Jesus is coming to The Walking Dead, which is good, because I think we all can agree that they could use some counsel on turning the other cheek, loving their neighbors, and praying for those who persecute them. But this Jesus is a character from the Walking Dead comic book (although he does exhibit a few characteristics of the Galilean rabbi).
[divider]Who is The Walking Dead Comic Character Jesus?[/divider]
His real name is Paul Monroe, but he is commonly know as Jesus, largely due to his long-haired and bearded appearance (although in later issues he sports a Samurai top knot), but also because of his demeanor that is to be forgiving, while valuing justice and fairness.
[Careful, it gets potentially spoilery here.] Readers first meet him in issue #91. He was serving as the ambassador for the Hilltop community of survivors frequently searching for new recruits, much like Aaron did for Alexandria.
The Walking Dead comics also portray Jesus as being extremely tactical. He was first shown spying on Alexandria and was attacked by Michonne and Abraham, but easily immobilized them. Jesus knows kung-fu.
He instructs them to take him to meet their leader, Rick, but is double-crossed, knocked out, and tied up. After being interrogated, Rick eventually decides to let Jesus take him to see Hilltop. On the journey there, Jesus reveals that he could have escaped anytime but remained there to see if Rick could be trusted.
After reaching Hilltop, Rick realizes that a man named Negan has for months been terrorizing the loose confederation of bartering communities that Hillside was a part of.
While initially mistrusted by Rick and his group, Jesus eventually gains their respect and becomes a valued comrade, becoming a trusted advisor and right-hand man. The character is a highly rational, logical, and thoughtful man with a knack for advising. He values justice and fairness greatly, believing that one should not criticize others for doing things they would not have done themselves.
The Weekly Crisis listed Jesus as #10 in their list of The Ten Best Characters in The Walking Dead, saying:
“Being nicknamed after the son of God seems like one hell of an exaggeration, but Jesus has shown time and time again that he is a good, trusting man who just wants what’s best for everyone. The name fits. Even though we’ve only recently been introduced to him, Jesus is quickly showing himself to be one of the book’s greatest characters.”
We listed Jesus as the #5 best character from The Walking Dead, despite him never having appeared on the TV show. But never fear, as the character has already been cast, so we’ll see him on the screen soon.
[divider] The Walking Dead Comic Character Jesus: Final Thoughts [/divider]
Basically, if you combine the escape artistry of Glenn, the tracking ability of Daryl, the non-lethal fighting skills of Morgan, the advisory abilities of Maggie, and the forgiving and open nature of Aaron, then get the character of Jesus.
He’s a great character in the comic books and I have no doubt that he’ll quickly become a fan-favorite on the television show as well.
His appearance in the comics marked the beginning of an interesting and engaging expansion of the word building, so he has story on his side. More than that, Jesus is just a cool character. You can find his first comic appearance here.
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