Dr.Jenner whispering into Ricks ear theory makes no sense.

[PKMN Trainer_Sunnshine]

Why?

Well, in the episode 18 Miles Out when Shane and Rick are looking at the bodies left in the spot where they were going to dump Randall in, Shane notices that the dead walkers did not have any bite marks at all, and asked Rick if he knew what was going on.

Rick answers with 'They must of been infected by scratch marks'. and points to the various scratchmoarks on the bodies.

Now, if he knew the truth, why would he lie like that? This was before Shane went completely batshit insane and tried to attack him. I would of though he would of at least told Lori about it.

Not to mention in the Better Angels episode, after he KILLS shane, he did not shoot him in the head, or smashed his head in. If he did know they were all infected, why not shoot him in the head in the first place, to make sure he does not come back as a walker?

This is why the theory makes no sense to me.

[Arctic Vixen]

He may not have been lying, he may have just been hoping that Dr. Jenner was wrong.

Shooting Shane wasn't exactly an option. Shane is a better shot, and would have seen it coming.

Now, why he didn't shoot Shane in the head right AFTER stabbing him....shock, maybe? And the fact that he still wasn't sure if Jenner was right. He's the optimistic type, obviously.

[schlafmytze]

he probably didn't know coming back as a walker would happen?

[la petite lamb]

He said he didn't realize the theory was true until Shane turned!

[Michonne]

Rick admitted that he HOPED Dr. Jenner was wrong. So even though he was informed beforehand, I suppose he was still hoping against hope that it wasn't so.

[Kain-Senpai]

What I'm thinking is, Rick wasn't sure if Dr. Jenner was telling the truth or not. Or, rather, Rick was hoping it wasn't true. But when Shane came back, after being stabbed, it confirmed Dr. Jenner's words.

Second, I think Rick was in shot after killing Shane. I would be, too, if I had to kill my bed friend and fellow law enforcement partner.

THEORY: Personally, I am thinking the virus came from a water source. If it is airborne, it is already "active." If it is ingested, it's still "in-active (for a lack of better wording)". Once someone has died, does the virus become "active." If... that makes sense.