Episode Title Meanings

This article shows the titles and meanings of the titles in each episode.

"Days Gone Bye"
Days Gone Bye refers to the fact that many days had passed since Rick has been in a coma, coupled with the notion that the days of old, before the outbreak, are gone forever. This is also the name of the first volume in the Comic Series.

"Guts"
Rick and Glenn had to smear guts onto their bodies to assist with their group escaping Atlanta. It may also refer to the notion that Rick is a man who has the guts to confront Merle and get the group out of such a dire situation at the department store.

"Tell It to the Frogs"
Lori and Shane are fighting about the return of Rick, just before Lori leaves she tells Shane to tell it to the frogs. The saying is also a metaphor for words going unheard or unaccepted, which recurs throughout the episode. First, Merle is talking to a possible hallucination on the roof at the beginning of the episode; when Ed first tells Shane to mind his own business over the log on the fire; when Rick tries to explain to Shane and Lori why he needs to go back to Atlanta; when T-Dog explains to Daryl why he has to go back to Atlanta; when Lori uses the term with Shane at the quarry to blow him off; and when the women are arguing with Ed because they were fed up with his behavior.

"Vatos"
A vato is a Hispanic youth; guy; dude. The name of the episode, Vatos, refers to the fact that the opposing group that tried to take Rick's bag of guns called themselves, "vatos". In the previous episode, "Tell It to the Frogs," Morales used the term to describe Rick when he was first introduced to the Atlanta survivors, calling him a, "crazy vato."

"Wildfire"
Wildfire, refers to the name of the virus study given by the CDC. The origins of it's name could be due to the fact that in one of Dr. Edwin Jenner's video logs, he explains that the infection spreads like a wildfire.

Wildfire is a reference to the secret government biological lab in the Andromeda Strain.

Wildfire is also the given name of the zombie virus.

"TS-19"
TS-19 refers to Test Subject-19, who is in fact Dr. Edwin Jenner's wife, Candace Jenner. Jenner called his wife the person who could have cured the virus; instead, her flesh samples went up in flames. The end of TS-19 signalled the end of Edwin Jenner.

"What Lies Ahead"
This episode was originally going to be called, "Miles Behind Us." This is the same name as the second Volume of the Walking Dead Comic Series. It would have been a reference to the fact that it has been a great distance since the survivors left Atlanta, leaving miles behind them. Calling the episode, "What Lies Ahead", incites an opposite feeling - not that the group has left miles behind them, but that the group has no idea what dangers might lie ahead as they take off out of Atlanta. It sets the tone for the start of a new season, while, "Miles Behind Us", feels more like an ending. It also refers to a comment made by Rick while trying to contact Morgan Jones through the walkie-talkie, saying that many miles lie ahead of the group until they reach their destination (Fort Benning).

"Bloodletting"
Bloodletting (or blood-letting) is the withdrawal of often little quantities of blood from a patient to cure or prevent illness and disease. The episode title is both a physical and metaphorical term for this episode. Carl is losing blood at a rapid rate, and the future of the group will hinge on whether or not he survives.

"Save the Last One"
The title of this episode, "Save the Last One", references the well known rule in zombie apocalypse stories that survivors should always save the last bullet for themselves if surrounded by a group of zombies. This makes the title quite misleading, as Shane doesn't use his last bullet on himself, but on Otis.

"Cherokee Rose"
Daryl found a Cherokee Rose, which he believes is proof that the group will find Sophia. The story of the Cherokee mothers' tears that Daryl tells to Carol when he gives her the flower as a gift is symbolic of Carol's despair over the search for Sophia.

"Chupacabra"
On his first night in the camp outside of Atlanta, Daryl claims he once saw a chupacabra while squirrel hunting, and when the chupacabra takes the form of his abusive older brother, Merle, it would appear that the monster is a subliminal representation of his nemesis, or perhaps his inner demons.

"Secrets"
The name of the episode, "Secrets", refer to each group of survivors and their secrets with some being revealed.

The Greene family's barn and the walkers are revealed.

Lori's pregnancy and affair with Shane.

Shane and Andrea's relationship.

Carl obtaining a gun.

"Pretty Much Dead Already"
The name of the episode, "Pretty Much Dead Already", might refer to the fact that Shane told Dale that he was, "pretty much dead already." A much deeper meaning can be related to the fact of finding Sophia turned as a zombie in Hershel's barn, while Daryl and Carol were still hoping to finding her alive.

"Nebraska"
The name of the episode, "Nebraska", refers to the fact that Dave and Tony said they were heading to Nebraska due to the fact that it has a low population and plenty of guns.

It also refers to Rick's smart comeback, "I don't know...I hear Nebraska's nice," which initiated Dave and Tony's failed attack.

"Triggerfinger"
The name of the episode, "Triggerfinger", refers to the fact that Rick, Glenn and Hershel were in a shootout with members of Dave and Tony's gang.

"18 Miles Out"
The title of the episode "18 Miles Out" refers to the fact that Rick and Shane drove Randall "18 miles out" to Mert County to release him.

