Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I was fascinated by the whistling because it sounded like three notes from a really prominent song in the Zelda series. So then I began wondering if the Gov was a video game fan.

I guess I would fail at a post-apocalyptic world, because I pretty much assumed that everyone just leaves their keys in the car. Cars are clearly pretty easy to come by, being as how there is nearly always one somewhere abandoned nearby.

Which brings me to this:
where does the gas come from? I know that no one is actually buying gas now, but don't pumps use electricity? It's been a full year, right? Do they siphon from other cars? Siphon from gas station wells?

they can siphon from other cars on the road. (there's one that starts by just lifting the tube a few times. no need to get your mouth anywhere near. that's the first thing going into my apocalypse emergency kit.)

Oh, thanks. I'll put that on my list.

The problem is that gasoline is unstable. Volatile components evaporate, making it less and less combustible. Oxidation changes the chemical composition as well. Condensation contaminates the fuel. After a year, it would be unusable.

At this point, they really wouldn't be able to use cars at all without making biodiesel. And that would only work on diesel cars that have been modified to use B100 fuel.

Alternatively, they could modify cars to use steam power. I quite like the idea of a steampunk zombie apocalypse.

Also, I like the Governor's new murder whistle. It's like the little psycho teapot in his brain has gone off, announcing that it's ready to make a nice, steaming hot cup of crazy.

it wouldn't be unusable. i fill my gas tank once a year.

I always thought those people who said science was evil were kinda crazy, but now I get it...this information will plague with every new episode. Well, it would, but I'm just going to pretend that you're wrong, and have no basis to compare.

You may be right, but you are discussing the reality of using old abandoned gasoline in a story about corpses that walk around :D

Why was the Michonne thing still on the table? Really really really stupid writing. At least there were a good 10 minutes at the end.

RIP MERLE.

OMG I did not see the Merle thing coming. Poor Darryl. Glad at least Merle did a liitle damage to Team Governor.

Oh, Merle. Oh, Daryl! How sad.

So sad :'(

I sure hope Glenn washed that engagement ring he broke off of the zombie before he gives it to Maggie.
How romantic

Unfortunately I scrolled into a spoiler on twitter about the Merle thing (so angry), but it was sad. And mor proof that if you choose to do the right thing you're screwed.

Governor biting off the finger was pretty raw.

After Glenn chopped off the zombie's fingers and the gov bit Merle's fingers we spent the remainder of the episode waiting on other people to chop off fingers. Michone pissed at Rick? Eh, take his pinky and ring fingers. Darryl pissed at the Gov? Fingers!

We figured they must have gotten a good deal on bulk, fingerless prosthetic hands. Costco, next to the maple syrup.

Whew boy. Darryl's head/face stabbing really shook me up.

Doing something good (or at least, good for the group) does seem like a pretty sure fire way of ending up dead on this show. It's an interesting and subtle difference from the hopelessness of the Romero movies--there, we're doomed because we can't get along and trust each other. Here, we're doomed because our complex social edifice was demolished, and it cannot be rebuilt, no matter how desperately people want to get back there. Doing the right thing is probably maladaptive in this world, but there's an argument being advanced for doing the right thing anyway. It owes more to Cormac McCarthy than it does to Romero.

Huh?

Merle died and I'm sad.

I haven't watched this last episode yet (and I don't care about spoilers, obvs) but I'm confused. I thought we hated Merle and wanted him to die?

We did! And that's the thing of it.

well, michonne sussed out that he wasn't actually that bad of a guy. (or maybe he had a change of heart. maybe she helped him see that he can choose a different path.) she helped him see that the governor had used him, and probably wasn't going to stick to his word.

So, basically, we all hate him... then we get endeared to him at the last second before he dies?

Kinda like Snape. Okay, nothing like Snape. But Merle was going to kill the gov and that makes him good.

I realized something else when Merle was hotwiring that car: All the batteries in unused vehicles would have long since been dead as a doornail. They wouldn't last more than three months, tops.

However, one interesting premise of the story is that it is occuring in a world where there were never any of the Romero movies. They have no concept of zombies as undead cannibals, which is why they call them walkers or biters or whatever. I'm just going to assume that this parallel world also has somewhat better technology for storing chemical energy and stabilizing fuel.

The Governor did sort of turn into a biter there for a moment, yeah? Yikes!

I like how Rick came to the realization that he has been on the same path as the Governer, being the unquestioned leader and becoming just as cold and ruthless ... all with good intentions, of course. Making the tough decisions. Doing whatever you need to do to survive. It can become all too easy to justify yourself.

I think Merle came to a similar conclusion, with some help from Michonne. His conversation with Carol had a lot to do with it, as well. She rocked. And Daryl, too.

It was a good redemption for Merle, letting Michonne go. Couldn't have him turn into a choirboy, but it suited his character to have him realize that he could stop being the bad guy henchman who does whatever horrible thing the boss wants done. His fatal flaw, I think, was his inability to bond with others. Like Daryl said, you can't survive anymore without other people. Merle couldn't quite go that far. He couldn't just turn around and go back to the prison. He had to be the lone wolf one more time. He might have got away with it too, if it wasn't for Ben stepping in the way.

DARYYYYYLLLL! BAWWWWW! Good heavens, that scene with him finding walker Merle was heartbreaking.