The Walking Dead looking back: Rick and Shane fight scene season 2

The Walking Dead series ended its 12-year run in November 2022. It is interesting to look back at different aspects of the series, including best friends turned enemies. On Feb. 25, 2012, AMC aired season 2, episode 10, “18 Miles Out.” This episode would see a significant fallout between Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal). Two characters who were best friends and coworkers at the beginning of The Walking Dead story would see their friendship take a negative turn in this episode.

When Rick was shot, Shane was visibly shaken, uncertain of his friend’s fate. While Rick was in his coma, Shane stepped into Rick’s role in his family’s lives. He enjoyed playing family with Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and Carl (Chandler Riggs).  Discovering that Rick was alive threw a wrench in Shane’s plan, and they were at odds for the remainder of Shane’s time in the series.

One of their most significant disagreements was during “18 Miles Out.” The group took a young man, Randall (Michael Zegen), hostage after a shootout between his group and Rick’s. Although Randall might not have been a considerable threat, his former group was. Shane wanted to kill him, but Rick thought it best to take him away from Hershel’s (Scott Wilson) farm and leave him.

While carrying out Rick’s plan, Rick informs Shane that he knows that Shane sacrificed Otis to save himself and about the affair Shane had with his now-pregnant wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies). Shane makes it clear that he knows whose baby she carries and will do anything to keep them safe.

The Walking Dead 18 Miles Out

When they find a location to drop Randall off, he makes the mistake of letting Rick and Shane know that he knew Beth (Emily Kinney) from school. This informs them that he knows the farm’s location and could bring his dangerous group back for an attack.

Shane, already agitated by his conversation with Rick, wants to kill Randall on the spot. Rick disagrees, which turns into a bloody drawn-out fight. As tensions were already high between them, this fight was much more about Lori and Carl than whether or not they let Randall live. It would be a disagreement they would never recover from, eventually leading to Shane’s death.

Below is an excellent Inside The Walking Dead video taking a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this fight scene.

Follow Undead Walking on Twitter and sign up for the once-daily Undead Walking newsletter to avoid missing out on everything in The Walking Dead universe.