The Walking Dead panel discusses Alpha’s total control of the Whisperers

This week’s most shocking scene from The Walking Dead showed Alpha’s control and our panelists dove into how she became the feared leader of the Whisperers.

If the Whisperer mother’s grotesque skin mask on The Walking Dead wasn’t enough to give you nightmares, the abandonment of a baby to be devoured by walkers should have been. Connie barely managed to reach that baby in time to save it. And after she saved it the Whisperers didn’t even want it back. All because Alpha turned to the mother and shrugged.

That scene revealed without words the total control that Alpha has over the Whisperers. In order to have that kind of control over that many people, Alpha has to be more than just a good fighter. She has to have the same combination of charisma and authority that cult figures have. She definitely has a presence, but is it a strong enough presence to make a mother watch her child be devoured? Most parents would die to protect their children. This mother was willing to let her child die in front of her after just a gesture from Alpha. That’s power.

How did Alpha get to be so powerful? How does she keep such absolute control over the Whisperers? Clearly, her quiet demeanor doesn’t mean that she won’t get violent because we know that she beat Lydia and we see her slap Lydia hard and pull her by her ear later on. Why would anyone follow Alpha’s strange way of life and let her control them? Our panel has some thoughts:

Alpha’s Control Over Her People

This episode revealed a little about the way that Alpha rules the Whisperers. What do you think that mother being willing to watch her child get devoured by walkers says about the control that Alpha has over them?

Sonya says:

"I have never understood how people become involved in cults but it really seems like the Whisperers have the same devotion to Alpha that cultists have to a cult leader. She has somehow managed to convince the Whisperers that the way they live really is the only way to survive and that giving in to their animalistic nature is better than striving for humanity. That kind of fanaticism can be very seductive to weak-minded people. I think that her message and her willingness to kill combined to make her someone who weak people would willingly follow to stay safe. Alpha has a tremendous amount of power."

Sara says:

"Alpha has the Whisperers all completely brainwashed. They would jump off of a cliff if she told them to do it. None of the Whisperers seem to have any regard for humanity, they operate as animals. They are an extremely dangerous group of people."

Jeffrey says:

"Alpha is powerful. We saw hints of that in her and Lydia’s flashbacks in “Omega,” but now it is really being shown in full force. I think Alpha rules by fear and that’s how she is able to command her people to do such horrific things. Even though we couldn’t see her face fully, there was something about the look in them mother’s eyes and her slight hesitation to lay the baby down that shows that disobeying Alpha is the worst option possible. Alpha said it herself: she and her people are animals."

**Note** Sarabeth Pollock was working on some very awesome Fear The Walking Dead related coverage this week but will rejoin the panel next week for The Walking Dead episode 912.

What did you think of that shocking scene TWDFamily? Do you think that Alpha is as scary as she seems? Tweet us: @SonyaIryna, @WrittenBySara, @TWalkingDWorld, and @UndeadWalkingFS to join the discussion.