Why didn’t Father Gabriel kill the holy Reaper on The Walking Dead?
By Renee Hansen
Father Gabriel has gone from a coward to a leader and respected member of the council at Alexandria on The Walking Dead series. We have seen him experience inner battles with his faith, but in season 11, it seems he is at an all-time low in his spiritual walk. In the most recent episode, “Promises Broken,” we see him observe one of the Reapers who seems to be their priest or holy man, and this has left viewers with some questions.
Seth Gilliam plays Father Gabriel in the series and has done a fantastic job with the growth of this character. He has experienced so many traumas since we first met him that it is a wonder he has kept his faith intact this long.
He has started down a dark path since season 10c, and it will be interesting to see how far he strays from his faith.
The Walking Dead, why didn’t Father Gabriel kill the Reaper?
In the most recent episode, Maggie sends Gabe on a mission to scope out Meridian with the instructions to kill any of the Reapers if he finds one alone. He sees the holy man, Mancea, praying and talking to God as he watches the compound. He watches as Mancea hears a response from God, and Gabe then retreats.
When he returns to Maggie, he tells her he didn’t see anyone. He doesn’t want to admit to anyone that he is struggling. Maggie needs strong people on her side as they head to Meridian, and Gabe telling her he is losing his religion isn’t something she needs to hear right now.
So, why didn’t he kill the Reaper per Maggie’s instructions?
Most likely, he was in awe of someone this far into the apocalypse who still hears the voice of God. Gilliam told AMC in a Q&A session that Gabe can no longer hear God’s voice which is making him question everything. This is why he told the Reaper that he killed; God isn’t here anymore.
Many things have led up to this dark time in his life, including when he and Aaron met with Mays (Robert Patrick) in season 10c. I believe Mays and his story really had a negative effect on both characters. This was a crazy encounter that would have a lasting impact on most people.
Many fans think that Gabe will reencounter Mancea, and this could result in his death. He has already outlasted his comic book counterpart, so he is on borrowed time. With this being the final season of the series, anything goes so only time will tell.
The Walking Dead returns to AMC on October 10 with the part one finale, “For Blood.” This episode is now available to stream on AMC+.