Issue 42

Issue 42 is the forty-second issue of The Walking Dead and part six and the finale of Volume 7: The Calm Before.

Plot Synopsis
Carol has been bitten by a zombie that Alice had brought into the prison to study, which was then chained between the two fences of the prison for added precaution by order of Rick. Carol had been talking to the zombie about her perception of being disliked and unwanted by everyone before purposely putting herself in the reach of the zombie. She falls down, mortally wounded. The other survivors take notice, especially Tyreese, and rush to help her. Tyreese tries to comfort her, and tells her to save her strength. Carol tells him to let her die, and she does. A distraught Tyreese asks a deceased Carol why, although he is still not sure how deliberate it was. Hershel confirms to Tyreese that she just stepped forward and let it bite her. Carol reanimates quickly after and Andrea puts her down. Carol is later buried next to Allen. Rick is upset by the addition of another member of their group to the graveyard at her funeral, and says they have lost "too many." All the survivors sadly look upon the graves.

Later, Hershel, Glenn, Maggie, and Billy are in their room. Billy somewhat shamefully admits to everyone that Carol came to him and had sex with him, immediately before committing suicide. He shakingly asks why she would do that to him. Meanwhile, Carl is trying to comfort a shocked Sophia, who is too stunned to speak or move. Lori and Rick tell Carl that Sophia doesn't want to play right now, and Carl says that he understands, and tells Sophia that he still likes her.

Two weeks later, Andrea is still sad about Carol. She's fitting the riot suit and she asks why she has to wear it. Dale forces her to use it because it saved Glenn's life. Rick says that when every attack comes, she'll be in the tower. Andrea ponders whoever thought the suits were cool.

At the tower, Andrea is practicing shooting while wearing the suit. Tyreese says that they'll be fine, if they continue this way. Andrea gears off, and leaves the suit up in the tower, and she stocks up the ammunition there too. Dale is jealous because she asks Tyreese to help her to bring more supplies up to the tower.

Later, Tyreese asks Andrea's feelings about shooting Carol, and she says that it needed to be done, like when she shot Amy. She says also that she doesn't understand why she did it. Tyreese says that the apocalypse has changed him, and has also changed Andrea. Amy wouldn't recognize her if she saw her now. She asks how Tyreese is dealing with Carol's death, and he says that he had a girlfriend in high school who committed suicide. Tyreese says that he hates it when somebody does that, and Carol doesn't deserve his sorrow.

Later, Dale wakes up, and finds Tyreese and Andrea have made him a wooden leg, so he could walk without crutches. Dale is happy but and asks Tyreese to leave, so he could talk with Andrea. Andrea asks what's wrong and Dale says that she can sleep with Tyreese if she wants to. Andrea tells Dale that he is handsome and perfect, and that she loves him.

Glenn and Maggie are talking about Dale's "peg leg" and suddenly Maggie says that she would like to have a baby. Glenn wants one too, and they have sex. At Tyreese's cell, he and Michonne are kissing, and Tyreese praises Michonne and tells her she's been great. Michonne wants him to be quiet and they have sex.

In the morning, Rick and Tyreese are talking about the Woodbury survivors. Two months ago, Rick escaped there, and Tyreese thinks that they won't come back. Rick says if they want to come here, they'd have to kill all the zombies first. Meanwhile, Carl wants to play with Sophia, but again, Lori says that she probably doesn't want to. Carl says its okay, and kisses her in the cheek. Dale is practicing walking with the "peg leg", Glenn and Maggie are taking a walk, and Tyreese and Michonne are playing basketball.

At Hershel's vegetable garden, Rick says that he could beat Tyreese at basketball, one-handed. He tastes one of the tomatoes and says that they are great. Hershel says that they won't be able to save them for winter, which is such a shame. He's praises Hershel's tomatoes more, and suddenly they notice, that some cars are assembling in front of their fences. The Governor comes out of a tank and yells: "Kill them all!".

Credits

 * Rick Grimes
 * Lori Grimes
 * Carl Grimes
 * Judith Grimes
 * Michonne
 * Tyreese
 * Glenn
 * Sophia
 * Andrea
 * Dale
 * Ben
 * Billy
 * Hershel Greene
 * Maggie Greene
 * Billy Greene
 * Patricia
 * Alice
 * Axel
 * Brian Blake
 * Carol (Alive & Zombified)
 * A lot of Woodbury soldiers

Deaths

 * Carol

Trivia

 * Last appearance of Carol
 * Although Dale lost his leg, in the cover he is seen with both of them. The same thing happens in Issue 65.