Who was Eastman on The Walking Dead?

The midseason finale of Fear the Walking Dead season 8 brought up another character from The Walking Dead, other than Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). Morgan (Lennie James) takes Grace’s (Karen David) body back to Eastman’s (John Carroll Lynch) property, but fans of Fear the Walking Dead may not know who he is.

In The Walking Dead season 6, episode 4, “Here’s Not Here,” Morgan met a man named Eastman who, though they had a rocky start, would prove to be a man who made a significant impact on his life, as important as, if not more so than Rick Grimes.

Eastman had a unique philosophy based on the book The Art of Peace, which Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, wrote. This modern Japanese martial art is split into many different styles. These teachings show that the real way of a warrior is based on “compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and love of nature.”

Morgan and Eastman would develop a special bond, and Eastman’s teachings of pacifism and how to use a  bō staff are something Morgan has carried with him since their encounter. Eastman taught Morgan to use the staff to take down his enemies in a controlled way without killing them.

The Walking Dead – Eastman

Eastman’s teachings would always stay with Morgan, but there have been times when Morgan’s mental state takes over, and he reverts to his “Clear” state of mind, as seen in season 3 of The Walking Dead before he met Eastman and season 8 of Fear the Walking Dead. 

Eastman only appeared in one episode and died from a walker bite during that episode. His grave marker was seen in Fear the Walking Dead season 8 episode “All I See Is Red,” when Morgan leaves the gravesite after burying Grace.

Morgan also talks to his old friend about the staff he gave him so long ago and more before leaving the site.

"Have you seen how much this has changed since you first gave it to me here? I suppose you’d say I have too. You made that all possible with all that you did and all that you taught me. There’s something I realized just lately, that all life is precious, but that is not about killing or not killing. It’s about… what you do with the time that you have. And the… the people that you have, ya know? I need you to look after Grace for me. Please. – Morgan Jones"

Fear the Walking Dead season 8, part 2, will premiere in the fall of 2023.

Follow Undead Walking on Twitter and sign up for the once-daily Undead Walking newsletter to avoid missing out on everything in The Walking Dead universe.