RIP Bob, you were a man of exceptional taste.
I rather liked the brutal end met by the three remaining Terminus folks. As Rick said, sure they could have let them walk away, but they would have just returned to their ways and ambushed the next unsuspecting group of survivors they came across. There was no redemption for the Terminus people, only justice. It didn’t matter what drove them to become what they were, they could not be allowed to continue. It was fitting that they were butchered, as they had butchered so many people themselves. In a subtle way these past dozen or so episodes spanning two seasons, Rick has experienced real growth as a character. He’s learned that even the smallest decisions can have huge impact, and that being a leader means you don’t have the luxury of always giving people the benefit of the doubt, trust or even mercy.
I’m very curious to see what happened to Beth and what Daryl and Carol get up to next week. We also still have Morgan wandering around out there somewhere, and now that the Terminus folks are gone, there won’t be trail signs for him to follow anymore, so hopefully he’ll catch up with one of the two groups soon. I was kind of pissed that the writers felt the need to break everyone up into two groups, as now the story will only progress half as fast since we’ll be hopping from one group to another (assuming Bet/Daryl/Carol wrap up next episode). Maggie’s decision to go with the DC group even through she knows Beth may still be out there is mind-boggling.
Speaking of small decisions having impact, it’s worth noting that one of the Termites they killed was the guy who Tyrese claimed to have killed, didn’t kill, and definitely should have. Tyrese really needs to get his head screwed back on straight, because he’s doing things that will get people killed. Would have if Bob wasn’t already Tainted Meat.
By the way, I want to congratulate the lot of you for calling Bob’s infection correctly. I didn’t pick up on that while watching last week’s episode, and while I agreed the discussion here was very logical, I wasn’t sure. They did address the “why didn’t they see the bite” issue, as well as taking a swing at the question of whether cooking his leg killed off the zombie disease. I want to say “virus” but I don’t know that they ever outright said what kind of microorganism it was.
During the episode, I was thinking first that Rick and company were being too predictable, and not thinking why the Termites dumped Bob, but obviously they did. Then I thought that Lead Termite talked too damned much. Both to Bob and to the people in the church. I guess that’s his MO, but it was still kind of stupid on his part. Better just to attack silently than to try and play mind games. Mind games which eventually got his group killed.
I think they spent too much time dwelling on how some of the group felt what Rick and company did to the Termites was too violent. Those fuckers got what they deserved. Though honestly, I would have been more businesslike. No talking, no drawing it out, no over the top. Just slash slash slash, like they did to the poor victims at the trough. The main purpose that scene served was making crystal clear why they needed to die - forget justice or revenge, if they lived, they’d be killing more people, because that’s what they do.
Gareth dumped Bob to lure most of the group out of the church. He got out-played, but he wasn’t just trying to play mind games and scare them.
What do you call the amount of speechifying he did when he was in the Church then?
tgb123
4405
“Before I kill you, Mr. Bond, let me tell you what I have planned.”
hepcat
4407
I hated Bob initially, but they’ve managed to flesh him out over time. So much so that I was kind of sad to see him go.
Honestly, I think they set the character of Gareth to be like that so his death (that soon) really came as a bit of a surprise. In the back of my mind, I was trying to imagine how Gareth would get away and there would still be good guy survivors in the church. It was his monologues that convinced me someone else was going to buy the farm (because why waste the evil monologues on someone about to die - as noted above, the Bond villains usually last a bit longer after that and the Governor lasted a VERY long time). I figured it was going to be from the people in one of the rooms while everyone else burst through the lines and escaped, maybe with Morgan suddenly appearing to cover their escape (they wouldn’t kill THAT many good guy characters off at once - only Bob was already slated to die this episode, maybe the preacher along with him, and then one surprise good guy death). Basically, I think they were messing with people like me.
I said he wasn’t just trying to play mind games, not that he wasn’t at all. There was clearly a reason for dumping Bob.
For people who didn’t read the comics, Bob was introduced to the show to fill in for Dale in this story arc, as the TV series actor who played Dale was written out early because of the departure of Frank Darabont. In the comics, its Dale who goes through what Bob went through, almost exactly. The show is sticking much closer to the comics since Scott G took over as showrrunner, but still fleshing out characters and details in interesting ways. He’s doing a great job, much as I appreciate Darabont for laying the foundation and establishing the production values for the show.
hepcat
4411
Wow, I did not know that. I’ve read the comics but had forgotten about Dale being in Bob’s…er…shoe.
I thought Gareth did all that talking because that’s all he had left. It fits into how he was formed into the psycho he was. Dominating and tormenting are his reasons for living. He spews self serving crap in the way all psychos do, to justify their actions. If you’re Gareth and you lead your people into the church to efficiently and quickly wipe everyone out, now what? You and your fellow termites get to sit around and stare at each other for kicks. His mental state would not allow him to consider that he could be outfoxed, so there is no reason to hurry.
GregB
4413
I figured he was trying to convince them to give themselves up so they could be captured alive and used as fresh meat. If you kill everyone in the church you’re losing a whole lotta meals.
tgb123
4414
We watched it tonight, and I have a real problem with the whole Bob-gets-bitten subplot.
They know from Andrea’s sister that any hesitation when someone dies can be deadly, and bites are ALWAYS fatal unless you can quickly pull a Herschel. Dale, the people who died in the prison, even stupid Andrea were put out of their misery quickly. Why did they let poor Bob linger - so he could go through excruciating pain in his leg and shoulder before succumbing to hallucinations from his high fever?
At one point someone says something about “if he stops breathing”. Excuse me? If he stops? What show have these people been on the last 4 seasons? If I had a dog suffering the way Bob was with no hope of recovery, I would put it down as soon as I could. I wouldn’t want my dog to suffer like that.
They didn’t even have Penicillin, for fuck’s sakes.
The whole thing felt like 10 minutes of padding.
I got the impression that they allow the person to decide how it goes down, assuming it’s a friendly adult. So unless Bob asks me to shoot him, or asks for a gun to shoot himself, I’m going to let him linger as long as he wants if I was there.
tgb123
4416
Bob was going to shoot himself when he got bonked on the head and served up. It boils down to two things that should be paramount in everyone’s mind:
-
Everyone who gets bitten or scratched will die a miserable, painful death, unless quick amputation is an option.
-
Everyone who dies turns.
It’s in the best interest of the group to put someone who’s been bitten down as soon as you find out. Plus, it’s the humane thing to do.
corsair
4417
You respect how the person wants to go out. If Bob wants to have some last moments with Sasha, who the hell are they to go all stab-happy?
At one point someone says something about “if he stops breathing”. Excuse me? If he stops? What show have these people been on the last 4 seasons? If I had a dog suffering the way Bob was with no hope of recovery, I would put it down as soon as I could. I wouldn’t want my dog to suffer like that.
If he stops breathing while you are here alone with him. It’s implied by the situation - the writers probably trusted the audience is bright enough to figure out the shorthand the characters would implicitly understand.
Agreed, and agreed. That was a great episode. “Tainted meat” was exactly where I hoped Bob’s story would go and one of the best revenge one liners of all time. The confrontation in the church was also quite tense. The whole time, I was hoping that Rick had set it up and would come charging to the rescue. And letting Bob live long enough to say goodbye didn’t bother me. They’re seasoned and prepared. If a bite victim wants to be put down immediately, fine. If they want a lingering goodbye, also fine. Do what must be done immediately thereafter.
corsair
4419
Seasoned and prepared? Poor Bob…
Okay, that is NOT how I meant it, you cannibal pirate you.
