In my opinion, Season 1 of The Walking Dead was easily the best. Yes, it was short. (Only 6 episodes). But it was short, sweet and fast paced story telling. It moved fairly quickly and introduced the characters in exciting ways. In only 6 episodes, I really cared about these people.
However, it was Season 2 that further developed these characters and many of them began transformations that evolved into the characters they are today. Today, I'll break down how this second season transformed Rick, Hershel, Daryl, Carl, Glenn, Maggie and the others into the stronger characters they developed into. I'll start with everyone's favorite redneck - Daryl Dixon.
However, it was Season 2 that further developed these characters and many of them began transformations that evolved into the characters they are today. Today, I'll break down how this second season transformed Rick, Hershel, Daryl, Carl, Glenn, Maggie and the others into the stronger characters they developed into. I'll start with everyone's favorite redneck - Daryl Dixon.
Daryl Dixon
Daryl underwent a huge change throughout the season. In season 1 when we're introduced to Daryl, he is a hostile, racist redneck. He's short-tempered, irrational, emotional and wants serious revenge on our homie "T-Dog" for leaving his brother Merle abandoned on a rooftop in Atlanta in handcuffs. During season 1, you could argue that Daryl was somewhat of an antagonist and a liability, even trying to kill Dr. Jenner in the CDC. (If Jenner had died before opening the doors, the group would have surely been doomed).
In the second season, however, we began to see a new Daryl Dixon emerge. First, in the season's premiere episode (What Lies Ahead) Daryl actually rescued T-Dog, who was about to become walker chow due to a bad cut on his arm. This was likely a surprise to all viewers, as Daryl hated T-Dog's guts in all prior episodes. Of all people to save T-Dog, it was Daryl. This put an interesting spin on things and showed that he actually cared about anyone whose name was not Merle.
Perhaps feeling guilty for failing to rescue his brother Merle, Daryl worked harder than anyone else to find the missing Sophia. He began to find something of a role for himself as the group's hunter. When it was discovered that Sophia was dead all along, Daryl went into a depression and again isolated himself from the group. But he was smart all along, even realizing that Shane killed Otis despite Shane's story of Otis dying a tragic hero. He also envied Shane's position as Rick's right hand man, telling Dale, "Rick just looks to Shane...let him!.. This group is broken." Daryl felt that the rest of the group (with the exception of Dale) looked at him as white trash.
Perhaps sensing the ever-growing tension between Rick and Shane over leadership, Daryl finally stepped up in Judge, Jury, and Executioner. He served as the group's enforcer, beating the snot out of Randall to get information out of his about his rival gang. Also, when Rick attempted to execute Randall, he made sure to bring Daryl with him along with Shane. This was the beginning of Rick beginning to trust Daryl. By the episode's end, Daryl officially became Rick's right-hand man when he put down a dying Dale. After that, Rick recruited Daryl to go with him to drop Randall off. Though the plan didn't work out (Shane kidnapped and murdered Randall before they could) it showed that Rick trusted Daryl and looked to him for support. After Shane was dead, Daryl became Rick's closest male ally, something he still is today.
We also saw Daryl open up a bit this season as he developed a soft spot for Carol. Both Carol and Daryl had been abused previously (Carol by her husband Ed, and Daryl by his brother and father). The two bonded over this and became something of an item. To make a long story short, Daryl Dixon became the anti-hero fans love during season 2.
In the second season, however, we began to see a new Daryl Dixon emerge. First, in the season's premiere episode (What Lies Ahead) Daryl actually rescued T-Dog, who was about to become walker chow due to a bad cut on his arm. This was likely a surprise to all viewers, as Daryl hated T-Dog's guts in all prior episodes. Of all people to save T-Dog, it was Daryl. This put an interesting spin on things and showed that he actually cared about anyone whose name was not Merle.
Perhaps feeling guilty for failing to rescue his brother Merle, Daryl worked harder than anyone else to find the missing Sophia. He began to find something of a role for himself as the group's hunter. When it was discovered that Sophia was dead all along, Daryl went into a depression and again isolated himself from the group. But he was smart all along, even realizing that Shane killed Otis despite Shane's story of Otis dying a tragic hero. He also envied Shane's position as Rick's right hand man, telling Dale, "Rick just looks to Shane...let him!.. This group is broken." Daryl felt that the rest of the group (with the exception of Dale) looked at him as white trash.
