Chapter 37-3: Balance of Power

[Alizée]

I had a frustrating day so I did a quick 37-3 inspired doodle! Poor Angel. Still the punching bag, even in death.

Angel.jpg

Note: I wanted to put this in the Fan Submitted Content > Fan Art thread but I couldn't remember how to do the damn "spoilers" tag. (Bless your soul, Nik. I know you told me before but I can't find the discussion we had on it.)

[EpiEpee]

First, congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Wayland! I hope you have many happy years ahead.

Second, I think there is an interesting parallel going on between CJ and Riley right now. Both have lost loves (romantic or otherwise) in their life. But, CJ is handling it by pushing people away, and not really choosing to go after the main source of the problem, the zombies. Riley's response is more productive in my opinion, and I'm excited to see how her and Burt's storyline plays out. The ending scene is one of my absolute favorites of the series so far.

Third, assuming Riley and Burt do hunt down Scratch, I could see Pegs being used as a decoy to lure Scratch out into the open, but not actually participating further in any violence that may ensue. I'm throwing my hat fully in the Burt/Riley camp for the actual death-and I think they will do it together.

Fourth, really CJ, really?! Tanya saved her life, regardless of her perception of how she wound up in that situation. I understand there is a lot psychologically that goes into losing a limb, but her behavior is unacceptable. I can't find it now, but whoever said that this is really more about the fallout from Saul turning her down than it is the lie, I completely agree. Also, I think if she doesn't sit herself down to recover, we may be seeing some nasty complications in this recovery-that wound could still get infected badly, and it sounds like Tanya's at the edge of her supplies and know-how. And that's if she's even around the colony to help CJ.

[kdalton]

Okay, here we go.

This entire chapter has been well-acted, well- executed, and involved a lot of catching people up to everything the different groups have been doing. The scene with Riley and Burt at Angel's grave was amazing. I knew that was going to come to Burt going out for Scratch, but didn't know who was going with him. KC had been foreshadowing that Michael would not be in charge of the colony, and it looks like the Colonists proved it right. I can buy them turning to CJ to run the joint. She is a hero to them. Everything has been brilliantly scripted as well ....

... until CJ flips out. I listened to all of Chapter 3 at least three times this summer. At no point did I hear Saul and Victor claim that the mallers had killed Sean. Saul said "the people that killed him are there." That's it. The source of the information that Sean arrived at the colony and later was killed came from Victor, who left before the mallers took the Colony over. So if he knew Sean was dead before he left, how could they have intimated that the mallers killed him?

The first big gaping plot hole for We're Alive. Totally took me out of the episode. Bixby and Gatekeeper killed Sean, before the mallers got there, and CJ had to have known that.

But I wish Mr. and Mrs. Wayland happiness and good fortune.

[Hoff4D]

I agree, it would not make sense any other way: I can see a lot of history repeating here. Michael at the Colony, Saul in need somewhere else, people in charge in the Colony keeping Michael from helping his friend... it's The Catalyst all over again.

Everyone IS saying they see a lot of Gatekeeper/Marcus in CJ now...I understand people claiming too many similarities for this split to get covered up, but if it walks like a duck....

[pmchawk]

... until CJ flips out. I listened to all of Chapter 3 at least three times this summer. At no point did I hear Saul and Victor claim that the mallers had killed Sean. Saul said "the people that killed him are there." That's it. The source of the information that Sean arrived at the colony and later was killed came from Victor, who left before the mallers took the Colony over. So if he knew Sean was dead before he left, how could they have intimated that the mallers killed him?

Actually CJ asks point blank "so the prisoners got him." Saul responds with, "yeah, they got him." Chapter 31 part 2 at roughly the 6:50 mark.

[Hoff4D]

First things first: Congrats Mr and Mrs Kc!!!!
I see this being Michael's mindset now. In the fight, he feels like he's in the right place. Like he's making a difference and doing what he is supposed to do. He doesn't have to deal with the hard stuff in the "real world". Michael gets to be a soldier with other soldiers.

So, I see one split happening in the immediate future:
To Dunbar with Saul, Victor, Michael, Puck, Carl, Muldoon, and Robbins
In the Colony: CJ, Pegs, Kelly, Glenn and Colony crew

To be determined (either Dunbar or Colony)
Tanya, Datu, and Hope - Tanya wil be torn between Saul/Baby and the patients of the Colony (including CJ). Datu will want to go with Michael but will not want Hope to go into danger - Datu will not leave Hope.
Burt and Riley - They will side with (temporarily) which ever group seem to give them the best chance at revenge on Scratch. I'm leaning 75% to the Colony for now.
The helicopter - no good way to take it back up into LA but no desire to leave it in the Colony. May go, like someone else put it earlier, to LAX. But that may mean leaving it unattended for long stretches of time.

Ok, enough for now. I may have to recant some or all of this later....

