S05.E16: Conquer

[ikmccall]

And once again, Sundays have reverted to being just another day of the week.

I might actually fall asleep at a decent time for the next 7 months.

[SyncMaster]

I think Glenn was able to make a smooth move from beneath that pile of walkers because Sam probably had been hanging around him.  Sam probably taught Glenn the proper method of teleportation because the way that little dude was just able to appear anywhere he chose, without being heard, was impressive and astounding.

[HalcyonDays]

Hey Everyone! Just wanted to extend a hearty thanks and give you our appreciation for once again doing your utmost to post politely, intelligently, respectfully and at times hilariously, and for basically keeping this thread fun without any negative or unnecessary confrontation. Awesome! @Dougal and I really appreciate it. Because you know, less work is good and myself, I am lazy. *grin*

 

Thank you greatly!

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Hey Everyone! Just wanted to extend a hearty thanks and give you our appreciation for once again doing your utmost to post politely, intelligently, respectfully and at times hilariously, and for basically keeping this thread fun without any negative or unnecessary confrontation. Awesome! @Dougal and I really appreciate it. Because you know, less work is good and myself, I am lazy. *grin*

 

Thank you greatly!

 

We conquer'd this thread!  Booyah!!

[NurseGiGi]

I might actually fall asleep at a decent time for the next 7 months.

7 months!!!  Okay, now my hands are shaking!  I bitch and moan during the season about this, that, and the other, get mad and say "I'm  never watching again!" then when the season ends I start going through withdrawals.  Ugh, 7 months.

[NurseGiGi]

I was thinking the same thing. She looks worse than she did when they were on the road. Didn't Jessie offer her salon/styling services to any of the women? Or does she limit them to shirtless men who turn her on?

Just speaking for myself, I know I would have made a beeline straight for a wet half naked Rick to give him a "trim".

[kj4ever]

I was rewatching some of the back half of the season this weekend.  I know Tobin was sticking up for Deanna before Rick dropped the Zombie on the party, and it seemed he had a wife and family.  Back when he met Carol at the armory wasn't he being a little flirty with the whole "I'll teach you how to shoot a gun if you want?"  It didn't come off as just a dude being helpful, but a dude that was like "Hmmm she's pretty".  I imagine a lot of people would be thinkin they were with their last option on Earth until more new people came in and possibly a lot more stuff like this would be going on.

[Madding crowd]

Just rewatching for the third time. I still am not sure why Aaron is still going out looking for people when it is so dangerous. Supplies yes, people no. I get it that they may want enough people to defend themselves, but they seem to have a fairly big group, don't understand the danger anyway, and have a hard time with new people. Why do they keep insisting on bringing in new folk?

 

New people mean less food and shelter for the others, more danger for the scouts and more chances that the people being brought in will kill them or harm them. I can see if they are at a point where they can start recreating society and making towns, but hell they are not at that point.

 

I loved Michonne's scene with Rick. She is more human and more badass than Carol can ever be. Threatening people, especially little kids doesn't make you a strong person. Being able to do what's needed and not fight when it's the right time is the real strength. 

 

I was hoping to see how Glen fought off those walkers that were on top of him with one bad arm. It looked pretty scary. I hope he isn't bit but it is a possibility. I did wonder why Maggie wasn't more concerned about him since he wasn't supposed to be going anywhere. 

[morgankobi]

Just rewatching for the third time. I still am not sure why Aaron is still going out looking for people when it is so dangerous. Supplies yes, people no. I get it that they may want enough people to defend themselves, but they seem to have a fairly big group, don't understand the danger anyway, and have a hard time with new people. Why do they keep insisting on bringing in new folk?

 

New people mean less food and shelter for the others, more danger for the scouts and more chances that the people being brought in will kill them or harm them. I can see if they are at a point where they can start recreating society and making towns, but hell they are not at that point.

 

 

I agree. It would be one thing if they had assigned CDB to tasks that helped with more food, such as farming. As shown, they added mouths to feed but did not increase production or gathering of food. Only one or two people seemed to fill a need ASZ had before Aaron found them.

 

Rick and Michonne's jobs seemed to be for the purpose of placation of CDB.

