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There Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down: Five Things We'd Like to See in "The Walking Dead" Finale

By Cindy Davis | Lists | March 15, 2012 |

By Cindy Davis | Lists | March 15, 2012 |


While many people are dissatisfied with Season 2 of “The Walking Dead,” there are still those of us out here who have thoroughly enjoyed the second half. Writing quibbles and sometimes logic aside, there are still characters who are supremely interesting to watch as they go through the psychological changes their circumstances dictate. Shane may have started out a psychopath, broken down by emotions and lusting after a family he couldn’t have, but “good guy” Rick is crumbling in his own way— and can a leader who is unable to make or stick to decisions really continue to lead? Can he even be a proper father anymore? Maybe Daryl should be the new Sheriff. And how will the group be affected by their latest discovery—that no bite is necessary? Did Rick already know? (Is that what the CDC doctor told him?) Are they all doomed to be zombies no matter what?

Whether or not you’re happy with the show, if you’ve been watching this season you’re bound to be curious about what the finale will bring—and what carrots will be dangled in front of you to bring you back for Season 3. Here are five things that would add that little extra “Shazam!”

**If it’s absolutely necessary to reference the graphic novels, please mark your comment as spoilerish for those who don’t want to read. Thanks!

5. Andrea Kicking More Ass.

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Andrea has been coming into her own, growing more assertive and confident. The group needs a strong woman; inasmuch as T-Dog suffers token black man-itis, the pioneer women doing the chores, depending upon the men to protect the group and make all the important decisions is getting old, too. But Andrea, she’s been refusing to take her sappy pills and finding her own voice—she’s developed a stance. More, please.


4. Merle Dixon.

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Knowing the Dixon stock, there’s a decent chance Merle is still out there somewhere—maybe he’s hooked up with Randall’s gang or joined the Governor’s settlement. Michael Rooker is a positively delightful psychopath. It would be interesting to see brother against brother if it came down to Merle and Daryl meeting up again, on opposing sides (I’ve no doubt Daryl would prevail).

3. Carl Get Some Decent Parenting.

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Because even though little Carl has already been shot and almost died and even though there have been numerous zombie encounters on and around the farm, this kids is off on his own what seems like eighty percent of the time. Because he’s like the Kim Bauer of “The Walking Dead,” if trouble is out there, he will find it. Because Carl is a child and if this shitstorm is messing with all the adults’ emotions and behaviors, it can be guaranteed that Carl’s mind is going through double the pain and confusion. Because he is the only child around, he has no friends or playmates and clearly he’s bored and lacking escapism, he’s going to keep wandering off and get himself killed. Maybe Carol could unofficially adopt him and keep an eye on Carl; after all, if things work out right he might need a new mother.


2. A Governor Sighting.

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Randall’s pals (in the bar), Shane, Merle…they’ve all been fairly disorganized foes for Deputy Sheriff Rick, but as we know from casting news releases, there’s a bigger, nastier kind of monster headed his way next season. What a thrill it would be to catch a glimpse of Morrissey’s bad guy toward the end of the finale.


1. The Death of Lori Grimes.

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Lori “We need to do the chores” Grimes is a poorly written, disaster of a human being who deserves to have her face bitten off. She’s a self-centered, self-serving, stupid woman who puts herself above all else—including her husband and children—and fails to see the effects of her actions on other people. Suiting only her own roller-coaster feelings, Lori’s emotional games with Shane (“Go away! Stay! He’s unstable! I’m so sorry for the way I treated you!”) clearly and deeply affected Shane, who may have been suffering some sort of early transformation (As yo-yo crazy as Shane has been all along, his behavior in the barn—grunting and rubbing his head—was downright strange and seemed like something more than his usual shtick). And concerned as she is with Zombietown’s womanly tasks, Lori doesn’t take mothering very seriously. Half the time she hasn’t got a clue where her son is and the other half, she’s commanding Carl to go to the house or the barn, but the kid clearly doesn’t take her seriously and rarely does as he’s told—so he’s always in the middle of bad situations. She gave absolutely no thought to the child in her womb or Carl when she went running off by herself to find Rick. We can only hope that foolish outing a couple of weeks ago was foreshadowing what, for the audience would be a mercy killing; maybe then Rick would step up to bat and be the father that Carl needs.

Cindy Davis will miss Jon Bernthal.