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The Walking Dead Villains: Who ISN’T the worst? Part 3

By Liam O'Leary

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Michael Rooker as Merle Dixon, The Walking Dead -- AMC
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Michael Rooker as Merle Dixon, The Walking Dead -- AMC /
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Lawrence Kao as Tim, David Morrissey as Philip "The Governor" Blake, The Walking Dead -- AMC
Lawrence Kao as Tim, David Morrissey as Philip “The Governor” Blake, The Walking Dead — AMC /

The Governor

…Hoo boy, now we get into the nitty gritty. Certainly in season 3 (This will be easier when I cover season 4), it is extremely tough to find anything redeemable about The Governor, so much so, it’s even tough finding pictures of him not being a lying, two-faced PIECE O– …calm yourself, Liam…anywho, suffice to say, it’s difficult finding redeeming things about The Governor in season 3.

…Tough, but not impossible.

David Morrissey as Philip "The Governor" Blake, The Walking Dead -- AMC
David Morrissey as Philip “The Governor” Blake, The Walking Dead — AMC /

I’m gonna cut to the chase and get to the one time in season 3 we saw The Governor be decent and be real about it: When Michonne discovered Penny’s walker in his apartment. In that one moment, the brutal, deceptive, confident snake-oil salesman evaporated before our eyes, and was replaced with a real person, a man desperate to save his daughter, and in denial of the fact that she is long beyond saving.

In that second factor, he is similar to Hershel, but, whereas Hershel took a position of non-violence towards all, particular walkers, The Governor went the other way, becoming a megalomaniac, likely because, when he wasn’t in absolute control of everything, that was how Penny got infected.

When Michonne grabs Penny, we see how even that washes away, and his true face is revealed; This is the man who began his life in the zombie apocalypse as Philip Blake, this IS NOT The Governor.

Laurie Holden as Andrea Harrison, Kylie Szymanski as Penny Blake, David Morrissey as Philip "The Governor" Blake, The Walking Dead -- AMC
Laurie Holden as Andrea Harrison, Kylie Szymanski as Penny Blake, David Morrissey as Philip “The Governor” Blake, The Walking Dead — AMC /

For a fleeting moment, we see The Governor be almost sympathetic. Here, he’s helpless to aid his daughter all over again, and seems willing to cast aside everything, even his obsession with control to try. We discover, after this incident, his belief in the walkers potentially being curable.

Even if he feared a cure would never be found, Penny, even in that state, clearly represented to him the last shred of the world as it was, before his wife had died, and before his daughter became a discolored, snarling shell of herself. The man standing there, begging for his daughter’s life was someone who maybe, just maybe, could be reached, but, after that, that man was GONE.

Of course, this isn’t just me trying to decide this, what do all of you think? Who do you think is the MOST REDEEMABLE villain in Season 3 of The Walking Dead? Is it Tomas? What about Andrew? Could Andrew have become a member of The Group in the absence of Tomas’ violent influence? Or Merle, who had rediscovered who he really was? Maybe Allen, who, even in the face of evil, couldn’t bring himself to kill? Or, could it, somehow, be The Governor?! Is it possible we’ve had him wrong all this time? I want to know what you think!

Next: Who's the worst? Part 4

Now, if you like this, and would like more of my musings about zombie apocalypses, specifically, how to survive them, why not pick up a copy of my book, The Rules: A Guide To Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse? You can also find it on Kindle here, and, on iTunes here!

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