"That's fucking stupid, Ben."
— Kenny
Despite your choices dictating the outcomes in The Walking Dead that doesn't mean that your choices can prevent moments of idiocy.
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Season 1
- In the first episode, the cop talking to Lee was reminiscing about some old stories from times he drove prisoners to jail.
You'd Expect: The cop to keep his eyes on the road.
Instead: As he wants to talk about a "hilarious" story of one of his drives, he takes his eyes off the road just as a walker is walking in front.
As A Result: The cop hits the walker, causing the car to crash and Lee to be knocked out, and the cop himself is killed by other walkers. - In the second episode, Travis is attacked by a zombie, and he tries to get away, only to trip and fall.
You'd Expect: Travis should have gotten up or at least crawled to get away from the zombies.
Instead: He starts pleading to the zombie to not kill him and doesn't even try to get away. Obviously, he gets killed. - Throughout the season, Larry had been dealing with heart issues that are often brought on by his anger issues.
You'd Expect: Larry to make a genuine effort in trying to control his temper. Nitroglycerin pills are going to be hard to come by, especially since everyone's fighting for supplies.
Instead: Larry tries to his credit, but more often than not he loses his temper.
As A Result: After the St. Johns lock them in the freezers, Larry works himself into a heart attack, and in fear that Larry will turn, Kenny kills him. - Relating to above, Lee's group is captured by the St. Johns and Lee is locked in a room with Clementine, Kenny, Lilly, and her father Larry. Larry starts banging on the door and is angrily screaming to be let out. Lilly warns her father to calm down because of his heart condition, which is usually brought on by his anger.
You'd Expect: Larry to calm down.
Instead: Larry keels over from a heart attack.
Moments Later: Kenny starts panicking over the possibility of Larry turning into a walker while Lilly insists that her father can be revived via CPR. You have the option of helping Lilly.
You'd Expect: Kenny to simply be on standby in case something goes wrong.
Instead: Kenny immediately smashes Larry's head in with a big salt lick block right when Larry was starting to regain consciousness. Predictably, Lilly freaks out and Lee asks Kenny what the fuck is wrong with him. Kenny can only weakly defend himself by insisting that he had to take the initiative unless they wanted to be trapped in a small room with a 6 foot tall 300 pound walker. Naturally, Lilly doesn't buy it and believes Kenny only wanted to kill her father simply because he was an asshole. Larry's death causes Lilly to distrust Kenny (and Lee if you chose to assist Kenny instead) and become more paranoid as a result.
However: Larry regaining consciousness could have been the early stages of zombification. - The second episode has the St. John family that offers Lee's party shelter and food. Sometime later, Mark gets hit in the shoulder from a bandit's arrow and the St. Johns usher Mark inside so they can treat his wounds. The family are actually cannibals and they chop off Mark's legs to be served as meat for everyone.
You'd Expect: The St. Johns to kill Mark or at least knock him out so his moaning isn't heard if someone goes upstairs.
Instead: Lee goes upstairs to use the bathroom and hears Mark through the wall. Lee goes to the bedroom and finds light shining through the bottom of a bookshelf, which is hiding a door. Lee then discovers Mark in the hidden room and rushes downstairs to warn everyone, exposing the St. Johns to everyone.
That Being Said: It's later explained that the St. Johns believe that keeping a person alive keeps their meat fresh whereas killing them will spoil the meat quicker, so it's why they didn't kill Mark. However, that doesn't excuse the fact they didn't simply knock out Mark. - Ben sticks out for making several stupid decisions that result in the deaths of many around him, but his first instance is probably his most well-known moment. At some point between the second and third episodes, Ben, in a desperate attempt to help the group, started giving supplies to the bandits harassing them to keep them off their back.
You'd Expect: That Ben, before doing this, bring up this idea to the group. Sure, they're not in a very good place right now, and he might be criticized for suggesting that idea, but at the very least it's an idea to consider.