Carol is helping cook food, there were others doing this before.

Sasha created a job for herself in the guard tower.

No one (rightfully) seems to be going to any service at FPP's make-shift church.

Abraham is just one more person added to the wall job. One that they didn't seem to be in a rush about anyway.

Darryl was added to Aaron's team, but only because Eric was hurt (which he wouldn't have been if they hadn't gone out).

Carl and Noah (r.i.p.) were just extra mouths to feed due to age and injury.

Maggie is playing civil servant.

 

Eugene seems to be a bit of a technical advisor.

Tara and Glen go on runs to replace the previous group that got eaten due to Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dumber.

 

All those extra people for what appears to be 3 positions that needed filling when Aaron set off.

Edited April 6, 2015 by morgankobi

[kikismom]

Why do they keep insisting on bringing in new folk?

 

 

All those extra people for what appears to be 3 positions that needed filling when Aaron set off.

I heard/read a creepy interesting theory, or rumor but I will take it to the speculation thread.

[ghoulina]

I might actually fall asleep at a decent time for the next 7 months.

 

I know I did last night! I was out by 8:30. (To be fair, I have been dreadfully sick and not sleeping well through the night.) I'll miss TWD, but that's one positive that came from it not being on last night. 

 

Sasha created a job for herself in the guard tower.

 

Maybe so, but it was a much needed job. 

[morgankobi]

I agree guard tower duty is much needed, but the ASZhats didn't seem to think so. Abraham ended up being a great addition as well, but both were in hindsight. What was ASZ's rationale for adding so many non-essential people? Soylent green?

[Bongo Fury]

Just rewatching for the third time. I still am not sure why Aaron is still going out looking for people when it is so dangerous. Supplies yes, people no. I get it that they may want enough people to defend themselves, but they seem to have a fairly big group, don't understand the danger anyway, and have a hard time with new people. Why do they keep insisting on bringing in new folk?

 

New people mean less food and shelter for the others, more danger for the scouts and more chances that the people being brought in will kill them or harm them. I can see if they are at a point where they can start recreating society and making towns, but hell they are not at that point.

 

ASZ is exactly the same as Woodbury, surviving with little to no effort. At ASZ everyone has their own home, and everyone cooks their own meals. If food was a scarce commodity they would have community meals to conserve food and to make sure everyone was eating enough but not too much to eat. And also to eliminate waste. But just like in Woodbury, food isn't an issue at ASZ. Hell, Pete the porch dick was shown as an alcoholic, how could he possibly be getting enough booze/beer? If he ONLY drank 7 beers a day (hardly enough for an alky) he would be drinking 2 cases a week. Who is supplying him? We've talked about it before, a healthy adult needs about 5 pounds of food a day, so that's 75#/d just for CDB. Not sure how many ASZhats there are but if it's only as many as CDB that means Aiden and Nick had been bringing in 150#/day. With that kind of need they should be going out in tractor trailer trucks for 'runs' instead of that crappy van.

 

Speaking of which, has anyone gotten a count on the population of ASZ? Just how many are there? I think the old saying 'safety in numbers' applies in the ZA. If CDB had had 100 or 200 people in the prison, even with a tank Brillip wouldn't have had enough force to threaten the prison. Sure, supporting a settlement that big would be a lot of work, but you have a lot of people to share the load. It's just a matter of scale.

[ghoulina]

I agree guard tower duty is much needed, but the ASZhats didn't seem to think so. Abraham ended up being a great addition as well, but both were in hindsight. What was ASZ's rationale for adding so many non-essential people? Soylent green?

 

It is odd, now that you mention it. I mean, I could say that they recruited CDB because they clearly knew what they were doing, while the ASZhats didn't. And the ASZhats would appreciate someone coming in and telling them how they could improve their settlement. But it didn't really go down like that. Other than Tobin, the others got quite buggy about the way CDB liked handling things. 

[kikismom]

Speaking of which, has anyone gotten a count on the population of ASZ? Just how many are there?

The comic had 60-70 people in ASZ; but in the TV show they said 30 people. Plus CDB made 45; minus Aiden and Noah was 43. Now minus Reg and Pete is 41.

