Why did Kenny decide to face the horde alone with Ben in Ep 5 ?
Looked like nobody was going to pull Ben out of that thing, and he definitely didn't stop so that he would get some more time to pull him out. Even if he alone had pulled him out somehow, they were completely trapped and would die anyway. Why then, did he decide to sacrifice himself for no reason ? He could have just shot Ben and left with Lee. Did he give up ?
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Yes, he had given up. Probably figured he had nothing else to lose.
Yeah, he gave up but Im guessing he Tyresse'd it and changed his mind
Plothole bunnies, like the frozen lake of stupid x_x
Story excuse: He gave up in his state of depression, but was willing to do one last deed and put Ben out of his misery before suffering through his worst nightmare. Seeing as how anyone does not want to be torn to shreds by zombie bare hands, Kenny then changed his mind and fled the oncoming horde. Blame the human condition on that one.
Telltale excuse: Kenny sacrifices himself in Christa's version, but his death remains a mystery. So they needed something like that for Ben's version to keep the storyline synced.
He was suicidal, I think.
People are saying he had given up or he was suicidal, I don't think that's it at all. Not 5 minutes earlier, he was criticizing Katjaa's choice of killing herself when faced with Duck's fate. "You don't just end it cause it's hard. You stick it out, and you help the folks you care about." I agree, he could have just put a bullet in Ben's head, and gone up with Lee, but instead, he decided to "sacrifice" himself when he didn't have to and it was a stupid sacrifice I have to say. I agree with CrazyGeorge, it seems that was only in there for the feels and make Kenny look like a good guy. Either that or it's a writing error.
To have an epic death.
Walk on Lake, or walk around...
Walk on Lake
I think Kenny's view on death changes alot. He mentions about Katja just giving up, then he does that, and if you shoot him he can say he thought he wanted to die but then he didnt. So i guess he really just wonders if he thinks himself is worth living.
Iunno
I interpreted Kenny's whole speech about "sticking it out for those who matter" to be himself wrestling with his suicidal feelings. It's made abundantly clear that his 'sacrifice' was unnecessary and, indeed, ducking out of his duty to Lee. You have to tie it back to his guilt revolving around letting Shawn die way back in episode 1. He's a Christian man who believes suicide is sinful, but he finds a circumstance where he can die with a clean conscience. He makes amends by giving Ben a merciful death while allowing himself to die in a much more painful manner as penance.
He had no survival instinct - he's sluggish, he's stupidly punching zombies in the face, you even see his arm get snapped at in Ben's death. Trying to construe it as him "saving Ben" and suddenly overcoming his suicidal attitude and hulking out is not just bad writing, but also a misunderstanding of his character arc in Season 1.
To die defending Ben, he should have died there for a logical story. I wouldnt even mind them leaving his fate somewhat open, like Christa (who I think is dead too) just to give their fans some hope but his "I got lucky" sums p that they couldnt think up any real way for kenny to survive that
I always thought that he was actually trying to save Ben. He wasn't trying to get himself killed at that point.
He went in with the full intent to actually get Ben off of that spike, and get him to safety. He tries to fight off some of the zombies, still convinced he could save him. When he finally realizes that there's no way he's going to be able to fight them off, he decides to do the next best thing and mercy kill Ben instead.
He's an incredibly stubborn dude, remember. He was fully convinced in his head that he could save Ben, even though all odds were stacked against that possibility. It wouldn't be the first time he's done something like that. He refuses to accept Duck's fate, and he refuses to listen to all good reason (like when it came to the boat). When his mind is made up about something, his mind is made up, and nothing is going to change it.
Why else would he be yelling "BACK YOU SONS OF BITCHES" and trying to push zombies away from him and Ben? Is he trying to make sure his sacrificial altar for Ben is squeaky clean before he gets his revenge or what?
Because the plot demanded it.
My favorite Kenny moment. One of the reasons why I love him.
Poor use of the spoiler function there because you already spoiled the ending in the title what was the point of censoring the rest
Because that bottle of "whiskey" Kenny, Christa, and Lee drank from in the attic was actually "Temporary Stupidity Juice". Now hear me out. After drinking that stuff...
Kenny: Gets the bright idea of saving Ben on his own with a nearly unloaded gun against a herd of walkers and quickly realizes (as the Stupidity Juice wears off) that it's a dumbass idea. Alternatively, in the Christa scenario, Kenny the Genius comes up with the idea of calling the Stranger and letting him know they're on their way, which is moronic because it does absolutely nothing but destroy their element of surprise.
