SPOILER WARNING: This article discusses the most recent episode of ‘The Walking Dead’ TV show. If you want to avoid SPOILERS read no further!
Contrary to the deafening online buzz, something ELSE happened on this weekend’s ‘The Walking Dead’ episode “Thank You!” Fans have lost their minds over the seeming major death shown, but it’s an hour-long show and more occurred than you-know-what scene.
The episode ended with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) on his own facing walkers as he attempts to get to safety. He comes upon a group of three feasting on a recent kill. In the course of his struggle, Rick quite noticeably cuts his hand on a blade sticking out of a walker, covered in its blood. It was a quick occurrence, but conspiracy-minded viewers who are familiar with the graphic novel source material have read into the incident and pieced together a theory that one element of the show is moving closer to the comic: Rick is going to lose his hand!
Rick Grimes, the lead character in both the comic and TV series only has one hand, which occasionally causes him problems in trying to survive in a world gone to hell. This happened early in the book’s run and the person responsible was the book’s biggest baddie The Governor.
On the show, this storyline was changed in many ways and this incident didn’t happen. That makes sense as making Rick one-handed would probably prove to be a lot of effort to go through, not to mention costly.
The writer/creator of the comic, Robert Kirkman has actually expressed regret over removing Rick’s hand as it proved an obstacle in storytelling at times. So it makes sense that this didn’t happen on the show.
Even so, fans deduced this conclusion after Rick sliced his hand on the show. It makes sense. The machete was covered in gore and Hershel had previously amputated his leg after being bitten, allowing his character to carry on for a while longer. And thanks to green screen technology, the effects crew were able to digitally remove actor Scott Wilson’s foot and lower leg.
Would it really be that hard to do something similar with Andrew Lincoln’s hand?
Alas, as sound as the theory may be, showrunner/executive producer Scott M. Gimple has shot it down.
“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say something definitive: Rick is OK regarding that cut. His hand will survive. There will be a bandage. There will be some ointment involved. But he’s going to walk away from it.”
As to whether it’s plausible that blood-to-blood transference could cause death in the same way as a bite, Gimple admitted:
“It’s entirely possible, but we haven’t really gotten into it on the show.”
Gimple’s announcement slightly contradicts a previous statement from fellow exec producer Dave Alpert, who stated vaguely:
“It’s definitely played as ambiguous and I’ve seen a lot of pickup online of people saying, ‘Hey, is this a nod to the comic where he’s going to cut off his hand?’ I would say that if it is zombie blood, either he’s going to have to cut off his hand or he’s going to have to die. Those are the rules of the world. But we’ll see that play out fairly quickly.”
Reportedly, Lincoln actually lobbied to have The Governor lop off Rick’s hand when the show was adapting that storyline, but the idea was shot down over budgetary concerns. It looks like once again, Lincoln is going to have to tough it out and continue playing his role with two hands.
Did you think that Rick might lose his hand after cutting it? Are you disappointed that the show won’t follow this development from the books?
Source: Cinema Blend
