The Walking Dead 4.4 "Indifference" (Spoiler Alert)

[krispos42]

76. A lot of that is the risk a leader in a survival/combat situation takes

Now, the Rick of Season 2 or later would have simply killed both walkers chasing after him and Sophia. Stab stab, let's go home. But in the initial days of the zombie apocalypse, with the enemy's capabilities unknown, the choice to leave Sophia and draw off the walkers... well, it's not the best idea, but it's at least understandable given the circumstances. The world has just changed dramatically, much is unknown, the walkers seem powerful and unstoppable, and he's still recovering from being shot.

Shane killed Otis; you can argue that Otis put himself in a situation to be killed by volunteering to go with Shane, or by shooting Carl in the first place and requiring the medical attention and supplies to fix his error.

I don't recall the exact sequence of events in early season 3, so I can't comment either way on Lori and T-Dog's deaths except that Lori died in childbirth during a zombie uprising, and T-Dog was bitten by a zombie.

Obviously, he's not perfect. Maybe Shane would have been better because Shane was merciless. Or maybe Shane would have been worse because he does not inspire loyalty by the group, and there would have been more defectors and deserters.

Remember that Glenn and Maggie, when captured, took hours before they broke. Hours that gave Rick and his team time to get there and rescue them, then prepare for the Governor's assault. And that Glenn would have died rather than reveal anything about the group. Would Glenn have felt this way if Shane had killed Rick and taken over the group? Would Shane have inspired with that kind of loyalty in Glenn and Maggie? Would Glenn and Maggie aided and abetted the Governor to defeat Shane?



The problem is not necessarily that the two sick people were killed; it's that it was done unilaterally in cold blood with no other options considered. One counsel member does not get to act unilaterally; it's a counsel! There is a process to this sort of decision. Rick did not simply execute the prisoner they took while living at Hershel's farm, and he did not let Shane do it either. There was discussion by the group; people were consulted and options weighed.