Perhaps sensing the ever-growing tension between Rick and Shane over leadership, Daryl finally stepped up in Judge, Jury, and Executioner. He served as the group's enforcer, beating the snot out of Randall to get information out of his about his rival gang. Also, when Rick attempted to execute Randall, he made sure to bring Daryl with him along with Shane. This was the beginning of Rick beginning to trust Daryl. By the episode's end, Daryl officially became Rick's right-hand man when he put down a dying Dale. After that, Rick recruited Daryl to go with him to drop Randall off. Though the plan didn't work out (Shane kidnapped and murdered Randall before they could) it showed that Rick trusted Daryl and looked to him for support. After Shane was dead, Daryl became Rick's closest male ally, something he still is today.
We also saw Daryl open up a bit this season as he developed a soft spot for Carol. Both Carol and Daryl had been abused previously (Carol by her husband Ed, and Daryl by his brother and father). The two bonded over this and became something of an item. To make a long story short, Daryl Dixon became the anti-hero fans love during season 2.
Rick Grimes
Perhaps Rick was the character who grew the most during season 2. Rick began the second season as the same man he was during the first. He was smart, negotiable, and maintained his morals. However, this began to change as the episodes progressed this season.
The turning point was the moment the zombie Sophia came staggering out of Hershel's barn. Though the entire group was shocked by this, Rick (perhaps feeling guilty) was the one who walked forward and blew her zombie brains out.
Rick began to lose hope and transitioned slowly into a darker character after this point. In fact, during the very next episode, (Nebraska) Rick swiftly murdered two manipulative hoodlums named Dave and Tony in a bar. He did it without hesitation, and it was a shock to the viewers as much as it was to Glenn and Hershel. If the group had encountered Dave and Tony in previous episodes, Rick would have tried negotiating with them or outsmarting them somehow. Killing them would have been the absolute last resort. But Rick's natural cop instincts and darkening mindset spelled doom for Dave and Tony, the latter of whom fell into a pool of his own piss after being shot.
But Rick still tried hanging on to his morality. He insisted on bringing an injured Randall back to the group's farm. Later, after Shane attempted to kill him at outside of a school, Rick came back for his friend. (18 Miles Out). Shane famously told Rick in that episode, "You can't be the good guy and expect to live....you can't keep them (Lori and Carl) safe." Shane felt that Rick's good intentions would get him and the group killed, and constantly told him that the "right decision is the one that keeps us alive!" Shane was right, but Rick didn't realize it until later.
But Rick still had a lot of heart, as he couldn't bring himself to execute Randall a few episodes later. But the former sheriff reached the point of no return when he murdered Shane. From that moment on, Rick became emotionally distant - his only priority was to keep his group safe. He was now a cold, relentless leader. Even his wife Lori was treated with a sort of imperious disdain. Though Shane was dead, his spirit lived on in this new version of Rick. Although he briefly gave up leadership during the first half of season 4, Rick returned to his "ricktatorship" later in the series. At the start of the second season, Rick was an everyman still living by the rules of the pre-apocolypse. By the end, however, he was a hardened warrior who had fully adapted to the new world.
The turning point was the moment the zombie Sophia came staggering out of Hershel's barn. Though the entire group was shocked by this, Rick (perhaps feeling guilty) was the one who walked forward and blew her zombie brains out.
Rick began to lose hope and transitioned slowly into a darker character after this point. In fact, during the very next episode, (Nebraska) Rick swiftly murdered two manipulative hoodlums named Dave and Tony in a bar. He did it without hesitation, and it was a shock to the viewers as much as it was to Glenn and Hershel. If the group had encountered Dave and Tony in previous episodes, Rick would have tried negotiating with them or outsmarting them somehow. Killing them would have been the absolute last resort. But Rick's natural cop instincts and darkening mindset spelled doom for Dave and Tony, the latter of whom fell into a pool of his own piss after being shot.
But Rick still tried hanging on to his morality. He insisted on bringing an injured Randall back to the group's farm. Later, after Shane attempted to kill him at outside of a school, Rick came back for his friend. (18 Miles Out). Shane famously told Rick in that episode, "You can't be the good guy and expect to live....you can't keep them (Lori and Carl) safe." Shane felt that Rick's good intentions would get him and the group killed, and constantly told him that the "right decision is the one that keeps us alive!" Shane was right, but Rick didn't realize it until later.
But Rick still had a lot of heart, as he couldn't bring himself to execute Randall a few episodes later. But the former sheriff reached the point of no return when he murdered Shane. From that moment on, Rick became emotionally distant - his only priority was to keep his group safe. He was now a cold, relentless leader. Even his wife Lori was treated with a sort of imperious disdain. Though Shane was dead, his spirit lived on in this new version of Rick. Although he briefly gave up leadership during the first half of season 4, Rick returned to his "ricktatorship" later in the series. At the start of the second season, Rick was an everyman still living by the rules of the pre-apocolypse. By the end, however, he was a hardened warrior who had fully adapted to the new world.
