From fire to ashes, there is birth, rebirth, and death...unfortunately this was the case for Beth, a beloved member of Rick's rag-tag team of survivors. Although many fans of the show have criticized the producers characterization and eventually demise of Beth, I found it spectacular to say the least. Going from a character who only either sang or watched Judith, I have been surprised about Beth's growth as a character these past two seasons. From someone who was weak, suicidal, and "didn't have what it took to survive" - according to Dawn - Beth has become a strong, smart, resilient and courageous individual that, through Daryl's teachings and her past experiences, have given her a reason to live and people to fight for. A cause to fight for. Beth's end, although expected by a mile by most, was tragic and brought tears of pain to my eyes. Not only did she stand up for Noah during "the trade", she also revealed to everyone how truly twisted Dawn was. Beth, had become a beacon of hope for the group, someone who reminded the group that they are not too far gone and that they can still hold onto their humanity. She symbolized the juxtaposition of humanity and brutality quite effectively, as she illustrated that when you care for the people you love, your family, you will do anything to save them, even if that means risking your own life in the process. Her heroic actions in saving Noah from a 'permanent imprisonment' really touched me as she was ready to go to great lengths of brutality for a cause of such meaning and such beauty.. And that is friendship. With her death, came great sadness to Rick, and the rest of the group, especially Daryl and Maggie. Although her character had potential for more deep character exploration, her end was still fitting and with her death comes new story arches for certain members of the group. How will Maggie learn to deal with the pain of losing her father and sister? How will Glenn change after seeing Beth's corpse and Maggie's sorrow? Will he become brutal like Rick or remain a moral compass like Tyresse? Will Daryl revert to his old ways and shut himself emotionally like after "Too Far Gone"? Will Tyresse realize that in order to survive, one must commit brutal acts of violence in order to live another day? Is he a liability to the group? Is Sasha going to grow more distant from her pacifist brother? Will Father Gabriel remain a liability? What will Eugene's new dynamic with the group be after he admitted to his less than glorious scam? Will Abraham become the new Shane and challenge every decision Rick makes from here on out? When will Morgan be brought into the fold of our beloved group of survivors? Is he a threat or an asset? Will Carl and Michonne's mother-son dynamic continue to grow? When will the walkers become a huge threat again? All these questions and more will hopefully be answered by seasons end.
In Memorium of Beth, a fighter and believer that there is more to life than simply surviving from day-to-day. Your hopeful, yet brutal character will be deeply missed...
My Score: Due to the predictable nature of Beth's death and predictable nature of the first season, I give the first half of season 5 a score of 8.5/10, despite the great ing character development of Beth, Daryl, Carol, the high octane action at season's start, and the new approach by Rick's group in dealing with another group (more pacifist approach)
In Memorium of Beth, a fighter and believer that there is more to life than simply surviving from day-to-day. Your hopeful, yet brutal character will be deeply missed...
My Score: Due to the predictable nature of Beth's death and predictable nature of the first season, I give the first half of season 5 a score of 8.5/10, despite the great ing character development of Beth, Daryl, Carol, the high octane action at season's start, and the new approach by Rick's group in dealing with another group (more pacifist approach)