Lee: Apparently thinks they can indeed save Ben from an inescapable situation ("Let's get Ben and get out of here!"), which you might argue is just stress and nerves. Fair enough... however, in the Christa scenario, Lee agrees with Kenny's dumbass idea to give his BFF the Stranger a call during a fairly calm moment, and then tries to lift a grown woman holding onto a steel pipe... with only one of his arms, even if he has both. And even if he's lost one arm at this point, he doesn't instead give it to the other two able-bodied men who could try instead of him.
And Christa: Jumps down into a maw of darkness likely full of walkers with no plan of an easy escape for a walkie-talkie they don't need and never matters again after this point, though I guess she couldn't have known that part.
"But Lee doesn't have to drink from the bottle", you say... and my response is... "Goddamn it, you're right, but I don't have to like it."
But seriously, I think Deltino's view of it is the right one, even if that doesn't necessarily help how the scene clumsily handles that idea. That said, it's still an interesting idea, because it mirrors the Larry scene with Kenny in Lilly's place this time, struggling to save someone who can't be saved despite all logic and despite the clear and present danger.
I always believed it was Kenny's way of "forgiving" Ben after the whole "Fuck You Kenny" Speech Ben gave earlier. This helping Kenny realize what Ben was truly going through. Him not only going down there, but sprinting down to save him, not only shows Kenny's mercy, but his willingness to forgive his enemies.
So in my eyes it wasn't suicide, it was his way of redemption.
R.I.P Season 1 Ken and Ben.
that's why it should've been Christa at the ski lodge
I think Kenny sacrificed himself b/c TT needed Clementine to end up alone at the end of S1...
I also think that it was in there b/c Kenny felt some remorse for how he treated Ben, even if Ben may have brought some of that hate on himself. When Ben stands up to Kenny he says that, "at least you know what happened to them....I never got to see my family again....blah blah...."---Kenny staying behind was his way of apologizing to Ben by not letting him die alone
He actually gained points with me for doing that, for showing forgiveness, mercy and bravery. Then he had to ruin it when he came back by acting like up he regretting trying to help Ben.
He obviously didn't forgive him. I felt character inconsistentcey. But the writers needed Kenny out of the story because... plot.... final episode
I thought he did. He seemed to soften toward him after Ben read him out. At the very least, he made progress toward at least trying to understand him. If he didn't forgive him on some level, I dont believe he would have tried to save him at all.
Because they needed to get rid of him somehow, why not heroically? I really prefer it when he saves Christa, that scenario is much better written imo, and it's actually somewhat believable that Kenny survived that. Too bad that Ben has to die to get that one...ugh
He calls him a shitbird 2 years later
It was a river. It just looked like a lake. It's more of a set design error than a plot hole.
Not to brag, but my super-monitor's resolution makes it pretty clear that it's a river. I can see where it bends off on both sides. They're just really well hidden by the camera angles that they used.
Regardless, the lake/river argument has never really lead anywhere, and I think most people accepted to agree to disagree about it
Agreed.
I think before crossing the "lake" someone asks "Can't we just go around it ?" something like that, and someone answers no.
yeah, seeing Kenny again makes him 'saving' Ben a hollow redemption. The writers should've made Kenny say something like that he put Ben out of his misery and hightailed it the f*ck outta there...
Ben's confession about not getting to see his family again I think hit a nerve with Kenny..Kenny wanted to kill Ben after losing his family, but then Ben makes Kenny realize that it sucks his family's gone, but at least he has closure--something Ben will never have with his own family
My point exactly. It's like all of that was wiped away. You're right, it was inconsistent and I still don't know why he couldn't have had that moment untarnished.
That was such a great moment, down the tubes as far as Kenny went.
He decided that Ben was a good kid, Lost in a world of confusion, that No one could have helped at that point, Or any point. Kenny Realized that Ben tried, and Hating Ben for something he didn't cause is the same as Hating Himself, It was unmerciful and a true symbol of how Kenny would have been too far gone to Leave Ben, Or Christa Behind. So Kenny made a sacrifice and knew that he was going to die one day, Might as well go out like Katjaa would have wanted.
I think either Clem can say, but Mike does say it, but then everyone just goes. LOL NOPE, TOO BAD MIKE !
"Is there any way around i-"
"That's fuckin' stupid, Mike."