The Importance of the Red Chess Paint on ‘The Walking Dead’

WARNING: Major Spoilers ahead for the latest episode of The Walking Dead! Continue reading at your own risk…

There is a traitor amongst the ranks of the Saviors, but that’s not news to Walking Dead fans. Those watching the show have known for quite some time that Dwight is feeding information to Rick and the folks in Alexandria. Unfortunately, this week’s episode showed us that someone else is now aware of Dwight’s activitiy.

During the meeting, when the Savior leaders were passing around the bag that was found with stolen weapons from the sanctuary, Eugene noticed that he had red paint on his finger. He looked back at the bag, saw a spot of the same paint on the edge, and quickly realized where it came from.

It’s the same red paint that Dwight uses to color his chess pieces. Earlier in the episode, Eugene visited Dwight in his room and got the paint on his finger. So, when he saw it on the bag, he was able to put two-and-two together. This is why Eugene looked right over at Dwight. As Simon was going on and on about a traitor in their midst, Eugene had figured out who it was.

The crazy thing here is that Eugene chose not to say anything. He could have easily pointed the paint out to Simon and the others, gotten rid of the mole, and put himself into a better social standing with the rest of the Saviors. He chose not to. This could mean one of two things.

First of all, is could indicate that Eugene sees a shift in power and wants to make sure he stays on the winning side. If he gets in tight with Dwight, he can later convince Rick that he was helping out the entire time. He would likely convince Dwight to back up his lie since he kept the paint a secret.

Eugene could also just be caring about the people he called family for such a long time. He’s chosen his side, and he knows there probably isn’t a way back into Rick’s good graces. By keeping Dwight’s secret, Eugene can rest a little better knowing his friends are safe.

Over the course of this season, the dynamic between Dwight and Eugene is sure to be explored a little further.

he Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.