The Walking Dead Season 2: Episode 3 - In Harm's Way

The previous episode of The Walking Dead gave the season a purpose and direction. Episode three had a lot of potential at maintaining that momentum but fell short. While some moments will have you shocked, most of the narrative can be anticipated.

The story picks up where the last episode left off, with Clementine and her group having been kidnapped by Bill Carver’s posse and being transported into his settlement. At first the community looks like a haven, with plenty of food, water, electricity and security. This doesn’t matter as everyone is treated like a slave, and the dictator that leads this society won’t hesitate to kill someone who questions his authority.

Carver believes that his way is the best and is willing to enforce violent action and install fear within everyone for his vision. Carver attempts to justify his actions for the sake of the group. It’s unfortunate because Carver had such potential to be a great villain; instead his persona seems forced. Telltale tries extremely hard to ensure that the player hates Carver instead of creating a more compelling character.

Clementine’s development is halted in In Harm’s Way. In episode one she learns to survive on her own, and in the second episode had Clementine slowly gaining the trust of a new group. Now she’s become everyone's errand girl; whenever someone needs something it’s up to Clementine to sneak away and look for it. It’s strange to see a group of adults constantly rely on a little girl to take on the most dangerous and important role because you are in control of her.

While we don’t learn anything profound about any of the characters of In Harm’s Way, they do shape Clementine. During most of the episode you’ll be forced to decide whether to help your struggling friends or put them in harm’s way. The episode attempts to establish what type of person Clementine may become if she continues to travel down her path, but it also shows who truly cares for the teenage girl.

In Harm’s Way isn’t the most stellar episode, but it does have a lot of moving moments. Characters attempting to save one another or make up for their past mistakes creates delightful drama, especially when Clementine is forced to intervene. Bonnie, from 400 Days, is one of the most noticeable characters in the entire episode. Her guilt for betraying the trust of the group in the last episode, and her responsibility for Walter’s death, consumes her. She doesn’t know what to say and apologizes for her actions, even giving Clementine a tacky jacket.

In Harm’s Way is similar to episode one; it’s meant to be another stepping stone to what Clementine will become. A lot of important situations are present here, but not a lot of them carry any weight within the episode itself. Most of the gameplay consists of dialogue, but it also dives deeper into how far Clementine is willing to go to protect her allies. In the end, In Harm’s Way will have you lamenting on your past actions and wondering, did I do the right thing?

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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