[Bongo Fury]

The comic had 60-70 people in ASZ; but in the TV show they said 30 people. Plus CDB made 45; minus Aiden and Noah was 43. Now minus Reg and Pete is 41.

 

I just checked the wiki and it has 23 ASZhats not including CDB. 

 

So 40-45 members of a community is much too small, IMO. I'd put Aaron and Daryl on OT to recruit more members. Especially with an assumed confrontation with the Wolves coming. 

[morgankobi]

Should we add Morgan?

They need someone to be in charge of changing the population on the "Welcome to ASZ" sign. That could be a busy job!

[mandolin]

Should we add Morgan?

They need someone to be in charge of changing the population on the "Welcome to ASZ" sign. That could be a busy job!

Kind of like "30 days without an accident." ...oops, bye Zack.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I'm guessing there were a (very) few general viewers out there who were hoping that Rick would nonchalantly arrive at the 'council meeting', sans dead walker, and then see Deanna work up to this kind of reaction to how she feels about him and what he did last night.....

 

[mandolin]

I would like to see Deanna get that excited about something!

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I would like to see Deanna get that excited about something!

 

Well, when she saw Rick for the first time without his beard, I'm thinking her version of F was more of a verb and less of an adjective then.

[kj4ever]

I would like to see Deanna get that excited about something!

She did, whenever they pointed out a weakness or challenged her thought process.  You just can't tell cuz she just does that mugging of the face stuff when she's excited...

[JackONeill]

When we were first shown Deanna's office/living room, the overflowing bookshelves immediately caught my eye. The Library of Alexandria. Ah, very clever, show :)

 

On a more somber note, twice during Conquer my mind flashed to Schindler's List. The first was when Sasha laid herself in the open pit filled with bodies, and there was a single violin providing the background music. Immediate flash on my part to pictures from the Holocaust and the Itzahk Perlman violin solo from the movie soundtrack. I was shocked. It wasn't offensive or inappropriate, it was just shocking to me, and I connected to TWD suddenly as portraying an extinction event. It was an intense image for me, obviously. 

 

The other was the use of The Red Poncho Man. For those not familiar with Schindler's List, it was filmed in black and white, but during a sequence about the Nazis rounding up Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, Spielberg focused on a little girl in a red coat. That little smidge of color was heartbreakingly easy to follow through the purge and its aftermath. Again, TRPM flipped a switch in my brain that sent me back to the movie. And because of that I did feel something when he was captured and killed. A couple of posters here have speculated that we'll see him again in a herd moving on Alexandria, and I tend to agree with them. It's not like the show hasn't done this particular setup before (the woman Rick killed in the woods outside the prison was among the horde that swarmed in after the prison fell), but this one is going to touch me more. I think he's supposed to be more of a Little Red Riding Hood reference, what with the Woofs and all, but Spielberg got there first :)

 

Actually, there was a 1973 Donald Sutherland movie called "Don't Look Now" that featured in a critical role: a red raincoat.  I can't say anymore because it would spoil a wonderfully scary movie.

[Raven1707]

Another random afterthought...when Daryl and Aaron came upon the from-the-waist-down bodies and two sets of arms, one set of arms had striped sleeves. Those sleeves looked to me as if they matched the striped shirt one of the meat-hook-torso walkers was wearing, hanging in one of the trailers at the Del Arno Foods warehouse...

 

I'll have to take another look.

 

Although should you call those meat-hook-torsos "walkers," when all they can do ever-after is swing?

Edited April 7, 2015 by Raven1707

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Another random afterthought...when Daryl and Aaron came upon the from-the-waist-down bodies and two sets of arms, one set of arms had striped sleeves. Those sleeves looked to me as if they matched the striped shirt one of the meat-hook-torso walkers was wearing, hanging in one of the trailers at the Del Arno Foods warehouse...

 

I'll have to take another look.

 

Although should you call those meat-hook-torsos "walkers," when all they can do ever-after is swing?

 

I'm not sure what to call them (yet), but I'm betting when the other walkers "ask" if they want to go get some fresh meat, they always reply "nah, I'm chillin' here.  I'll just hang out till you guys get back... then I'll hang out some more."

