Last night’s episode of The Walking Dead — spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen it! — took a step away from the prison and a step back in time to show us where the Governor went after he slaughtered most of his men and disappeared to parts unknown. Based on the final moments of “Live Bait,” and the preview above for next Sunday’s “Dead Weight,” it seems we’re going to be seeing even more of the Governor’s story. And it stands to reason that all of this will be relevant to the prisoners once we get caught up to the point where the Governor is standing outside the fence.
It seems like the Governor has changed. Or at the very least, that his priorities have, as he’s taken a liking to little Meghan, a potential Penny-replacement in his mind and heart. Or maybe it’s that he thinks he can redeem himself for losing Penny by protecting Meghan. It’s hard to say. Either way, he’s clearly dedicated himself to protecting that little girl. And then Martinez shows up. And based on the preview above, he’s in charge. “No dead weight” likely means that the Governor needs to pull his weight if he wants to work with them. But is he really old following and not leading?
Check out the clip below to see the Governor walking in the woods with these guys, in search of some survivalist’s cabin:
What’s interesting here is that the Governor — or “One-eye Bri” as he’s being called now — is no longer “The Governor” here. He’s not in charge. And it almost seems like he’s gone all submissive, surrounded by people who are telling him what to do. How long will that last? And more to the point, how long before we start to wish he’d turn into the big bad scary Governor we knew and loved (or loved to loathe) last season? Seeing the Governor’s side of the story has the potential to shift our perspective of this character and really build up some momentum for his grand arrival at the prison.
In the meantime, the preview for “Dead Weight” confirms that Lily and Tara made it through last night’s episode alive. But how safe are they with Martinez and his guys?
We’ll have to wait and see what else is in store for the Governor when The Walking Dead’s “Dead Weight” airs Sunday at 9:00 p.m. ET on AMC. In the meantime, here’s another look at that gory scene at the end of last night’s “Live Bait.”
Read our breakdown of “Live Bait” here.
