Zombie Cliché Lookout: Perspective
Running into new people in the zombie apocalypse is hard. You have no way of knowing what sort of person they are. You can try to figure this out a few different ways. You can look for clues in their appearance and the way they carry themselves. You can listen to how they speak. You can follow their actions and see how they handle different circumstances. These are fantastic ways to get some insight on people, but you’re still only scratching the surface.
So what does all this have to do with perspective? Bear with me here.
Because it’s impossible to really know people, their goals, or their motivations, it’s really tough to judge their actions. Especially in dire situations, such as massive zombie uprisings. That’s why character (and the audience) often perceive others as doing harm, when they’re actually working to help our protagonists. The opposite is also a frequent occurrence. And let’s not even get started on double reversals.
Discussion Question: Kidnappers or Saviours?
Okay everyone, here’s a plot-related one for you. Do you think the people who have Sam rescued him, or kidnapped him? Some bizarre combination of both? Speculate with reckless abandon in the comments below.
About this Episode:
I really enjoy using this mostly-naked, flabby Sam figure (and I’m sure the ladies really appreciate it as well). He might be sticking around for a little while. Perhaps those fellows in the hazmat suits will burn his clothes for some reason.
Other News:
Okay everyone, the clock’s ticking on the 16×16 Challenge (the deadline is the end of the month, after all). That means it’s time to get crackin’ on those entries before it’s too late. Need to see what the competition is up to and see if you measure up? Well then you’ll want to check out the Flickr group now!
This couldn’t get much funnier, although it looks as if Sam lost a bet or something! 😀
If these guys were the local rescue service, I’d be looking up the 1-800-zombify-me number! 😉
Hah. Poor Sam’s having a hell of a time.
I’d say they kidnapped and rescued him – it’s not like they’re feeding him to the zombies now, is it? Unless they’ve got plans to start a romanesque gladiator-like battle sequence with humans versus zombies…
…ooh, that is awesome, and so much less likely to up the age rating than that “breeding idea” someone had.
I’ll just put one down for “Kidnapped Sam for deranged gladiator-related notions”.
Or maybe they’re just aliens who want to anal-probe poor Sam…
Reminds me of this awesome quote (which I’m probably mis-remembering): “We’ve reach the limits of what anal probing can tell us.”
Ah, yes, I remember that Simpsons episode. You only slightly misquoted the tense. Good ol’ Kang and Kodos.
Hey, Hey, Dave Dave I I noticed noticed that that in in the the top top you you put put the the word word “are” “are” in in there there twice twice..
Oops. That’s fixed now.
Thanks!
I think that they rescued him. In my opinion, Sam was no more than just a mere pawn in Stewart, Cheryl, and Murphy’s plan. Sure he went berserk on the group (which probably would’ve happened to me if I were in his situation), but by doing that, he lost the group’s trust which is why he had to become zombie bait. Even though I think he’s in better hands, being locked in a dungeon-like setting is a thing we all wish to avoid. I think it would be interesting to see Sam and his new “friends” fight against his old “friends”. Plus, notice how I mentioned trust earlier? Maybe Sam can find some trust in these guys. As long as they don’t want to use him again.
Excellent response.
I have to say, Sam is becoming my favorite character, and I haven’t even gotten the chance to reveal his backstory yet.
Perspective’s the key thing, and it’s all going to come down to what Sam sees. So far, it seems that he sees this situation far less as a rescue and much more as a kidnapping.
Remove the zombie context, and then have the police check this domicile on an unrelated warrant (grow-op in an adjacent dungeon, say, or a steampunk meth lab). They find Sam all locked up and half-naked, and take statements. Will the prosecutor give the assessment “We were rescuing him! Honest!” greater weight than “I was kidnapped by these people! I have other friends! No, really I do!” Even if we may have doubts that Sam’s friends are still BFF with him, Sam still seems to believe. Unless we can argue that he’s utterly deluded, I’m not sure that we can.
My vote for kidnapped.
That’s some well-reasoned response right there, Lich.
Removing the zombie context really plays hell with some people’s motivations, doesn’t it?
