TWD 5x13 "Forget" episode discussion... **SPOILERS WITHIN*

[MinionZombie]

I think the 'A-stamp' reminded Rick of the container they were trapped in at Terminus... Aye, I noticed that ... although I'm not convinced we can read anything sinister into it ... I'd say it's more like a school grading system "A", so it's Sam's way of saying that someone is okay by his estimation (I don't think he's a cog in a conspiracy, I just think it's a kid thing and that's about it). I did find that moment quite sweet in a way - to see Rick dealing with an innocent kid who isn't one of his own, getting to engage 'father mode' in a traditional everyday setting, it gave us a little glimpse at a pre-ZA Rick Grimes ... which, in another way, is quite sad when you think about it, considering all he's been through and has had to do. You're probably right but maybe we are reading it wrong. After the Walker fell the camera focused on the carving looking top down and it was an "M" They did make a point about showing the 'upside down it looks like an "M" and not a "W" ... ooooooh!' ... ... but knowing how tricksy Gimple et al are with these sort of things, you have to wonder if they're just messing with us, that it really is a "W" ... ... but then when you think about it, if you were going to carve a letter into a walker's head it would be safer to have someone pin it down by sitting on top of them and then position yourself in a sort of 'Spider-Man kiss' orientation and carve the letter in that way (i.e. your wrists wouldn't be dangling over a pair of gnashing chompers). So maybe it is "M" ... maybe it stands for "Morgan" ... maybe Morgan has gone batshit crazy in his pursuit of Rick Grimes (the kudzu growth in 5x01 suggested he wasn't exactly hot on their heels) ... maybe it's the post-ZA method of sending a text message ... illuminati confirmed! Anything's possible at this point ... but maybe they're just doing it to screw with us. Consider me sufficiently teased Mr Gimple.

[DayoftheZ]

Another good episode, although as an animal lover I could have done without the horse being eaten (I still have to fast forward through the horse kill in “Days Gone Bye”). I liked how it all felt so relaxed and how all of a sudden I felt comfortable that our characters were safe. It gives the viewer the feeling of complacency that Team Rick is concerned about. That in turn will also give up a kick in the stomach if anything goes wrong. I liked the whole Daryl and Aaron Eric exchange and it makes sense getting him out into the real world to let off some steam and release some aggression. I enjoyed Ricks integration with the hot safe zoner, give him layers because he has been a little one dimensional with being the angry group leader. I am not sure about how I feel about Carol going crazy on the kid. I know she has done some screwed up stuff but she generally cares about kids and that seemed a little off. She came across as having Governor like qualities there and I don’t think the “good guys” should be doing that. Eager to see the next episode yet again.

[facestabber]

I was thinking the "A" stamp was for Alexandria. I immediately recalled rail car "a" of the termites. Not sure how aware Rick was at the time of Terminus that he was placed in rail car "A" . It would be interesting to hear Andrew Lincolns take on that scene. Maybe it's a nod to Hester Pryne and the Scarlet Letter. It's ironic that Rick and Jessie have adultery on their minds and are both stamped with "A".

[MinionZombie]

I was thinking the "A" stamp was for Alexandria. I immediately recalled rail car "a" of the termites. Maybe it's a nod to Hester Pryne and the Scarlet Letter. It's ironic that Rick and Jessie have adultery on their minds and are both stamped with "A". Ooh yeah, that's a good catch. Aye - Alexandria/A. As for Carol - to be fair she's only just scaring the kid into not telling his mother about what she was doing as the repercussions could be severe ... she wouldn't genuinely do that, it's all a bluff ... ... but yes, she was extraordinarily vivid in her description.

[Moon Knight]

The more I think about it the more I'm convinced it's not an "M", I mean, would Morgan kill off an entire small community and carve everyone up? I know he's crazy but c'mon haha. I loved Carol's scene with Sam. The kid showed great fear and his expression sold the hell out of it. I don't think its out of character because I feel she wouldn't really harm the kid. Put a bit of real world fear into him to protect her and the group? Sure, why not. We all know she likes to toughen up the youth.

[facestabber]

The more I think about it the more I'm convinced it's not an "M", I mean, would Morgan kill off an entire small community and carve everyone up? I know he's crazy but c'mon haha. I loved Carol's scene with Sam. The kid showed great fear and his expression sold the hell out of it. I don't think its out of character because I feel she wouldn't really harm the kid. Put a bit of real world fear into him to protect her and the group? Sure, why not. We all know she likes to toughen up the youth. I truly hope when we finally see Morgan he has "cleared" and come to his senses/found peace with himself. The reunion of Morgan and Rick could be one hell of an emotional hope builder. I'm not sure what Lenny James is up to but I hope he becomes a regular. I will add that regardless of Morgan's mental state from "Clear" I can't see him carving M's onto Walkers. I hope the writers give us fans the above mentioned reunion. The fans deserve it.

[shootemindehead]

I must have missed the other zombies with carving son so, cos that's the first time I've seen it. As for Carol, she's probably my favorite Walking Dead character now. Whatsherface has done a great job with her. I don't know if it was the kids acting, but she sure made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Cool scene.

