The Walking Dead - Season 4

While the sick people were innocent, they were a threat to the community. It was the cold and pragmatic thing to do given the information at the time. Unfortunately, she acted unilaterally. Without a Council to back her actions, it is an indefensible position for her.

Now, with Carol gone, there is no real closure for Tyrese. Darryl will be pissed if he finds out that Rick gave her the boot without any Council approval. And you are still left with friction and dissent in the group as a whole, just as if Carol was brought back. Rick sentenced her to death as surely as if he had shot her. Unless Rick lies to all involved, which would not come back to bite him in the ass.

A court of sorts needed to be assembled to try the accused and then banish or kill her. Additionally, if Tyrese is on that fine of a trigger, he is going to cause issues down the road anyways.

Bottom line, it's not a democracy and can't be. Rick took Carol out with him to evaluate her and discovered her complete lack of empathy evidenced by how easily she threw those kids to the wolves.

The episode reveals her as a stone cold killer and a psychopath who has set herself up as judge, jury and executioner. Of course Rick doesn't want her around his kids.

But Rick is also judge, jury, and executioner by casting out Carol. Who is the better one?

the_jake_1973 wrote: But Rick is also judge, jury, and executioner by casting out Carol. Who is the better one?

The one who isn't killing people.

Casting someone out is a death sentence. He just didn't have the guts to pull the trigger.

Bringing Carol back to the prison was a death sentence for her. He did the right thing and made the tough decision. Good to see him being a leader.

It isn't being a leader if you do it outside the view of the people you are supposed to be leading. The tough call would have been to hold a trial of sorts. At least there would be some type of closure to the issue.

the_jake_1973 wrote: It isn't being a leader if you do it outside the view of the people you are supposed to be leading.

Where are you getting this? I think you can be an effective leader of a group without them seeing everything. I think you're mixing up "leader" and "justice of the peace" or something. Is what Rick did justice? Not really. But it was something a good leader would have done. The needs of the many...

I'm happy to see Rick being the good guy again irregardless with how unpopular it will make him when everyone finds out. He's our dark knight

edit: on your trial suggestion, remember what happened last time when they did a trial for the guy they captured at Herschel's farm? That was a divisive issue for sure. Gone are the days of democracy. I think the council is there for the everyday decisions. But Rick is the big cheese and should make executive decisions when they need to be made. I'm really anxious to see how this plays out.

Also don't forget that Tyreese ain't interested in no trial. He's still hurting and Rick was right, he almost killed Rick who had nothing to do with it. Give him somewhere to focus his rage...and I'll show you one carcass in short order.


edit part deux: hey you know who really isn't going to understand his decision? That psychopath little girl. This could set her off.

In this instance, yes, banishment or death of Carol should have been judged in view of the community. Rick is no better than Carol if you are bringing up "needs of the many...." Carol did what she did for the needs of the many also.

You say "gone are the days of democracy", yet condemn Carol when she did a very pragmatic thing in trying to stem the infection. It was rather a more escalated response than I think was called for. Should the sick people be banished for the good of the many if the medicine doesn't help? If so, is that better than Carol's solution in giving people an easy death?

As a disclaimer, I am not a fan of Rick.

the_jake_1973 wrote: Casting someone out is a death sentence. He just didn't have the guts to pull the trigger.

The death sentence would have been bringing her back with Tyrese on the loose. This way's she's got a fighting chance. She's a threat to the group in exactly the same way Shayne was to Rick. Her decision to execute her roomies wasn't democratic either. Who's next?

In war you need a leader because by the time you fuck around getting consensus you're dead. That's why the military has a chain of command. If they don't like Rick, they're free to leave.