The Walking Dead recently had a big spoiler hit from a leak of the Season 2 blu-ray cover. To fans of the comic, it won’t be big news, although if previous story leaks, that have thus far proven to be accurate are to be believed, the actual “incident” will be a bit different from how it panned out originally. If it DOES happen as said, I personally will be a little upset about it since it is a defining moment of the growth of two of the main characters in the series.

SPOILERS AHEAD!! SPOILERS AHEAD!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

So, the first part of what I’ll tell you here is what was on the blu-ray cover. The part that many saw coming and the Walking Dead comic fans have been waiting for, the death of Shane.

“This special limited edition Blu-Ray includes all 13 episodes on 4 discs, including bonus features such as: the making of the barn, an extended zombie gut scene, Shane’s last episode, full Comic Con coverage with panel, comic book vs episode comparison, and more!”

Now, for the story leaks, why I believe them and what upsets me about the evident change.

An unnamed source spoke out before the premier of the second half opener of Season 2. He/She detailed a few scenes that have occurred just as described, the scene with Hershel in the bar, the encounter with the other group and Rick taking them out, the big fight between Rick and Shane in the school yard, and Shane’s ultimate demise.

Evidently, in the series, Shane draws Rick away from the group either planning to kill him, or deciding to during an altercation, that much is grey. Either way, the report states that Rick ultimately kills Shane, who then turns and rises, zombified and comes at Rick. A struggle ensues and suddenly Zombie Shane is shot in the head….by Carl.

In the comics Shane is killed before they leave the encampent and head to Hershel’s farm. Shane asks Rick to go out into the woods on a hunting excursion and when far enough out, essentially loses it and points his gun at Rick with full killing intent. What he didn’t know is that Carl had followed them out, having already been trained with and given his own gun, because he felt that he was big enough to hunt with his father. Carl shoots and kills Shane in defense of his father.

This is important for Carl because it shows that he has it in himself to “do what is necessary”, but as he’s just a child, it also, obviously, affects him in a way that changes his character. He matures. He shows that he understands that he can’t be afraid to do what needs to be done even when the actions could be construed in a morally grey area. This also affects him further in the story and helps him and the group in other instances, which I won’t further spoil.

Just so you don’t think it immediately turns him into “Baby Hard-Ass”, immediately after shooting Shane, Carl is shocked at how much his actions hurt and how hard it is to deal with. We’re then given a very honest father and son moment, defining the relationship of the Grimes men.

This is important for Rick because it hits him with a very large smack of reality in his situation. He, more strongly than ever, understands the role that he needs to undertake, both as a leader and more importantly, as a father. There is a scene later in the series where Rick goes out on his own and digs up Shane’s grave to get a better sense of what they’re up against. Whether a person needs to be bitten or scratched or just dead before they rise again. As Shane begins to crawl out of the grave, he gets the answer he needs and finishes the job, thus also coming to terms with his past and letting go of his uncertainty and grief over what happened with his once friend and partner as well as setting the stage for his growth and becoming a questionably better leader for the group as his conscience now hold less sway over doing not necessarily what’s “right”, but what needs to be done. Which, in the world they now survive in, seems a bit of a more important quality.

So, what do you think? If a fan of the comics, how do you feel if the changes to the story come to pass as reported?