Instead: Ben decides to not tell the group about what he's doing, and even worse, the supplies he's taking are from Lilly, who's already been in a downward spiral after losing her father and is extremely on edge.
As A Result: After Lee snoops around and accidentally intercepts a supply drop for the bandits, the bandits wind up attacking the motel group. This leads to a shoot-out, where walkers invade the motel, and it results in the group losing their home and Duck getting bitten.
Even Worse: A massive chain reaction happens afterwards in the aftermath of the loss of the motel. After Lilly correctly accuses Ben of being the one to sell supplies, she finally goes off the deep end and either kills Carley in frustration or Doug by accident. Later on, when Duck is about to succumb to his bite wound, Katjaa, overwhelmed by grief, kills herself, and puts Kenny into an awful mental state that would only get worse as the series progresses. - Ben gets multiple of these in the fourth episode. Near the start of the fourth episode, the group are attacked by walkers and Ben and Clementine are cornered, with a fair amount of space that would allow them to escape.
You'd Expect: That Ben grab Clementine and quickly run out of the way.
Instead: Ben doesn't do this, instead leaving Clementine alone.
As A Result: Lee has even less of a reason to believe in Ben, something that, for some reason, gets Ben annoyed even after he's proven how incompetent he is.
Even Worse: Clementine herself is saved by Chuck, but Chuck ends up being separated from the group after being surrounded by walkers. Later on, Chuck is found to have been killed in the sewers by walkers, bringing Ben's total amount of people he's had a hand in getting killed up to four. - At one point in the fourth episode, Ben is sent by Kenny to find something to help him break down the door, and he finds a hatchet stuck in between the handles to the entrance.
You'd Expect: That Ben, knowing that walkers were outside, put two and two together and realize that hatchet was what was keeping the walkers out.
Instead: Ben takes the hatchet out from between the handles.
As A Result: The walkers are able to get inside the school, Molly is (determinately) injured and separated from the group, and the of them are forced to quickly make an escape...but that's not all for Ben. - Ben had already made a dumb decision in dealing with the bandits as he believed they had his friend, and his decision resulted in the deaths of Katjaa, Duck, and Carley/Doug. Feeling guilty, Ben wants to admit what he did to Kenny.
You'd Expect: Ben to take that secret to the grave. Yes, what he did was regrettable, but he's seen how Kenny reacts. If Kenny, who already didn't take his family dying well at all learned that the person responsible for it was right in front of him, he would be furious.
You'd Also Expect: If Ben really had to tell Kenny, then tell him at a good time, preferably when they were not in danger and they could talk rationally. Lee can suggest this in one of his dialogue choices beforehand if he agrees.
Instead: He admits his guilt to Kenny as Kenny is frantically trying to break down a door to escape the walkers.
As A Result: Kenny predictably gets downright furious with Ben, and tries to attack him and reveals that the boat they found doesn't have enough people and wants to leave Ben behind. This discussion itself results in the walkers finally breaking through, and killing Brie and (determinately) Ben himself.
400 Days
- During Vince's story, Marcus had finally had enough of Jerry's complaining and taunting, and started to strangle him with his own handcuffs.
You'd Expect: That officer Clyde get in-between them, or even knock out Marcus.
Instead: Clyde doesn't try to get between them or break it up, and instead shoots Marcus in the head.
As A Result: Everyone on the bus is now furious at him because he murdered needlessly, and the ensuring argument results in Clyde being caught off-guard and being killed by the now undead Jerry. - During Shel's story, the group had encountered a man who doesn't speak any English trying to steal their supplies, and Boyd wants to let the man go.
You'd Expect: That Boyd, who was previously with Vernon, realize that the man very likely had other friends and agree with the idea of killing him.
Instead: Boyd (determinately) gets his wish, and the group let the man go.
As A Result: The man is revealed to have friends and they come back to attack the gas station, killing Boyd in the process.
