Fear The Walking Dead Villains: Who ISN’T The Worst, Part 2

Marco

Before we get started with Marco, you might have noticed that I skipped Celia. That’s because, after further review, I’m not sure there’s much I could argue for her.

She was certainly gifted with good maternal instincts, but, I can’t really excuse the things we saw her do. The fact she cruelly murdered all the parishioners (Which ultimately led to Thomas getting bitten) is tough to shake. Ergo, I feel there simply isn’t enough there for me to work with.

Okay, now that the disclaimer’s taken care of, onto Marco.

I’m not going to excuse the torture or murder that Marco participated in or sought to participate in. There’s no real excuse for it.

However, we do have to acknowledge a couple of things. One, Marco’s criminal past and how it relates to his behavior. And two, that his actions, while violent and cruel, were not entirely selfish in nature. Both of these things go a bit of a ways to explaining the things he did and his justification for them.

Let’s start with the first one.

Marco was the leader of (Or, at least, highest ranking member to survive the initial outbreak) Los Hermanos, a gang operating out Tijuana.

Why is this important? Well, it means that chances are, the only world he’s ever known is a criminal one. Violence is a cheap and effective means of maintaining order and solving problems. Depending on how long he’d been part of the gang, he may have grown up thinking such tactics were normal and became desensitized to them.

In a world where the dead walk and the living will do anything to take what you have, Marco’s criminal past is, frankly, even more rewarding than he may have found it prior to the outbreak. People are now more likely to use any means necessary to get what they want, like steal or kill, and, his criminal lifestyle has made him quite prepared for that. While others may not be ready or willing to use violence to defend themselves, their group, or their supplies, Marco and his Hermanos are.

On the other side of things, we learn, almost as soon as we meet him, that Marco is not simply acting to uphold a criminal empire. In fact, his criminal organization persists because it is now the fighting force for the civilians they protect.

While Luciana and Nick shop at El Pelicano, we see a large group of people living in a tent city inside the supermarket.

If Marco’s sister is any indication, the people are relatives of the Hermanos, possibly suffering from addiction or other medical issues.

This makes Marco’s bartering system and even his eventual desire to take La Colonia much more understandable. These were his efforts to get needed commodities and a safer home for his gang’s families. Cruel and violent though he was, he wasn’t an entirely heartless human being. He had people he had to take care of, too.

Marco was not a particularly good person. He was cruel, he was violent, he was a gangster. He tortured and murdered Francisco and his family (Including his young daughter), and would have killed the people of La Colonia.

But, he was also someone who was prepared to do anything to protect and ensure the safety not only of his own family, but, the families of the rest of his gang. When you realize he was working to protect innocent civilians, it makes you wonder: Would you do any less in his position?

Next: Don't Be Hatin', Bro