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WHY would anyone cut off their arm? (ep 5)

NatsumiNatsumi
edited May 2013 in The Walking Dead
I know we can't always apply real-world logic to video game situations, but let's look at what we know of the game's universe.

-you become a walker when you die
-cut off your own arm surrounded by people with no medical training and high chance of death
-your fate is sealed from the end of episode 4, so why would you choose something that would hasten your death and make you a danger to your companions?
-open wound = huge blood loss = surrounded by decaying corpses = infection = DEATH
-Lee's been walking around after the bite for at least a few hours. There's something called circulation, so the walker virus is all over his bloodstream already.
-it takes about a day for people to turn , so I thought it'd make more sense not to cripple myself too badly or I wouldn't be much of a help to Clem.
-remember episode 2 if you chose to chop Ben's teacher's leg off?

I don't know about the current statistics, but when I played ep 5 I was really surprised so a many people chose to cut the arm off when it just makes things worse...

Comments

  • zev_zevzev_zev
    edited May 2013
    Natsumi wrote: »
    I know we can't always apply real-world logic to video game situations, but let's look at what we know of the game's universe.

    -you become a walker when you die
    -cut off your own arm surrounded by people with no medical training and high chance of death
    -your fate is sealed from the end of episode 4, so why would you choose something that would hasten your death and make you a danger to your companions?
    -open wound = huge blood loss = surrounded by decaying corpses = infection = DEATH
    -Lee's been walking around after the bite for at least a few hours. There's something called circulation, so the walker virus is all over his bloodstream already.
    -it takes about a day for people to turn , so I thought it'd make more sense not to cripple myself too badly or I wouldn't be much of a help to Clem.
    -remember episode 2 if you chose to chop Ben's teacher's leg off?

    I don't know about the current statistics, but when I played ep 5 I was really surprised so a many people chose to cut the arm off when it just makes things worse...

    Just two words dude: read comics.
  • gimmeseason2gimmeseason2
    edited May 2013
    I'm sure that at that moment, most people thought they could save Lee or at least make him live a little longer by cutting his arm off.
  • Bioshock Infinite WDBioshock Infinite WD
    edited May 2013
    I was pretty sure I was going to die, but there was a small chance I would live, so that's my reasoning.
  • NatsumiNatsumi
    edited May 2013
    zev_zev wrote: »
    Just two words dude: read comics.

    I didn't know there was a comics series. What happens?
  • Bioshock Infinite WDBioshock Infinite WD
    edited May 2013
    I'm not going to spoil it, but someone gets bit, they cut of the limb and that person lives, that is why I and many others did the same.
  • zev_zevzev_zev
    edited May 2013
    Natsumi wrote: »
    I didn't know there was a comics series. What happens?

    Well, based on the comic books I can conclude that if in the first minutes after the bite cut off the limb which was bitten, then there is a approximately 30% chance that the person will survive. That's why I did it. Plus the most people was waiting episode 5, mounth or more, and their hopes rised up day after day. Same like mine.
  • Bioshock Infinite WDBioshock Infinite WD
    edited May 2013
    I would say maybe even under a minute, but that is about the right time frame.
  • zev_zevzev_zev
    edited May 2013
    ^ For continue of my thought, I think, that everybody will support me, if I say that: this game you must play with a large pauses between episodes, pauses makes emotions and dramatical effect more powerfully.
  • Bioshock Infinite WDBioshock Infinite WD
    edited May 2013
    I agree whole hearty, It does make it a better game overall.
  • N7.N7.
    edited May 2013
    Because it does make him a hero, Who going to save Clem just with one hand!
  • MornaiMornai
    edited May 2013
    I knew you could survive a bite if the affected area was removed quickly enough, as it is in the comic(this game follows the rules of the comic). I wanted more than anything for Lee to survive, but i sort of figured he wouldn't. Even so, if i could try anything to give Lee any extra amount of time to ensure Clem is safe, i would take it.

