The Walking Dead #5 (Feb. 2004):
“Days Gone Bye, Part 5”
by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore

BELOW: Donna says that Dale's living arrangement with Amy and Andrea is "unChristian"; Lori tells her so is being judgmental: Donna is probably the most overtly religious character in the group of zombie apocalypse survivors that Rick Grimes has joined up with. Donna watches as Dale, Amy and Andrea return from shooting practice and enter Dale's RV together. In one of the most overt expressions of her religious beliefs and background, Donna states that Dale's living arrangement with Amy and Andrea (two adult sisters many years younger than him) is "unChristian." Lori replies, referencing a concept that is generally attributable to Matthew chapter 7, verses 1 through 3. Lori tells Donna that "being judgmental" is also unChristian. Donna may believe that Dale is committing adultery with Amy and Andrea, although it is not really clear at this point whether he is doing anything other than sleep in the RV with him. Dale's wife recently died (during the zombie outbreak 5 to 6 weeks previous), so technically, if Dale actually is doing anything sexual with Amy and/or Andrea, the sin would be fornication. Or Donna may simply object to such Dale "carrying on" with women who are so much younger than him. (Dale is in his sixties. Amy is 19. Andrea is 26.) Or she might object to the fact that there are two women living in the RV with him. It could be a combination of all of these that prompts Donna to call the situation "unChristian." A few issues later, Donna apparently has relaxed her stance in light of the extraordinary situation they're all in (zombie apocalypse) and although she still doesn't "approve" of Dale's relationship with Andrea, she smiles when she catches Andrea and Dale in a state of mostly-undressed physical intimacy and she leaves them alone and then tells her husband that it is nice to seem them happy together.

Donna: Look at the three of them... Carrying on in front of God and everyone else. it's unChristian.

Lori: So's being judgmental if I remember correctly.

Donna: [walking away in a huff] Hmph!

Carol: [to Lori] Good one.

Source: The Walking Dead #5 (Feb. 2004): "Days Gone Bye, Part 5", pg. 7, panels 5-8. Written by Robert Kirkman. Art by Tony Moore. See also: sexual morality; adultery; judging others; Christian (denomination unknown); Lori Grimes; Donna

BELOW: Dale talks to Rick and Shane about his living situation with Amy and Andrea, pointing out that he's not doing anything with them, despite Donna's suspicions and religious objections: Whatever Donna might suspect is happening in Dale's RV, it seems unlikely at this point that her suspicions are correct. Dale, whose wife died about 6 to 7 weeks previous, is indeed living with two young women (Amy, who is 19, and Andrea who is 26). But he tells Rick and Shane that they're "not doing anything" (meaning that they are not doing any sexual, i.e., fornication, which is Donna's apparent concern).

Rick: Lori tells me Donna just won't shut up about you and the girls living together in that camper. She started right after we got back from target practice a couple days ago and hasn't let up since. Pretty much the only thing she's talked to me about since I let Carl start practicing with us.

Dale: Donna ain't shown a lick of gratitude for my saving her life. I don't see how Allen puts up with her.

Shane: Those poor boys... Think about how she's going to be raising them twins.

Rick: Y'know, I figure you've earned the right to have two pretty young women keep you company. Without all your camping gear, we'd be screwed.

Dale: C'mon guys... I'm not doing anything with those girls. To be honest, I'm an old man... My plumbing ain't what it used to be. It's just-- after losing my wife not two months ago... It's nice having them around. They keep the place clean... Remind me of what it was like with her around.

Rick: You don't have to explain yourselves to us... It's your business. Donna's just an old housewife who doesn't have soap operas to keep her small mind occupied. Don't let her get to you.

Source: The Walking Dead #5 (Feb. 2004): "Days Gone Bye, Part 5", pg. 8, panels 1-5. Written by Robert Kirkman. Art by Tony Moore. See also: sexual morality; judging others; Rick Grimes; Dale Horvath; Amy; Andrea; Shane Walsh; Donna

BELOW: Carol's husband gave up on life and apparently committed suicide after the zombie apocalypse began:

Carol: Sophia's father was the breadwinner. I sold some Tupperware out of catalogues from time to time but it was really just to friends and neighbors. I wouldn't have considered it a job. My husband was a car salesman. They used to say he could talk anyone into anything... He talked me into marrying him... Talked me into staying with him after... ... He watched his parents die right after everything started to happen. He couldn't deal with it... He just sort of gave up on life... He... y'know. After he was... gone Sophia and I came here to stay with my sister... We figured it'd be worth the drive to stay with someone we know...

Source: The Walking Dead #5 (Feb. 2004): "Days Gone Bye, Part 5", pg. 13, panel 1. Written by Robert Kirkman. Art by Tony Moore. See also: suicide; Carol Peletier; Ed Peletier