Let's get off this farm. Seriously, what took us so long? Did I tell you I was a Boondock Saint?

Season 2, Episode 13: "Beside The Dying Fire"
Original Air Date—18 March 2012

Rick and Carl return from the woods to find the farm in jeopardy. The group is split up in the ensuing chaos. With things looking grim, Rick’s leadership is questioned.

Ok. that was a great finale to a wavering season. From the first sequence of the horde all the way to the cut to the prison.
This one was the highest rated episode for the season. We were reluctant to give it 4 Zs because we really want to keep the sanctity of that excellence and we still hold "Days Gone By" and most of season one in a league of its own. But the end part of the season delivered, and importantly this finale also set up some awesome stuff for season 3.
Let's just keep it simple and break it down like this...

The highlights of the awesome finale:

- Awesome intro sequence, documenting the horde's travel movement...and related..

- The helicopter! (S1 call-back, when Rick sees a helicopter and chases it on horseback only to get stuck in a horde of zombies. He is then called "helicopter boy" by the survivors.)

- Daryl on a chopper.

- Great zombie fight action, good visuals of the farm being over-run, barn burning in the background.

- We're finally off the farm. Yay!

- Rick revealing what Jenner told him in S1, and confirming what we suspected; they're all infected.

- Andrea kicking ass on her own.

- Michonne. That was one bad-ass cameo. All gloomy and hooded, katana, and armless zombies on chain leashes. The closeup of the dark hood, just being able to barely make out her full lips. Very slick. Can't wait!

- The end cut to the Prison (Spoiler - highlight the white text): We know the governor is also coming, as the big bad for next season, and I love how this episode is setting up season 3).


3.5 Zs" - Zombtac.com - Highest Rated Episode of Season 2.

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NITPICKS:

- Don't like the way Maggie neutered Glenn this season, and I could do without the forced "I love you Maggie" drama. It doesn't bring anything to the table and makes both characters less appealing.

- If we did a drinking game where we did a shot for everytime Rick said "I..don't..know." we'd hurt our livers real hard.

QUOTABLE:

"We're all infected," Rick says solemnly. "At the CDC, Jenner told me. Whatever it is, we all carry it."

"He turned. That's how I knew Jenner was right," Rick continues. "Carl put him down."

Daryl: "I saw his taillights all over the read. Figured he had to be Asian driving like that."


FACTS & NOTES:

Prisons in Georgia.

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) manages 34 prisons in the state (and another 22 county prisons), including the aptly named Walker State Prison in Forsyth!

The GDC employs nearly 13,000 people.

Katana.

The katana is one of the traditional Japanese swords (nihonto) worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan, also commonly referred to as a "samurai sword"

The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single edged blade, circular or squared guard, and long grip to accommodate two hands.It has historically been associated with the samurai of feudal Japan, and has become renowned for its sharpness and cutting ability.

After the blade is forged it is then sent to be polished. The polishing takes between one and three weeks. The polisher uses finer and finer grains of polishing stones until the blade has a mirror finish in a process called glazing. This makes the blade extremely sharp and reduces drag, making it easier to cut with. The blade curvature also adds to the cutting power.


*Adhere to all Federal, State, and local laws when using firearms.*