Chapter 36- Scorched Earth

[LiamKerrington]

4) The ambush on the road heading towards the arena; where Bricks disarmed Number 5. (How did they know about the arena anyway? What made them take the initiative to attack it?)

To answer your question, Sir:
4) It is a good question, how they did know about the arena and what made them (aka The Mallers) attack the arena.

Editing = Rephrasing:

How did they know about the arena?

From The Kalani-Backstory we actually know that The Mallers were in a very advanced position compared with The Tower and probably CJ's Tower. They already had a huge map in work, and they had their scavenging. Thus they would know, where the zeehs would be encountered much more likely - meaning: the will have pinpointed the Arena as Hotel California; and actually I would even guess they'd known about the Devil's Workshop or the Hospital as kind of a hotspot as well. That was very early in the zeeh-pocalypse.
Considering the way they attacked the Arena with tanker trucks, and relating the whole side-plot with Lizzy, Saul, and Burt going for the petrol-store and the truck, it makes perfectly sense that Scratch and Latch considered the truck 'theirs', which was 'stolen' by Lizzy, Saul and Burt - simply because the truck already had its purpose. Leading to question part two:

Why would they attack the zeehs?

They had the means, the will, and actually a/ the strategy to do so - until The Towerites interfered and 'stole' a truck. But regardless of that: even The Mallers were humans after all, all evil and beasty scavengers and a rat pack Mad-Max-style - and yet still humans; and they probably just followed the simple strategy of surviving with the best defense available: "Attack 'em mofus!"

That's how I piece things together. Does this answer your question, WD?

[love bump]

i was abit disappointed it felt like a very safe and predictable ending. ah well at least burt still lives!

[LiamKerrington]

i was abit disappointed it felt like a very safe and predictable ending. ah well at least burt still lives!

Funny: A few weeks ago I was ready to expect ANYthing happening ... I even depicted plenty of dead main characters. Kc did a brilliant job by revealing just enough for you to construct and deconstruct nearly any option as an outcome of this final episode.

Looking at the bigger picture: Season 1 ended with everyone alife, but the huge sign above their heads telling us: people will die! And the complete season was about setting up things and preparing conflicts. And conflicts there were ...
Season 2 ended with total chaos and obliteration, even with main characters having died or being on the brink of death. This season was dominated by different 'side-quests', putting plenty of inertia on the conflicts, adding some more details in order to lead to the classic scheme of plot-twists wherever you look.
Season 3 ends now with a focus, with a mission, a set goal. It is not about surviving anymore; it is about making a better world. But the complete season itself showed death and destruction on each and every corner, leaving little room at best for some relief, for some catchin'-your-breath, confusing things a lot and adding plenty of smaller and bigger twists again. But contrary to the endings of seasons 1 and 2, season three ends with the clear message: "We don't want to be pushed around anymore - neither by zeehs, fate, other survivors, or whatever ... From now on, we take over the controls." This is new, and actually I did not expect such a clear message ...

Ah, look! Again, a small wall of words. Sorry.

O'er'n'out!
Liam

[Robzombie]

i was abit disappointed it felt like a very safe and predictable ending. ah well at least burt still lives!

Of course Burt lived, he's got some skullfukin to do.

[Condor]

Yea, when I say east coast, i meant pretty much all the east-coast except boston, hence the 'NYC-ish' add on. My dad is from Boston, lots of family out there...and that is its own damn language....

East coast Yankee, east coast southern sounds much different.

I wonder what kinds of weaponry the survivors still have access to? Here's what I can remember:

• One Pelican helicopter, in questionable operational condition, armed with an M-134 Minigun.

• One 50 cal machine gun salvaged from the Hummer at Fort Irwin with limited ammo.

• One 50 cal machine gun salvaged from the Tower's Hummer, presumably stored at the Other Tower. Knowing CJ, she's probably found additional ammo for it.

• KODI, loaded with a C4 charge.

• Assorted small arms present at the Colony and off the helicopter. Ammo levels are probably pretty low.

• A much better supply of guns and ammo at the Other Tower and its various safe houses. Since CJ's crew raided the armory at the Bell Army Reserve base you can assume this includes a lot of M-16s and maybe several SAWs. No telling how much ammo they have stored.

Wasn't the .50cal from Saul's Hummer damaged? Not sure if it was ever repaired. Probably a bigger concern would be finding .50cal ammo. I believe the .50 BMG round is illegal for civilians in CA so no scavenging like small arms ammo. Law enforcement might have a small supply, but they're gonna have to rely on Military caches.

