Actions and Consequences

"We were being human beings." — Gareth, "The Walking Dead"

These last two weeks I've been reminded how glad I am to have "The Walking Dead" back on the air. Some may love it for the zombie kills and the action, but I love how it makes me think about the world, about humanity, and about life. I think that's what the writers and producers have loved about making the show the past few seasons, too.

The world of "The Walking Dead" is brutal. Forget zombies, there are a million things that can kill you. However, as has been said before, the most dangerous animal is man. It was right there up front when the preacher (Seth Gilliam) says that people are almost as dangerous as walkers, to which Daryl (Norman Reedus) replies that people are more dangerous.

Later in the episode, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) has some words for Carl (Chandler Riggs) about the nature of the world. He says, "You are not safe, no matter people are around, or how clear the area looks, no matter what anyone says, no matter what you think. You are not safe. It only takes one second—one second—and it's over. Never let your guard down, ever. I want you to promise me."

As much as the survivors want a moment of peace and a moment to relax, there is no peace and safety to be found in the world. The episode on Sunday was a grim reminder of that.

It was also an exploration of the past. Carol (Melissa McBride) remains haunted by what she's done. Tyreese (Chad Coleman) just wants to forget. Gabriel, the minister, is unable to talk about the past. But actions have consequences, no matter how far society has degraded.

Last week we saw that the people at Terminus — as evil as they seemed to be — were shaped by past actions. That, of course, came back to haunt our survivors again as well.

"The Walking Dead" is a reminder that it's hard to survive in a world gone mad, but it's even harder to survive with your soul intact.