The Walking Dead: Top 100 Moments

90. Andrea Puts Down Walker Amy

Episode 105 “Wildfire”

Original Airdate: 11/28/2010

Submitted By: Charlotte Anne

The fourth episode of The Walking Dead ended with the first large-scale attack by walkers on the group of survivors. It was intense and scary, as both the characters and the viewers lost what little sense of safety they’d had about the encampment near the quarry. However, the most harrowing scenes were the ones coming the morning after that dreadful night: the survivors had to face the pain of having to put down the victims of the attack before they turned.

Andrea putting down her sister Amy was a very emotional scene, in particular because it was the first time that we saw this classic but always efficient trope of zombie films and series: a character having to face the ultimate test of putting down the reanimated corpse of a loved one. The issue had already been raised with Morgan, and in spite of all his efforts, he had been unable to go through with it, breaking into tears of rage and helplessness as he found he couldn’t pull the trigger on his zombified wife.

What makes the Andrea and Amy scene particularly intense is also the excellent lead-up to it, and the uncertainty in which we, as viewers, are left, as to whether or not Andrea can do what Morgan couldn’t. As Andrea remains prostrated, cradling Amy’s body, and getting aggressive whenever someone tries to talk to her, most of the survivors are convinced that she is in shock and in denial of what needs to be done. As it turns out, they are wrong: Andrea simply wanted to be with Amy until the very end, so she could perform the deed herself, as a final act of love for her sister.