I said Rick's wasn't as extreme, and inflicting pain to get information is the same idea between both scenes. Merle just did it in a much more cruel manner. Maybe Rick was doing it for a better reason, but it was still the same idea on a certain level.

 

I also think that she knows about Andrea's group. I was thinking about why she wouldn't want to tell them about Andrea or Merle and in thinking about it I realized also that it seems like it would be an interference. What would happen if she told Rick that Audrey is there that she left Andrea there because she chose to stay, thinking it was safe. He might think that Andrea has a better judge of the situation then some woman who was a complete stranger to him. He might not understand the danger that Glenn and Maggie are in if she gives up that information. Also, he might want to do another tactic. He may think it's unnecessary for them to go in carefully. He might think if Andrea feels comfortable there, then maybe the governor could be someone who would be reasoned with more easily. Or he might try to save Andrea to despite the fact that she does not want to be saved nor wants to leave. With Merle, even though it's obvious they don't like each other, how would it seen if she says that Darryl's brother is the one who shot her. She needs them to trust her. And that could go either way. She wouldn't know and the chance she would take and telling them the truth might be too great.
Here's what she needs from them, she needs a group of people who don't trust the people they're about to go up against in any way. She needs them to be ready to go up against those people who matter who they are. Not want to negotiate but just to see them as dangerous enemies. The way that she sees them. What if they are too similar to Andrea? She did come from their group. What if Michonne tells them something that makes him think that they're not as dangerous as they are, and they end up falling under the same spell that Andrea did? She may know information about them, but she knew Andrea personally and she still was unable to convince her to trust her over the governor. She may be acting very strategically because while we know Rick's group and know how they behave, she doesn't. Again, she just needs them to be a good small army ready to attack, anything else might dilute that power.

 

A slap on a cut leg is nowhere near the same level as hours of mental and physical torture with the cloud of certain death hanging over you. Absolutely weird. The only thing in common is that they both wanted information. Big difference is that one wanted information to use for bad in killing people; the other to use for good in saving people. So I don't see any similarities on any level, sorry.

 

Actually it is possible to write realistically AND to dramatic effect, it isn't that difficult..

 

The governor probably didn't start out crazy, he just ended up that way after losing his daughter, at least that's what I gather from the notes on his desk Michonne read.

I bet if you asked Rick in season 2 if he'd torture a captive to get information out of them he'd give a shocked "no". Yet he did. Rick and the governor have parallels between them, I think that's pretty clear. What's unclear about them is whether Rick will stay in the shallow end of the pool and eventually climb out, or whether he'll swim to the deep end like the governor. Probably the former, but who knows?

 

So are you saying Ask Rick if he would do this in season 2 and he would say no?, then he did it at the end of the season 2 with Randall ? Or are you skiping past Randall and his torture in season 2?

 

Wow. It's the same banned guy who quoted me in another thread. Um... What should I say... Thanks for re-wording my post? Except for that last sentence, you said pretty much exactly what I said.

"Here's the only similarity: ..." "... I don't see any similarities on any level..." Way to contradict yourself...

 

Season 1 Rick, or early season 2 Rick would have probably never thought he'd be the person he is today. Rick and the Governor are supposed to be parallels. I think they write it that way on purpose. Many heroes/villains sort of mirror each other in a way. Rick's never going to become as crazy as The Governor though... Not in the same way at least.

 

What Merle did to Glenn was basically what Daryl did to Randall. There were different reasons but the treatment was the same. The whole Randall thing was very stupid anyway - added to the "annoyance list" of season 2.

 

It's a progression:

Season 1: Rick doesn't torture anyone, apologizes to bicycle girl for something he's not even responsible for.
Season 2: Rick still doesn't seem to like violence, puts up with a lot from Shane, and only by the END of season 2 does he let Daryl work over Randall - someone from a group that was actively trying to KILL Rick's group. Rick still doesn't torture Randall personally.
Season 3: Michonne shows up at the prison with baby food and is not a threat to them at all, being wounded to the point of passing out. They lock her in a room and Rick grinds his hand in her wound to get her to talk *before* really giving her a chance to talk on her own.

He's clearly changing. My point being the writers might redeem him, or they might have:

Season 4: Rick kills people walking by the prison as they "might be" spies from a hostile group. He then puts their heads in fish tank to remember not to get complacent....

Who knows what the writers will do? I just don't see the governor and Rick as being totally distinct, more like at different points on the road to madness.

 

I did not see Daryl let a Zombie lose on Randall while he was tied to a chair.. Well there was Shane...

 

He did beat the hell crap out of Randall, probably more than Merle did to Glenn. Ultimately, it was torture either way for information... and the group did want to shoot Randall to death.

 

Can't keep a good man down, for banned - read 'not banned'.

I don't know how your brain works but what you stated was literally 'Rick slapping Michonne on the leg is the same as the Gov threatening rape and having Glenn beaten half to death' - fail to see any similarity there what so ever. So, no, I didn't contradict myself, however you seem not to sure what you mean...