The danger of loose cannons in The Walking Dead
Loose cannons are always a dangerous thing, and two communities in The Walking Dead have two big ones looming large coming into Season 7B.
Negan did everyone a favor by dispatching loose cannon Spencer, who was trying to undermine Rick by gaining favor with Negan. Spencer didn’t give Negan enough credit because Negan saw right through Spencer’s plan, and gutting him like a fish was somehow like poetic justice for a guy who wanted other people to do his dirty work.
The world of The Walking Dead has been full of loose cannons that have frequently caused more problems than anyone around them. Andrea is a great example, as is Merle. Shane became a huge loose cannon toward the end and probably would have caused a lot more trouble had he not died.
As we move into Season 7B, there are two loose cannons that need to be watched carefully: Gregory and Richard.
Gregory is the current “leader” at the Hilltop. He likes to drink, and he’s a spineless wimp who tried to throw Maggie and Sasha under the bus when Simon showed up to collect the Hilltop’s tribute. Given that he already tried to sell our Maggie and Sasha, can he be trusted once Rick shows up at the Hilltop? Will he try to gain favor with Simon, and Negan, by tipping them off about their plans to attack the Sanctuary?
Richard is King Ezekiel’s right hand man at the Kingdom. He’s the one who thinks feeding Walkers to the hogs might somehow infect or otherwise injure the Saviors who eat them. We know from the midseason finale the Richard wants to attack Negan and his men, and he tries to recruit Morgan and Carol in his personal vendetta. When they decline, he throws a massive tantrum in his hidden trailer.
These men are both dangerous in their own ways.
Gregory could undermine the entire plan by turning tail and running to the Saviors. And they’ll probably expect him to do that, so let’s hope that someone locks him in a closet to keep him out of the way.
Richard poses the biggest risk because he’s the type who would do something to trigger the Saviors into attacking the Kingdom just to start a war. We saw how trigger happy the Saviors were when they found the note in the supplies that Aaron and Rick found on the island. All they need is the hint of a reason to attack and they will. If Richard doesn’t think things are going how he wants them to in planning the battle, he’s the type to do something rash to get things moving. That, of course, is the last thing Rick needs.
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Loose cannons are plentiful in the world of The Walking Dead and we have learned that you don’t want them around prior to undertaking a major offensive. Gregory and Richard need to be watched carefully lest they do something that leads to disaster.