[kikismom]

 

Although should you call those meat-hook-torsos "walkers," when all they can do ever-after is swing?

It's more than Eugene can do.

[lulee]

Another random afterthought...when Daryl and Aaron came upon the from-the-waist-down bodies and two sets of arms, one set of arms had striped sleeves. Those sleeves looked to me as if they matched the striped shirt one of the meat-hook-torso walkers was wearing, hanging in one of the trailers at the Del Arno Foods warehouse...

i saw a picture comparison somewhere. It definitely looks like the same shirt - cut into 3 pieces, with th arms left on the ground.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I've reached the point I don't even care about the damned Wolves themselves - Rick and co. will dispatch them at some point, or at least get away from them - I just want to know the reason for keeping walkers and doing what they do to & with them.

 

And no, I didn't really buy the whole "becoming a wolf and reclaiming land" spiel that W#1 gave to Morgan in the opening, at least not the real reason behind it all.

Edited April 7, 2015 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[maystone]

Actually, there was a 1973 Donald Sutherland movie called "Don't Look Now" that featured in a critical role: a red raincoat.  I can't say anymore because it would spoil a wonderfully scary movie.

 

Yes! I'd completely forgotten about that film, although once you mentioned it I had a "Duh" moment. Great movie.

 

Although should you call those meat-hook-torsos "walkers," when all they can do ever-after is swing?

 

Well, obviously they're the Swingers of the ZA. 

[maystone]

Aw, those photos from S5 are making me verklempt. I miss our show. I saw a couple of interesting things that I missed during the actual episodes. In this still of Rick and Deanna, you can see eight grave markers, and only three of them are fresh. I don't recognize the names, so I'm guessing they're the unlucky ASZhats that Aidan and Nicholas bailed on. Anyway, they've had at least eight deaths, so I'd say the odds are good that they understand that everyone turns once they're dead.

 

In pic 162, Aidan's got his eavesdropping thingy at the ready. It looks like a ray gun, so it cracks me, but it's a nice bit of continuity.

[tennisgurl]

I feel like when the Wolves show up, our gang is just going to be like "Yeah yeah yeah, your so scary. Have you ever eaten a guys leg? Now THATS scary"! 

 

Its only been a week, and I've already started missing this show. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I feel like when the Wolves show up, our gang is just going to be like "Yeah yeah yeah, your so scary. Have you ever eaten a guys leg? Now THATS scary"! 

 

Its only been a week, and I've already started missing this show. 

 

"Already met Termites, who ate human flesh and we've already dined on dogs.  Wolves are the next thing on our list of 'ZA Delicacies to Try'.  And it goes without saying, that its much appreciated that you showed up at just the right time; dinner time".

Edited April 8, 2015 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[Bongo Fury]

"Yeah yeah yeah, your so scary. Have you ever eaten a guys leg? Now THATS scary"! 

 

Rick:

'We survived a true Mexican standoff'

'Philly douchebags in a bar tried to fuck with us'

'We beat a nutjob with a tank'

'I've chewed the jugular out of the leader of a Deliverance rape gang'

'We chopped up a group of cannibals who ate the leg of one of our group'

'I ran a cop who tried to pull shit on us over with a car'

 

'Wolves ... yawn'

 

Given what CDB has already faced and the escalation of 'shocking' over the past 5 seasons, I agree, the Wolves seem more like puppy dogs.

[Nashville]

 Although should you call those meat-hook-torsos "walkers," when all they can do ever-after is swing?

Swingers ain't bad, but I'd HAVE to go with Hookers.

[kj4ever]

Anyone have any theories on why they'd have just torsos hanging around in those trailers?

[JackONeill]

I feel like when the Wolves show up, our gang is just going to be like "Yeah yeah yeah, your so scary. Have you ever eaten a guys leg? Now THATS scary"! 

 

Its only been a week, and I've already started missing this show. 

You know, Walkers may be scary. And cannibals may be scary. But what's really scary are clowns!!!

 

We saw that red balloon. So, I fully expect that next season there are going to be clowns. And they're going to run amuck.