"Judge, Jury, Executioner"
The name of the episode, "Judge, Jury, Executioner", implies these roles will be filled out for Randall's fate. However, only the Judge and Jury roles pertain to him, with Rick as the judge and the group as the jury. The executioner is Daryl, who instead kills a suffering Dale when Rick cannot bring himself to do it.

"Better Angels"
The name of the episode, "Better Angels", comes from American President Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Address of 1861, "by the better angels of our nature." Writer Evan Reilly came up with the episode's name.

"Beside the Dying Fire"
The title of this episode, "Beside the Dying Fire", may refer to the barn when it caught fire, it may also refer to the end of the episode when Rick and his group are sitting around a camp fire discussing the recent events or it may refer to the survivor's hope.

"Seed"
The name of the episode, "Seed", may refer to when Hershel suggests that they plant seeds to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and soy beans within the prison yards. It may also refer to the idea that they have begun planting their own "seed" within the prison, which will eventually provide a new life for them, or it may even be referring to Lori's unborn baby.

Interestingly enough, The Governor later goes on to describe his town as a "seed" two episodes later.

"Sick"
This title references a comment made by Oscar and Daryl's subsequent response near the end of the episode, referring to Rick's group's sick actions.

"Walk With Me"
The title of this episode, "Walk With Me", comes from a line spoken by The Governor as he shows Andrea and Michonne around Woodbury.

"Killer Within"
The title of the episode, "Killer Within", refers to Andrew being the "killer" inside the prison. He released the walkers into the prison, which killed T-Dog and prevented Lori from having a stable C-Section. The title may also refer to Lori's baby, as it is the main cause of her death, albeit indirectly.

"Say the Word"
The title refers to Daryl's willingness to go on a supply run for the baby, and the fact that Daryl offers to get it immediately, as well as Maggie and Glenn. The title also refers to the end of the episode when Rick says the word, "hello?"

Also it might be a reference to Tyreese's line: "Say the word" before opening the gate for Glenn, Rick and Michonne in the comic series.

"Hounded"
The title of this episode, "Hounded", comes from Merle, Tim, Gargulio, and Crowley pursuing Michonne relentlessly through the woods after she departs from Woodbury.

"When the Dead Come Knocking"
The title, "When the Dead Come Knocking", may refer to the small group of zombies "knocking" at the door of the hermit's cabin, or to Michonne's arrival at the prison. Most likely, however, it refers to the multiple characters getting close to meeting who thought that each other were dead. This applies to Merle and Daryl, The Governor and Michonne, and Andrea and Rick's group.

"Made To Suffer"
The title of the episode, "Made To Suffer", relates to how The Governor feels after losing his daughter. It could also refer to Donna dying and Allen and Ben being mournful of her death. It may also refer to the pain Glenn is feeling after his beating from Merle, The Governor's eye being gouged, or the Woodbury survivors and Oscar being killed.

The name of this episode also shares the same name as the eighth volume of the Comic Series, though there are a few distinct differences between the two:
 * In the Comic Series, the clash between the prison group and Woodbury occurs in the Prison. In the TV Series, the fight takes place in Woodbury.
 * Tyreese was killed in the volume; he makes his debut in this episode of the TV Series.
 * In the Comic Series, Andrea is fighting alongside the prison group. In the TV Series, she fights alongside her companions from Woodbury.

"The Suicide King"
The episode title, "The Suicide King" refers to Rick's multiple suicidal decisions by turning away and letting strong survivors leave the prison, including Daryl, Michonne, and Tyreese.

"Home"
The episode title refers to Daryl's return to the Prison, which had become the group's new home. When Daryl leaves Merle, he even says "I'm going home". It also refers to Andrea's choice of where to go, deciding between whether to make Woodbury or the prison her home.

"I Ain't A Judas"
The title refers to Andrea's decision to not kill The Governor: According to the Bible, Judas was the one who betrayed Jesus. Andrea decided not to betray Phillip by killing him, showing that she is not a Judas. It may also refer to Merle and Michonne trying to prove that they aren't traitors to Rick's group and that they can be trusted.

"Clear"
According to Glen Mazzara, the name of the episode refers to Morgan's mission to "clear all the quadrants of his life". It may also refer to him clearing the area he lives in, killing and removing all of the walkers that approach the place.

The title may also refer to Rick, who seems to start clearing his head after he sees what has happened to Morgan. He realizes that he has to get over his losses and move on, or else, he will end up like his friend, mentally troubled.

"Arrow on the Doorpost"
The "Arrow on the Doorpost" may represent a warning to Rick's group that they will be attacked if they do not hand over Michonne.

"Prey"
The title refers to The Governor hunting Andrea, who is the "prey".

"This Sorrowful Life"
The title refers to the fact that Merle knows he will never fit in with the group, which leads to him attacking The Governor's men, getting killed by The Governor in the process. The title also refers to when Daryl finds a zombified Merle and is completely distraught over the discovery.

"Welcome to the Tombs"
"Welcome to the Tombs" refers to the arrival of the Governor and his people to the prison, being the Tombs one of the first places they enter, and where they are ambushed by Rick's group.