The Walking Dead’s Biggest Moments: Numbers 5-1

Here we are. The final five moments, and I have to say, these were all very very big moments for me to see, and I think these all played huge roles in capturing the audience’s attention. I tried to stay away from the obvious decisions, although it’s hard to do so when a series consistently delivers WTF moments and manages to keep you on the edge of your seat. With that being said…… drum roll please! Here are my top five moments from The Walking Dead:

5) Sophia Comes Out Of The Barn: This whole episode was a pretty big one, and it was magnified by the fact that we had no idea where the series would go from here, as this was the last episode before a three month layover. Tensions were already beginning to boil over, and the group had just found out that Hershel has been keeping walkers in the barn on his farm land. Rick and Hershel also happen to be at each other’s throats since Hershel is now not too sure about letting Rick’s camp stay on his farm after Otis turns up dead, and the group has access to a pretty big arsenal. Dale sensing that bad things are about to happen, tries to hide the groups guns in the swamp, but is thwarted by Shane who in turn takes the guns and hands them out to the rest of the group, urging them to remain armed. Things reach the ultimate boiling point when Hershel talks Rick into helping him wrangle another walker from the swamp and into the barn. As Rick and Hershel make their way back to the barn Shane spots them and immediately confronts Rick. Shane tries to tell Hershel that his theory that the walkers are still alive and merely sick is ridiculous, and he tries to prove it by firing a couple rounds into the chest of the walker. Unfazed, the walker keeps coming at Shane until he puts it down with a round to the head. Shane’s next target is all of the walkers confined in the barn, and he breaks the chain and lock holding them in place. Hershel, and the rest of his family have to watch in horror as Rick’s camp guns down all of their neighbors, friends and other family members to get rid of the zombie “threat”. It seems as if they have dispatched all the zombies in the barn until the camera pans to the inside of the barn, and the revelation that there’s one more walker in there, and this one just so happens to be one of their own. The group watches as a freshly zombified Sophia emerges from the inside, and everyone snaps out of their blood lust and realizes what a terrible mistake that they’ve made. Rick, knowing that he has to step up and do what none of the other survivors could, steps up and puts Sophia down with a single round. There is no denying that this is perhaps the most emotional and somber scene from season 2.

4) The Walker Bomb: In the most awesome display of how truly sadistic the Governor is, the walker bomb serves to be the most effective weapon I’ve ever seen concocted. During the assault on the prison, The Governor not only sends bullets flying towards the Rick’s group, he sends a van full of walkers through the front gate. There’s not much that needs to be said about this moment. To truly appreciate it, you have to see it. So check it out.

3) Shit Happens…: After Rick agrees to let the prisoners stay and help them clear out their own block of the prison in exchange for half their fod and supplies. The leader of the prisoners, Tomas reluctantly agrees and there is an unspeakable amount of tension between he and Rick. During the beginning of clearing out the prison block, Tomas ignores direct instructions from Rick and jeopardizes the entire group by unleashing a group of walkers into a tiny confined space. During the ensuing fight between Rick and Tomas’ group and the walkers, Tomas takes a swipe at Rick with his machete, just barely missing him. A few seconds later, as more zombies approach Tomas intentionally shoves a walker right on top of Rick, and leaves him to fend for himself. Daryl helps Rick up and the group continues to manage the threat until all the zombies had been dispatched. Tomas offers Rick a half-hearted apology, to which Rick responds “Yeah I get it, shit happens” and drives his machete straight through Tomas’ head, killing him instantly. Rick proves once again that he is willing to do anything to protect himself and his family, and more importantly, he will eliminate any threat to the group. Dead or Alive.

2) Michonne Vs The Governor: Not speaking in terms of the entire rivalry between the two, but rather one confrontation that was explosive in nature. Michonne very clearly disliked The Governor from the time her and Andrea crossed his path. It wasn’t until The Governor sent his henchman Merle after Michonne that the heat really turned up on this feud in particular. Michonne, determined to find the Govvernor, breaks into his house when the group invades Woodbury to rescue Glenn and Maggie. Michonne was initially going to wait there until the Governor returned and dispose of him really quick like until she stumbled across one of his biggest secrets. The Governor had been keeping his now zombified daughter Penny, hidden away in his quarters until Michonne discovers her. Before Michonne could kill Penny, The Governor comes in and tries to reason with Michonne, but to no avail. Michonne shoves her katana right through the back of Penny’s skull, which sends The Governor into a rage. He and Michonne tussle back and forth, and it looks like The Governor will gain the upper hand until Michonne grabs a broken piece of glass and shoves it into the Governor’s eye. That’s right, two big moments within 10 minutes of each other.

1) Those Are Manly Tears: This moment is absolutely deserving of the number one moment on my list solely because it was the only moment that was more emotionally intense than when Sophia came out of the barn. Merle and Daryl Dixon never had a solid relationship. Always on opposite sides of the morality spectrum, it seems they’ve always had differing opinions on life. That is, until Merle notices the man that Daryl had become since aligning himself with Rick’s group, and I’d like to believe that rubbed off on him in a major way. With a showdown between the prison camp and The Governor imminent, Merle decides to take it upon himself to deliver the two things that could potentially keep The Governor at bay: Michonne and himself. Merle and Michonne take a road trip towards Woodbury, and midway through the trip, Merle has a change of heart and releases Michonne, telling her to head back to the prison. Merle then sits a car he hot wired, drinking and attracting walkers to lead to the meeting place previously designated by Rick and The Governor. Merle sits inside an abandoned room and tries to snipe The Governor, but right as he takes his shot, a Woodbury resident steps in the way and catches the bullet meant for The Governor. Merle is then taken down by The Governors henchmen and handed over to him. After a brief scuffle that includes The Governor biting off two of Merle’s fingers, The Governor shoots Merle and leaves him to die. Meanwhile back at the prison, Michonne informs Daryl of his brothers actions, and Daryl heads off to find him. Daryl makes it to the field where the shooting took place to find several of The Governors men, along with other walkers which he quickly disposes of. The next scene is the absolute most powerful in the entire series so far, as Daryl is greeted by his brother, who is now a walker. The emotion that Norman Reedus put into that scene speaks volume for his acting ability, and I must admit even I got a bit choked up watching it.

And that’s it! My top 20 favorite moments from the past 3 seasons of The Walking Dead. What did you think? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below!