I'll admit it, but I forgot what Sophia looked like. So when she stumbled out of the barn at the end, I honestly wouldn't have known that was her if Carol hadn't cried out her name and fell to the ground sobbing. Seriously, THAT'S how long this particular 'search and rescue' half of the season felt for me. When Rick lovingly put that big slug through Sophia's medulla oblongata, I actually shouted out, "Thank Buddha, this lame ass part of the story is finally over!!" What could have been answered in 3-4 episodes max, was dragged out to half a season. 

Plus, there's the logistics of it actually happening like it happened. Sophia was gone for roughly no more than a day before Carl was shot, she made it as far as that house with the sardine can that Darryl found (with the still fresh oil in the can (which would have been three days old by the time Darryl found it)), Shane and Otis left the night that Carl was shot, so when in the hell did Otis have time to scoop up a zombie Sophia from the swamp on the opposite side of the land where Sophia had initially got lost in the first place?!? Remember, the group was always searching the forest in front of the farmhouse, while Hershel and Rick were bringing the zombies in from the swamp BEHIND the barn (which is to the rear and left of the farmhouse as you look at the farmhouse). The timing just doesn't add up given the distance and the clues found. 

With that said, I'm glad Sophia is gone, because she's one of the characters in the book I never liked. 

As for who is going where, I can see Glenn being allowed to stay on Hershel's farm, and I can see him staying there. Rick is going to move the group over the guilt of what Shane did, because Shane won't take that guilt upon himself. I can also see Shane losing a lot if not all of his newfound 'power' after he was pretty much neutered in front of the whole group by Rick's action. Dale may attempt to put either Darryl or Rick inbetween himself and Shane (more than likely it will be T-Dog, who I predict is the next member of the cast to die). 

I hope the second half of this season doesn't drag like a zombie leg broken at the ankle like this first half did. Sure, we got a bit of character development, but we also had a LOT of stalling as well. And I hope to hell that we finally find out what in the hell happened to Merle. We just wasted half a season looking for little Walker-bait Zombie Sophia, but zero effort went into tracking down Merle. Hopefully Darryl has the balls to bring this up to the group. 

DaForce1 - Great friggin comment mang!  I like the timing question, that Sophia bit it, and the anticipation of a dead T-Dog.  The pacing of the show has actually grown on me, but only if I watch it without commercials.  It has a pretty natural flow and doesn't feel rushed, which would be worse in my opinion.  If Kirkman is going to tinker with his creations, I want to enjoy every step of the way.

wiseguy, I definitely feel Shane froze at the prospect of shooting Sophia. Not because he was scared, but suddenly the Walker threat had a familiar face, and ending her existence had to be an ironic kick to the balls, since many of them had spent a good part of their days trying to find her. The reality of it all, plus the fact that her mother was weeping behind him froze Shane. Rick stepped up and did what Shane couldn't. Another irony since Shane had just accused Rick (to Lori) of being unable to make the tough choices.

monkeyfoot, I agree JJ could make Trek more Trek-ish, but again, I was able to enjoy both the TV show and series.

elbaz, see comments to wiseguy above.

hanso, Kirkman got paid, but he also is able to do the re-imaging himself. I think he can sleep with that decision.

Bryzarro, Shane certainly feels he's better equipped than Rick to be calling the shots, but at this point I'll maintain Rick is the best guy to lead this group in the long run. All of Shane's decisions (right and wrong) come down to his own self preservation. I honestly believe Shane did all he could to rescue Rick at the hospital way back when, but that's the point - Shane's all he can do isn't as much as Rick's all he can do. Rick is willing to make personal sacrifices. It may not be realistic or safe or smart given the circumstances, but in the long run people will follow Rick over Shane. I think we'll see that demonstrated very soon.

JohnnyRotten, thank you sir. I like your point about brains and muscle. In the real world Rick and Shane were a perfect team. Shane may have been a little jealous of Rick's position professionally and personally, but in this world Shane's jealousies are comingto a head, and his suspicions of being the baby daddy are only going to add to the conflict and skew his behavior further against Rick.

millean, you did mention Sophia might be in the barn first, but i was so certain she'd live so the writers could play her relationship with Carl a little further I didn't give it much credence. Nice call.

violator, you were drunk, I was enjoying a very legal California grown substance, but we both loved the show. Viva la difference.

Agree to disagree Joe. Maybe it's that I have small amount of admiration for Shane that's swaying my thinking

On the point you made to Byzarro I agree but so far most of Shane's decision have been to play it safe for everyone not just himself. He didn't want the group splitting up or going back to get Merle. Shane's decisions so far to me seemed pretty logical while Rick is so intent on doing the "right" thing that it gets people killed or endangers them. I agree with what Shane said to Lori, if they had not gone out to get Merle maybe they wouldn't have lost the folk they did. And finding the girl as a zombie proved Shane's line of thinking again yet Rick's insistence to continue the search almost cost Daryl his life.  

Wish, maybe I read it wrong, or maybe I was having a bad day, but it does get weary to have to listen to people pigeon hole Americans. We're as divirse a population as anywhere meaning that the stereotypes do not apply. I support gun ownership, buit don't own one and have no plans to own one. If you wanna live in Oregon, we'd be neigbors, but be prepared for a ton of rednecks. Outside of Portland and Eugene it's a pretty rural (and RED) state.

No harm no foul, whaddya say we bury the hatchet (or shotgun)? just lay off the steryotypes you Molson Golden drinking hockey playing, Half french Cannuck...eh

Wiseguy - Rick went back for Merle AND all the guns. Without those guns things might have been much worse back at camp when the zombies showed up.

Hey what's up with Mania having the same small picture for the reviews of both "Secrets" and this epsiode?

It's been fun to see the different reactions to Rick and Shane here.  I personally like both characters a lot, but I appreciate Rick more as the hero, and see Shane as being much more of an anti-hero.  It really comes down to who believes the ends justify the means.

Shane is willing to do whatever it takes for his own selfish reasons or to protect those he cares about.  Rick, on the other hand, believes that the journey is just as important as the destination, and that doing the right thing is always the right thing to do (no pun intended).  My own belief is that Rick is right (correct, that is).  It's the easier path to blame one's surroundings or circumstances, but that's how we get vile and disgusting things being done by people that one would normally call "the good guys".  Whether that's soliders in a foreign land doing unspeakable things to the natives, the situation at Abu Ghraib (prisoners being dehumanized), or dirty cops taking bribes and running protection rackets, it's people in grimy circumstances making excuses for their own behavior.  I think Rick is a person we can look up to, and his heroic dispatching of Sophia showed that he is the one with true integrity and character.

 OOhhh close to 100 comments! Very fitting that this awesome show gets to the 100 mark.

And it was said before, but I'll say it one more time: the missing Sophia set up basically every character's mindset and loss (or grip) on humanity and civilization. If she was found quickly many of the events people are talking about (mainly Shane's transformation and Daryl's fan status) would not have developed.

Seems like the writers know what they are doing....and they are doing it very well. In my opinion, anyway!

As a further note, as I watched the sneak peak for next season, it seems the scene still has them on the farm. I really hope they don't waste too much more time at Herschel's. I am very much over them being there. Time to get back on the road!

I am Awesome.