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Tonight in S06E14 of The Walking Dead, we see a character receive fatal brain trauma (not exactly an uncommon occurrence on this show). Specifically:

Denise, the makeshift physician for Alexandria, is giving a monologue when another character fires a crossbow bolt through the back of her head and out her eye socket.

Clearly this is a fatal injury, and the character dies. However, after receiving the injury, this character continues talking in fragmented speech for a few words before falling to the ground.

While I have been able to find a wealth of knowledge about how to treat brain trauma such as nonfatal gunshot wounds or concussions, apparently there is a dearth of information available as to whether it is realistic to continue performing an action requiring fine motor control (such as speaking) in the seconds between receiving a fatal brain injury and the onset of brain death.

Is this scene in S06E14 of The Walking Dead realistic?

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    Assuming she died from brain trauma and not shock or blood loss. Any number of parts of the brain can be damaged without resulting in complete brain death, or immediate unconsciousness.
    – cde
    Mar 21 '16 at 7:46
  • Same thing happened in Season 7 Episode 1 - violent brain trauma with the victim still able to talk for a while
    – Cearon O'Flynn
    Jan 18 '17 at 16:59

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