Daryl knows that his brother is good for nothing; in Chupacabra, Daryl confronts a fictional Merle that represents his psyche. He fights his survival instincts that tell him Rick is no good; the group is a ragtag bunch of city folk that look down on him; he’s nothing but an errand boy, worth less than the dirt they walk on. He fights these thoughts just as much as he fights his guilt for “abandoning” Merle.

That’s what the episode was about. Hell, that is what the search for Sophia is about. To Daryl, finding Sophia will absolve him of his self inflicted guilt. Guilt that he carries, not because he failed to find his brother, but because he gave up willingly. He gave up because he knows Merle is a liability. He left Atlanta with Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog in Vatos because he knew in his heart that Merle wasn’t worth the trouble.

But here’s the rub: all of the progress that Daryl’s made these sixteen episodes is about to be put to the test next season with the return of Merle Dixon. If we assume that Merle is indeed alive, there’s no telling what kind of havoc he will wreck on the group, but more importantly, how he will affect the crossbow wielding survivalist.

As much as he believes his brother to be a bastard, Daryl is a man of honor, conviction, and most of all loyalty. He is a man head and shoulders over Merle, Shane, and in some instances, even Rick. This endearing and admirable quality could spell demise for Daryl; on the one hand, he has his loyalty to Rick and the group, a loyalty that was restored by Dale; on the other hand, Merle is still his kin, and Daryl will be the better man to a fault for that blood bond.

So will Daryl embrace his brother with open arms, or will he finally beat the cold bastard at his own game, in order to protect what’s his? My greatest fear for The Walking Dead is losing Daryl. Especially to his demons, and to Merle.

Death of Innocence

Posted on March 9, 2012 by antonymaldonado

Lori Grimes‘ perception of Carl Grimes is one of innocence on the cusp of corruption. This is a sad, but true assertion. It’s evident in Chandler Riggs’ portrayal of the character, especially in episodes like Secrets and Pretty Much Dead Already.

In the opening of Secrets, we find a completely recovered Carl helping his mother feed chicks on the Greene farm. After some light banter, Carl comments about the location of the mother hens. Lori, in an attempt to reassure her young son, replies that maybe they are off somewhere, implying a necessary and inevitable return.

What Carl says in response surely caught his already ailing mother off guard: “Maybe they got eaten.” Immediately Lori reveals a sense of mingling shock and surprise at her son’s words; no doubt this walker filled world is beginning to rob her son of his innocence and happiness. What is most surprising is not the accuracy of that thought, but the answer Carl provides to his mother’s worried countenance. “Everything is food for something else.”

That singular statement reveals Carl’s awareness of not just his current surrounding, but of life in general. Whether he lives in zombie land or reality, he is not wrong in his assertion. He is maturing at a rate not yet understood by his parents; now whether or not that is in correspondence with the current crisis in which the world finds itself is debatable.

But what we can be sure of is his desire to prove himself, and to not remain a helpless victim. We see that again in Secrets, after he promises Lori that he understands the gravity of possessing a firearm. Carl is growing up, steadily coming into his own and asking for the opportunity to do what he feels is right for his family.

We can’t forget however, that he is still just a boy, and one far removed from his comic counterpart at this point. It’s this innocence that people like Shane look to manipulate in their favor, a tactic seen in Pretty Much Dead Already.

Shane knows that Carl looks up to him. It was a bond he attempted to break early in the second season, though that failed miserably when Otis shot Carl. So when Carl confronted Shane about his reluctance to search for Sophia, calling it “bullshit,” Shane saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, (metaphorically of course). If Shane could turn Carl over to the dark side, so to speak, he could potentially win Lori as well. Shane used his charm and power over Carl’s remaining innocence and convinced him that saving Sophia meant securing their place on the farm, at all costs. How could Carl disagree?

He couldn’t because he sees the hardship his father has to endure as leader of their group. So Carl wants to prove himself capable of protecting what is his. He is maturing in a world that is all but corrupted by pain, sorrow and death; a world his mother views as being without joy. She struggles daily with the very idea of letting him live in this world because of the havoc that corruption may wreck on his impressionable psyche. We see it already at work on those of considerable experience: Shane, Andrea, even Rick.

Especially Rick, the man that Carl adores and worships like a god among men. When Rick killed Sophia, Carl immediately backed his father’s decision, saying he would have done the same thing himself. What a thing to say to your mother; that you would readily kill your best friend’s walking corpse without a second thought.

It must be difficult for Lori to watch her son lose his innocence this way. How painful it must be for both Rick and Lori, the knowledge that they are unable to protect their child from the horrors of the “real world,” and let him resume his childhood care-free. Sadly, it is a pain they must embrace in order to move on and truly protect him from harm. In zombie land, he could just as easily become a casualty like Sophia.

