The eye-patch is back ladies and gentleman and boy do we
have questions. What has he been doing all this time? Where has he gone? Just
how angry is he? In this episode of The Walking Dead, these burning questions
are answered (well... sort of), in an hour long, controversial Governor feast.
Live Bait follows on from The Governor’s massacre of his
people in Season Three’s Welcome to the Tombs. After spending a night angry, bitter and unsatiated he awakes to find his remaining two comrades gone - he is alone and apparently responds to this by burning down every last vestige of Woodbury. Is this an evil, selfish act? A message
to say ‘no one can be safe unless I’m in charge’? Or is this an act of
redemption, the first attempt to eradicate his past and start over? These
questions somewhat epitomise the entirety of this episode and lay at the heart
of its controversial choice in characterisation. Who is The Governor now?
In a bizarre time lapse, we cut to The governor as a broken man with no will, no strength and no food – just a lot of beard.
This perplexing ellipses has led us from one character extreme to the other and as a
clear episode dedicated to characterisation, more time on this transition would
have been extremely beneficial. Heck, it would even be more enjoyable given that the sequences in which The Governor wanders the streets, not even mustering the energy to fend of walkers, are incredibly effective. Nevertheless, before we can muse too much over this qualm we are faced with a different transition, as The Governor integrates into a new family. 
Mid-wander he is welcomed in by a few survivors, and it is not long before The Governor's hardened stoicism relaxes, mainly due to the 13 year old girl that is a blatant substitute for his recently deceased daughter. He eventually burns away any evidence of his old family, before fully integrating into a new one. Before we know it, he's actually talking and taking part in selfless deeds. He risks his life to retrieve Backgammon for the young girl to play and he fends of walkers to pick up a few oxygen tanks for a man who is dying of lung cancer. These moments not only provide the action set-pieces for the week, but also hold a far greater poignancy. As a broken soul, a king rid of his throne who has spent a vast amount of time alone - could this new family mean a new Governor?
It's a controversial move to depict such a notoriously evil character in a redemptive light, heck
it’s uncomfortable and not because of David Morrissey - throughout this episode his performance is faultless and proof that he can
definitely hold his own. The discomfort is more associated with incoherence and anticipation, as every minute is spent half suspecting events to turn and for The Governor to shoot everyone down in a moment of madness. Alas - no such luck - but there are a few hints that suggest the old Governor still lurks amongst these selfless deeds.
The chess game with his newly adopted daughter held great
significance and acted as an effective, if not obvious, metaphor. A chess game,
much like The Governor’s path, is a slow journey to victory – you may take a
few hits or lose a few men, but there is still a slim chance to defeat. Furthermore when
threatened by walkers, he shares no hesitation in unleashing a telling amount
of strength and anger that clearly lies deep within. Not to mention, his appearance at the prison in last week's episode points toward some unfinished business he wishes to attend to. It's just how we get from A to B that this episode doesn't quite answer.
So is he a man on the path of redemption? Possibly, and on the face of it this episode definitely tells it so. Although I think caution is necessary if believing such a controversial piece of characterisation. After all, I
can’t quite imagine that his silent lurking outside the prison walls will culminate with a white flag and an apology.
Instead, it could be that his
new found family was just the battery re-charge he needed. He’s shaven and
ready for action, with a new found vow to protect. Although, after a run in with
his previous comrades, it is quite likely he will disapprove of being under someone
else’s command. Similarly, he will definitely do anything to prevent his new family from hearing about his sadistic past. Timing issues aside, Live Bait does a neat if not controversial job of exploring a character and setting up a
foreboding situation. Let us not be fooled by these acts of love and kindness, The Governor's dark side remains.
What were your thoughts on this episode? Post a comment!
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