Secrets

"Secrets" is the sixth episode of the second season of AMC's The Walking Dead. It is the twelfth episode of the series overall. It premiered on November 20, 2011. It was written by Angela Kang and directed by David Boyd.

Plot
Secrets are told and secrets are revealed. Hershel refuses to acknowledge the world's new reality. Andrea comes out of her shell. Everyone is becoming more and more aware that "everything is food for something".

Synopsis
The morning after the discovery of the secret of the farm, the Atlanta survivors are busily doing chores around the farm. Finally back on his feet, Carl and Lori talk about the chickens they are feeding, Patricia cripples live chickens to feed the Walkers that the family keep in the barn. Meanwhile, Glenn is watching the barn, with Maggie begging him to keep their secret. Glenn walks away to give food to Dale and T-Dog.

Andrea visits Daryl to apologize by giving him a book, and he quickly tells her that they are fine because she was only trying to protect the group. Glenn confronts Lori about her pregnancy and whether she has told Rick about it yet; offering to go to town to get supplies for her. Jimmy, Rick, and Shane busily plan their search for Sophia, agreeing to search a nearby abandoned housing development after gun practice. Beth Greene and Patricia both ask to be trained as Otis was the only member of the farm trained; though Rick will only do so if Hershel agrees. Carl also asks Shane to teach him and it is discovered that he has taken a gun from Dale's RV. This leads to a heated conversation between Lori and Rick where Carl argues that he only wants to help. Lori agrees to allow Carl to learn how to handle the weapon. Glenn is asked if he wants to learn, but he excuses himself by saying he’s going to be helping Dale. Unbeknownst to Glenn, Dale was nearby and overheard. He kept up the ruse and confronted Glenn after the others had left, leading Glenn to reveal the secrets of both Lori and Hershel.

At the firing range, Andrea is proving to be a natural at handling a firearm. She asks Shane what made him decide to stay with the camp, but he doesn't answer and only stares at Carl and Lori with Rick. Back at the farm, Dale speaks with Hershel and brings up the walkers. Hershel argues that the Walkers are still people and that every one that is killed is, in the end, murder. Dale tries to make Hershel realize the truth about the Walkers, but he will not accept the reality of the apocalypse. Dale offers to help reinforce the barn, but Hershel rebuffs him and asks him to keep the secret of the barn to himself if he truly wants to help.

As Lori and Hershel repair a fence, she thanks him again for everything he has done and tells him that they will earn their place at the farm. Hershel again reminds her that he expects them to move on to Fort Benning soon. Andrea and Shane are trying advanced target training, using a swinging log as a mobile target. Trying to raser her anger to improve her focus, he badgers her by bringing up her sister Amy. Andrea walks away. Lori confronts Rick about Hershel’s desire for them to leave and why he hasn't told anyone else in the group. Rick tells her that they have to give Hershel space if he’s going to change his mind. Nonetheless, Rick reminds her if they have to leave, his first priority is her and Carl. Shane follows Andrea in his car after she storms away, but she wants nothing to do with him. Shane uses Sophia to get her to respond to him by telling her about the housing project. She agrees to search it with him. Back at camp, Dale tells Lori about his wife’s miscarriage and admits that Glenn told him about her pregnancy. She tells him about Shane, but she’s sure that the baby belongs to Rick. Dale assures her that the baby can have good memories, but he sits in silence when Lori asks if he thinks her child could live a long life.

Glenn apologizes to Lori while chopping firewood, but Lori tells him not to worry about it. She asks him to go to town to get supplies and Maggie goes with him. The two argue over the nature of walkers and Maggie tells him that her father is angry at her for letting him find out. She tells him that they’re still people and tells him not to call them walkers anymore, reciting their names to him. They return to the pharmacy where Maggie is attacked and only escapes after Glenn kills the walker.

As this is happening, Andrea and Shane explore the housing community, hoping to find Sophia. They decide to search house by house.

