Fear the Walking Dead star Lennie James recently explained why Morgan made the choice not to kill other survivors. Lennie James’ character, Morgan, was introduced in the first season of The Walking Dead. Over the course of the show, Morgan has evolved into a complex character who strives to maintain his humanity in an inhumane world.
When Morgan was first introduced on Walking Dead, he was a relatively peaceful man looking after his son. Sadly, his son died in later seasons and Morgan slowly lost his grip on reality. When he reemerged in season 5, Morgan was completely different. He had taken up arms against all those who sought to do him harm, both walker and human alike. Armed with a bow staff, Morgan became a force of nature; however, his conscience began to weigh on him. In recent seasons, he changed his ways and made a vow not to kill anymore. This crisis of conscience became a huge part of Morgan’s character arc, but with the Saviors waging war on his people, it seemed like the wrong time to lay down arms.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, James recently explained why Morgan refuses to kill other survivors. Though Morgan has killed in the past, James’ explanation speaks towards his characters evolution and how he views the world. It also hints at what the future holds for Morgan on both Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead:
James’ explanation of why Morgan refuses to kill is an intrinsic part of how the character has evolved over the course of the show. He is without a doubt one of the most physically threatening characters on the show. However, much like Jesus, he is trying to find a better way. Sure, the show takes place in a barbaric post-apocalyptic world with terrible threats, but Morgan still remembers what things were like before. He remembers living relative peace, and as James said, he is trying to get back to that.
“I think that the conversation Morgan is trying to have with himself and with the people around him - the statement that drives Morgan forward is that “All life is precious”. And he is trying to walk a path that adheres to that belief. He isn’t absolutely saying you shouldn’t kill under any circumstances; he’s saying you should exhaust all other options before you do it. …We know how to kill the Walkers. We even know how to walk amongst the Walkers, if you can stand having guts covered all over you. So we know how to survive. What Morgan is saying is how are we going to choose to live. And I think that is a really important conversation that the characters need to be having and the show needs to be having. And Morgan is at the forefront of that conversation, I think.”
Like most of the characters in the Walking Dead world, Morgan is trying to figure out what it means to survive. Based on James’ comments, it sounds like Morgan’s vision for the future involves finding his moral center. Hopefully, his journey will be explored further on Fear the Walking Dead, and maybe, he can find some semblance of peace and balance.
More: Lennie James Reveals His Thoughts On Andrew Lincoln’s Walking Dead Exit
The Walking Dead season 8 releases on DVD and Blu-ray on August 21.
