Sarah's story
Was anyone else really, really hoping that the Sarah/Clementine relationship would turn out to be the focus of this series? I feel like there was a lot of potential in exploring what it's like for two young girls to be friends during a zombie apocalypse. I wanted to see Clementine help Sarah like Lee helped her. In the end, though, she was just another member of the party.
Even though I chose to have Clementine 'become friends' with Sarah, Clementine never really acted friendly toward her. Sarah would approach with a smile and Clementine would look uncomfortable, as though she was unhappy with my decision. There was never a hug or even a smile. I understand Clementine is hardened now, but she shares so many genuine smiles with just about everyone else, including the newest addition to the group. Heck, Jane and Clementine even joke around as they kill walkers. Yet, outside of my decisions, Clementine never seemed to really care for Sarah. I felt a lot of resistance to the friendship I was trying to build, which culminated in her death in Amid The Ruins. No one seemed to acknowledge her death, and everyone was all smiles again when the baby was born. I understand the miracle of a new life is great and all, but to completely gloss over the fact that a few feet away a preteen girl is pinned under a pile of lumber, being ripped to shreds...come on.
I understand what Telltale was probably going for. Sarah is the opposite of Clementine - completely dependent on others and unable to survive on her own. But I saw a lot of potential in a friendship between Clementine and Sarah. Despite my best efforts, though, that friendship didn't materialize. And in the end, Sarah ended up being less of a character and more of a punishment for players who try to be nice, like Ben from Season 1.
Comments
I agree. When Sarah died I was like, "wtf everyone?" Sure, there's a cute new baby, but you also lost someone (who could still technically be referred to as a baby) to the walkers below, someone who desperately did not want to die. It's just sad how they pushed her aside the entire time, but in their defense, Carlos made it difficult for anyone to get close to her. He wanted to protect her so much, he isolated her from everyone except himself till the last second. This left him as the only one she could depend on, and when he went down she had nothing left.
I don't blame Clementine for feeling awkward. Even though Sarah was physically older, she wasn't mentally older than Clementine. It was kind of a forced friendship anyways, and a difficult one because Sarah kept getting into trouble, which wasn't really her fault but it did nothing to help Clem's patience. Clem liked her, I'm sure, but had long since abandoned the childish ways that Sarah still held onto. Sarah wanted normalcy and friendship, while Clem at that point was just focused on everyone making it out alive.
I thought that's what they were going for when we had the ability to save her at first, what with the Kenny plot going on at the same time and the hope that he'd be able to snap out of his own grief. I thought maybe Sarah's situation was playing into that whole idea and theme and Clementine would help her to keep going like she is for Kenny.
But alas, TellTale clearly had no idea what to do with Sarah's character so they just took her out of the picture, just like Nick and most of the characters this season, now that I think about it. Wonderful.
I'm not trying to be mean, but Sarah was obviously not playing with a full deck, so no, I wouldn't want to see the series focus on their relationship.
Clementine: oh shit, run the zombies are after us. Run
Sarah: what, you pinky swear they are after us? Okay, I'll run. Hey Clem, I like to play barbies.
I was completely devastated when - despite my best efforts - I still couldn't save her. Especially since she so obviously did NOT want to die. She wasn't like Jane's sister, looking for an out. She wanted to live and I believe in time, she could have bounced back from her loss and become stronger for it.
Instead we got a meaningless death that cut Sarah's journey short before it even began. She never even got a chance to grow past her issues. And the group does not even fucking care.
I would have at least liked to express some genuine grief after Sarah got torn to shreds, because I sure as hell was bawling in front of my screen. I just keep imagining what a horrible death that must have been for her. Trapped and unable to do anything as the walkers close in on her, when she so desperately wanted another shot at this.
Goodammit. You know how I said I was devastated? Scratch that, I still feel like someone ripped the heart out of my chest and threw it in a shredder. My baby is dead. And after I tried so DAMN hard to get her through this.
...I think I need to find me some ice cream.
lol well she was kinda of a liability. that girl would've fucked things up if she was alive. and yes I though that was goin to be at the end. clem and sarah.i think TT had no other choice, that kid was too pathetic. im still surprise she was 15.
i let her die, i was worried that if i try and help her, jane or nick(i meant luke) get killed. But in the end its her own bloody fault.
Nick? He was already dead from the worst sendoff EVER.
I think they meant to say Luke.
