The Walking Dead Returns! Top 10 Moments from Season 3 

Okay, folks, the wait is almost over! The Walking Dead returns this Sunday for the 2nd half of season three with the episode titled “The Suicide King”.  The last episode left us hanging with the Governor blaming Merle Dixon for the assault on Woodbury and as punishment, pits Merle and his baby brother in the arena to fight to the death.  Will both of the Dixon brothers survive?  Something tells me they will, but the bigger threat is the Governor now knows where Rick’s camp is.  Holy smokes.  The rest of the season should be a hell of a showdown between the Governor and the prison survivors, and who knows how many more of our beloved characters we will lose before season’s end.

To celebrate the show’s return, we’ve made our list of the Top 10 moments of season 3 thus far.

10.  Revealing of the Governor’s Man Cave (Episode 3.3 “Walk With Me”)

Was everyone else as creeped out as I was when that “shrine” of pickled zombie heads was revealed?  And, his pride and joy at the top of the shrine was the head of the helicopter pilot that he professed to everyone he was trying to save.  The Governor thus far had been so nice, polite, and charming, and this was the first indication that there may be a monster behind the facade that he was projecting to all of the residents of Woodbury.

9.  Rick Leaving Andrew To Die After Killing Tomas (Episode 3.2 “Sick”)

This particular moment was so memorable for us because it was the key event that triggered the onslaught in the episode “Killer Within”.  I completely agree with Rick killing Tomas, but leaving Andrew to die may have been over-the-top, and he goes on to pay a big price for that decision.

8.  Discovery That Carol Is Still Alive (Episode 3.6 “Hounded”)

I think most viewers had a big suspicion that Carol was still alive after the attack in “Killer Within”.  But, Daryl being the one who finds her (how sweet!), and especially the scene where Rick is shown she’s still alive is particularly touching.  Melissa McBride does an exceptional job in these scenes, even more so when she discovers that Lori died in childbirth.  You can feel Rick’s pain, and the sympathy she shows Rick is remarkable.

7.  Rick’s Mysterious Phone Conversation With the Dead Survivors (Episode 3.6 “Hounded”)

After Lori’s death, Rick completely fell off his rocker and really needed a wake-up “call” — literally.  After going on a rampage and killing dozens of walkers in the prison, that call came, but it’s not who he thought it was.  It was a call from the dead Jim, Jacqui, and Amy, which we should remember were killed in Season 1.  These scenes were somewhat unsettling because we know Rick is imagining the entire thing, but regardless, it’s what he needed to come back to his senses.

6.  Hershel Greene’s Amputation (Episode 3.1 “Seed”)

Man, this is one scene that shocked the hell out of me.  In the comic-book series, it was Dale who got bit and had his leg amputated.  Of course, we know that Dale was killed in Season 2, and so, the writers pulled a brilliant trick on us and shuffled that scene to Hershel.  While the scene itself is gruesome, it is critical in showing us that Rick is, indeed, the leader of the group, as he had to make the decision to amputate in a matter of seconds.  Fortunately, the amputation does work, and Hershel goes on to thank Rick after he recovers.

5.   Death of T-Dog (Episode 3.4 “Killer Within”)

Of all of the characters on the show, I think T-Dog had one of the smallest roles.  Most viewers questioned why in the world was he even there.  While he did kill a few walkers, the most action this character had was in season 2 when he was badly cut and nearly died from an infection.  But. in season 3, we find out what kind of man T-Dog truly was.  When the zombie apocalypse first happened, he was one of the few who drove around in the church van checking on senior citizens and picking them up. T-Dog was truly a great man, and he died in the same spirit.  In “Killer Within”, he sacrificed himself to get the gate locked at the prison and threw himself at a group of walkers to save Carol’s (Melissa McBride) life.  T-Dog died a hero, and we will always remember you, brother!

4.   Death of Lori Grimes (Episode 3.4 “Killer Within”)

By far, Lori Grimes was one of the least popular characters in the series.  In fact, when she came on stage at New York Comic-Con, she was boo’ed.  I don’t agree with some of Lori’s actions – hooking up with Shane, trying to abort her baby without even talking to her husband about it.  However, Sarah Wayne Callies did a fantastic job portraying the character, and I think she deserves to be remembered for the wonderful job that she did.  Her final scene when she is about to give birth in “Killer Within” and knows that she won’t survive is perhaps her best performance and certainly deserves a mention.  I don’t think any die-hard The Walking Dead will forget these words to her son:

Carl, you take care of your Daddy for me, OK?
You take care of your little brother or sister.
You are going to be fine.
You are going to be beat this world.
You are smart, you are strong, and you are so brave!
And, I love you!
You have to do what is right.
You promise me you will always do what is right.
It’s so easy to do the wrong thing.
So, if it feels wrong, don’t do it, alright?
If it feels easy, don’t do it.
You’re so good, my sweet boy, the best thing I ever did.
I love you! I love you!

Wow, some seriously powerful stuff, and Sarah Wayne Callies deserves a standing ovation for that final performance.

3.   Glenn’s Fight With Walker In Woodbury (Episode 3.7 “When the Dead Come Knocking”)

I think most of us could not kill a walker, let alone kill one while strapped to a chair.  Merle Dixon wants to know where Glenn’s camp is, but even after been beaten senseless, Glenn still refuses to talk.  In fact, Glenn successfully head-butts Merle and bloodies his nose, again while strapped to a chair.  That was the last straw because Merle loses all patience and puts a walker in the room to kill Glenn.  It doesn’t look good for Glenn initially, but he finally is able to break the chair and stab the walker in the head with one of the legs.  We later learn that the Governor questioned Merle on why in the hell he did that, and he reveals it was only because Glenn pissed him off.  At this point I think was the beginning of the Governor’s doubting Merle’s judgment.

2.   Killing of Penny Blake & Stabbing Of The Governor (Episode 3.8 “Made To Suffer”)

Damn, I don’t know what Michonne did for a living in the television series before the apocalypse, but she definitely sees the evil in the Governor that no one else can.  This results in her going to the Governor’s house and just waiting for him, with the intention of killing him and ending the threat for good.  Instead of finding the Governor, she finds the Governor’s zombie daughter, Penny, at about the time the Governor walks through the door.  Even with the grovelling from the Governor, she puts a sword in Penny’s head anyways, which then results in what is probably the biggest fight of the season.  Michonne is finally able to get a piece of jagged glass, stabs the Governor in his eye, and then, flees the scene.

We got to witness the Governor take out an innocent group of soldiers of the National Guard without blinking, but his devotion to his daughter, Penny, seems to be the last bit of humanity we can see.  When Michonne puts a sword through Penny’s skull, I think that obliterated the last bit of compassion and humanity The Governor had, and I believe we are going to see a huge change in his character in the second half of season 3 because of this event.

1.   Dixon vs. Dixon (Episode 3.8 “Made To Suffer”)

This is where the season left us in the last episode, and is our most memorable moment of season 3 thus far.  We were all hoping for a Daryl and Merle reunion, but I don’t think this is what any of us expected.  Blaming Merle for the attack on Woodbury (and probably the attack on himself by Michonne), he pits the two brothers in the arena to the death.  Can you imagine what is going through Daryl and Merle’s minds?  Holy shit!  Tune in Sunday for the premiere to see how it all plays out!

So, what does everyone think?  Did you favorite moment not make the list?  If so, chime in below in the comments section and list it!

The Walking Dead returns this Sunday, February 10th,  at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.