I can't get The Walking Dead from this past Sunday out of my head. The evolution of this show keeps me wanting more. The show is like a bad drug that sucks you down into the worst of humanity, but keeps you hoping that better days are around the corner with the knowledge that it can only get worse first.

Last week's episode Dale pointed out the demise of society and the loss of humanity along with it when the group was forced to decide the fate of a stranger, Randall, in their safety zone. Dale stood alone in defense of Randall's life and wandered off disappointed and angry. After he left the group decided to spare the young stranger's life and let him go free miles from the property. When they went to find Dale to tell him the news they came upon him while he was being attacked by a walker. Rick was ready to put Dale out of his misery when Daryl pushed him aside and put the barrel of his gun to Dale's head and pulled the trigger.

This is when Rick's son Carl discovered that the walker responsible for Dales demise was the very same one that he had been provoking hours earlier stuck in the swamp. He had the chance to shoot the walker with the gun he stole from Daryl's motorcycle, but instead just ran away once the walker got free.

In this episode Carl's guilt got the best of him and he confided in Shane, who insisted that he keep the gun he stole for protection. Carl asked Shane to return the gun to Daryl. Instead Shane took the gun to Rick and told him Carl's story letting Rick know that he's not as good a father as what Shane would be to Carl.

A week ago Lori told Rick that Shane is dangerous and he needed to do something about it and this week she has a heart to heart with Shane. Lori acknowledged Shane's part in her and Carl's survival and apologized to him for messing up things between him and Rick. She also admitted that she's not sure which of them is the father of her unborn child. This conversation gave Shane the idea that he could have Lori back if only Rick were gone.

Though I knew Shane taking the prisoner Randall into the woods before Rick could let him go was a set up I wasn't sure how Shane was going to pull the wool over Daryl's eyes and he didn't. Shane took Randall from the barn and made it look as if he'd slipped the cuffs and run off. Shane convinced him that he wanted to join his group so he would trust that Shane didn't want him dead. They disappeared behind a tree and we heard the unmistakable sound of Shane snapping Randall's neck. T-dog went to the barn to get Randall when he unlocked the door and looked inside he discovered their prisoner was gone.

Shane went back to the farm and said he went after Randall, but Randall got the jump on him and stole his gun. This sounded far fetched to Daryl who pointed out that Randall is much smaller than Shane so it was unlikely that he could get a gun away from him. Rick sent Daryl and Glenn into the woods and he teamed up with Shane for the hunt. Instantly Daryl started finding more holes in Shane's story. Rick was suspicious of Shane keeping a close eye on him throughout their trek in the woods.

After coming upon Shane and Randall's trail Daryl and Glenn were investigating clues unraveling Shane's story even more, Randall now a walker, attacked. Daryl strikes, a rare miss with the crossbow and Glenn takes the walker down with an ax to the head. Daryl inspects the body discovering there are no bite marks and that Randall died from a broken neck. While they try to figure out how Randall turned we go back to Shane and Rick's journey.

They are now out of the woods standing in a field when Rick finally stops and says, "Is this where you plan to do it?" Shane points the gun at Rick and tells him that Lori and Carl will get over him a second time. Rick pleads with him and the two stare each other down, one with the desire to kill the other and the other with the knowledge that he has to kill his former best friend. Rick gives up his gun when Shane walks closer Rick pulls his knife and stabs Shane. As Shane fades away, images of walkers flash across the screen, Rick cries over what he was forced to do, he looks up to see his son watching him. Rick jumps up and approaches Carl, while a large group of walkers neither of them sees makes their way into the field. Rick tries to explain what happened when Carl raises the gun that his father convinced him to keep. Then we see Shane fully zombified walking behind Rick, Carl pulls the trigger putting Shane down.

This raises all sorts of questions for the season finale, what will the group think of Rick for killing Shane? What is going on with this virus? Is everyone bound to become a walker? Is the farm still safe?

Here's what the stars of the show have to say about this episode: