Daryl’s Quote About Buttons: Part 2
By Susie Graham
Daryl Dixon said, “The longer they’re out there, the more they become what they really are.” He was talking about horses, but the quote applies to our survivors as well. I talked about Daryl, Rick, The Governor and Glenn so far. I’m going to add Tdog, Andrea and Shane. (CLICK HERE FOR PART ONE)
Tdog/Theodore Douglas
Tdog was famously not given much character development and was not out there near as long as the survivors we have now to have revealed more and more of what he is, but I think there were quite a few small things that gave huge insight into who Tdog was. After a beating and name calling by Merle, whom he stood up to by the way, which says something right there, Tdog’s face alone tells us the guilt he felt for leaving behind a fellow human being. No lines of dialogue were needed. He wasn’t interested in judging Merle at that point. Although his face told the story first, he explained succinctly to an angry, frustrated and grieving Daryl, “You see anybody else here stepping up to save your brother’s cracker ass?” When Daryl asks, “Why you?” Tdog informs him, “You wouldn’t even begin to understand. You don’t speak my language.” He was kind yet able to express his opinions and contribute, but followed the direction of the group–didn’t force his opinions or pout when he didn’t get his way. He was a great team player and group member.
Andrea
Andrea was a much-hated TV character and much-loved comic character. I only know the TV character and I liked her way more than most people did. She reminded me a lot of myself. She was out there long enough that I think the apocalypse revealed more of who she was. As a civil rights attorney she was most likely interested in helping people, which came out quite a bit as trying to save people in the end. And thinking she had a little more power than she really had. Initially some things that were revealed about Andrea were her independence and desire to be one of the boys–helping the group in her own way, not the predetermined female way the group pushed her to pursue. Yet she made her own mistakes in that role. She was independent and strong, became a fierce walker killer, but her lawyer’s negotiating skills were what she longed to be able to use. She wanted to kill walkers but still have the nice home of Woodbury. An RV/hotel camper, not a tent camper.
Shane
Shane was another loved/hated character. What I think the apocalypse revealed about Shane was that he needed more affirmation and reassurance than he got in pre-apocalypse. Once the world ended and he finally got the love, family, leadership position that he thought he always deserved, he wasn’t about to give it up. When Rick returned, he didn’t regain his best friend he lost all that new-found status. He didn’t know how to go back to being shot-gun, cop-car Dr. Phil. There were no more women to leave the lights on. No more public safety concerns to attend to. Who was he without that? So he had to show the group he was better at making decisions in this new world, but nobody was listening. They were all following the new guy–his old best friend. How could he show them? Get louder, more belligerent? Get rid of him? Get Lori to talk sense into him? Try to highlight his successes? That was Shane’s most irritating trait to me– always trying to get credit. ‘How many times has Rick saved your life?’ ‘What do you do to keep this camp safe?’ The world revealed about Shane that he felt cheated out of credit for everything he did and a life he deserved and gratitude for his heroics. Everyone noticed the actions of others but somehow his were always overlooked. He felt so cheated that it drove him to extreme choices so people would finally notice and he would get what he deserved.
There are still many more characters to look at and see what the end of the world revealed about who they are. I will continue to explore more characters. Until then, discuss in the comments.