Let’s close out this Beth-heavy week with an exercise in hypothetical plotting. I mean, let’s be honest, are they going to change episode 8 so Beth didn’t die? No. Could they write her back into the show? Not really. At least not as a living, breathing person. They’ve finished shooting the second half of the season already. That’s 8 episodes. It’s not like they could reshoot them if they wanted to. Or maybe they could George Lucas her into a bunch of episodes. But anyway, we’re not here to discuss practicality! We’re going to think up some ways they could bring Beth back!
ZOMBIE BETH
Ok, yes, Beth was shot in the head. But maybe they missed her brain (didn’t look like it)? I mean, people are still expecting zombie Lori to come shambling into camp, so maybe zombie Beth can make an appearance. It would probably make for some drama. Daryl would lose it, that’s for sure. Maggie too. Abraham would try to take her out, because that’s the logical thing to do. Daryl would draw down on him. Chaos ensues.
REALISM SCALE: EXTRATERRESTRIALS HERE ON EARTH (probably not)
FLASHBACK BETH
TWD loves flashbacks as framing devices. I could definitely see this happening in a Daryl-centric episode, possibly exploring his emotional state post-Beth. Example: The episode starts with the scene right before they burned down the house in episode 412, where Beth tells Daryl that he’ll be the last man standing. Although, the show also likes to show new scenes from those episodes so maybe something from around that time. Maybe something after they burnt down the house. Beth and Daryl, a little bit of soot covering their faces, Beth says something about the past being the past and Daryl smiles and hearts melt.
REALISM SCALE: EXTRATERRESTRIALS OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM (definitely possible)
DREAM BETH
Dream Beth is very similar to Flashback Beth. And since TWD films new scenes even for “flashbacks” they could easily just shoot in whatever new location they’re in to make it a dream instead of a memory. I’m going to include Hallucination Beth in this category since they’re basically the same thing and you know who’s hallucinated someone before? Daryl. And you know who might have a vision of Beth? Daryl. But also Maggie. I know it seems like Maggie kind of forgot about her sister for a hot minute, but I don’t think that was the intention of the writers. I think Beth’s death (and not long after their father’s death) will have a pretty deep impact on Maggie, especially since she no longer has her quest for Glenn to occupy her.
REALISM SCALE: EXTRATERRESTRIALS OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, ALSO INTELLIGENT (still very possible)
BETH SURVIVED
Ok yes, so this would mean that a real doctor/surgeon didn’t help and they are WALKING out of the one place that could best care for her, but if for some reason they THOUGHT Beth was dead and they like, go to bury her, and she sputters and coughs and is like “bros, wut?” and they’re all like, “omg we thought you getting shot full in the head and bleeding every where meant you were, like, almost certainly dead but this is awesome and now you and Daryl can get married or maybe not because he’s in love with Carol but also maybe not but you’re alive and that’s awesome!” and then they all hug and laugh and have a pillow fight and it looks like that scene at the end of Return of the King where Frodo wakes up*.
REALISM SCALE: EXTRATERRESTRIALS HERE ON EARTH RIDING UNICORNS (nothing’s impossible, but this is close)
BETH NEVER DIED
Say what? Bear with me here. A few people have floated this one. Prevailing theory says that Beth getting shot was all a bad dream. I mostly see Carol being cited as the dreamer but I’ve also seen Daryl. But here’s my twist: remember that scene where Rick is laying out his plan to infiltrate Grady and kill everyone? And then Tyreese and Daryl are like, complete peaceniks and Rick decides to try their plan? What if at that point, Rick started envisioning the entire course of events that are associated with that plan? And realizes that ultimately it will end with SOMEONE getting killed? Think about it: if you’re Rick, is that not the one thing you want to avoid? And wouldn’t he play devil’s advocate a bit and assume best case scenario? And when best case scenario involves someone they’re rescuing getting killed, wouldn’t he scrap it?
So here’s what happens. They come out of the hospital, Daryl is carrying Beth, Maggie sees and drops to her knees, close up on Rick, time slows down and then reverses all the way back to Rick laying out the plan and he goes, “F**k it, we do it my way.”
CUT TO: Hospital exploding, Rick and EVERYONE alive and well inside a chopper as it flies into the sunset. Daryl, with Beth in his arms, looks at Rick. “You were right, man. You were right. How do you do it?” Rick looks into the camera and winks. A-TEAM music plays over end credits.
