I do agree, i'd be hesitant to cut myself and i'd also be much more cautious with zombie blood splattering everywhere. But we just don't know exactly how/what it takes to be infected. Can some people be immune through passive contraction? e.g. scratch Good episode and it was good to see some action. Definitely looks like they aren't leaving the farm this season...maybe they have to hit the road in the last episode. I does seem like zombies are popping up more and more.
i thought that maybe it was showing that the walkers just wonder/travel/migrate. But like someone else said, it may show how desperate and vulnerable traveling solo is. A single zombie in a field isn't that dangerous, but a swarm of them is.
best part of the episode - no hot carl and that stupid kid overacting. worst part - no darryl. i guess he is off somewhere being emo and sulking.
They initially believed that it could only transfer via a bite. Not they hypothesized that it may be from a scratch. (last episode) But they seemed to mean it might be from the zombie scratching you, not from an open scratch getting infected. Very good episode. Loved the dynamic between Shane and Rick. I was thinking Shane staring at the walker alone was him seeing himself if leaves on his own. I don't think he's gone clean though, I think he just might realize his need to stay with the group and is now going to be more careful in how he moves to get rid of Rick.
Maybe it's a plot point. Maybe Shane's going to be infected. They both opened wounds, but Rick did it before he knifed a guard while Shane did it afterwards.
Just think how the show will drag if we have to wait on them to slowly turn into zombies after they were exposed to a tiny droplet of blood. Take Shane for example. He killed a zombie way back when and a little splatter speck of blood went in his mouth. He in turn kissed Lori...giving it to her. He impregnated Lori...creating zombie baby. Lori then gave it to Rick through bodily contact/kissing. Andrea got it from Shane...etc. etc. etc. . The show ends with them all turning into zombies at roughly the same time and walking around in their group.
I don't think it's about transferring blood like it's HIV or something. I think it's about an undead walker tearing through your flesh with its fingernails or teeth and leaving an open wound. this has been my common thinking since season 1- look what happened to Jim
Didn't they already know the Walker virus could spread through scratches? I swear that was already established on this show.
The first episode of the second half, that suicidal blonde girl went to her dead zombie mother and afterwards everybody was going "was she scratched, was she scratched?" So yeah, it seems they already thought scratches spread the virus.
The black guy who cut his arm open on the car on the first episode had zombie blood exposed into his open womb and he didn't turn. No they didn't. All they said was Herhels wife was sick because she turned. They didn't say she was scratched. A couple of us threw out a couple of statements referring to maybe that's why the one girl fainted in the kitchen.
the infection concept was established in the pilot episode with the neighbor and his son asking if Rick had been bitten or scratched.
Loved this episode. Had a lot of action, some good zombie kills. All the dialogue served a purpose and was to the point. They didn't try to give screen time to all the characters. And I loved all the symbolism, most of which was focused on Shane and Shane and Rick. Driving out to the school, there and back, we see a crossroads and a zombie wandering aimlessly. Shane obviously hasn't felt part of the group for some time, just a man with no direction. The zombie in the field speaks clearly to the emptiness he's feeling. The crossroads point to his changing place not only with the group but of his relationship with Rick and his own humanity. He's gonna have to make a decision soon as to whether he continues down the path begun with the rifle pointed at Rick in Season 1 (and continued with killing Otis) and shed all that's left of his morality, or to continue following Rick and serve his place in the group. Then the security guards. First they notice they aren't bite marks, and very casually they suggest maybe they were infected by scratches. But I'm not so sure they took that theory seriously. I think what can be gleamed by this is the very real possibility that Spoiler they died of some other cause only to reanimate as zombies; the theory that everyone is already unknowingly affected and death triggers the disease...remember what Jenner told Rick at the end of Season 1...it obviously had nothing to do with Lori and the baby or Rick would have said that when he found out from Lori ...and wasn't it Rick that suggested they had scratches, seeming to play down how they died? Maybe I'm taking too much from the conversation but they sure did go out of there way to point out they didn't have bite marks. Also when Rick was initially going to abandon Shane he takes one more look at the guards and the camera zooms in a little. Rick clearly sees him and Shane in those guards; their deteriorating relationship. So he decides to save Shane. Would Shane have done the same? Hell no. Then Andrea...becoming more and more like Shane by the day. Lying to Maggie so that her little sister could try and kill herself if she wants. Which I find funny cause she told Shane just last episode that he's right but his presentation is all wrong. She did the very same thing in this episode to both Lori and Maggie. Nice job! Second half of the season is miles better than the first so far...and it looks like Daryl gets to come to the forefront a little bit next episode with an opportunity to release his anger!
I think you hit it right on the head JunkyardDwg, regarding the cuts/scratches thing. I'll spoiler tag for the sake of spoiler tagging. Spoiler When Rick and Shane were observing the lack of bites on the dead zombie guards, the way that Rick suggested it was from scratches made it sound like he was trying to avoid delving into the real cause of infection, which is that they're already infected and reanimate as zombies upon death (what we can assume Jenner told him). Shooting the two dudes in the bar in the head reinforces that, especially the fat one that he popped even though he was already down. Rick really does not want to tell anyone else about it. Maybe as a psychological thing?
Just another example of Rick's crappy leadership. If he croaks before warning his group, that would needlessly place them in danger, because they wouldn't know to cap anyone who has a non zombie death. Shane might be psycho but he's right about Rick repeatedly making bad mistake after bad mistake.
Anyone remember in the first half of the season when they were looking for Sophia but before they found the farm, they came across this zombie hanging from a noose. It appeared that the guy had committed suicide but turned into a zombie anyway. What would've happened to Beth if she'd gone through with her suicide attempt? Same thing?