The Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 13 Review Forget

Alright, let's talk about that Walking Dead episode, "Forget." If you watched it, you probably have some feelings. If you didn't, well, this is your chance to peek behind the curtain without getting eaten by a walker. This episode was a bit of a breather, surprisingly, considering the constant mayhem we're used to.
We got a good chunk of time with Carol and Sam. Remember Sam, the little kid who's been a tiny bit of a drama king? Well, Carol, in her ever-practical way, decides he needs a bit of tough love. And by tough love, I mean she takes him to the woods to show him what happens to people who aren't strong enough.
This whole scene was intense, of course. Carol is essentially teaching Sam a harsh lesson about survival. She wasn't exactly offering cookies and a hug, let's just say that. It was all about showing him the stark reality of their world. He needed to understand the danger, and Carol was the one to deliver the message.
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But then, the unexpected happened. Instead of just scaring him senseless, Carol shows a different side. She shares a story about her own daughter, Sophia. This was a really touching moment, a rare glimpse into Carol's deepest pain and her motivation. It made her actions, even the scary ones, feel a little more understandable.
Meanwhile, back at Alexandria, things are still a bit... weird. Rick is trying to get his bearings, and let's be honest, he's finding it hard to just relax. The whole idea of being "normal" and living behind walls seems to make him twitchy.
He's having a heart-to-heart, or rather, a "trying to impress the pretty lady" moment with Jessie. They're talking about the past, about the lives they used to have. It’s a nice change of pace, seeing Rick try to connect with someone on a more human level. He's not just the hardened survivor anymore; he’s a man looking for a connection.
The whole Alexandria community is still grappling with the walker horde that almost got them. There's a lot of rebuilding and a lot of quiet panic. You can feel the tension in the air, even when things seem calm on the surface. It's that underlying fear that they're always one mistake away from disaster.

One of the funniest bits, in a dark sort of way, is how Deanna is trying to run Alexandria like a regular town. She’s got these town meetings, complete with agendas and all! It’s almost comical to think about formal proceedings when there are actual zombies outside the gates.
She’s also trying to figure out what to do with Rick. He’s a bit of a wild card in her perfectly planned community. Deanna wants order, and Rick, well, Rick is… Rick. He’s a protector, but his methods are not exactly in line with Alexandria’s usual modus operandi.
We also get to see a bit more of the Alexandria residents’ struggles. They’re not all seasoned warriors. Some are just trying to survive, and some are downright terrified. It’s a stark contrast to Rick’s group, who have been through so much that they’re almost desensitized.
Sam’s bravery, or at least his attempt at it, is a big theme. He’s clearly struggling with the trauma he’s experienced. Carol’s harsh lesson might have been a bit much, but it was clearly born out of a desire for him to survive. It's a brutal love in a brutal world.
The episode also touches on the idea of forgetting. Can you really forget the horrors you’ve seen? Or do they just get buried deep down, ready to surface when you least expect it?

Rick’s internal conflict is palpable. He’s torn between his instinct to protect and the desire to fit into this new, seemingly safer, world. He’s not sure if he can let his guard down, and who can blame him?
Jessie is a beacon of something normal for Rick. Their conversations are a reminder that there's more to life than just fighting for survival. There's the possibility of a future, of rebuilding something resembling a normal life.
The little moments are what make these episodes stick. The shared glance between Rick and Jessie, Carol's hushed words to Sam – these are the emotional anchors in the storm of zombie attacks. They remind us that these characters are still human, with human desires and fears.
You can see the wheels turning in Rick’s head. He’s trying to reconcile his past with the present. He’s questioning his own instincts and whether they still apply in Alexandria.
And then there’s the foreshadowing, always with The Walking Dead. You can feel that this calm won't last forever. Something is brewing, and it's probably not going to be pleasant.

The episode ends on a note of tentative peace. Rick seems a little more settled, Carol has imparted her grim wisdom, and Alexandria is still standing. But the underlying threat of the walkers, and the internal struggles of the characters, are never far from the surface.
"Forget" was less about a big, explosive event and more about the quiet, internal battles our characters are fighting. It was about the lessons learned, the scars left behind, and the faint hope for a future that doesn't involve constant running and fighting.
It's the kind of episode that makes you appreciate the smaller victories, the moments of human connection. It's a reminder that even in the apocalypse, people still yearn for love, for understanding, and for a chance to simply forget for a little while.
The writing in this episode really dug into the psychology of survival. It showed us that the mental toll of this world is just as devastating as any physical injury. Carol's methods might have been extreme, but they stemmed from a place of deep concern for Sam's future.
You really felt for Rick, trying to navigate this new social landscape. He’s so used to being the undisputed leader, the one making the hard calls. Having to bend to Deanna’s more structured approach must have been a real challenge for him.

And Jessie, she’s such a bright spot. She represents everything that Rick’s group has been missing: normalcy, stability, and a sense of community that isn’t built on constant fear. Their interactions are crucial for Rick’s long-term survival, both mentally and emotionally.
The episode cleverly contrasts the brutal realities outside Alexandria with the almost naive attempts at normalcy within its walls. It highlights the fragility of their supposed safety and the deep-seated fears that the residents, and Rick's group, carry with them.
It’s in these quieter moments that the show truly shines. It’s not always about the gore and the jump scares; it’s about the human drama that unfolds beneath the surface. "Forget" delivered on that front, giving us a welcome dose of introspection and character development.
So, even though it wasn't filled with walker guts flying everywhere, "Forget" was a powerful episode in its own right. It reminded us why we’re so invested in these characters – because they’re flawed, they’re struggling, but they’re still fighting to survive, and sometimes, to simply live.