REALISM SCALE: EXTRATERRESTRIALS HERE ON EARTH RIDING NARWHALS (like two stops from impossible)
IN SUMMARY
So I guess what we’re saying is, it’s kind of likely that Beth will be back, just not in any sort of real, corporeal form. Beth, as a living character is gone (probably). She grew from timid farm girl to bold, brave woman who would (and did) die for her friends. And her death, like Hershel’s, will probably have lasting impact on the characters on the show. What more could you ask for?
*I say “end of Return of the King” but I’m also pretty sure I had time to take a nap, go to the bathroom, do some shopping, and come back to the theater after this scene and we still weren’t at the credits.
CHECK OUR POLL RESULTS TO SEE IF YOU GUYS THINK AMC WILL BRING BETH BACK! SURPRISING!
A dream/flashback/hallucination is acceptable, i was really worried about the shows integrity after i read that last poll post on bringing her back, it kinda looks like you guys are plannin a bit o’ beth action which is all g as long as she didnt survive, fuck seriously though guys my heart dropped back when i thought you were actually thinking about a living beth….. hahaha, classic kirkman though i guess
Why would you lead your fans on again, though, making them think there’s a possibility she could live, just to shut them down again? Just to say basically that there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell when you’re the ones who wrote that shitty death scene that was shorter than that of a HORSE’S? Its bullshit.
the shows integrity LMAO Yes, because Carol was saved by an epi Pen really show integrity.
The Beth survives theory is NOT that far off. I’ve read many many brilliant theories that have been proposed, look around, they’re right in front of your face.
Now you bear with me while I attempt to explain a theory.
Beth parellels Rick.
-She was given the hat, as named the new sheriff in town.
-Beth then woke up in the hospital, alone, confused, just like Rick did.
-Now, Morgan Jones can nurse her back to health like he did Rick. This is where the theory comes in. Team Family start to bury Beth, and then have to leave for one reason or another, and Beth is left in her shallow grave, not completely covered, or they actually buried her in a coffin because let’s face it they’ve got nothing but time they could find one, and leave her. Either way Beth frees herself from her grave (people have done this in real life before and let’s be honest this show is about the dead walking around and eating people anything could happen). Morgan finds her, because obviously he’s on their trail, and not far behind. They catch up to team Family.
Cue confused, happy, sad, angry, disorienting reunion and the return of hope. The light at the end of the tunnel.
Please stop.
never
I vote for this scenario. But truthfully, I don’t care HOW they do it…JUST DO IT!!! PS, A LIVE BETH none of those other half ass attempts to appease our wrath.
Beth does NOT parallel RICK. That’s blasphemy. Stop it.
No to the rehashing of flashbacks and dreams (BORING), and I’d hate the idea of Beth, after that terribly written deaths scene, to be reduced to emotional fodder. She needs to survive. Look, strange things have happened on this show. Don’t tell me it’s unrealistic. Present us with something NEW, SHOCKING, CREATIVE, and that will all be accomplished with Beth actually being alive.
Man, DAMN!! Not in a MILLION years would I have thought that the death of BETH would cause such a ruckus!! I simply cannot WAIT for DARYL to meet LUCILLE!!!
Sidenote: Brian H, dude… come on back home. smh
Some of us could careless about Daryl or who is or isn’t going to take his Vcard
If she is brought back in a dream or flashback, I have lost all hope in your creativity. She needs to be alive, breathing and living.
No she doesn’t lmfao. She wasn’t anything special. No one cared about her till she shared the screen with daryl.
If you think surviving THAT head shot is improbable it makes me wonder where you are in the comics. It’s HIGHLY UNLIKELY that she will survive, but how awesome and ironic would it be theoretically, and just follow me here, that if in a show about Zombies, you know the undead roaming the earth- You know that iconic imagery, of a rotting gnarled hand busting out of grandpa’s grave with a hungry vengeance- What if instead, it was the hand of a living, breathing person that survived rising out of the ground? Just the thought alone is chilling and turns the whole Zombie genre with all it’s stereotypes right on it’s head. I mean, it’s not even like The Walking Dead is specifically KNOWN to invert popular Zombie culture cliche- oh wait.