[facestabber]

Not really, The stamped A being used as a community-identifier obviously has Rick disturbed. Could it be because of the significant number of Walkers they've found with W's on them? There could be absolutely no connection between the A's and the W's, but Rick (and the others) are still leery of this place in a "too good to be true" sense. That uncertainty/unease would have me thinking LONG AND HARD about even a POSSIBLE A & W connection. Especially since I get the sense that the A-stamps have more societal significance for these people than Rick and the others have been lead to believe. Think about it, a kid comes up to you and, in the ingenuous manner of children points out Rick doesn't have a stamp and says he should have one. Rick goes sure, gets stamped. Then the very next morning two of his new neighbors brandish their stamped hands by way of greeting, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for them to do. Wouldn't that creep YOU out in Rick's place. Plus, with all this talk of insiders and outsiders, there's a certain air of exclusivity bordering on a sort of xenophobia. All in all, were I Rick or any member of his group for that matter, with the awful experiences with Woodbury, the Governor's 2nd "army" and the Terminians behind me, I would be VERY LEERY of this town and of its leader most especially. Her "give-with-a-catch" style reminds me VERY MUCH of Dawn....Oh sure, she talks a better game than Dawn...but didn't the Governor weave a his-shit-doesn't-stink spell with words at first too? As support for my contention as to Rick's line of thinking, look what he told the community leader. "It's people, not Walkers, that are the biggest danger now." Now yes, in context one could say (and be correct in saying) that Rick was speaking of potential invaders at that moment. However, I don't think it too much of a stretch to believe there was a double-meaning to those words. Especially given that Team Rick's mistrust still went far enough to be filching guns from the Armory. Also, something bothers me about the community leader being so strongly against the citizenry being armed. What Rick told her is true, after all. One explosion that opens up a breach in that wall by some folks up to no good, who also happened to adopt the Governor's Walkers-as-weapons tactic by luring a major herd to the area just as the wall breach was created and that community could have a mass of Walkers inside the walls before they hardly understood they were under attack. I meant to respond to this earlier but you are right on Wylde. Politicians always have angles. They are willing to give but the question is what does one have to give up to receive their "generosity". I see the writers have stirred up the American 2nd Amendment debate within our show. Its a debate that gets heated so just in keeping it to Alexandria, would any of the posters here not want to carry a gun in that environment? And regarding Deanna's expelled members, revenge is one hell of a motivator when there is nothing left to society.

[DayoftheZ]

Randy Rick totally wants to pork Jessie ... so it seems a Rick/Michonne hook up is unlikely then, which is a bit of a bugger Comic spoiler BEWARE.   I reckon Michonne will hook up with Abe in a replacement for Holly in the comics

[MinionZombie]

I truly hope when we finally see Morgan he has "cleared" and come to his senses/found peace with himself. The reunion of Morgan and Rick could be one hell of an emotional hope builder. I'm not sure what Lenny James is up to but I hope he becomes a regular. I will add that regardless of Morgan's mental state from "Clear" I can't see him carving M's onto Walkers. I hope the writers give us fans the above mentioned reunion. The fans deserve it. Aye ... the "is the W not a W but a M instead?" nod/wink in the episode is probably a classic bit of TWD red herring play ... even though it was just two glimpses, Morgan did seem much more straight-headed than he was the last time we saw him (when he was pretty screwed up in the old noggin) ... so it's extremely unlikely the "W" is actually an "M" ... ... just a fun little 'what if' theory to ponder. DayZ, on your observation:   Hmmm ... perhaps, although there's been very little contact between those two characters, so it'd be a surprise if they did that ... then again it could just be a random hook up ... I'm not sure if they'll bother with the angle of Abraham having it away with a Holly substitute ... unless there's another member of Alexandria we've not yet been introduced to who happens to be Holly.

[DayoftheZ]

DayZ, on your observation:   There was a slight interaction last night and I could actually see them working on screen. They may avoid it because that particular story became a bit soap opera in the comics, but Michonne was a right player in the comics and hasnt had any action yet!!!

[Neil]

As for the ending - it's a strange kind of one stylistically - but I think it's about accepting this new way of life, but that there's danger right there waiting for them ... that it's kind of a mirage in a way and that sooner or later they'll see Alexandria in a different light for whatever reason. They're getting on-side, but the place is at risk ... particularly as they took down a walker with a "W" carved into its forehead (remember the truck load of walker torsos outside Noah's old stomping grounds?) I actually took it as showing the group almost miss their previous life style? They knew who they were "out there" and simply the walkers had to be killed. No complixity. No reasoning or anyone else to think about or trust? - It was simple! Now they're trying to adapt to this new, somewhat false existance from the past, and almost miss the walkers in someways... That final scene was showing that? Now to other matters? The letters? What do the letters mean? *no comic spoilers please if they are applicable* - - - Updated - - - As for Carol, she's probably my favorite Walking Dead character now. Whatsherface has done a great job with her. I don't know if it was the kids acting, but she sure made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Cool scene. I wonder if even Andy is starting to warm to her yet?

[MinionZombie]

Neil - quite possibly - I think the ending means a whole variety of things and can be read legitimately in several different ways. As for the letter "A", I feel it doesn't mean anything more than "Alexandria" / "A Grade" in Sam's personal estimation, but it's supposed to make us think it does means something, even though I believe it ultimately doesn't ... even if it does have a thematic link with Terminus and the "W". Also, we saw "X" symbols inside circles in 5x01 (Morgan saw them on the trees, and the ghastly bearded thug inside that train car had one drawn/tattooed to the side of his face among other markings). Oooooooohhhhhh... I wonder if/I hope that ties in somehow.

[shootemindehead]

I wonder if even Andy is starting to warm to her yet? Well, let's not go too far Neil.

[Moon Knight]

I don't think "A" means anything other than "Alexandria". The markings on the trees I just took as The Hunters marking landmarks so they can find their way. However, the same marking on that crazy bearded dude? It was the hunter's mark again, imo. Finally, the "W" is obviously for the wolves. Of course, I could be wrong. Hell, it's The Walking Dead of course I probably am.