Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 5 "Chupacabra"

Daryl looks for Sophia: Day 5

Daryl decides to divide the woods into a grid to make it easier to look for Sophia.  He borrows a horse from the farm and takes off to the highest point so he can get a good look over the entire grid and maybe spot Sophia.  On the way up the horse gets spooked and throws Daryl off and he slips down the side of the hill and down into a stream.  As he slid down he ended up with one of his own arrows through his side.  Ouch.  He tries climbing back up but falls again.  As he lays there in pain he hears a familiar voice.  Its Merle, back from who knows where.  Or is it?  He appears to have both of his hands and we know from season 1 that Merle cut off his own hand.  Merle was used to voice Daryl's insecurities within the group: that he's being used and doesn't belong with them.  As Daryl awakens from this dream/vision he finds a zombie gnawing on his foot.  So he grabs a stick and bashes in the zombies head.  Then he sees another zombie coming at him so he pulls the arrow through his abdomen (double-ouch and totally badass) and shoots it through the other zombies head.  Awesome.  Then he goes a little crazy.  He hunts a squirrel and eats it raw and then makes himself a necklace from the ears of the zombies he has just killed.  Daryl has crossed to a dark place.  He also finds Sophia's doll by the water.  Then he makes his way back up the treacherous hill accompanied by another vision of Merle.  The entire time Merle is verbally abusing Daryl.  This gives us some insight into Daryl's life growing up.  You can tell from that and the story he told Andrea (about how he got lost in the woods as a child) that he was abused as a child.  Nevertheless, he makes his way back up the hill and to the camp.  Unfortunately, he now resembles a walker so Andrea shoots him from the RV.  She couldn't see his face and thought she had done a good thing by killing a walker.  Rick and Shane help him back to the house, but not before they hide his new necklace.  Later that night he is visited by Carol who is bringing him dinner.  She thanks him for all he as done in his search for Sophia and tells him that he has done more for Sophia than her own father.  She then kisses him on the cheek.  Daryl recoils from her touch since he isn't used to any form of affection.

Survival at any cost or keeping our humanity (aka Shane vs. Rick)

Shane and Rick go out looking for Sophia together.  Shane wants to stop looking for Sophia.  The likelihood that they will find her alive is slim to none.  He feels they are wasting time, manpower, and bullets on a fruitless search.  They should be worried about protecting those who are alive.  He makes a valid point.  They are weaker as a group when they separate like this.  Is the survival of the group more important than any one individual?  Rick seems appalled at the idea of abandoning Sophia.  Having a child himself he would go to any lengths to find Carl if he went missing.  He thinks every living person is important and worth looking for.  What is the point of surviving if you lose your humanity in the process?  Both are valid points which I'm sure will continue to be a part of the show as the threat of survival grows.

What's in the barn?!

Maggie passes a note to Glenn during dinner asking where he wants to hook up tonight.  Glenn suggests the barn and makes preparations for their romp.  He climbs up the side of the barn with a flashlight and blanket.  When he gets inside he hears something so he shines the light down only to discover zombies!!  Yes, the barn is filled with walkers.  Maggie shows up and tells him he wasn't supposed to see that.  What the what?!  Who in their right mind keeps a bunch of zombies in their barn.  This is not good news.