Actually, I think even with the zombie context in play, Lich has it nailed right there! 😀
oh definitely kidnapped… these guys have a dark agenda for our poor friend Sam.
They obviously are well prepared to deal with the undead situation – why in the world would they want to stick with a dude wearing a hockey helmet and a transistor playing Justin Bieber?
The leader of this little hazmat gang appears to be well in control of the situation and I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice one of his own for the survival of the group – he would therefore never risk anything to save a poor bastard’s life unless there was something in it for him.. and given the obvious absence of surviving skills of Sam, I’d say the odds are that he’s going to serve a dark purpose very soon.
I love this, Yatkuu. Brilliant stuff.
I’d say they “rescued” him (at least THEY think so).
I think that in their minds, they are pretty sure that they know better than everyone else.
They are probably confident that they are helping Sam, because poor Sam has no idea how harsh things realy are, and so they simply HAD TO save him, and that he will thank them for it one day.
They just look crazy like that 😀
And btw… yeah, Sam’s naked, fat body is definitely the most sexy thing I’ve ever seen… 😀 😀 😀
Excellent response, Adelaide!
I knew the ladies would love naked Sam.
Poor Sam – naked, probably cold and hungry and quarantined by lunatics in hazmat suits. Some guys are so lucky!
The luck train seems to have run Sam over, doesn’t it?
And then reversed and hit in again. lol
Hah!
Multiple times, I reckon! 😀
I reckon you’re right.
I GOT IT! He has no clothes because they had to check for bites?
Dead Set has just arrived through the post 🙂
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Dead Set. I really need to check that out.
I have been trying to get that!
Hmmm…. The Hazmat Suit team can argue all they want that they saved Sam and know better what’s going on.
It’s still a kidnapping as they forced him with them… knocked him out, locked him in a dungeon and near close to naked. With only a sock for comfort.
Yeah, assaulting someone like that is hard to justify.
I think he was forcibly restrained/removed in order to preserve his well-being.
Let me guess, you’re in public relations?
No, I just had to do some work or school on a legal charter. It rubs off.
Hmmm, only a sock for comfort…. only a sock for comfort…
I know, they hidden cameras and plan to make, *cough**cough* adult films *cough**cough*.
And l3m0nm4n has figured out where the plot is going!
They left him because he’s fat! Ha.
Well that’s not very nice.
Well shucks; doesn’t look like he’s going to be giving you any IT with in the near future.
Yatkuu has an excellent point. The “rescuers” killed all the zombies. Just that would give Sam plenty of time to find cover that would allow him to watch for his friends in complete safety. I mean, why strip him and them stick him in a dungeon? But here’s another theory: maybe he got bitten and they want to see the effects of the bite to aid their research? Or they’re hideout just has lousy accomodations? Hmm…
There’s lots of different potential explanations. I love everyone’s guesses!
How long will it be before you reveal who was correct? 😀
No one guessed right yet.
It’ll be a bit before we find out. We need to check in on Stewart, Cheryl, and Murphy, and possibly another character we haven’t seen in a while.
I will say that one person got fairly close to the mark.
If it’s before June this year, I’ll be happy! 😉 Otherwise I’ll be wondering how long Dave can drag it on for! 😀
thats what you get when you volenteer as bait
I say he has been kidnapped, since they took him against his will. They took him because they want him for something and Sam knows more about the zombie apocalypse and he just doesn’t realize it. And they want him for this information and have been tracking him. I also think the solo survivor was “rescued” and is there to. This has been your daily dose of conspiracy theory.
sorry I rambled a bit
Well, those guys certainly don’t seem quite as nice now that Sam is locked in a room with no clothes…
When Ive woken up I would’ve said (in a Patrick Star voice) WHO ARE U PEOPLE?!?!
i would at least try to suck in my fat
I don’t think you can really argue that they haven’t kidnapped him, they whacked him on the head and dragged him of for Christ’s sake! But just because they kidnapped him doesn’t mean that they don’t have his best interests in mind. I mean, they sure as hell didn’t know that his friends really were coming back for him!
So… my vote is for “both”. You can’t call knocking someone out and dragging them off anything but kidnapping. Still, given what they knew, leaving him there to the zombies would just have been wrong.