AMC’s “The Walking Dead” steam rolls on as a pop culture phenomenon and has gained incredible momentum since season four. It’s almost as if the producers have rebooted the series, and it shows as season five has a different energy a new sense of urgency, and adheres much more to the comics than ever before. Sure it is still its own animal from the comics, but there are many recognizable elements and storylines in season five fans of the comics will recognize immediately. Season five is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD, and it’s a bang up season of a show that just gets better and better every year. To celebrate the release of season five, we give you the ten most shocking moments of “The Walking Dead” season five. Warning: There are massive spoilers to every episode discussed, so be cautious.
What were some of your favorite moments of season five?
10. The Governor Returns
Episode: What’s Happening and What’s Going On
We’ve known for a long time that the infection is unforgiving on its human hosts. It plays psychological games and destroys their bodies. It’s never made so clear than when Tyreese is bitten and suffering from the fever that it begins inspiring horrible hallucinations. Thus begins a battle for his soul as along with Beth, Mikah and Lizzie, appears the Governor, who begins reflecting Tyreese’s regrets on him, blaming him for the aftermath of the prison raid from season four. It’s a shocking and haunting appearance from a foe that will have a long lasting effect on Rick Grimes and his friends for a very long time.
9. Vulnerable Judith
Episode: No Sanctuary
In one of the more disturbing moments of the season, Tyreese’s hostage during the raid on Terminus manages to break free and holds baby Judith in his hands prepared to snap her neck. Despite Tyreese’s best efforts to compromise with the psychopath, Judith is held under the maniac’s mercy and Tyreese is forced to step outside of the safety of his cabin to face the walkers without any weapons or help. Side note: If the scene is too cringe inducing, it’s later explained on “Talking Dead” that the hands on the baby were her dad’s and she only cried because she was uncomfortable, not in pain.
8. Tyreese is Bitten
Episode: What’s Happening and What’s Going On
It’s bad enough that Tyreese and co. arrive to newcomer Noah’s ex-home to find that everyone has been demolished by mysterious raiders, but they’re also horrified to see Noah’s twin brothers have been turned in to walkers. Noah only accounts for one, but before Tyreese realizes the other twin is on the loose, he takes a bite out of his arm that immediately infects him. Thus begins the end of Tyreese.
7. Carol’s Cookies
Episode: Forget
Carol has always had a soft spot for children, even psychopathic little children that murder their sisters and consider murdering a toddler that can’t even walk. That said, it’s a fun and funny instance when Carol comes across young Sam who confesses he spotted her sneaking in to the town’s armory to steal guns for Rick and Daryl. He loves her cookies, and Carol promises to bake some more for him if he keeps his mouth shut. Or he could tell, and then one morning he’ll wake up tied to a tree far away from the town, ready for the picking for the walkers. Suffice to say, Sam chooses the cookies.
6. Carol Peletier: Apocalyptic Commando
Episode: No Sanctuary
Carol Peletier has evolved greatly since we first saw her in season one. When we first saw her she could barely stand up to her abusive husband. In the season premiere of season five she takes the initiative and decides to save her friends and bring down the Cannibal clan of Terminus. She does so using every resource at her disposal. She steals a rifle and fireworks from their cannibal hostage, paints herself in walker guts, and manages to blow Terminus sky high. She also manages to fight off the Terminus matriarch and leave her for dead, all while barely breaking a sweat in the process. Let’s face it Rick and co. wouldn’t have gotten out were it not for Carol’s quick thinking.
5. Tainted Meat!
Episode: Four Walls and a Roof
Ripped straight from the comics, Rick and co find themselves seeking sanctuary in a church with the mysterious Father Gabriel. After a food run, the group celebrates but Bob wanders off to grieve a terrible accident that occurred that day. He’s then kidnapped and awakens to learn he’s being held hostage by the remaining Terminus cannibals. To lend insult to injury, he’s missing a leg and they’re contently eating the flesh from his now cooked limb. Much to their surprise though, Bob reveals he was bitten that day and reveals with maniacal laughter that they’re all eating tainted meat!
4. The Return of Morgan
Episode: Various
Season five marks the big return of Morgan Jones after losing his son Duane. Despite exiling himself to his personal prison as a clearer of walkers, he returns in the end of the season five premiere, and makes a huge appearance in the season finale. Morgan has not only completely forgiven himself and is no longer a clearer but he’s trained himself in the art of stick fighting, creating a very zen attitude that grants him survival in the apocalypse. He even comes to the rescue of Daryl and Aaron, both of whom find themselves surrounded by walkers while on a tracking mission. Welcome back Morgan.
3. Beth’s Death
Episode: Coda
Beth has never really sacrificed for anyone and anything, but she definitely proves herself quite the heroine after her introduction in season two. After being abducted in season four, we see what’s happened to the young Greene sister. She’s now being held in a hospital and is dead set on escaping after realizing the keepers of the safe haven are exploitative monsters. Beth’s story arc ends on a heartbreaking and compelling note, as she not only helps someone break free from the safe haven to pursue their family, but also sacrifices her life for someone. She also proves a huge point about the balance of power within the walls of the hospital. It’s a crushing defeat for Rick and his group, all of whom never quite recover.
2. Revolving Door Death
Episode: Spend
Noah has one of the most complete arcs of the series and he was only on the show for one season total. When we first meet him, he’s the slick survivor of the Grady Hospital safehaven who convinces Beth to break out with him to find his father and brothers. He is then saved by the group after Beth is murdered, and manages to pull his weight as a bonafide walker slayer who can shoot, and really evade the dead, despite his bum leg. One of the most crushing deaths of the series so far, Noah and Glenn find themselves trapped in a revolving door with the cowardly Nicholas. Despite Glenn’s best efforts to come up with a plan, Nicholas squeezes out the door causing Noah to be dragged in to the pit of walkers, all of whom proceed to tear him apart before Glenn’s eyes as he watches helplessly. It’s a really heartbreaking ending to such a well rounded hero of the apocalypse.
1. The Killing Floor
Episode: No Sanctuary
You don’t really expect cannibals to have a clean and humane system for trapping and carving up humans, but the methods displayed by the Terminus citizens is not only cruel but disturbing. When Rick and his group find themselves trapped in train car A, they plan to completely overthrow the Terminites. But they’re taken by surprise with a gas bomb and hauled off. Rick, Glenn, Daryl, and Bob are then strapped and hog tied and lined up with other victims. Much to their horror, they watch as the other victims have their heads bashed in and their throats cut as their blood seeps along the trough in front of them. Down the line the cannibals eliminate their prey without remorse, and Rick and his friends scramble to find a way to keep themselves from being viciously murdered and eaten by these maniacs. The vicious methods are only indicative of the anger these survivors feel for humanity as they themselves have been victimized by evil, but Rick and his group show no quarter when they consider how close they came to being slaughtered like pigs.