What a great finale. Season 4 is going to be awesome. Will season 4 pick up where we left off, or will it be a few weeks later? Did they ever go back in Season 2 and get the rest of the 'Locked and Loaded" weaponry? I am curious how Michael plans of attacking when they have no idea where they live. I think we should be prepared for a sad ending. This one was the first with no real cliff hanger, and everyone was cheery. We won't find out until probably a little less than 2 years from now, depending on when we start again.

They did clean out Burt's secret stash and brought it back to the tower. If memory serves me, they mentioned it shortly after Michael returns from the Colony.

Right on brother! Look, I'll let you in on a little secret since no one reads the forum anyway. Scratch and Victor have it out in Season 4,..rough stuff, where Victor slaps Scratch to death with his moldy tortilla. It ain't pretty,...and the sound effects,...forget about it!

Moldy tortilla? Is that some kind of sexual reference.

[Cabbage Patch]

Probably a bigger concern would be finding .50cal ammo. I believe the .50 BMG round is illegal for civilians in CA so no scavenging like small arms ammo. Law enforcement might have a small supply, but they're gonna have to rely on Military caches.

Technically the ban on private ownership of 50 Cals happened after the date of the Zombie Apocalypse, not there would ever have been much of a supply in civilian hands here.

A couple of hundred miles north of LA, in Tracey, CA there is a mothballed Army munitions factory that could produce all the 50 Caliber BMG you could ever desire. If I remember correctly they even have all the materials stockpiled to produce several million rounds.

[Witch_Doctor]

To answer your question, Sir:
4) It is a good question, how they did know about the arena and what made them (aka The Mallers) attack the arena.

Editing = Rephrasing:

How did they know about the arena?

From The Kalani-Backstory we actually know that The Mallers were in a very advanced position compared with The Tower and probably CJ's Tower. They already had a huge map in work, and they had their scavenging. Thus they would know, where the zeehs would be encountered much more likely - meaning: the will have pinpointed the Arena as Hotel California; and actually I would even guess they'd known about the Devil's Workshop or the Hospital as kind of a hotspot as well. That was very early in the zeeh-pocalypse.
Considering the way they attacked the Arena with tanker trucks, and relating the whole side-plot with Lizzy, Saul, and Burt going for the petrol-store and the truck, it makes perfectly sense that Scratch and Latch considered the truck 'theirs', which was 'stolen' by Lizzy, Saul and Burt - simply because the truck already had its purpose. Leading to question part two:

Why would they attack the zeehs?

They had the means, the will, and actually a/ the strategy to do so - until The Towerites interfered and 'stole' a truck. But regardless of that: even The Mallers were humans after all, all evil and beasty scavengers and a rat pack Mad-Max-style - and yet still humans; and they probably just followed the simple strategy of surviving with the best defense available: "Attack 'em mofus!"

That's how I piece things together. Does this answer your question, WD?

I actually agree with everything you've said but I can't convince myself to 'buy it'. I admit that I am judging the Mallers based on th fact that they were in prison. I will also admit that, after listening to Durai's "Look at us Now" speech, he may have sincerely wanted to do some good.

[YetAnotherBloodyCheek]

@Witch_Doctor: Rhetorically speaking, Durai served his storyline purpose as leader of the mallers - but quite literally, he is dead, Jim. In my opinion, I would have liked him to have more airtime on the show. Most of his motives still remain unknown, even the question why he became the leader of the mallers. However, having most of the hard labor done by slaves did not seem to bother him. So I guess that his "Look at us now!" speech referred to the unexpected possibility of starting all over again after Z-Day. Although he can be regarded as a traditionalist (he believed in rules, family, truth and loyalty up to a point when he was going to sacrifice Scratch), Scratch's actions did not cause him any pain - except the last one, of course.

Finally, I want to say that I am really looking forward to a Durai flashback scene in season 4.

[LiamKerrington]

I actually agree with everything you've said but I can't convince myself to 'buy it'. I admit that I am judging the Mallers based on th fact that they were in prison. I will also admit that, after listening to Durai's "Look at us Now" speech, he may have sincerely wanted to do some good.

Not sure, whether Durai and Mad-Maxians-plus-Scratch wanted to do something "good" or just and simply survive. And about "buying" things ... Well, there is only very little information available. So any guess might be as good as any. Really hard to tell. Are there any other opinions about how The Mallers knew about The Arena or why they attaclked it?

Finally, I want to say that I am really looking forward to a Durai flashback scene in season 4.

Yeah. Would be nice, although it would just "repeat" the flashback-sequences with Kalani - somehow-ish.

[poniesandzombies]

I just want to throw in that was worth staying until 12:30 on a work night to listen to this finale!!! I am SO happy Burt survived it all.... El Matador has re established himself as my favorite!!!! Will be waiting on pins and needles for season 4!!!! At least I have The Hobbit to start obsessing over this month. Great Job, and thank you again for such a great story!!!