Season 2
- In Season 2, Carlos is revealed to have been sheltering his daughter Sarah, saying that if she learned of the horrors of the outside world, she would "cease to function". However, it's shown later that Sarah is more than aware of the walkers and laments his father not teaching her.
You'd Expect: That Carlos buckles up and actually teaches Sarah about the outside world. She's woefully underdeveloped as is, and really needs to learn how to handle herself.
Instead: Carlos stubbornly insists that he can protect her, and never lets up on coddling her.
Naturally: Once Carlos gets killed near the end of In Harm's Way, Sarah completely freaks out and causes a massive ripple effect resulting in Sarita getting bit and Kenny's mental state getting worse. By the next episode, Sarah becomes a near catatonic mess, and it ultimately results in her own death, making Carlos's attempts at shielding her All for Nothing. - In A House Divided, Nick sees Clementine and Luke talking with Matthew on the bridge, and worries that he might be trying to kill them.
You'd Expect: That Nick take just one look at Matthew and realize that he's not even aiming his gun at the two of them, and come to the conclusion that he's not a threat.
You'd Also Expect: That Nick listen to Luke when he's clearly shouting to not shoot.
Instead: Nick doesn't listen, and ends up shooting and killing Matthew.
As A Result: Nick winds up even more distrusted by the group, and they eventually come across Matthew's own group leading to Walter finding out. - Later on, Walter finds out that Matthew was killed, and reveals he believes Nick did it. If Clementine says Nick's not a good man or says silent, Nick comes out and realizes what happened.
You'd Expect: That Nick profusely apologize and say it was an accident. Walter might be furious with him, but he could still be reasoned with.
Instead: Nick gets an attitude with him, and says he didn't do anything.
As A Result: During the ensuring walker attack, Nick gets grabbed by a walker, and Walter doesn't attempt to save Nick, resulting in his death. - In No Going Back, Luke had partially fallen through the lake, and walkers were on their way after being attracted by gunfire. Bonnie, in a panic, told Clementine that she could help Luke since she was light.
You'd Expect: That both Clementine and Bonnie stay put and cover Luke while he's trying to get out. If a grown man fell through the ice, it's likely the rest of the ice around him is weak.
Instead: Clementine determinately listens to Luke and covers him, but Bonnie doesn't and goes out to help Luke despite his protests.
As A Result: The rest of the ice breaks, and Luke and (determinately) Bonnie end up being killed.
Even Worse: Luke's death causes Kenny, who had been gradually losing patience with Arvo, to finally snap and start beating him, which convinces Mike and (if she survived) Bonnie to abandon the group. Additionally, if Clementine covered Luke and Bonnie survived, she would blame ''her'' for Luke's death. - Throughout Amid the Ruins and No Going Back, Jane had been trying to convince Clementine that Kenny was dangerous.
You'd Expect: That Jane, in order to prove the point that Kenny was dangerous, use his attack on Arvo as an example.
You'd Also Expect: That if Kenny had to stick around, that Jane would do anything to avoid getting on his bad side.
Instead: Jane deliberately starts to antagonize Kenny over his Wellington plan, and eventually resorts to drastic measures by hiding the newborn baby in a car nearby and claiming it died to intentionally trigger a rage from Kenny.
As A Result: Jane's plan actually works, but depending on Clementine's actions, it can also result in Kenny killing her in a rage, or Clementine shooting Kenny before realizing what happened, and giving Jane a vicious "The Reason You Suck" Speech before leaving her.
Michonne
- Sam revealed that she had previous run-ins with Norma and the Monroe colony before after stealing supplies from them, only for Norma to let them go.
You'd Expect: That Sam take this opportunity to leave the Monroe colony alone. Norma was clearly feeling merciful that day, and she wouldn't be so pleased if Sam tried that again.
Instead: Sam tries to steal supplies once more, this time dragging her brother Greg along for the ride.
