Wildfire (The Walking Dead)
Encyclopedia
"Wildfire" is the fifth episode of the post-apocalyptic
horror
television series The Walking Dead
. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on November 28, 2010. The episode was written by Glen Mazzara
and directed by Ernest Dickerson
.
attack the night before. Rick Grimes
tries to contact Morgan Jones on his walkie-talkie to let him know that Atlanta is not safe. Andrea is sitting vigil over her sister's body, as the others deal with the bodies of the walkers and the dead from the attack; the bodies of the walkers are hit in the head with a pickaxe to make sure the brain is destroyed, and then thrown into a pyre
to burn. Rick approaches Andrea to let her know that Amy's body must be dealt with; she pulls a pistol and he backs away, apologizing. The rest of the group argues over how to deal with Andrea, and Glenn stops Daryl from throwing one of their dead into the pyre and insists that their own dead must be buried, not burned with the walkers. It is revealed that Jim was bitten in the attack; Daryl wants to kill him, but he is stopped by Rick and Shane.
Rick argues that the group should head to the CDC
facility in Druid Hills, Georgia
, in the hopes of finding safety and possibly even a cure. Andrea sits with her dead sister until she awakens as a walker, before apologizing for not spending more time with her and shooting her in the head. Shane urges Lori to talk Rick out of going to the CDC, but she backs her husband; while doing a sweep in the woods, Shane considers shooting Rick, and is caught by Dale with Rick in his sights. After they return to camp, Shane says he has changed his mind and will support going to the CDC. One family elects instead to go to Birmingham
where they have family; Rick gives them a revolver and ammunition and they part ways. Dale's RV
breaks down on the road, and while it is being fixed Jim, whose condition has been steadily worsening, asks to be left behind to "be with his family" (all of whom were killed by walkers). The group leaves him under a tree on the side of the highway and continues on their way.
The episode then switches to a video transmission made by a man named Jenner, apparently with the CDC (whose logo appears on his coffee mug and HAZMAT suit). He says it is 194 days since "Wildfire" was declared, with no clinical progress. The man is shown, in a biohazard protection suit, doing experiments on tissue; after a spill, he goes through decontamination, but an automated equipment decontamination process leaves his samples destroyed. He continues his transmission, lamenting the loss of his best specimens and contemplating suicide. Meanwhile, Rick's group has reached the CDC campus, which is surrounded by a military checkpoint filled with corpses, both military and civilian. They are unable to gain entry into the CDC building, and with darkness coming, walkers are beginning to arrive. As the group despairingly starts to move back towards the RV, Rick sees one of the surveillance cameras move. He bangs on the door, pleading for entry for his group. Jenner sees them on the surveillance feed and, reluctantly, opens one of the doors for them. It opens with a blinding white light beckoning them to enter.
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
television series The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead (TV series)
The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed for television by Frank Darabont and based on the ongoing comic book series, The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard...
. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on November 28, 2010. The episode was written by Glen Mazzara
Glen Mazzara
Glen Mazzara is an American television producer and writer.-Biography:Mazzara was born in Manhattan and grew up in Queens, New York. He attended NYU and earned a masters in English...
and directed by Ernest Dickerson
Ernest Dickerson
Ernest Roscoe Dickerson A.S.C. is an American film and television director and cinematographer. He directed generally urban films sometimes with supernatural stories like Juice, Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight, Bones and Never Die Alone...
.
Plot
The survivors are dealing with the aftermath of the walkerZombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
attack the night before. Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes is a fictional character in the ongoing black-and-white comic book series The Walking Dead and as well as its television series adaptation, The Walking Dead.-Comic book series:...
tries to contact Morgan Jones on his walkie-talkie to let him know that Atlanta is not safe. Andrea is sitting vigil over her sister's body, as the others deal with the bodies of the walkers and the dead from the attack; the bodies of the walkers are hit in the head with a pickaxe to make sure the brain is destroyed, and then thrown into a pyre
Pyre
A pyre , also known as a funeral pyre, is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite...
to burn. Rick approaches Andrea to let her know that Amy's body must be dealt with; she pulls a pistol and he backs away, apologizing. The rest of the group argues over how to deal with Andrea, and Glenn stops Daryl from throwing one of their dead into the pyre and insists that their own dead must be buried, not burned with the walkers. It is revealed that Jim was bitten in the attack; Daryl wants to kill him, but he is stopped by Rick and Shane.
Rick argues that the group should head to the CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
facility in Druid Hills, Georgia
Druid Hills, Georgia
Druid Hills is a community which includes both a census-designated place in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, as well as a neighborhood of the city of Atlanta. The CDP's population was 14,568 at the 2010 census...
, in the hopes of finding safety and possibly even a cure. Andrea sits with her dead sister until she awakens as a walker, before apologizing for not spending more time with her and shooting her in the head. Shane urges Lori to talk Rick out of going to the CDC, but she backs her husband; while doing a sweep in the woods, Shane considers shooting Rick, and is caught by Dale with Rick in his sights. After they return to camp, Shane says he has changed his mind and will support going to the CDC. One family elects instead to go to Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
where they have family; Rick gives them a revolver and ammunition and they part ways. Dale's RV
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
breaks down on the road, and while it is being fixed Jim, whose condition has been steadily worsening, asks to be left behind to "be with his family" (all of whom were killed by walkers). The group leaves him under a tree on the side of the highway and continues on their way.
The episode then switches to a video transmission made by a man named Jenner, apparently with the CDC (whose logo appears on his coffee mug and HAZMAT suit). He says it is 194 days since "Wildfire" was declared, with no clinical progress. The man is shown, in a biohazard protection suit, doing experiments on tissue; after a spill, he goes through decontamination, but an automated equipment decontamination process leaves his samples destroyed. He continues his transmission, lamenting the loss of his best specimens and contemplating suicide. Meanwhile, Rick's group has reached the CDC campus, which is surrounded by a military checkpoint filled with corpses, both military and civilian. They are unable to gain entry into the CDC building, and with darkness coming, walkers are beginning to arrive. As the group despairingly starts to move back towards the RV, Rick sees one of the surveillance cameras move. He bangs on the door, pleading for entry for his group. Jenner sees them on the surveillance feed and, reluctantly, opens one of the doors for them. It opens with a blinding white light beckoning them to enter.
External links
- "Wildfire" at AMC