Rick has not become Shane
Been enjoying The Walking Dead prequel, Fear the Walking Dead, apparently more than most people, who seem to be frustrated by the naivety of most of the characters. I think people deeply underestimate how much of a badass they would actually be in the apocalypse; I know that I'd have to almost be eaten by a zombie in order to be convinced that what I was seeing was not the result of a mental breakdown or someone sneaking acid into my cornflakes.
Conveniently, I caught the pilot for TWD on one of my local stations last week. I think those who are harsh on the FTWD civilians have forgotten how innocent and tentative our gang was at the start. Rick could have been killed by the little girl walker he meets in the first few minutes. Even after seeing the half-walker in the park, and the walkers outside of his house, he really doesn't believe Morgan for much of that episode, and when Rick finally disposes of the half-walker, it's with a tenderness that fans probably can't relate to at this point.
But of course, once you pop, you can't stop. Now I'm deep in season two, and my re-watch is causing me to question another piece of fandom conventional wisdom--that Rick has morphed into Shane. Even ~~Chris Hardwick~~ has said as much. Of course, Rick is much, much harder than he used to be. Season five Rick wouldn't entertain Hershel's walker theory or spend nearly as much time attempting to negotiate to stay on the land (he might even take it from Hershel, as he may do with Alexandria).
But there's more than a hardness or a commitment to survival driving Shane's words and deeds; there's an entirely self-serving desire to replace Rick in the eyes of his wife and son. By the end of the abbreviated first season, Shane has seriously considered murdering Rick ("Wildfire"), out of a seaming combination of sexual jealousy and anger at being displaced as the group's leader. Even some of the good things he does, like protecting the women from Carol's husband ("Tell it to the Frogs") appear to be motivated by his anger at his situation and his inability to control others.
By the second season, Shane is a near-psychopath. He not only keeps trying to get back with Lori, and actively undermines his brother's leadership, he goes so far as to threaten Dale when Dale tries to frustrate his plans ("Secrets"), and of course, murders Otis in order to save himself ("Save the Last One"). I can't think of any circumstance in which Rick has made a similarly completely selfish choice. And for all Shane's talk about making the hard calls, it's Rick who has to kill Sophia's walker ("Pretty Much Dead Already"). Rick may be more trusting than Shane, but he's still capable of of doing what needs to be done when the group really needs it.
I expect season six Rick to be an incredibly hardened, pragmatic man, who privileges his group's lives over others'. But even his ruthlessness is in service of a greater good. At the beginning of last season, Rick was worried that the current rulers of Alexandria would lose the city because of their naivety, but he didn't react by planning to murder all of them to take what he wanted. A group of Shanes might take a safer route. Rick and the group haven't gone full-Terminus. Jaqui, Dale and Andrea would probably be proud of that.
Conveniently, I caught the pilot for TWD on one of my local stations last week. I think those who are harsh on the FTWD civilians have forgotten how innocent and tentative our gang was at the start. Rick could have been killed by the little girl walker he meets in the first few minutes. Even after seeing the half-walker in the park, and the walkers outside of his house, he really doesn't believe Morgan for much of that episode, and when Rick finally disposes of the half-walker, it's with a tenderness that fans probably can't relate to at this point.
But of course, once you pop, you can't stop. Now I'm deep in season two, and my re-watch is causing me to question another piece of fandom conventional wisdom--that Rick has morphed into Shane. Even ~~Chris Hardwick~~ has said as much. Of course, Rick is much, much harder than he used to be. Season five Rick wouldn't entertain Hershel's walker theory or spend nearly as much time attempting to negotiate to stay on the land (he might even take it from Hershel, as he may do with Alexandria).
But there's more than a hardness or a commitment to survival driving Shane's words and deeds; there's an entirely self-serving desire to replace Rick in the eyes of his wife and son. By the end of the abbreviated first season, Shane has seriously considered murdering Rick ("Wildfire"), out of a seaming combination of sexual jealousy and anger at being displaced as the group's leader. Even some of the good things he does, like protecting the women from Carol's husband ("Tell it to the Frogs") appear to be motivated by his anger at his situation and his inability to control others.
By the second season, Shane is a near-psychopath. He not only keeps trying to get back with Lori, and actively undermines his brother's leadership, he goes so far as to threaten Dale when Dale tries to frustrate his plans ("Secrets"), and of course, murders Otis in order to save himself ("Save the Last One"). I can't think of any circumstance in which Rick has made a similarly completely selfish choice. And for all Shane's talk about making the hard calls, it's Rick who has to kill Sophia's walker ("Pretty Much Dead Already"). Rick may be more trusting than Shane, but he's still capable of of doing what needs to be done when the group really needs it.
I expect season six Rick to be an incredibly hardened, pragmatic man, who privileges his group's lives over others'. But even his ruthlessness is in service of a greater good. At the beginning of last season, Rick was worried that the current rulers of Alexandria would lose the city because of their naivety, but he didn't react by planning to murder all of them to take what he wanted. A group of Shanes might take a safer route. Rick and the group haven't gone full-Terminus. Jaqui, Dale and Andrea would probably be proud of that.