The Walking Dead: Can Rick Keep His Family Safe?

Can Rick Grimes adequately protect his family? It's been the principal topic of some very unpleasant conversations between Rick and Shane on AMC's The Walking Dead, with most viewers (of course) siding with Rick, the series' main character. But with the revelation that The Governor has been cast, the question takes on a whole new meaning for many fans. Please note that while much of what is discussed below is speculation, it is speculation that's rooted in Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's The Walking Dead comic books and the recent history of The Walking Dead on AMC. Using stories that are several years old as grounds for speculation about what may come to pass in the TV show may be completely fruitless, or may yield some pretty significant spoilers, so for those who aren't up-to-date on either the show or the comic, turn back now or be warned that there be SPOILERS AHOY. The Governor is more than the most sadistic, twisted and terrifying villain in the history of The Walking Dead; he carries a special connotation with him as it pertains to Rick's ability to keep his family and the rest of his party safe in a world where people as deranged as The Governor exist and are willing to do whatever they can to protect what they think is theirs. Introducing him into the TV series is not a bold move--fans have been clamoring for him to appear onscreen since before the show had even started to air, and the chaos and violence he brings with him wherever he goes will likely go far to satisfy that element of the show's audience which complains when an episode becomes too character-focused and doesn't have enough zombies and general mayhem. What is a little ballsy is introducing him so soon, relative to other events which set the stage for our survivors to face a threat like the governor in the comics. Who is this man? The Governor is the leader of another group of survivors who had set up their own rather barbaric society in Woodbury, GA. At first he is depicted as something of a charismatic figure, someone who can control an entire town of survivors mostly through a combination of charm and intimidation borne out of his cult-leader-like status. Not long after first encountering our main group of survivors, though, he's revealed to be little more than a sadistic thug who lucked into some power. A recently-released novel detailed his rise to power, but by the time readers encountered him in the comics his reign was on its way out, thanks in no small part to Rick and his band. Their first confrontation saw Rick lose a hand following prolonged torture, while Michonne (who still hasn't appeared in the TV show yet) left The Governor himself bleeding and disabled in order to make their escape. When The Governor reappered, though, is when the worst of it happened. Bringing his followers with him and driving a tank, he attacked Rick's camp and killed about half of the group, including Rick's wife Lori and their newborn daughter, before being killed by his own followers. Neither Rick nor Carl have ever been completely the same since, but it was easy for readers to chalk the loss up to another example of the insanity and horror of the world of The Walking Dead. It had been a while since any credible source had questioned Rick's leadership or his ability/willingness to do what it took to keep his family safe. Not so in the television series, where The Governor will appear sometime during season three--and Shane, who appears poised to survive at least until the second season finale, will by then have spent a good chunk of the second season telling anyone who'll listen that sooner or later Rick's behavior was going to cost Lori's and the baby's lives. While speaking to a group of Walking Dead viewers who had never read the comic before last night's episode, every one of the four of them sided with Rick over Shane, and most were eager to see Shane go--but only one of them expressed total confidence in Rick as a leader, with two of the four saying that he was weak or delusional, using much of the same terminology that Shane used about his ex-partner. So why would they side with Rick, even in spite of this perception? Shane is just too far gone for them. As Andrea tried to explain to Shane a couple of weeks ago, his presentation is lacking. He's just too much of a jerk for people to side with him, especially over the eminently sympathetic Rick, who (even if he is weak) is only trying to do the right thing. Shane's impulse control, explosive temper and bouts of violence against others in the group are all a liability against him in the eyes of fans who would, nevertheless, like to see a little more assertiveness in Rick. It's a bit like the two-party system of politics, though, isn't it? The lesser of two evils can seem a pretty rosy option when all it's compared to is the other. If that tank comes rolling up the survivors' doorstep, though, and if Lori and the baby are lost, will fans be able to forgive Rick for the missteps that brought them to that place and time?