Also - Great catch on the Crow, Grognaurd! I missed i completely....

I don't see Lizzy called out anywhere in the split prediction. You say 'torn between baby/saul' about tanya, makes it sound like you think lizzy stays at colony? Just curious

[scbubba]

I don't see Lizzy called out anywhere in the split prediction. You say 'torn between baby/saul' about tanya, makes it sound like you think lizzy stays at colony? Just curious

Good point. I meant to include Lizzie in with Saul and Co. I can't see Saul deciding to leave her at the Colony when he is being banished from it (as in never to return). I'll edit the post to add her to the Dunbar list.

And with Saul and Lizzie (and the baby) going to Dunbar, that will be a bigger pull for Tanya to go (since they need medical care for delivery and newborn).

All in all, it's going to put CJ and the Colony in an interesting position. And the Tower crew as well. At the end of the chapter we have the "Balance of Power" from the chapter title. Balance of Power implies an equal amount on all sides, in this case the crews of Michael and CJ. This equilibrium is about to get upset as the next few days unfold with Saul and Victor...

[nikvoodoo]

I had a frustrating day so I did a quick 37-3 inspired doodle! Poor Angel. Still the punching bag, even in death.

Angel.jpg

Note: I wanted to put this in the Fan Submitted Content > Fan Art thread but I couldn't remember how to do the damn "spoilers" tag. (Bless your soul, Nik. I know you told me before but I can't find the discussion we had on it.)

[ spoiler ] CONTENT [ /spoiler ]

Just remove the spaces between spoiler and brackets and voila!

SPOILER 

Hidden text and pictures!

[Hoff4D]

I dunno guys. The whole Colony/Dunbar split, Who goes/Who stays thing seems too obvious as a major conflict based on CJ's grudge. Hopefully the Colonists are not so blind as to let the Military & Medical expertise leave based on one person's grudge. See how she used her new authority for personal use by telling the guys that the Colonists just elected her Empress. Talk about you benevolent dictators.

It just seems too simplistic for the conflict to result in that kind of split. Like everyone's been saying, I doubt Saul & Victor are gonna leave without saying why. When the reason get out, crap is gonna happen. This seems like the simplest course. I think KC is setting us up for crazy chaos just to reveal a simpler solution.

I understand this argument, but playing the advocate here, I think Saul/Victor will fill in the 'need-to-knows' (Michael, Lizzy, and Tanya) on why they ACTUALLY leave. Everyone else will be told Saul/Victor are leading the Recon mission for the offensive against Ink. Saul will convince Tanya/Lizzy to stay since all the hospital stuff is there, so it's best for the baby. They'll assure them of Dunbar's Safety so that once the baby's born, I think the Towerites will bail, but until then Saul/Victor will be allowed to go it alone. Sorry to repeat myself, but this will be Michael's plan all along....Dunbar. He just keeps the peace for now. Perhaps Burt/Riley will go with Saul/Victor since they need a chance to ground pound and hunt scratch.

[Hoff4D]

Lies of omission are still lies. Victor is very adept at this lying method thus far.

I like this episode. It makes my prediction heart warm and fuzzy. I've said Pete/Glenn would reveal Sean's demise to CJ because Victor and Saul certainly won't. Doesn't benefit them to do it. Speaking of liars, I buy Victor's apology re: Angel. It was genuine.

I am also doubling down on my theory that Scratch dies at Riley's hand and that Burt won't make it. This possibility just became about a 95% guarantee In my head.

CJ has displaced a metric boatload of anger. Think of what Riley said about angel...she's lost him again. CJ is going through the same thing but she has power which corrupts. There are millions of different punishments she could levy as leader but she's chosen the one that causes the most damage short of execution: banishment. I can understand why, but I feel like even she knows her reasoning is somewhat flawed. CJ didn't listen which resulted in CJ losing her leg. No one put her in that basement with Scratch but her. CJ assumed the Eastern Bay people killed Sean but never asked directly. Now she's mad about it.

Now as for the colonists: non resident exclusion? Really? It's so nice now that you've made the decision for them that you'll allow others to be involved. They really haven't learned a damn thing from the moment we've met them.

Saying it here. Burt, Riley, Scartch, Ink....all atop a mountain. Riley kills Scratch with an arrow to the un-scarred eye as she's atop Ink about to kill him(Because Ink is who raped scartch). Ink Jumps up, kills Riley. Burt get's a crocodile dundee sized knife and impales Ink as Ink impales Burt. They all die as the mountain they are on top of erupts, as it's a volcano anyways. The ash-winter caused by the eruption clears the ozone of the pre-historic earthquake induced Haze and eradicates the spread of the zombie virus. The eruption blasts Burt to a safe place, and a small drop of lava cauderizes his wounds and he survives having witnessed the end of it all to recount to Michael, and by association....us.

The End.