[Ocean Chick]

Ooooooooh - clown walkers!  Now that would be scary.

[lulee]

Rick:

'We survived a true Mexican standoff'

'Philly douchebags in a bar tried to fuck with us'

'We beat a nutjob with a tank'

'I've chewed the jugular out of the leader of a Deliverance rape gang'

'We chopped up a group of cannibals who ate the leg of one of our group'

'I ran a cop who tried to pull shit on us over with a car'

'Wolves ... yawn'

Given what CDB has already faced and the escalation of 'shocking' over the past 5 seasons, I agree, the Wolves seem more like puppy dogs.

The show has to make the Wolves seem like a real threat. I felt more of that with the loading dock trap than when Skeet-Ulrich-ish wolf was talking ... Or when Morgan was kicking their asses.

I'd expect the majority of newCDB to survive a wolf attack, but like with the nutjob and cannibals, to lose one or more of our gang in the process.

Edited April 8, 2015 by lulee

[kikismom]

You know, Walkers may be scary. And cannibals may be scary. But what's really scary are clowns!!!

 

[Yolapukka]

 

Ooooooooh - clown walkers!  Now that would be scary.

 

I need to see clown walkers now!

[JackONeill]

To rival the old Godzilla versus (fill in the blank: Mothra, King Kong, etc) how 'bout: Clown Walkers versus Three Stooges Walkers.

 

(I honestly see nothing in that suggesting "jumping the shark.")

[lulee]

To rival the old Godzilla versus (fill in the blank: Mothra, King Kong, etc) how 'bout: Clown Walkers versus Three Stooges Walkers.

 

(I honestly see nothing in that suggesting "jumping the shark.")

Not until they add in the MimeWalkers lurching against a strong wind.

Edited April 8, 2015 by lulee

[kikismom]

Did you ever see the video for The Blair Clown Project?

[JackONeill]

Did you ever see the video for The Blair Clown Project?

 

There really is such a thing?  How come no one consults me?

 

And I was thinking about the mime.  I've worked in downtown Atlanta. At lunch, there'd be a mime who'd come around the city park to make a nuisance .  . . er, I mean, entertain all the worker bees.  So, Mr.Think They Know Everything Producers, how come there wasn't a mime in the first episode of the Walking Dead? He should have been in the tank. Can you imagine Rick's reaction?  Everything he'd just been through, only to be stuck in a tank with a mime!

[Yolapukka]

A small herd of big top performers and carnies needs to happen.....

[kikismom]

There really is such a thing?  How come no one consults me?

There is also The Bare Witch Project about a naked 23 year old co-ed who chases people around a corn maze in Utah.

[JackONeill]

There is also The Bare Witch Project about a naked 23 year old co-ed who chases people around a corn maze in Utah.

 

Sounds like I have something to do tonight.

[lulee]

There is also The Bare Witch Project about a naked 23 year old co-ed who chases people around a corn maze in Utah.

Am I going too far off topic if I ask if there's a version with a burly, hairy guy called The Bear Witch Project? Or maybe The Bearwich Project? Edited April 8, 2015 by lulee

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

To rival the old Godzilla versus (fill in the blank: Mothra, King Kong, etc) how 'bout: Clown Walkers versus Three Stooges Walkers.

 

(I honestly see nothing in that suggesting "jumping the shark.")

 

Well, now we gotta have the virus or whatever it is cross species, so we can get undead sharks.  Undead sharks that jump bad scripts and Show decisions!

[Bongo Fury]

Ooooooooh - clown walkers!  Now that would be scary.

 

That's one of the things i always liked best about Romero's Dead movies, the 'funny' zombies; the nun zombie, the cheerleader zombie, the Hare Krishna zombie. TWD walkers are all so bland. Universally dirty brown/gray, all dressed in normal business or casual clothing. Have we ever seen a walker wearing shorts? Or a naked or almost naked walker? Or one wearing a uniform? TWS walkers lack character, they're all the same, and only different in gross ways; lips chewed/worn off, or entrails falling out. The whatshisname walker with the name tag that Lizzie loved back at the prison was really the only one I can remember that was really unique in that way.