    Once i saw the group enter Vernon's hideout and the arm was still there, i knew it would not work. The time it would take to traverse the sewers(especially without Vernon as a guide) would simply be far too long. But maybe if the source of the infection was removed, i thought it would slow the process just enough to allow Lee to continue his mission.

    However...i believe the battle scene against the herd is way cooler with both arms. In theory it would seem like Lee doing it with just one arm should be more awesome, but i love the part where Lee squeezes the shard of glass to the point of drawing blood(and the music beginning on cue). To me it showed a powerful message of Lee basically saying "I don't give a damn about myself, I'm getting to the Marsh House and no one will stop me". Great.
  • Supporter of LillySupporter of Lilly
    edited May 2013
    Mornai wrote: »
    I knew you could survive a bite if the affected area was removed quickly enough, as it is in the comic(this game follows the rules of the comic). I wanted more than anything for Lee to survive, but i sort of figured he wouldn't. Even so, if i could try anything to give Lee any extra amount of time to ensure Clem is safe, i would take it.

    Once i saw the group enter Vernon's hideout and the arm was still there, i knew it would not work. The time it would take to traverse the sewers(especially without Vernon as a guide) would simply be far too long. But maybe if the source of the infection was removed, i thought it would slow the process just enough to allow Lee to continue his mission.

    However...i believe the battle scene against the herd is way cooler with both arms. In theory it would seem like Lee doing it with just one arm should be more awesome, but i love the part where Lee squeezes the shard of glass to the point of drawing blood(and the music beginning on cue). To me it showed a powerful message of Lee basically saying "I don't give a damn about myself, I'm getting to the Marsh House and no one will stop me". Great.
    it was pretty freaking sweet when he grabbed that shard of glass and music played on cue
  • HudomonkeyHudomonkey
    edited May 2013
    Most people say Lee could save Clem with an arm tied behind his back...
    My Lee can save Clem with only one arm!
  • Bioshock Infinite WDBioshock Infinite WD
    edited May 2013
    It was a lot cooler with both hands, when he grabbed the glass it always reminded me of Bruce Lee with the blood. This moment has to be one of the most badass moments in the whole series
  • Rock114Rock114
    edited May 2013
    If I'd had the choice, I would have sliced my own damn am off right then and there, immediately after the bite. But when I saw that Lee and Co. had walked to Vernon's morgue, I knew it was too late. I kept the arm solely because I knew we'd waited too long, and risking Clem for a slim (impossible, I thought) chance of survival wasn't smart.
  • DomingezDomingez
    edited May 2013
    This was one tough decision, to be honest I thought it was too late for Lee and cutting the arm off would cause a lot of blood loss and infection and of course death, not cutting the arm off gives the benefit of two arms rather than one, but leaves you unsure of how much time Lee has left. So it was a lose/lose decision and I decided to leave the arm in my first walkthrough
  • Mark$manMark$man
    edited May 2013
    Seriously, you should read the comics, it explains so much. I cut the arm off because there was a CHANCE to save Lee, and I was going to take it.

    Also, the chances of surviving the infection lowers the closer the bite is to vital parts of your body, and you are screwed if you got bitten let's say on your forehead or neck.
    I'd say the chances of Lee surviving losing his arm was about 50/50, for they were in a morgue that was made to preserve and well... cut out functioning/important parts of the body. However, he just happened to be too slow. You have a time limit before the infection spreads, and unfortunately for Lee... he was too busy searching for Clem :/
  • fishmahboifishmahboi
    edited May 2013
    Cutting Lee's arm also gives the advantage of reducing the amount of times he passes out during Episode 5.
    From what I know the occurrences where Lee collapses on the Ladder in the elevator and in the attic of the house are negated if the player cuts off Lee's arm.
  • MikejamesMikejames
    edited May 2013
    Bioshock Infinite WD wrote: »
    I was pretty sure I was going to die, but there was a small chance I would live, so that's my reasoning.

    Pretty much.