Perhaps her death was a Telltale writer attempt to make us sad that she did not get the chance to grow as person and overcome her hardship. They succeed of course but I felt the lack of emotion from the in game characters made it seem so damn heartless while at least afterwards when all was said and done. No mention of Sarah or Nick. Luke really disappointed me in this regard I mean his best friend died and all he says is fuck and then he goes to get fucked. Just doesn't make sense unless you let Nick die in Episode 2, sense then Luke has plenty of time to mull it all over in his head.But I guess its fair enough to say they had walkers, Rebbecca's baby and a journey to Wellington to deal with. Rant Over
And the thing that drove me crazy... She NEVER defended herself! Even if you taught her how!
Characters can die Telltale. In anyway, shape, manner, or form. I don't care how they die.
But at least, AT THE VERY LEAST, have them react. Rebecca, while emotionally high due to her incoming birth of her baby, gave more of an emotional outcry than Nick's best friend Luke. And having Nick survive is literally the only way for anyone to care he died, cause it's glossed over if he went down in Episode 2.
I'm still infuriated by this. Everything you can do to try and help her, to befriend her, is meaningless. The poor thing deserved so much better.
Absolutely.
I dunno, I just can't get over the horrific way she died. Screaming for help, unable to free herself. I mean, people kept calling her helpless or stupid or just a liability all the time...and then she died in a way that didn't even give her a chance to rise up to the challenge.
When you check up on her after the trailer park segment, she asks Clementine '...they were going to leave me there, weren't they?' and then...the people that were supposed to look out for her just kinda watched her die and then forgot about her in the blink of an eye. Like she was really nothing more than 'that one weak girl'.
Sarah may not have been made for that world, but regardless of whether you believe she could have become stronger or not...she was a genuinely good person. One that deserved better than being dismissed as a hysterical kid who got herself killed.
I don't know what makes me sadder, the simple fact of her death or all the missed potential of seeing her grow.
For me, her death was about as devastating as Lee's.
TRUTH!
BadRewritesSuckMoreThanRipOffMexicanShootouts
Lol, full DECK.
Funny thing is I learned her how to wield a gun... Thanks Telltale it didn't even matter she was going to die no matter what
Clementine never got to hug Sarah :c.... "A pinky promise is forever!" ~Sarah (R.I.P., may your death be mourned in episode 5)
I agree, i really wanted to see more to Sarah's character and was hoping that she might be able to learn from her experience become more of a survivor than relying on everyone to protect her.
I was also disappointed that she dies no matter what but when the deck fell on her i could see that there was no chance in saving her so i decided to pull Jane up.
Plus she had the chance to when they were fighting off the Walkers... I feel like if Telltale added that, it would have made her death more heroic in a way, but I also think that it would've been a bit difficult to find out a way to try and kill her off.
What really got me is when Sarah says Clementine.... damn I wish things could've been differen't ;-;
Sarah's death really, really upset me. I always liked Sarah, but I always preferred Sarita and Rebecca, yet Sarah's death upset me the most. I think it was because after I saved her from the trailer park, I was excited to see her in episode 5, however I was cautious throughout all of Episode 4 because of what they did with Sarita (killing her either way). I even made Mike get Sarah rather than the water or Kenny.
Her death was literally horrifying. The way she called out for Clementine, I had to make Jane save her. Her death was too gruesome for me, like I wouldn't mind that kind of death happening to an adult, but the fact it was a 15 year old, who has been heavily implied to have mental illness, really distaughts me.
I really hope Telltale doesn't keep doing this, it will just lessen the impact each character causes on the player and the story itself... I got an idea for a new DLC:
The Forgotten - features short stories of 5 deceased characters and shows an off-screen adventure with them.
I think it's ok if the DLC doesn't follow the timeline... I mean 400 Days was only good for Bonnie, and they still could've added her in the game without the 400 Days DLC.
That wouldn't be the MAIN focus on the series, but surely it was another waste of character potential, okay with Carver but this...
Plus, she had 2 deaths and her final words just made me tear up ;-; I can't believe how I'm so sad... the feels are too overpowered ;-;
Honestly, it just seems like it's an issue that this season has had that shone the brightest during this episode, and that is that everything seems rushed, and Telltale isn't taking full advantage of the plot points. It's either that or they are trying to shove too much plot into too little time.