Maggie blows up on Lori for risking their lives, and then argues with Glenn over his being little more than the errand boy for the Atlanta survivors when he could be a leader.

While searching a home in the housing community, Andrea and Shane are swarmed by walkers. Shane uses this as an opportunity to test Andrea’s shooting ability and handling of stress, especially after her gun jams in the middle of a swarm. She eventually gets the hang of it, hitting headshot after headshot.

Lori and Glenn talk about the attack at the pharmacy and Lori apologizes because she thought the town was safe. Glenn gives Lori the morning-after abortion pills she asked for, but also gives her prenatal vitamins that he found at the pharmacy. He urges her to let Rick help her make the choice and not make it for the both of them after confirming their friendship.

Later, Andrea and Shane have sex while Lori takes the morning after pills. She immediately afterward sticks her fingers down her throat to make herself vomit. After returning, Andrea apologizes to Carol and the two leave. Dale confronts Shane about the night Otis died and brings up Shane’s attempt on Rick. Dale tells him its time for him to leave because he knows who he really is, leading Shane to challenge Dale and threaten him. After returning to the tent, Rick finds the empty container of pills and goes to find Lori. The two argue about whether it is right to bring the baby into the world because of the risks, but Rick feels it’s worth the risks. He asks if there are any more secrets and Lori reveals that she slept with Shane when she thought he was dead, he tells her he already knew.

Co-Stars

 * Jane McNeill as Patricia
 * James Allen McCune as Jimmy

Deaths

 * Dale and Irma's unborn baby (Confirmed Fate)
 * Mr. Fischer (Alive, Confirmed Fate)
 * Mrs. Fischer (Alive, Confirmed Fate)
 * Lacey (Alive, Confirmed Fate)
 * Duncan (Alive, Confirmed Fate)
 * Several chickens

Trivia

 * The title of the episode, "Secrets", refers to the members of the group, each one with their own secret, with some being revealed:
 * The Walkers inside The Greene Family's Barn.
 * Lori's pregnancy and affair with Shane.
 * Shane and Andrea's relationship.
 * Carl obtaining a gun.
 * Shane's involvement in Otis' death.
 * Rick not telling the group that Hershel wants Rick and everyone to move on.
 * The housing development seen in this episode is the TV Series equivalent of the Wiltshire Estates from the Comic Series. This was confirmed in an interview with Robert Kirkman at the Arizona Comic-Con.
 * Shane causes another shift from the Comic Series in this episode, and starts a brief relationship with Andrea. In the Comic Series, Andrea and Dale developed a love relationship.
 * The title of the book that Andrea gives Daryl is "The Case of the Missing Man". This title may be a reference to Merle or Sophia who are both missing at this time.
 * Shane comments that when Andrea faces a walker, she will need more than a screwdriver. This is a reference to when a walker invaded the RV in "What Lies Ahead" and Andrea managed to kill it with a screwdriver.
 * Dale refers to the time Shane considered killing Rick and was caught in the act by Dale in "Wildfire".

Comic Parallels

 * Rick and Lori arguing about whether or not Carl should carry a gun is adapted from Issue 5.
 * Rick teaching Carl how to shoot is adapted from Issue 5.
 * Andrea proving to Rick and Shane to be the best shooter is adapted from Issue 5.
 * The group practicing shooting near the farm is adapted from Issue 11.
 * Hershel believing the walkers to still being people is adapted from Issue 11.
 * Lori talking with Hershel about the group staying on his farm is adapted from Issue 12.
 * Dale talking with Lori about her pregnancy is adapted from Issue 10.
 * Rick finding out Lori is pregnant is adapted from Issue 7.
 * Lori trying to talk to Rick about her affair with Shane is adapted from Issue 38.

Goofs/Errors

 * When Maggie gets attacked by a walker in the shop, a person can be seen standing next to the horses behind Glenn.