The Walking Dead panel: Why didn’t Aaron kill Gamma?

When Aaron was face-to-face with one of the Whisperers in season 10, he decided to help Gamma instead of killing her. What made him change his mind?

The Whisperers have done a number to the survivors since their introduction to AMC’s The Walking Dead. Not only have they killed an impressive number of people but they are tearing the communities apart with how to deal with Alpha and her followers.

Earlier this season, Aaron was firmly in the camp of ‘shoot first and answer questions later’ and even argued with Michonne about it. However, when put in a position where he encountered a wounded member of Alpha’s gang, he decided to help instead of harm.

What was it that made Aaron decide not to get revenge on the Whisperers for the deaths of Jesus, Enid, Tara, and the others? That is the question we posed our panel of The Walking Dead experts. Here is what they said!

Sara L. says

I’m honestly struggling with this right now because I’m not 100% sure. He did say in the premiere that he is done being nice Aaron…however, he is helping now. Part of me thinks he is hoping to do the same thing Alpha wants Gamma to do: use her to benefit our survivors in some way. However part of me also thinks that Aaron still is a good guy, he can read people extremely well. Maybe he is seeing Gamma struggling with her way of life and truly wants to help, but even if she totally switches to his side he likely wants information from her on how things in camp work and what Alphas plans are. If I have to pick I’d say he probably is wanting information from her.

Joe says

I think Aaron recognizes that Gamma may not be as committed to the Whisperer cause as others are. While it’s unlikely that Aaron has any sympathy towards Gamma, he may see her as a means of taking the Whisperers down from the inside. Aaron knows that fighting a war like this isn’t a simple battle, so he is trying to do anything he can to get a leg up on a group that is currently toying with the communities.

Jeffrey says

Aaron has always been an exceptionally good judge of character. That is likely the very reason he was a recruiter for Alexandria back in the day. I think Aaron is playing the long game here and may work to either flip Gamma or gain intel from her. If he can earn Gamma’s trust, he might be able to gain a strategic advantage against the Whisperers. Aaron is more ruthless than ever, but that doesn’t mean that he has lost his ability to assess situations and move forward in a smart and strategic way.

Adam says

It’s astounding that Aaron didn’t execute Gamma where she stood. After hearing the vengeance in his voice when talking with Michonne about the Whisperers, it sounded as though he will kill any member of the group at a moment’s notice if he had the opportunity, especially after what happened with Jesus.

That likely changed when Negan had the opportunity to kill Aaron and didn’t. Negan showed Aaron that violence and death aren’t the best solutions to problems. It reminded him of the diplomatic side he used to possess and didn’t see a wounded Gamma as a real threat. Either way, when put face to face with one of Alpha’s people, he made a wise decision.

Why do you think Aaron didn’t take the opportunity he had to kill Gamma on The Walking Dead? And do you think he made the right move in helping her? Let us know your opinion in the comments section!