The Walking Dead episode Clear is one of my favorite of the
entire series. It shows how broken a human psyche can become after you lose the
people who mean the most to you in life. Lennie James is brilliant in his portrayal
of a man who has lost everything and whose mind could not take the loss. Here’s not here, tonight’s episode, is about
Morgan’s redemption. The story of how a broken man can claw is way from the
brink of madness and learn to live again.
Morgan is surviving. He is surviving by killing everything
and anything he comes in contact with.
We witness his brutal and methodical killing of every walker he spots.
He hunts and stalks them, he draws them out to try and eradicate anything which
can threaten his existence. Walkers are not the only threat to Morgan. We soon
see him brutally murder two people who look to be following him. It can be
argued these individuals are looking to hurt Morgan, and he is justified in
protecting himself. It is the shocking contrast of who Morgan is presently
which is presented. He kills without thinking, without hesitation, and in the
most brutal way possible. This has become his survival mechanism. He is no
longer a rational human. He is just as
deadly and feral as the walkers he hunts.
How can an individual this far removed from sanity be redeemed?
Without a catalyst Morgan would have continued to live this life until someone
or something killed him. He has accepted this eventuality and looks forward to
it. This is evident with his first encounter with Eastman. He wants Eastman to
kill him, shouting it repeatedly and to no avail. Morgan ran into the only person
who values life above anything else.
Eastman slowly starts to build a relationship and report with Morgan. His
statement not to hurt the goat the first night tipped me off that the door to
the cell wasn’t locked. This is another example of how broken Morgan is. Deep
down he thinks he should be caged. He doesn’t even try the door, which any rational
person would, even if that is an irrational response to be putting in a cage. Eastman
finally tells him the door is open and gives him the choice to leave or stay.
Morgan chooses to fight and loses. This is the closest we see Eastman to killing
Morgan when he breaks the painting on the wall. We find out later why, in a beautiful
piece of storytelling.
Morgan puts himself back in the cage and slams the door.
Eastman opens it to reiterate the fact Morgan is a human and can still be
saved. It’s the goat, Tabitha, which starts Morgan slow climb out of madness. He
leaves his cell and saves her from Walkers. Animals are helpless and showing
Morgan’s willingness to help save something which cannot protect itself illustrates
he wants to regain some of his humanity. This is the beginning of Morgan’s path
to believing all life, no matter how despicable, is precious. Eastman starting
to teach Morgan the tenants of Aikido slowly brings him back to the land of the
living. Eastman has his own demons and we slowly learn he is a true master of
redirecting hard questions he doesn’t want to answer.
The revelations of Eastman’s story and how he became a
recluse living in the woods was brilliant. To know he lost his wife and
daughter to a sociopath before the fall of the world is crucial. He lost and regained his sanity during a different
time and environment. Eastman’s beliefs don’t hold up for the current world,
but it’s the only thing which is preventing him from falling into madness. This
is what he gives to Morgan. A world view and philosophy Morgan can cling too.
If Morgan begins to kill again he will lose all he was worked to gain. This philosophy
has to work for Morgan, or he will lose his sanity. The fact he almost loses
his mind when Eastman gets bit helps reinforce that he has to hold onto this
view to maintain his composure.
The sequence of Eastman getting bitten was a wonderful piece
of storytelling. Eastman forces him to confront the death of his Son and Wife and
then makes him do forms of Aikido. He then makes the offhand comment that
Morgan will hold a baby again. It is just a thrown in comment, but has
significant weight if you look at the season premier. When Morgan holds Judith there
is a look that comes over him. He is remembering Eastman’s words, and just with
his facial expressions Lennie James is able to convey a deep moment without us
realizing why. To be introduced to this moment during this episode is
storytelling at its finest.
While I would have preferred to continue the current story
and find out what happened to Glen from last week. This story needed to be
told, and it was done in brilliant fashion. The performances by Lennie James
and John Carroll Lynch are fantastic and possibly Emmy worthy. This episode is
now up with my favorites. Watching this episode back to back with Clear will
make for one fantastic story arc for Morgan’s character. While some may still
not like Morgan’s decisions to not kill the wolves, it at least makes since for
his character. These decisions are based on how he must live his life. It’s not
the best decision for the current world, but for him to survive and keep his
humanity it’s the one he has to make.
What did you think of this week’s episode? Do you understand
why Morgan is keeping the wolf alive? Do you think he should? I understand, but
don’t necessarily agree with it. He should at least tell others. Comment and let me know.
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