^^This sums it up perfectly. Eastman endangered no one but himself with his pacifist ways. Morgan, on the other hand is endangering everyone in Alexandria. If he wants to think he's better than everyone for not killing anyone, fine, go live alone, but don't live with a group of people who could pay the price for your personal code. Rick almost died due to Morgan's stupid code. What if it's Judith who suffers the consequences for Morgan's inability to distinguish good from evil? Or Carl? Rick might forgive Morgan for almost getting him killed, but I don't see him doing the same if Judith and Carl were the ones in danger.

Personally, if I were writing the show, Rick finding the baby food would be the beginning of the end for Morgan as part of the group. That hits too close to home. If Rick is written consistently, and he learns Morgan let the Wolves get away - with a gun, no less - he'll hit the damned roof. Those monsters could have gotten to his children, and that isn't something Rick can let slide.

I look forward to it. Morgan refuses to recognize the difference between good and evil and, more importantly, that the lives of monsters are not 'precious' at all. How many good people must die by the hands of the evil before he wakes the hell up? Unfortunately, I don't think he will ever understand.

He's too damaged, mentally and emotionally, to ever understand the realities of the world. As you have stated on numerous occasions, killing in self-defense or the defense of those you love (or your property, IMO) doesn't make you a murderer. Morgan is incapable of distinguishing between the two, however. Unfortunately, unless someone can mend his broken psyche, he'll always be that way.

Oddly, I think Gabriel is more capable of that change than Morgan, and I've hated Gabriel since day one. Gabriel is a coward, one who felt superior to others because they made decisions of which he was incapable, but when he reached out to Carl, he made a conscious decision to learn protect himself. It's a step in the right direction, especially since he claims to see the error of his past judgments. In contrast, Morgan just jumps from one extreme to the other in an effort to forget, and mitigate, the fact that it was his mental/emotional weakness that got his son killed. The worst part is he is repeating the very same mistake in Alexandria and will result in more deaths, and more blood indirectly on his hands.

 

No, I didn't change my mind, but I'm understanding his personal need for the philosophy. Lennie James said Morgan was like a duck, with legs paddling frantically underneath.
What I think is that he believes the philosophy is his salvation, but part of him is faking it until he makes it. It's as though if he can convince the wolf to change it confirms the truth of everything of which he is trying to convince himself.

I think he had intended to spread it to Rick which is why he was so shocked on his entrance to see Rick so far gone in his eyes.

 

It didn't change my opinion at all. I loved Morgan before and I still love him. I don't agree with his philosophy at all but he's still a great character who brings a lot to the show.

 

I understand him better and feel that he is a better person now, even if this new philosophy isn't made for the new world. We saw how gone Morgan was in this episode, how he just wanted to kill everything and everyone because of wanting to "clear."
The way he killed that man and his son for no reason just shows how important it was for Morgan to learn from Eastman.

 

This episode did nothing for me. It didn't tell me anything I hadn't already worked out myself about Morgan and his journey.
It's not gonna be his backstory that'll change my mind because it was kinda obvious.
It'll be what he does this season.

 

Not just a wolf, but a dying wolf. He is going to release a zombie bomb inside the gates.

 

Great post - indeed, he will never get it. The differences in extremes don't take away that his emotional and mental weakness in every version of himself is what saw his loved ones and allies killed.

And thanks for mentioning "code", that's something the Wolf mentioned that's important to talk about regarding Morgan. The wolf said that his code demands that every woman, man and child in Alexandria be slaughtered. The exact opposing duality to Morgan's.

Alpha Wolf may be the defining character in Morgan's life/development in this series.

 

Hi! Welcome! I am the person who tells people how to use the spoiler box. lol
See the Go Advanced button next to the Post Quick Reply button? Click on Go Advanced and you will find the icon to click on to create a spoiler box. Even if you start typing in Post Quick Reply and then realize you want a spoiler box, you can do it. Clicking on Go Advanced will not make you lose what you already wrote.

You can also type code around something to make it appear in a spoiler box. Just type

 

I'm leaving open the possibility that Morgan used the toolbox to fashion a cage around the Wolf in addition to the very weak wrist binding and locking the door. He bound the first Wolf he captured very securely.

 

After watching the episode I definitely understand Morgan a lot better but I still completely disagree with him.
And I don't think he'll stick to that philosophy forever. Once it comes to bite him in the ass personally he'll revert to maybe not his former crazy self but definitely a less chill version.