As A Result: Norma gets furious with her, Michonne and the Mobjack crew get dragged in via misunderstanding, and Sam's actions result in both Greg's, her father's and (determinately) her own death. - During the second episode, the Monroe colonists are chasing after Michonne, Sam, and (determinately) Pete, and they find them going up a very unstable tower.
You'd Expect: That the Monroe colonists take shots at them as they try to climb up and not even attempt to chase after them.
Instead: Most of them actually don't do this, save for one colonist by the name of Cam.
As A Result: The trio are able to get off the tower before it collapses, while Cam isn't so lucky and ends up being crushed by it.
Season 3
- During Thicker Than Water, both Javier and Gabriel are heading to the armory to steal guns, but a guard shows up. Luckily, the guard seems to be unaware of the two of them hiding in a closet.
You'd Expect: That the two of them stay hidden, since the guard is unaware of their presence. Plus, he's armed, while Gabriel and Javier are not.
Instead: Javier actually does the smart thing and stays hidden, but Gabriel, despite being much smaller than the guard, decides to rush him.
As A Result: The guard easily shrugs off Gabriel's attempt at an ambush, and nearly kills Gabriel. Javier has to fight him instead, and while he does defeat the guard, Javier gets stabbed in the process. But that's not all for Gabriel... - Later on, the group are discussing the plan on how to escape and stop Joan, but Gabriel is shooting down all the ideas in favor for his own plan of running in guns blazing.
You'd Expect: That Gabriel remember that the last time he tried something like that, he nearly got killed and got Javier injured. This is something that Javier can call him out on, bringing up how he's being reckless, and you'd then that then Gabriel would listen.
Instead: Gabriel still refuses to acknowledge his shortcomings, and if Javier killed Conrad in Ties that Bind Part 2, smugly throws Javier under the bus despite Conrad nearly killing Gabriel.
As A Result: While nothing exactly happens with Gabriel himself, him throwing Javier under the bus results in Tripp and Eleanor getting furious with Javier, regardless of the fact that Javier killed Conrad in self-defense. - During Thicker Than Water, Joan is about to execute either Tripp or Ava in front of a crowd for wanting to steal guns from them and raid the New Frontier.
You'd Expect: That Joan talk to the crowd in a rational way and get them to see why she was doing this.
Instead: Joan acts like a cackling mad woman, and says I can do anything I want!.
As A Result: This technically doesn't result in any consequences for Joan as she's either killed by Javier or disappears during the herd segment, but originally there would have been a choice to either exile her, let her stay, or kill her, which likely meant the town lost faith in her. - Almost immediately after Tripp/Ava were executed, Clint makes an offer for the group to leave and not come back. Javier disagrees with the idea, and elects to kill Joan himself right there.
You'd Expect: That the dozens of ARMED GUARDS immediately kill Javier right there.
Instead: They don't do anything, and even let Javier get a One-Liner off before he shoots and kills Joan.
As A Result: The entire town is sent into a panic, which ultimately results in one of the walls being destroyed and allowing a herd in.
Season 4
- During the second episode, Tenn is out in the open and in danger.
You'd Expect: That one of the Ericson kids yell for him to get to cover.
Instead: Mitch, in an attempt to save him, runs straight at Lilly screaming all the while.
As A Result: Lilly accidentally ends up stabbing him in the neck, resulting in Lilly making the decision to "kill who you have to" and Willy ends up furious at Tenn for causing his death. - During the third episode, Lilly has seemingly surrendered and, if the player chooses the option, Clementine and James have convinced AJ to spare her life. James, making sure this sticks, goes to take the gun from AJ.
You'd Expect: That James take the gun whilst also keeping his eye on Lilly. He's seen first hand that Lilly was barely beaten despite still having a knife in her leg.
Instead: James takes the gun from AJ whilst also turning his back on Lilly.
As A Result: Lilly takes this opportunity to stab James in the back and kill him. The only reason Clementine and AJ aren't killed as well is because of the bomb distracting her from pulling the trigger. She then escapes.