Andrea
Andrea began the season as a suicidal wreck. But she gradually developed a bond with Shane and shared his survival mindset. Shane taught the blond how to shoot accurately, and Andrea looked to be on her way to becoming the badass that she is in the comic books. The third season successfully ruined this by making Andrea become The Governor's slut puppy, but that's another story for another blog. The Andrea of season 2 became a warrior and a big asset to the group with her shooting and fearlessness.
Glenn Rhee
Glenn made a big impact the previous season as the group's speedy supply runner. He was swift, brave and likeable. He continued his resourcefulness this season, but along came Maggie, who made a "man out of him." It was during his time on the farm that Glenn became less of a nerd and more self-confident, stemming from the moment that Maggie told him the truth. "For a smart guy, you're really stupid." That's when Glenn gradually eased up on letting the group use him as a guinea pig and became less reckless, as he wanted to live and protect his new girlfriend at all costs. The beginnings of "Warrior Glenn" can be found on the farm in season 2.
The Greenes (Hershel and Maggie)
To save a little time, I'll do these two together. The Greene family was in denial of the walker-infested world around them. Hershel had his family believing that walkers were just "sick people" and that there would be a cure. He was so delusional that he locked up his undead family members and other walkers in his barn. Maggie smartened up first when Glenn saved her from a walker attack on a supply run. She even tried to warn her father of the danger outside of the farmlands. Hershel, however, didn't see the truth until Shane repeatedly shot his zombified neighbor Louise in the chest multiple times and she kept coming forward. "Barnaggedon" was when Hershel realized he had been foolish. From that point on, he relinquished his leadership to Rick, realizing that he had been right all along. And, had the barn not gotten overrun at the end of the season, Hershel was going to let the group stay in the house. Despite all of the terrible events surrounding his family and friends, Hershel maintained his religious beliefs, giving some of the group members something to hold on to. After Dale's death, Hershel became the group's moral compass and token "wise old man" character, though he remains a fan favorite to this day.
Carl Grimes
Carl was probably the second most hated character of the season, one notch under his embarrassingly stupid mother Lori. While it was Lori who screwed up the most during the season, her son was nearly her equal. The dumbest thing he did (and came to regret) was taunting a walker caught in the mud by throwing rocks at it, and when the damn thing got loose, Carl ran away and didn't say a word about it to anyone. Later, that same walker followed Carl to the farm and made a snack out of Dale.
Carl learned from this, however, and kind of made up for it by gunning down the zombie Shane who (again) tried to kill Rick. (Shane just doesn't give up, does he?) Carl just couldn't stay in the house this season, but this is partially the blame of LORI, who never kept her eye on him. (She was too busy manipulating Rick and Shane and crashing Maggie's car). We learned in season 2 that Carl was a great shot with a gun. My point though, is that although Carl didn't change much here, this was the beginning of the tough and fearless Carl we have today.
Other characters underwent minor changes throughout the season but not as extreme as the characters I mentioned above. Carol, for example, became a bit hardened after the loss of her daughter, even refusing to attend the funeral. It wasn't until seasons 3 and 4 that she became the tough, badass Carol that she is today. Likewise, Beth was also present during season 2 but did not develop as a character until seasons 3 and 4. If I missed anyone or if you have any thoughts or comments, feel free to leave them below!
Have a Dugger Day! :)
Carl learned from this, however, and kind of made up for it by gunning down the zombie Shane who (again) tried to kill Rick. (Shane just doesn't give up, does he?) Carl just couldn't stay in the house this season, but this is partially the blame of LORI, who never kept her eye on him. (She was too busy manipulating Rick and Shane and crashing Maggie's car). We learned in season 2 that Carl was a great shot with a gun. My point though, is that although Carl didn't change much here, this was the beginning of the tough and fearless Carl we have today.
Other characters underwent minor changes throughout the season but not as extreme as the characters I mentioned above. Carol, for example, became a bit hardened after the loss of her daughter, even refusing to attend the funeral. It wasn't until seasons 3 and 4 that she became the tough, badass Carol that she is today. Likewise, Beth was also present during season 2 but did not develop as a character until seasons 3 and 4. If I missed anyone or if you have any thoughts or comments, feel free to leave them below!
Have a Dugger Day! :)
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