    Based on what we knew, we were choosing between definite death and probable death.
  • michikademichikade
    edited May 2013
    I've played through once with an arm and once without.

    If you hack it off the dialogue is different and you pass out less, and you don't really turn gray until you get to the Marsh House. If you leave it on, you're weaker and if you have your group with you during the morgue / hospital scene, everyone knows you're going to die without question so everyone's a little more fatalistic in the dialogue. You also start turning gray earlier on and get a little slower / weaker earlier.

    I will say, the glass shard version is beyond badass. Although, Lee just doesn't give two fucks either way, you can see it in his face right before he walks through the herd.
  • HarjKSHarjKS
    edited May 2013
    I think it's a psychological factor, trying to eliminate the source of death is what most humans instinctively go for, so the fact that we knew Lee was going to die may have messed with us so bad we'd do anything to try and save him.
  • Danno123Danno123
    edited May 2013
    I made a thread about this a while back, and I still don't understand why you would cut it off.
    Sure, you MAY give Lee some time, and he MAY be saved, but considering that everyone here is saying that if you cut it off straight away it's going to be alright, imagine how long it probably took them to get to the bunker area where the cancer survivors were, and that Lee had already passed out once from it. OK, OK, if you cut it off it DOES stop you from fainting a couple of times, but that's about it. You don't miss anything major, and unfortunately, you still die. I kept my arm because I wanted to troop on with two arms, thinking it might be a problem at some parts (as seen in the climbing of the ladder, I mean come on, how does he do that?!), and that I may not even get through it.

    Also I have to say I loved chopping up zombies with two hands. >;]
  • Enigmatic WonderEnigmatic Wonder
    edited May 2013
    Well seems like this topic has been pretty well covered.....surprised the OP didn't know about the comics since I'm sure that's been mentioned at least a couple times leading up to the release not to mention on these forums as well.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_Dead_(comics)

    Series had it's 100th issue last summer and it's 10th anniversary will be in October. In case you didn't know there is a TV show too.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Walking_Dead_(TV_series)

    Third season ended about a month and a half ago. Season four is set to start in October (just in time for the 10th anniversary of the comic)

    I highly suggest checking out one or the other if you enjoyed the game Natsumi. Keep in mind however that while characters and certain plot elements are shared between the comic and series that both have their own storyline. Someone who is alive in the show may be dead in the comic and vice versa. In some cases one or two characters may also be exclusive to one or the other.

    As far as the game goes it's in the time line of the comic and the situations in the game ran along those in the comic. Aside from a few characters here and there in moments before they joined the main group in the comic the cast of the game is about 90% original and did not cross paths with the group from the comic.

    If you got about an hour and a half to kill and want a condensed recap for the first three seasons of the show then here's some links for you ^_~

    Season One:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_5qelyHLP4
    Season Two (first half):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqzaYHtQfTA
    Season Two (second half):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByywqqqOhfA
    Season Three:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZk9sBjLKZg
  • MikejamesMikejames
    edited May 2013
    Danno123 wrote: »
    I made a thread about this a while back, and I still don't understand why you would cut it off.
    Sure, you MAY give Lee some time, and he MAY be saved, but considering that everyone here is saying that if you cut it off straight away it's going to be alright, imagine how long it probably took them to get to the bunker area where the cancer survivors were, and that Lee had already passed out once from it.
    It's not that complicated. Taking a slim chance of cutting off the infection as opposed to a guaranteed death could be enough justification at the time.

    Besides, the game was my introduction to the series. I didn't know how well the amputation method ever worked.
  • Rommel49Rommel49
    edited May 2013
    I didn't cut it off simply because I knew it was too late; Lee doesn't even get the option of removing the arm until after he passes out. Nevermind that blood circulates throughout the body in about a minute or less (depending on physical activity and such).

    The false hope angle doesn't really sway me either; particularly from Lee's perspective: if he's going to hope he somehow got to it in time, he can just as easily hope he's the one shmuck that can survive the infection anyway - it's equally fruitless. :p
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