Walking Dead Reaction: Season 4 – Episode 14 “The Grove”

This was perhaps the most shocking episode of “The Walking Dead” yet.

Not only were two major characters killed off, but they were both CHILDREN!  And neither of their deaths were at the hands of the walkers!  Plus, Judith could have been dead too if the two adults hadn’t returned from the forest in time to stop Lizzie.

But there was more than just those moments that were huge to this show.

The admission from Carol about killing the two diseased people at the prison was a big step toward getting Tyreese some of the closure that he needed to be able to move on.  Even though he had all that anger about it in the past, the former prisoner forgave Carol for her actions.  It takes a big man to not want to pick up that pistol that she placed on the table and blast her brains out of the back of her head, but it seem as though Tyreese is finally adjusting enough to the world outside the prison to be able to survive and not react out of haste or anger.

There was also one thing that a lot of folks seemed to miss.  The walkers that were all burned up were quite possibly one of the most telling things on the show this week.  Watchers should assume that this huge fire was from the house that was set ablaze by Beth and Daryl on the previous episode.  That means that the two groups really weren’t that far apart.  Since they’re both headed toward Terminus, that means that these two groups might meet up prior to arriving there.

The tone of this episode was very somber.  Watchers had to deal with the death of two very young characters and the big reveal by Carol.  Overlooked in this whole ordeal is that these two people now have to look after a baby that doesn’t belong to either of them and hope that they can meet up with the man who calls Judith his daughter.  But the fact that two people who can’t really trust each other are looking after this kid is kind of scary.  Tyreese can’t have fully forgiven Carol.  And Carol can’t assume that Tyreese isn’t going to seek some kind of retribution later.

Not only was this an excellent episode on its own, but it leads well into next week’s story.  I can’t wait to see what happens.