 

I have a new angle on him after seeing him kill people for no reason. All along, I pictured Morgan wallowing in his self pity and insanity- fighting the undead. It was eye opening to see that he had gone to the dark side. It gives a lot more background, seeing Eastman killed by the walker, that Morgan was the reason for.

I think if you saw someone killed, b/c of a stupid decision you made, come full karma and take away the one person that was trying to fix you- it would be hard not to let go of that philosophy of "all life is precious."

 

Took the words right outta my mouth! I so agree. I quoted because I just wanted to add more. I'm kinda disappointed too that so many people are hating Morgan now or said this episode was boring and it didn't advance anything. I hate the way he has been treated in general this season, there's a serious lack of empathy in the fandom for people that aren't like Rick or Daryl. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and any feelings of disdain will never be found in my bones towards Morgan. I've always rooted for his survival out there after he parted ways with Rick for the 2nd time in Season 3. He was/still is an intriguing character and initially he WAS the very FIRST person to show Rick the ropes on how to survive in this new world.

 

It reminds me of all the hurrah and high fives Tyrese had after beating on Rick & and his (it was incredible) emerging from the woods covered in walker pieces. I wanted Ty to smash gum-chewing Martin's head in like a rotten cantaloupe, but he didn't ... And the backlash began. I understand that people's principles affect the group. They've all made decisions that may have (or did have)repercussions on the Grimes team. Daryl leaving Sasha & Abe, Randall, Andrea not taking care of TG twice, Glenn wanting to free the boxcar lunatic, Carl & swamp walker etc. These are all great plot/character developments that make us care about the show.

If everyone was in the same boat, it would be a snooze fest. These characters are all individuals shaped by their personal experiences.

 

He reminds me of am addict.

Going from one extreme to another, just like an alcoholic that recovers and fills that addictive personality void with exercise.

It isn't so much a choice, as they know they can't be in the middle, it just doesn't work.

Right or wrong, Morgan, deep down, KNOWS, he is losing it again if he kills someone.

 

That is an interesting observation. There are people that know that one drink could lead them back to hell.

We all have our "fixes" to fix what is broken, be it physically or emotionally.

 

I agree, and I agree that Morgan shouldn't kill anyone. But what's stopping him from letting someone else do the dirty work and not looking? Morgan can capture them and send them to Rick/Carol decide their fate. If Morgan is so off the deep end that he feels he killed someone JUST because he captured them and someone else (who had more authority than Morgan) decided to kill?

It's one thing if Morgan doesn't wanna kill. It's a WHOLE OTHER GAME if he wants to be a super hero and save everyones life. It's not like Eastman was going out and saving anyone, otherwise he would have had more company in his cabin. I don't think Aikido requests its believers to go on a mission to save lives, rather simply just don't murder anyone yourself. Perhaps I'm mistaken on the beliefs of Aikido though!

To recap: I don't think the backlash on morgan is that he wont kill, I think it's that he's hiding his actions from the group. It's not up to Morgan who lives or who dies in Alexandria. He doesn't make that decision. Don't wanna kill the wolf? No problem! Turn him into Alexandria. Hiding him is WRONG and that's why people are disliking him.

 

Good observation. Now that I've had time to let the episode simmer a bit (and time to rewatch his scenes in the Season 5 finale), I'm reading Morgan as a much more tragic character. I mean, he always was--losing his wife and son the way he did. But seeing him in isolation and seeing his relationship with Eastman (and Tabitha)...

 

I agree, he is handling it wrong, and there is no way in hell he should hide that wolf.

I was just making the observation that Morgan knows he will lose it if he kills someone in the same way an alcoholic knows he/she can't go to the party and just have one drink.

 

I feel exactly the same way at this point. He needs to change, his no-kill policy just doesn't cut it in this world. I understand him, and I still like him as a character, even if I wouldn't necessarily want to be stuck in an apocalypse with him.

 

I changed my mind a little bit. My biggest problem is the fact that he was such a hype from day 1. Now he is back in the series they kind of reuning the hype. Everybody expected more of him. Meeting somebody who know Aikido is great, and you can learn yourself to handle the stick too. But the 'all life is precies' theory goes to far. If he finds a way between 'All life is precious' and the 'Schizophrenic who wants to clear' I would be happy. Some life is precious and some people have to be cleared. So yes, I did changed my mind a little bit. But no, he's still not the Morgan I wished to see.