Here Comes the Pain - Carley

(Disclaimer: Spoilers of the The Walking Dead: Season One discussed below.)

 

I am a gigantic fan of Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead: Season One. The game’s masterful plot, incredible voice acting, heart-pounding gameplay, and epic cliffhangers all served to make it an unforgettable experience. The Walking Dead has stuck with me so much that, oftentimes, not a day goes by without me pondering over the game’s story and characters, and how my decisions affected said story and characters. One character stood out to me in particular: Carley the Reporter (voiced by the super awesome Nicole Vigil). Carley’s down to earth nature, noble heart, and downright badass aim quickly captured my heart. When she was brutally shot in the face at the hands of a desperate Lily Caul, I felt as if a part of me died with her. In homage to Carley, I’d like to analyze just how she came to be such an amazing character. This analysis will span the timeframe from our first meeting with Carley, up until her last moments. Better strap yourself to your chair, because painful memories are sure to wrack your body.

Phase I: First Encounter

The player first encounters Carley in Episode 1. Following an exodus from Hershel’s farm, Lee (the player controlled protagonist), Clementine, Kenny, Duck, and Katjaa drive through an abandoned city in the search of shelter. When the group’s truck runs out of gas, they are forced to leave their mobile fortress in the middle of nowhere. As the group tries to get its bearings, accident-prone Duck finds himself yet again at the maw of a zombie (Duck is quite the zombie magnet - this incident marks the second time in one episode that he’s been inches away from evisceration). Duck appears to be dead meat until a timely headshot dispatches his attacker. The shooter is none other than Carley the Deadeye, who then proceeds to escort the group to safety. Right off the bat, Carley proves herself to be 100% badass. Not only does she save Duck, but she also succeeds in sheltering the entire group.

Later on in Episode 1, Carley impresses again when she saves Clementine’s life from a zombie residing in the bathroom. This moment no doubt had a direct impact on the player. A very focal objective of the game is keeping Clementine safe, so when someone else makes it their priority, it’s hard to not develop feelings of indebtedness.

Episode 1 ends on a bloody note: the shelter is compromised by a zombie horde, and the group only has a couple of seconds to escape with their lives. Amidst the chaos, both Carley and Doug find themselves trapped by ghouls. Only one person can survive, and it is up to the player to decide who is worth saving. For me, saving Carley was a no-brainer. Doug was cool, but he was just...Doug. Carley saved the lives of Duck and Clementine, and gave the group shelter when Lilly (the Devil in disguise) protested. Carley might’ve liked Doug but, now that he’s out of the picture, lady charmer Lee can make all the moves that he wants.

Phase II: I Like Where This is Going!

Episode 2 sees the group moving into an abandoned motel. A shortage of food has led Lee and newcomer Mark to go hunting in the wilderness, and all is well (as well as living in a zombie apocalypse can go) until they hear a bloodcurdling scream. They race to find three men, with one incapacitated by a bear trap wrapped around his leg. After several failed attempts at freeing him, and with a horde of zombie closing in, Lee does the only sensible thing left - cut the leg off with his axe. Lee carries the now one and a half-legged man back to camp, feeling quite proud of his actions.

But how, you may ask, does this relate back to the kickassery of Carley? Well, at the time, no one in the group knew that simply dying was grounds enough for reanimation. When Lee leaned in to help Katjaa clean the now deceased one and a half legged individual, he was greeted with a face full of snapping, voracious zombie teeth. Carley dispatches the zombie with what seems to be her umpteenth successful headshot, effectively saving Lee’s life. What a bonding moment!

We might only be in Episode 2, but I think it’s safe to say that Carley will be winning the MVP award of The Walking Dead: Season 1. She has it all: great aim, a great sense of morality, and even an interest in Lee. This interest carries over into the pivotal and utterly heartbreaking Episode 3.

Phase III: I Love You Telltale, but Screw You

Ahh, Episode 3, how I love to hate you. I was beginning to think that life might be ok in the zombie apocalypse. Lee and Carley were on the verge of a blossoming relationship, made evident after Carley affectionately kissed Lee on the cheek.

If there were two things I should have picked up by then, they should’ve been: Good things in the apocalypse are few and far between, and no matter how beautifully they may start out, they’re bound to have a bloody ending.

Shortly after Lee and Carley’s moment, bandits from Episode 2 raid the motel. The group takes what they can salvage and load up in Kenny’s RV, narrowly escaping death once again.

Problems arise once again when a straggling zombie lodges itself under the RV. The RV is forced to stop, giving a very paranoid Lilly an opportunity to vent her accusations. First, she accuses Ben of being a traitor, but jumps on Carley when she tries to intervene. Carley turns the tables on Lilly, saying:

“You think you’re some tough bitch, don’t you? Like nothing can hurt you. But you’re just a scared little girl. Get the fuck over it. Take a page from Lee’s book and try helping somebody for once.”

You go, Carley! I agree with you, 100%. Unfortunately, those probably weren’t the best choice of words to use against a mentally unstable woman, holding a gun.

Lilly, overcome with paranoia and jealousy, drew her firearm. Carley, with her back facing Lilly, had no idea what was about to happen. As she turned back to get into the RV, Lilly (here come the feels again) raised her gun, and fired a shot right into Carley’s face, killing her instantly.

For one of the first times in my life, I was speechless. My mouth was agape for about 45 seconds, and I had to pause the game in order to scrape my brain off of the floor. I won’t even lie, a legitimate tear rolled down my cheek. One of my now favorite characters in all of gaming lie dead at my feet, slain by a paranoid megalomaniac. I finished the episode, but that one moment was all that I thought about for the rest of the day, and the next. And probably the next day after, as well.

Let’s Wrap This Up Before The Feels Consume Me Again

Hats off to Telltale Games for crafting such a beautiful, jarring game. Telltale’s writers know how to affect their audience, and I personally might’ve cried once or twice throughout my playthrough. I guess that’s what I get for getting so attached to the game’s characters, but honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

A special thank you goes to the wonderful Nicole Vigil, who voiced our heroine, Carley. Nicole’s amazing voiceover skills really helped bring Carley to life, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else better suited for the job. She’s also a very awesome, friendly person, and I encourage you to follow her on Twitter @NicVthatsMe.