It's like "Hey! Kenny hates you! Rebecca's pregnant! Jane tells you that people are weak and hold you back! Sarah proves it! Kenny's still mad! Random stranger dillema! Mike and Bonny bonding time! We had to make Luke do something this episode, might as well be Jane! Baby's coming! Uh-oh, Sarah fell! Someone do som- oh wait! Everyone is busy with the baby! Sarah's dead, but the baby is here! Bye Jane! Hello random stranger who I let live! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU POINTING GUNS AT US?! REBECCA'S DYING?! LUKE AND KENNY RIVALRY?! BONNIE AND MIKE ARE STILL UNDERDEVELOPED?! well, they'll probably get the Sarah treatment because if they haven't received character development yet, then they never will.
You guys forget the fact that everyone thought the baby is dead originally, so they were obviously happy when they found out it's okay.
I don't know why I'm so brought down because of Sarah's death... most of my favourite characters are gone now :c
to be honest i think sarah was a bit to "challenged" for her to be anything other than someone you would have to babysit, maybe telltale just oversold her vulnerability and sheltered personality a bit too much, if she was a normal girl that had just had the worst of the apocalypse hidden from her, she and clementine could have been great allies, but sarah was clearly more than just sheltered, it would take years for sarah to become useful and self reliant, it may be a bit harsh but even though i wanted to save her i am kinda glad she is gone
Telltale's just trying to rush when it comes to killing off characters so that Clem can be either left alone in the end, again, or something.
I think it's going to be hard to write a final episode if there's no characters now, especially since they threw out a lot of the gameplay. What else is there to do now aside from character interaction?
Sarah was my last stop. I wanted to believe that good could survive and blossom into something everyone could believe in. I wanted to prove Carver wrong. But... she died. And then nobody shed a single tear, and I was utterly broken.
Rebecca said to Clementine that night "we're family." What kind of family? Everyone, every-single-one who's died so far did so in vein. Pete, Reggie, Carlos, Alvin, Nick, Sarita, Walter, and now Sarah. What kind of family doesn't mourn the one's they've lost?
Suffice to say, I'm "cashing out." I'm only going to look out for myself from now on. People lag behind, they get left behind. People have something I want or need, I take it. People pose a threat to me, they die. Point blank.
Hearing her call out for her Daddy and Clementine as she screamed just left me absolutely devastated. She was a scared child in a world she couldn't barely understand and died in the most horrific way possible. Yet I understand why it happened. Despite me always trying to help her and make her stand on her own two feet she just couldn't do it. And that get's you killed. Poor girl. This hurt me in a way not since Lee took Clem's bullet.
I am however appalled that all the other characters has no reaction to her death. I hope that changes in Episode 5.
Sarah was just like Jane said, dead weight to be honest. Clementine saw both her parents zombified at a young age, yet still kept on trucking while Sarah couldn't just suck it up and move on, no matter how hard Clem tried to convince her to grow up. I honestly didn't think twice about helping Jane up or helping Sarah because I wasn't taking any chances that Jane was going to meet her demise at the cost of Sarah.
I most certainly did not hate her, but she was a huge liability to the group like Jane had said. No matter how hard I tried, even slapping her across the face, she couldn't just show any signs of growing up and learning to deal with the horrors of the current world.
Well yeah, but is that really a good reason to completely ignore the loss of another child only seconds before? They could have at least said something like, "We'll mourn Sarah later. Right now this baby needs us."
i wish i could put it so eloquently as you @Treadstone87,....but ...this really Fucking SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!.............. the one character i cared deeply about to die such a corny way and unrealistic not having the chance to save her,this just took the taste out of my mouth...the options just were not there for Sarah,it's like @Telltale wanted to end the friendship and pushed very unlikeable people like Jane to the front of the story...im sort of glad this episode is getting negative reviews,pushing unlikable characters in place of likeables (Sarah and Nick) .
i was adamant i wasnt leaving Sarah,and let Jane drop to try and save her,what do you think about the way she died @OzzyUK ? did you think it was poorly written?
Let's be honest, Telltale wasted great potential for her character. I wanted her to survive this season. She never really developed much, after we brought with us, she showed signs of insanity. Believing Carlos was alive. And she was scared to die. That's it. I really wanted to have her mature and help Clem through the journey. However no matter what, she dies in the SAME episode. Sure I was saddened by her death, but COME ON!
And Nick, heh, I don't even need to explain that problem.
I guess it comes down to whether your Clementine still tries to help people or if she's subscribed to Carver's ideologies - that only the strong should survive, and everyone else is dead weight. Lee didn't teach her that back in Season 1, so my Clementine tried to help Sarah, but in the end Telltale had other plans for her.