The Walking Dead: Why is Tomi keeping secrets from the Commonwealth?

In the most recent episode of The Walking Dead, we witnessed a family reunion within the community of the Commonwealth. Yumiko Okumura (Eleanor Matsuura) was reunited with her brother Tomichi or Tomi (Ian Anthony Dale), who she hadn’t seen since way before the outbreak.

Princess discovered a note from Tomi to Miko on The Wall of the Lost. This was Yumiko’s decision-maker on whether or not she needed to stay at the Commonwealth. After all this time, to come this close to seeing a relative, she couldn’t pass that up.

She discovered Tomi working in a bakery, Elodie’s Treats. He was shocked to see his sister, and they had a long talk and caught each other up on what had been going on in their lives.

Now, for fans of the comics, this story seems a bit familiar. Michonne found her daughter Elodie in the same manner. She found a note on The Wall of the Lost. Michonne was a lawyer like Yumiko, and Elodie owned a bakery in the Commonwealth. The name of the bakery Tomi works at is a nod to Elodie from the comics, and there is a storefront in the Commonwealth called Hawthorne and Gibbs Law Offices, a nod to Michonne.

The creators knew Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne, would be leaving the series, so they needed someone to play out her story.

The Walking Dead, why is Tomi keeping secrets from the Commonwealth?

Yumiko and Tomi’s conversation gives the impression the two aren’t very close siblings. We also discover that Tomi doesn’t want them to know he is a surgeon. But didn’t Yumiko already tell the auditors that information?

Tomi has been with the community since it began and told Yumiko that he is thrilled to work in the bakery. That this was a gift given to him from the world falling apart.

Now, when I watched that scene, I didn’t think much about it. But, there have been discussions online about this being more serious. That there is something sinister going on and that Tomi not revealing his true profession shows he doesn’t trust them.

Why is Tomi keeping it secret? 

I took it as he is happy not dealing with patients and surgeries and risking people dying on his table. That working in a more relaxed bakery is something he has been enjoying for the past 10+ years, and he doesn’t want to be forced into being a doctor once again.

I have my doubts about this Stepford community, but I didn’t get any more out of Tomi’s secret than he is just happy with his life and doesn’t want the disrupted.

What did you think? 

The Walking Dead “On the Inside” airs on AMC on September 26. This episode is now available to stream on AMC+.