The Walking Dead Recap, ‘Judge, Jury, Executioner’

This episode of The Walking Dead opened with Daryl in the barn beating Randall and asking him about the group of guys he was traveling with. Turns out it's a gang of 30 and they are heavily armed. Randall also tells him about the time they came upon a couple of survivors and some of the men raped the women. Daryl and the other men decide that Randall has to go, he's too much of a threat. This set the mood for what was a surprisingly good episode with some tense moments and a shocking ending.

Of course Dale objects to them killing Randall, after all Rick declared that they don't "kill the living." He takes it upon himself to try to change the minds of the group. He asks Daryl to stand with him but he tells Dale that the group is broken so it doesn't matter what happens anyways. Hershel is just as lost, telling Dale that he just wants to leave the decision up to Rick. The Hershel before the barn shooting wouldn't have allowed that to happen on his property. He makes a last ditch effort with Shane who makes a bargain with him, if he can convince the others to spare Randall that he'll stand by him. If something happens with the group though, the blood will be on him. Sadly, the blood will be on Dale but we'll get to that in a bit.

So Carl, sigh,  this little boy.  He's obviously upset over his the death of Sophia but that doesn't excuse his acting out. First it was getting a little too close to Randall in the barn. Shane had to warn him, "stop trying to get yourself killed." Then he gets snippy with Carol, telling her that it's stupid to believe in heaven and that it's another lie. Maybe in the world they have to live in now it's smart to think that way, but he seems to be losing hope and that is kind of depressing to watch in a child. He steals a gun out of Daryl's motorcycle bag and goes down to the river where he sees a walker. It's stuck in the mud, but as soon as it sees Carl it tries its best to get to him. First he throws rocks at it and when it tries to grab him he pulls out the gun. When it gets one leg free it grabs him and Carl losing the gun in the leaves. He eventually gets away but not before he gets the poop scared out of him. Maybe he needed that.

Near dark, everyone gathers in the house to vote on what to do about Randall. Dale makes his case one last time that they shouldn't kill him but everyone either sides with Rick or decides to stay out of it. They go out to the barn, again, with Randall blindfolded and begging for his life to shoot him. Carl wanders in and tells Rick to "do it Dad," before Shane pushes him out. He can't and tells everyone that they will keep him in custody until they can figure out what else to do. Andrea goes to tell Dale the good news but he is out on the farm. He hears the sounds of a dying cow, which I was hoping was some sort of zombie cow, and before he has time to inspect further the walker from the lake attacks him. He screams for help but before anyone can get to him the walker tears into his stomach. He is slowly succumbing to his womb and he won't make it before they can move him to the house for surgery. Rick moves to put him out of his misery but can't do it so Daryl takes the gun. "Sorry brother," he says before pulling the trigger.

I feel bad for giving Dale such a hard time before he had his guts ripped out. What a crappy way to go. Now Andrea has lost another person who really cared for her, and Carl now sees the error of his actions. He recognized the walker and ran crying to Lori, realizing that Dale's death was probably his fault. The group is down a member, and with the possibility of having to fight off a gang it could hurt them a lot.

There are only two more episodes this season and something tells me the finale could be quite explosive.