If she really loved Tara, she wouldn't provide her sugary soda, because:

 

my point is that she had zero clue that there was even a soda in that cooler. the remote chances that there was would not be worth it to me or to anyone for that matter. perhaps if she didn't have to go through this and prove herself, they might have been further down the rails or been more aware of the fact that they were being surrounded by Dwight's group.

 

If I'm in the ZA, and I haven't had soda in a while, I'm going to jump on any slight chance to get it like a crack addict getting a fresh new bad of powder.

Don't get in the way of me and my deliciously unhealthy soda, unless you wanna get messed up :shining:

 

One thing that bugged me about this run was how laid back Daryl and Rosita were. Denise shouldn't have been wandering off or lagging behind but I was surprised that Daryl and Rosita weren't watching her like a hawk the entire time. She's the only medically trained person in Alexandria but they seemed to forget that she was there while she went off on her own mini adventures. I know what it's like when I take my young Nephews out. You keep them close and know where they are every second. I know Denise was a grown woman but she was a child in the outside world. Daryl and Rosita should have been paying closer attention to her, not carrying on up the tracks or letting her wander off on her own in the apothecary.

 

I'll agree with that. Daryl did mention that it only sounded like one walker in that bathroom(?), which he and Rosie could take out no problem, but Denise going to look by herself? Maybe they didn't see her, but yeah, they should have been paying attention. Not bad writing IMO, just a slip up on the part of the characters. They're human, they make mistakes.

 

Regardless, I still feel like Denise needed to do that anyways. They all have to know how to survive, Denise included. That's why I didn't have a problem with what Denise did.

 

I agree. I'm fine with Denise going outside the Safe Zone, because I think she wanted to be able to go on a run with Tara one day. So she had to hone in her walker killing skills. Going off by herself might have been a little reckless, but I understand why she did it.

 

Definitely. It's how everyone has to learn to survive. That's why I'm glad that the Alexandrians have finally stepped their game up, after a previous half season of being complete cowards. Seriously, they pissed me off so much in Season 5.B with their abandoning garbage.

 

Yes I agree but like I said I think the soda is more of a metaphor not a justification for why she did what she did. She gave her big speech and explained the real reason that she brought Rosita and Daryl out there. She needed them to help her conquer her fears. She really just wanted to go outside the walls and get her first kill. She wanted to prove to herself and others that she wasn't a liability. At first the car appeared empty so she could just do a quick check of the cooler with no risk, because getting soda for Tara was something she had wanted to do for some time. When she saw the walker it became her last chance to do what she actually set out to do. They were almost back to their vehicle. Once they got inside it'd presumably be a safe trip back home. She took a crazy and unnecessary risk simply because she had never had to really take any risks at all and this was her only chance.

Eugene was busy doing the exact same thing moments earlier in the factory. He insisted on killing the walker even when he was struggling and Abe easily could have killed it with no risk. Eugene wanted to prove he could fight. He was trying to prove he was at "Stage 2." I think Denise was just trying to get to Stage 1.

 

I agree with your assessment of the soda and why she wanted to go out with D and R. As you point out that Eugene was doing the same thing. But didn't he get his Stage 2 on during the battle with the "no way out" walkers, I recall him getting several kills during that Ep.

 

Yes. And he pointed that out when Abe told him "welcome to stage 2" and he told he he'd been there a while already.

 

I was wondering how they got her back to ASZ in the first place. It took three of them to haul Eugene's carcass out of there, and it seemed that even if the vehicle was nearby it would have been even more risky to come back and get her. Did they leave Eugene in the vehicle with his gunshot wound? If someone stayed behind with him, that would leave only two people to go back to where they were ambushed already and carry her back as well. Just no way to get her back without adding more risk to an already FUBAR situation, and risk Eugene's situation going from Hunky-dunky to not so spunky.

Bottom line... (and it is just a short line) I get the notion that they need closure, but they have also let people go in the past. This was too much risk and no reward-

 

What would you tell Tara when she got back from her run in 2 weeks? "Yeah, Denise's dead, most likely, but it would have been such a PITA to carry her back, we just left her on the tracks to get eaten by animals. Hope that's o.k."

Probably not.

 

Amen! (must be a Tampa thing )

 

Me? I wold point to where she is on the map and say; "Good luck! She's somewhere around there. Say, where is your sister and Niece? I bet you miss Alisha, whatever happened to her? I know how you feel, I once knew some folks; Otis, Shane, Patricia, Jimmy, Hershel, Oscar, Merle, Noah, Aiden, Nicholas, Carter, Sturgess, David... I wonder where they are now?." ;p

 

Very good point. But, having a situation where it's not that difficult to go get her, you should.

 

I like to watch em squirm... ;p

 

Daryl strapped her to his bike??? No way he would have let her rot there.

Poor Tara. I hope she makes it back from her run.

 

I wonder why the apothecary wasnt allready looted. Theyve been having to go farther out, 2 week runs. But this building only a couple hours away hasnt been checked?

 

Well, the Saviors are apparently growing marijuana, and are likely big drug users. They don't break in to the pharmacy right by where they are patrolling on foot because they are law-abiding citizens who don't believe in breaking and entering.