Vatos
Encyclopedia
"Vatos" is the fourth episode of the post-apocalyptic
horror
television series The Walking Dead
. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on November 21, 2010. The episode was written by Robert Kirkman
and directed by Johan Renck
.
, where their parents live, was not hit as hard by the epidemic. Back at the camp, Dale is keeping watch on top of his RV
, and notices Jim in the distance, digging large holes on a hill.
The episode opens with Rick Grimes
, Daryl Dixon, Glenn, and T-Dog on the roof of the department store where they had left Merle Dixon handcuffed to a pipe. They found only Merle's severed hand and a blood trail. Daryl retrieves his brother's hand and turns his crossbow on T-Dog, but Rick puts his revolver to Daryl's head and bloodshed is averted. They track Merle's trail through the building, finding two walkers
that he had dispatched single-handedly and a gas stove where he had cauterized
the stump of his hand. Back at the camp, Shane and the others confront Jim about his obsessive digging; Shane is forced to restrain Jim. While lying in the dirt, Jim breaks down and reveals that his family had been attacked by a band of walkers, and the only reason he was alive was that the walkers were too busy eating his wife and two children to chase him. In the camp, Glenn comes up with a plan to retrieve the bag of guns—he will retrieve the bag while Daryl waits for him in one alley, and Rick and T-Dog wait in another alley in case he has to flee in another direction.
While Glenn is getting the bag (and Rick's police hat), Daryl is approached by a young living Latino
man, who calls repeatedly for help. As Glenn returns with the guns, two other Latino men appear and attack Daryl. Rick and T-Dog return, and the men grab Glenn and flee into a waiting car, leaving the first man behind. The group interrogates their hostage, with Rick and Daryl playing good cop/bad cop
. Daryl retrieves his brothers severed hand and throws onto the young Latino's lap and tell him this is what they do to people. The young man's will breaks and they learn that the Latino men were after the same bag of guns. They go to meet the men for a prisoner exchange, but are rebuffed—the group's leader, Guillermo, tells them to come back either ready to hand over the guns, or locked and loaded for a fight.
They return, armed and ready, but a shootout
is averted when an elderly woman emerges looking for her grandson, Felipe. It turns out that the men are guarding a hidden nursing home
, its elderly residents having been abandoned by most of the staff except for Felipe (a nurse) and Guillermo (a custodian). Rick leaves some of the guns and ammunition, and then his group heads back for camp. When they reach the location where they left their vehicle, they find it gone and conclude that it must have been stolen by Merle, who may be planning vengeance against the camp. At the camp, dinner is interrupted by a night attack by a large group of walkers; Rick's group returns just in time to help terminate the remaining walkers. There are several casualties, including Ed, who is the first to die, and Amy, who dies in her sister's arms. Jim then remembers why he was digging impulsively and tells everyone that he dug them because he had a dream that foresaw the events.
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
television series The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead (TV series)
The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed for television by Frank Darabont and based on the ongoing comic book series, The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard...
. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on November 21, 2010. The episode was written by Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
and directed by Johan Renck
Johan Renck
Bo Johan Renck is a Swedish director of music videos, TV and film. He is an occasional recording artist using the moniker Stakka Bo.-Music videos:...
.
Plot
In the opening segment, sisters Andrea and Amy are fishing in a boat. They discuss their childhoods—the two were twelve years apart—and express hope that maybe FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where their parents live, was not hit as hard by the epidemic. Back at the camp, Dale is keeping watch on top of his RV
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
, and notices Jim in the distance, digging large holes on a hill.
The episode opens with Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes is a fictional character in the ongoing black-and-white comic book series The Walking Dead and as well as its television series adaptation, The Walking Dead.-Comic book series:...
, Daryl Dixon, Glenn, and T-Dog on the roof of the department store where they had left Merle Dixon handcuffed to a pipe. They found only Merle's severed hand and a blood trail. Daryl retrieves his brother's hand and turns his crossbow on T-Dog, but Rick puts his revolver to Daryl's head and bloodshed is averted. They track Merle's trail through the building, finding two walkers
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
that he had dispatched single-handedly and a gas stove where he had cauterized
Cauterization
The medical practice or technique of cauterization is the burning of part of a body to remove or close off a part of it in a process called cautery, which destroys some tissue, in an attempt to mitigate damage, remove an undesired growth, or minimize other potential medical harmful possibilities...
the stump of his hand. Back at the camp, Shane and the others confront Jim about his obsessive digging; Shane is forced to restrain Jim. While lying in the dirt, Jim breaks down and reveals that his family had been attacked by a band of walkers, and the only reason he was alive was that the walkers were too busy eating his wife and two children to chase him. In the camp, Glenn comes up with a plan to retrieve the bag of guns—he will retrieve the bag while Daryl waits for him in one alley, and Rick and T-Dog wait in another alley in case he has to flee in another direction.
While Glenn is getting the bag (and Rick's police hat), Daryl is approached by a young living Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
man, who calls repeatedly for help. As Glenn returns with the guns, two other Latino men appear and attack Daryl. Rick and T-Dog return, and the men grab Glenn and flee into a waiting car, leaving the first man behind. The group interrogates their hostage, with Rick and Daryl playing good cop/bad cop
Good cop/Bad cop
Good cop/bad cop, known in British military circles as Mutt and Jeff and also called joint questioning and friend and foe, is a psychological tactic used for interrogation....
. Daryl retrieves his brothers severed hand and throws onto the young Latino's lap and tell him this is what they do to people. The young man's will breaks and they learn that the Latino men were after the same bag of guns. They go to meet the men for a prisoner exchange, but are rebuffed—the group's leader, Guillermo, tells them to come back either ready to hand over the guns, or locked and loaded for a fight.
They return, armed and ready, but a shootout
Shootout
A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups. A shootout often, but not necessarily, pits law enforcement against criminal elements; it could also involve two groups outside of law enforcement, such as rival gangs. A shootout in a military context A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups....
is averted when an elderly woman emerges looking for her grandson, Felipe. It turns out that the men are guarding a hidden nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
, its elderly residents having been abandoned by most of the staff except for Felipe (a nurse) and Guillermo (a custodian). Rick leaves some of the guns and ammunition, and then his group heads back for camp. When they reach the location where they left their vehicle, they find it gone and conclude that it must have been stolen by Merle, who may be planning vengeance against the camp. At the camp, dinner is interrupted by a night attack by a large group of walkers; Rick's group returns just in time to help terminate the remaining walkers. There are several casualties, including Ed, who is the first to die, and Amy, who dies in her sister's arms. Jim then remembers why he was digging impulsively and tells everyone that he dug them because he had a dream that foresaw the events.
External links
- "Vatos" at AMC