I’d put her surviving down as EXTRATERRESTRIALS HERE ON EARTH DISGUISED AS HUMANS
Because you’ll have to see it to REALLY believe it but nothing immediately proves or disproves it. Also- It so won’t go down that way. If Beth crawls out of her grave, she’ll be on her own. She has to be in some sort of shock or comatose state if no one picked up on her heartbeat or breathing. Everything would be slowed and this isn’t even something that would make matters worse, in a sense, it saves her from bleeding out too much.
Is it MORE likely she’s dead? Yes.
But is there at least an ant sized chance she’s alive and it could play out? Heck yea, and it’d be a great story! Beth’s a great character with mountains of potential.
Real life people survivie gunshots show me a person who has ever been cured from an epi pen. This show is just a damn joke and all the reviewers know it.
Show me on person that survived gun shot to the brain, which sent brain fragments and parts of her skull out of her head. On top of that, she has a huge hole in her head and NO medical care. Even if she got some after 10 minutes of blod loss she’d be dead either way especially since they’re in the apocalypse. Nice try though.
I definitely think they will bring Beth back for a flashback/dream … especially after the fan reaction to her death.
I personally don’t think they will have her as a living character again but I really liked Beth so if they could find a convincing way to do it I wouldn’t be opposed to it.
I don’t believe the theory that she survived the gunshot wound and gets buried alive – it’s too far fetched and honestly I don’t think the writers have some secret plan for that. Emily and the cast’s reaction was to real for this to just be a cop out.
I also can’t see them making the entire back 8 a dream either.
Who knows though? Maybe the doctor at Grady Memorial was experimenting on the patients and that somehow brings Beth back to life.
Not this season they won’t. If you followed filming, you’d know emily did NOT film for the second half.
In a world of walking dead, mid air flipping vans, physics defying bullets, unlimited ammo shot guns and internal injury curing epinethrine, Beth surviving is not crazy at all! Let me say I don’t think she’s alive. I don’t think Gimple and team are talented enough to come up with that kind of story. I think their writing just plain sucks. BUT beth could survive both the head shot and being buried alive. Gabrielle Giffords among many many others have survived head shots. Gabrielle was shot in the left side of her brain and it missed all the deep important parts of her brain. She made a full recovery. Angelo hays survived being buried alive for two days after receiving a major head injury. He had no treatment for 3 days while he lay there ‘dead’ and was then buried for two days. Because he was in a coma he didn’t need much oxygen. He made a full recovery. I suppose beth fans can always just assume she’s alive somewhere out there even if she never sees anyone again…
I have no words. I just. Wow. How is this discussion still going? It’s over! Leeeeet go! And for the people pissed off because TWD did a poll so that should mean something (??????)…clearly this is your first time on the site. They create polls for everything and nothing. Sheesh.
You know what? Youre totally right, i got pretty upset over this but why? Youve helped me see the light ocassie
hahaha love the Beth never died one XD
TAKE THIS SHIT DOWN
Can you also do a post about the probability of Carol walking out of that hospital after falling off a bridge in a van and being hit by a car…falling into a coma and being taken off support because her chances of surviving weren’t likely? Or how about Rick waking up and walking out of the hospital after losing medical support for who knows how long. Or my favorite: the bullet that shot Beth came from a gun that was poised at waist level and had to literally make a right angle turn in order to go straight through Beth’s forehead. Magical bullets! 🙂 If all these things are possible, then allowing Beth to survive a headshot that is not unlike the one Gabrielle Giffords survived is pretty dang realistic!
Sorry for the snark, but this article was full of it so thought I’d join in 🙂
P.S. I do give props on the picture of Beth used, very nice! Like the black and white.
Hey if we started listing all the technical gaffes we’d be here forever. The van flipping and the angle of Dawn’s gun (not to mention she didn’t even have it pulled out) drive me nuts.
Seriously i have lost respect for almost all Beth fans, too even think a dead character could come back to life is just absurd, you people need a new hobby instead of fucking up a great show that back in season 1 none of you “Beth” fans even knew about. Go read a book or watch Glee…that’s where you will be welcomed. but as a diehard fan from the very first issue and first episode its such a fucking shame too see where this tv show has went, from awesome Halloween premiere too Hershels beheading too people asking, no Demanding the writers to bring a dead character back to life. It loses every ounce of credibility if that happens. I stop watching, a millions of other fans lose there interest in the show because well if fucking BETH can come back then anyyybody can come back. The Governor can come back…Hershel can come back, LORI can even come back….Im done.
