Why Jesus Wouldn’t Kill Saviors On ‘The Walking Dead’

The most recent battle on The Walking Dead has left a faction of Rick’s group divided as some characters are looking to kill every character while others want to possibly risk everything to showcase their morality.

At the forefront of the characters urging those around them to spare Savior lives was Paul “Jesus” Rovia. As Tara wanted to mow down every enemy to Alexandria, accompanied by the unexpected Morgan Jones, Jesus fought for the preservation of humanity by ordering everyone to stand down on both sides as Team Family collected their enemies’ weapons and ultimately spared the surrendered soldiers’ lives.

Speaking to ComicBook.com at Walker Stalker Con in Atlanta, Jesus actor Tom Payne explained Jesus’ choice which will certainly divide not only the characters but also the fanbase. “That was a really interesting split in the group that happens in Episode 2,” Payne said.

The decision to spare enemy lives comes down to seeing a man with his hands over his head earlier in the episode. “I think in that moment, it’s the fact that the guy put his hands up,” Payne said. “[Jesus] just walked in and shot someone straight away. That moment, it was just about making sure the coast is clear for them to do what they need to do, then this guy he saw with his hands up, that was a turning point of, ‘Wait, hand on a second. We have to have some sort of difference between just killing everyone and having some morals.’ For the war, if you just end up killing everyone, then what is there afterwards?”

Contrary to what most characters would have felt when taken hostage by a man they had just tried to save from an imminent death, Jesus remained confident while held at gunpoint. “In that moment, I don’t think that he ever thought he was in danger, actually,” Payne said. “He says it in the scene, ‘She’s gonna shoot you. There’s no way he was gonna get out of there.’ [Jesus] ends up saving his life by putting his arm up there and stopping him from shooting Tara because Tara was gonna shoot him. You can see in my eyes, there’s this kind of resignation like, ‘You idiot. Why did you do this? You’re gonna die in a minute and it’s gonna be your fault.’ It was an interesting moment.”

It’s all a stark contrast to the previous visit to the Savior satellite station as seen in Season 6’s Not Tomorrow Yet episode. “Last time we just killed everyone in their sleep,” Payne points out.

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