Christa may be alive - Theory
I was thinking about Christa's fate yesterday (started another play-through) and I maybe have come across enough circumstantial evidence to support the hypothesis that Christa is still alive.
When we last saw Christa she was surrounded by those scavengers. Either choice resulted Clementine running through the woods hearing a single gunshot behind her; Christa's fate is bleak and is assumed dead. We haven't directly observe Christa's death so we have a little wiggle room in wondering about her fate, which has led some people to question if Christa is indeed dead. I propose the hypothesis that Christa was indeed shot but was wounded and captured by the scavengers.
Now before the naysayers come along saying that isn't likely, I would like to point out: Kenny's return in season 2 is a precedent that without direct observation of a character's death we cannot assume that character is dead despite the grim circumstances. Moving on.
Towards the end of episode 1 we see the resulting handy work of some powerful group that killed the scavengers (evident by dying scavenger that Clem recognized whom was threatening Christa from earlier before she fled). I propose that it was Carver's group that killed the scavenger group, and by result captured, or perhaps rescued, Christa. The reason why I think it was Carver's group is subtly revealed in episode 2. When Carver finds the cabin, and is talking with Clem, he asks about his missing people. One of the dialogue options is to say that they're all dead. Clem talks about the dead bodies down by the river that were killed by walkers, but Carver immediately becomes suspicious of this answer, saying "The river? You sure about that?". It's early enough in the conversation that Carver has no reason to doubt Clementine, but he does. Why? Because in all likelihood he and his group were the ones responsible for their deaths. Carver drop some info that he and his family are "set up a ways down-river." and probably use the river as a means to traverse the area, so it's not unreasonable to credit the attack to Carver.
The last part here is pure speculation on my part since there isn't any corroborating evidence. In episode three the group is back in Carver's camp, and Carlos is always busy. They have enough food and supplies that people should be healthy and able-body. I also have doubts that there are many serious injuries because that would interfere with building projects. When they first get back Troy pulls Carlos away from the group to check on someone. I think that someone is Christa. Being wounded by a gunshot there are limitations to what non-medical personnel could do without potentially doing more damage, and having their doctor back they would want to immediately put him to work to save anybody with life threatening injuries. Even if Carver's group manage to treat Christa's wounds there would likely be complications as a result, from infection to internal bleeding.
I also think that if Christa is in Carver's camp, nobody would also know that she's connected to Clementine. Christa wasn't a very trusting individual in season 1, and probably even less so since Omid's death in season 2. I would surmise Christa would not reveal anything about herself or her plans to anybody. It is highly possible that Christa would be confined to the clinic area which only a few people like Carlos and some guards would ever see.
Comments
I don't know about Christa being held in Carver's camp but I do think that it's very likely that she is still alive. I believe they will be reunited before the end of the season. Unless a death is confirmed by the writers themselves or you see it with your own eyes, you can expect them to still be alive and breathing.
Christa's a strong woman. I think she somehow made it, captured or not. It would feel too much of a rehashing (yes, hash, I know) of S1 where Clem spent the entire season searching for her parents only to find them dead if she was actually killed off in episode one.