Absurd? Like the physics defying bullet that shot beth in the forehead? Or the internal injury during epinethrine? Or the bus roll with 0 injury? Or the unlimited ammo shotgun? Or the van that managed to change its direction of fall and land wheels first? Or how about the dead getting up, walking around and devouring the flesh of the living?
Plenty of Beth fans are also comic fans and have been avid supporters since before Beth’s appearance. I’ve been watching since the first season, I just find Beth to be the most interesting and developed female character with the most drastic transformations and evolutions of character. If you can’t respect that, then why even go to Beth related articles, you know people who like her are going to gravitate there.
I’ve seen very few DEMAND Beth back, and in no more of a fervent way than demands for other characters to be brought back. If your reference is towards the Petition- Actually Read for a change. It says right on there that no one expects this to CHANGE the story and no one is naive enough to think they will RE-SHOOT for episodes already cut and cleaned for Feb/Mar.
It’s to show support for Emily, and more than just Beth fans have signed it. Most everyone with objectivity agrees that IF this is how Beth goes (I believe she has a chance of surviving) it certainly could have been done with a bit more closure and little less for shock and awe, complete with her character coming full circle- which it did not. (yet)
Teasing the “Bring Beth Back” camp with possibilities–so wrong and so fucking hilarious.
This post is absolutely hilarious! Thanks Brian! The only way I see Beth coming back would be in a flashback or dream similar to Herschel. I don’t think they will bring her back alive because in real life it would be a one in a billion chance of surviving a shot like that! If she did come back it would look cheesy. This is how I think it would play out.
*Daryl walks over to Maggie*
Maggie: “I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
*Beth jumps out of Daryl’s arms and lands on her feet*
Beth: “You didn’t have to! Hit it!”
*Beth starts singing I will survive and everyone joins in including everyone else who ‘supposedly’ died*
*As the song concludes fireworks soar up into the sky and spell out “Mutherfuckin’ Beth!”*
Hahahah maaaaaaan no spoilers!!
I don’t know what the heck is wrong with the rest of you. The answer is obvious. Does no one think it strange that Dawn kept talking about “how important this place is”? It wasn’t just the general importance that goes along with any safe haven. She seemed to believe it was something critical to the survival of the world. In a world where only a handful of people are left alive, only one thing would give someone that kind of hope. Obviously Grady was a top secret cloning facility trying to repopulate the Earth. The Beth that was killed was a clone. Dammit people, the clues are all there!!!
But seriously the flashbacks, dreams, and hallucinations get a little played out I think. Shane was cool. I got tired of seeing Lori. Would have liked to see Dale during that hallucination phase. And Hershel fit the storyline in his 4.16 flashback. But if they are using death to make a point with the show (and book) then let death = death. And I loved Beth. But her story has wrapped and now I want to see Maggie lose her shit and recover.
Bring back Dawn!
No… just no, I never personally enjoyed any beth episode or anyone she was even remotely involved in… If ANYTHING they need to relate and item or something of hers and daryl or maggie needs to start talking to it. only problem is there is no real item I can think of, but I really miss ricks phone and apparently michonne is already over her DPP (dead people problems)
I repeat:
Should Beth be brought back? = ZNation-type bullshitt.
Could a headshot of that nature be survivable? = extremely slim chance by luck/miracle (those that have done so in reality fall under this rule)
Is there a chance Beth survived? = WATCH THE 509 SNEAK PEEK!
Moving on…
Can everyone just watch the show and shut the hell up? I know you people loved Beth. I don’t know why you loved Beth. She was simple and boring. But I know that you do. However…SHE’S DEAD. She got shot in the head. They blew her brains out. Emily Kinney has sold her apartment and moved. Its over. Let it go and stop trying to ruin a great show with your silly nonsense.
Just stop watching the show if your not happy about Beth, the van thing, the “unlimited ammo” shotgun, and all the other shit , the show is grounded in reality which means there are limits to what can and can’t happen. Beth is the most developed character? really? we didn’t see her for like 6 episodes straight, and no one gave a Fuck, 3 episodes go by and everyone wants to know wher RICK is. Michonne and Carol are for more developed than Beth and have much longer journeys to go. Beth was a stepping stone for TWD to get to new place. Deal with she dead the shows fake and u all are retarded but keep praying ur little fav. character Beth comes back. I think she killed what 2 walkers the whole season? yeah…never once seen her go on a run, unlike her sis Maggie and Michonne and Sasha and all the real strong females, All Beth did was take care of Ricks baby, and Crush on Daryl like the lil girl that she Was, and im being literal here, she was a little girl.
