"Beside the Dying Fire" is the 13th and final episode of the second season of the postapocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 18, 2012. The episode was written by creator Robert Kirkman and showrunner Glen Mazzara, and directed by series regular Ernest Dickerson. In the episode, a huge horde of walkers invades the Greene farm, chasing Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Hershel's groups off the premises. Meanwhile, Andrea (Laurie Holden) is separated from the group, leaving her to fight off the same walkers that attacked Hershel's farm.
Themes such as romance, death, and survival are prevalent throughout "Beside the Dying Fire". It is seen as a turning point for the development of several characters on the show, and flashbacks to various previous revelations in the series. "Beside the Dying Fire" features the debut of protagonist Michonne, a character who has been prominently featured in the comics of the same name, and it introduces the prison. Production for the episode transpired over about 8 days.
"Beside the Dying Fire" attracted 9 million viewers and a 4.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, according to Nielsen ratings. The episode amassed record ratings, thus becoming the highest-rated cable program demographically of all time, an accolade that was previously held by "Nebraska." "Beside the Dying Fire" became the most-viewed cable telecast of the day, as well as the highest-rated cable program of the week.
Plot
The episode opens showing a horde of walkers as they follow a helicopter overhead, leaving Atlanta and migrating to the countryside over several days. As they near the Greene farm, they hear the sound of a gunshot—from the shot that Carl used to kill a reanimated Shane Walsh—and they turn to head toward the farm. As Rick escorts Carl back to the others, the walker horde emerges from the forest, and Rick and Carl take shelter in the barn.
Elsewhere, Daryl Dixon and Glenn report the death and reanimation of Randall to the others, but also that he turned without being bitten. Lori Grimes asks Daryl to go out and search for Rick and Shane. However, they too soon see the walker horde and start arming themselves. While Rick's group is ready to abandon the farm, Hershel Greene intends to protect his land, with his own life if needed. As the group starts to dispatch walkers, Rick and Carl are able to lure a number into the barn, and set it ablaze. Jimmy drives the RV near the barn and allows Rick and Carl to safely escape, but he is killed when the walkers overrun the RV.
The group quickly realizes they are outnumbered, and they all attempt to escape to safety. Patricia is killed as walkers overtake the Greene household, and Rick convinces Hershel to abandon his property as it is a lost cause. Everyone escapes in groups, except for Andrea, who was separated from the others. Unknown to them, she manages to escape the farm, only to run into a mysterious hooded figure who has two armless walker pets and wields a katana.
The surviving group reunites on the highway that they had been taking to reach Fort Benning at the start of the season, and assume Andrea is dead. With their remaining vehicles, they travel on back roads to avoid hordes, until one runs out of gas. They camp for the night, where Daryl pressures Rick on how Randall's body had reanimated without a walker bite. Rick reveals what Dr. Edwin Jenner whispered in his ear: they are all infected carriers of the walker pathogen, and become walkers if they die for any reason which Rick hadn't believed until he saw Shane turn. Rick also reveals to a shocked Lori that he had been forced to kill Shane, and Carl had shot his reanimated form.
As the group continues to debate, the others, save for Daryl and Hershel, start to lose their faith in Rick as a leader. A noise echoing in the distance places the group on high alert, but Rick does not allow anyone to investigate. Carol Peletier urges Rick to take action, causing Rick to snap, saying that he never asked that he be put in charge, and blurting out that he had killed Shane for their sake. He dares anyone to leave the safety of the camp. When nobody leaves, he issues a final warning: "If you're staying, this isn't a democracy anymore," establishing his position as leader of the group. Afterwards, the group is shown to be unknowingly camped near a prison.