Now from a parental perspective, especially a Western parental perspective, Lori does not want Carl to grow up this way. She does not want her baby boy to brandish a weapon, let alone a loaded firearm. She does not want him to live in fear of an uncertain death or of debilitating loss.

The problem is that neither Rick or herself can protect him the way they could in the old days. Hell, even in the old days it would prove difficult to preserve his innocence. The main difference between then and now, is that those that are corrupting her son are the same people that wish to protect him.

Children are very observant; it’s a trait we all pick up early because we are a social animal. We want to understand what is happening around us, to take part in it and have a hand in our destiny. We listen and we learn. Sometimes we pick up bad habits or overhear negative conversations. Since children lack the mental capacity to truly understand “adult” situations, they are left to perceive any given situation as best they can.

Carl sees the nervousness of a group unable to carry weapons; he sees the slow degradation of his father’s indomitable spirit; he sees the anger the grips Shane’s heart. He sees his family dynamic slowly dissolving, and he wants to help fix it. Would you deny him?

Admittedly, he has a long way to go before he actually proves himself useful for killing walkers and not group members.

Post-Apocalyptic Love Triangle: Shane, Lori and Rick

Posted on February 21, 2012 by antonymaldonado

I’ve read a lot and heard a lot about the Shane, Lori and Rick triangle. Here’s my two-cents about it:

Shane

He loves Lori. From what I’ve seen, he has loved Lori for years. Long before the apocalypse drew her to him. As much of a “prodigy, banging 30-year olds on the regular” as he was, I believe he was always jealous of Rick for finding Lori. Of course modern society left Shane at a disadvantage, because Rick was his best friend. Then Rick and Lori eventually married and had Carl. But I believe Shane always envied Rick because of that, and always saw what Rick had as his.

I mean he essentially saw Rick come into his own as a man and a leader, (this requires some assumption, based primarily on Rick’s authoritative demeanor in Days Gone Bye and Shane’s proceeding subservience leading into Season Two). Shane possesses the drive and natural protective instincts that a leader needs, but he does not have the right attitude nor the much-needed ability to detach his feelings and look at things as right versus wrong. I’ve said it before, and I thoroughly believe it: You need more than guts and determination to live in zombie land. You need compassion and good character. Just because the world’s gone to hell doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. Fair enough?

Lori

Her relationship with Rick was rocky before the introduction of walking corpses. Can you imagine that in your wedding vows? ‘Till death do we part, in sickness, health, and ravenous walkers.’ Married with zombies is a bit of an understatement. I believe she wanted Rick to be more assertive. To “yell at me when he’s mad,” and not take her crap all the time. Hell, she gave him permission to yell at her after the morning after pill fiasco. How twisted is that?

That is one of the reasons why I think she was drawn to Shane after the apocalypse. Yeah he lied to her about Rick’s death, though in his defense, that hospital was a hell-mouth. But I think she was too quick to believe him. Again, the introduction of zombies kind of forces one to deviate from ‘normal behaviors,’ but I believe it does that for the already weak. I think Lori was looking for a way out of that relationship when Shane offered her salvation.

There’s no doubt that Shane and Rick are two different men; Shane is the aggressive, ‘inherent’ alpha male that reacts; Rick is the passive, unlikely alpha male that thinks. They each have desirable qualities, but as a woman, I think Lori most identifies with Shane as her close to perfect mate. I think she loved him. But when Rick turned up alive, it through everything into question. Does she love Rick because she cares deeply for him? Or because she’s married to him?

I definitely believe she is torn between both men, and while her motives may not be pure, her actions are necessary to push Rick into a final confrontation with Shane. Tell it to the frogs.

Rick

Rick is a man that does not encourage his violent side. He is by no means a coward; he showed that in the closing minutes of Nebraska. But I do believe he needs to brazenly meet confrontation with the same determination he had when confronting Dave and Tony. Namely those choosing to challenge his leadership; in a word, Shane.

Now just because modern society has vanished doesn’t mean everyone has to follow Rick. They are free to make their own decision to leave. But since no one is attempting to go it alone, they all need to respect Rick. He is making the tough decisions, considering right and wrong in a world where most would pick wrong over right in an attempt to survive. Now I do not agree with all of his choices; for example, I would have shot Randall in the head and moved on.

But I respect what he is trying to do. He is trying to hold on to humanity in a world that forces most to abandon it. Now Rick has been trying to avoid a fight with Shane because Shane is his best friend. He values Shane’s commitment to the group and the necessary skills he brings to the table. But just like a wolf pack, there can be only one Alpha. And when an Alpha is challenged, like Shane has been subtly, (and not-so subtly) doing, a fight is inevitable. We are after all, animals.

So when it really comes down to it, this Rick versus Shane issue needs to be resolved. Not just for Rick to reclaim his family, but to show Shane that he needs to either respect Rick and his decisions, or get out. I hear Nebraska’s nice.

Talking Walking Dead

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