Beth is not the most developed female character. Be truthful people. I think some Beth fans have become delusional regarding her death. They are making her out to be more than what she was. I hope the show stand there ground and not cave into this stupid petition. I think if they do the fans will continue to interfere with the storyline and possible ruin this show. I just wish people would keep an open mind and decide if the show made the right choice after watching the back half episodes. I’m also tired of people saying her arc wasn’t over, that argument can be said about any of the past characters.
We are going to have Beth back with some songs sang by her during the show. She is dead now, no drama. We need more of this!
I highly HIGHLY doubt Beth will return to the show in any other way other than a flashback or hallucinations…. But what could be done is incorporate a character in beths likeness in the next installment of the TellTales Walking Dead game. Young female, symbolism of hope, starts the game as weak, gets stronger throughout the game, even use Emily Kinney as a voice actor? People would eat. That. Up. Either that or incorporate a new character similar to beth into the comic books. Just a thought… could be a win-win for everyone. Those who want Beth back can in some ways get that (Although, only through other forms of media), the integrity of the show won’t be compromised by trying to rewrite her death in the show, and could be great business for SkyBound and the Walking Dead. I mean, all this beth stuff has been going viral already. So word of a new character dedicated TO beth voiced BY Beth (Emily Kinney).
Bringing Beth back would ruin the show. No one is safe, that’s what makes this show so amazing. To bring her back would destroy the ‘reality’ of TWD world.
Let me just say that the way that they killed off Beth added a black-is-white up-is-down absurdity to this show (for me, at least) and could totally make me believe that inconsistent writing could bring her back to life. I mean (physics-defying stunts cited above aside) if a practical and logical-minded, meek but tactical person like Beth could do something completely inconsistent with her own character and draw a pair of surgical scissors and stab an armed police officer in the shoulder at the CONCLUSION of a hostage exchange, then I guess anything is possible. I get that a cocktail of fan service and shock value writes the show but I’d be more at peace if they killed Beth off in a manner consistent with the way she lived. You have to give me some kind of rules to buy into your little universe! If physics are inconsistent with reality, great, then give me consistent characters! You can’t give me either and people will turn into something completely different to satisfy your hardon for fan-shockery? Well, then I can’t say I’m as invested in your internally inconsistent program and would be completely unphased by Jesus Christ descending from Heaven and hocking a healing spitwad onto Beth’s head. Beth then wakes up, feels her head, says “Wow! Gross! Thanks JC!”
“Anytime, Beth! You know you my nigga! Verily, I say to you, peace be upon all my niggas. Laterz!” Ascent!
But the GOVERNOR WILL BE BACK SOON!!! Beth brought some purity and innocence to the show, yes she is and was very young. I didn’t even realize how much I enjoyed her character till she died.. She was developing into productive member of the team and everyone has jobs to do..lol
But if the Governor can return which is far more farce then Beth Returning, Oh Yeah and Wow the cop sure has a quick draw that no one sheen it coming.. My friends would have my back..
I like the idea of Beth coming out of a fresh grave and meeting Morgan.. Lots of great ideas out there… I’m not saying I agree or disagree I just love the show.. And Yeah I to get pissed at all the lil different mistakes that happen to like the van and such, but oh well its just a show.. So to all the die hard fans out there why is everyone downing each other… Cant we all just say what were thinking without being pissed at other fans… Who cares as long as the show is on and still holds my interest I’ll be watching PEACE!!!
This is bullshit!! .. Nobody comes back!! Don’t curtail to the public, otherwise that will make you shit. In my opinon of course.
It would be much like Sony caving on not releasing “The Interview” on Christmas if they caved and brought her back. We’ve already shown NK that terrorism apparently works, if they bring back Beth I just don’t know what anymore!!
Guys I liked Beth to but bringing her back is just stupid I don’t think anyone no matter who it is should just be brung back because fans want to. I wouldn’t wind a flashback or two though
Maybe Beth could be a way to stop the madness of flesh eating creatures. Maybe she is one of the people who have a cure, or never got infected with whatever was injected into their body fluids. Sure, even if she had a cure inside her, she already got shot. But, with the fact zombies roam around I think it would be possible the cure helped her stay alive. (Or the bullet never reached her head.)
🙂
If beth never comes back, I will always miss her. <3
R.I.P Beth. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3