Merle, a requiem

"I don't know why I do the things I do. I'm a damned mystery to me. But I know you, Rick. Yeah, I thought a lot about you. You ain't got the spine for it." — Merle, "The Walking Dead"

Redemption is an important concept in our faith, and an equally important concept in our society. We all want to think there is hope for us — no matter how far we've strayed from the path. Stories of redemption are powerful, galvanizing things in our world, no matter where they come from.

Sunday on "The Walking Dead," in the penultimate episode of the third season, we saw a story of redemption I never expected. It came in the character of Merle, and it wasn't some saccharine sweet story that couldn't be believed. It was somehow fitting for the character.

And like all characters who find a center, a purpose, or redemption in the world of "The Walking Dead," it ended with him departing. And that might have been the most surprising part. I saw it coming. It wasn't a shock. And yet, I still managed to shed a tear at the moment of the show's conclusion. That is a tribute to Merle's better half — his brother Daryl, who is the closest thing we have to a good guy on the show.

It all began with a storyline that had me concerned. Two weeks ago the Governor offered a faux peace to the prison group if they sacrificed Michone. Rick seemed to be considering this. To me, that was a bridge too far. To sacrifice someone in your group for "the greater good" seemed to be taking Rick down a path from which he could not return.

Rick saw the error in his ways, and decided not to sacrifice Michone to save everyone. Of course, we already knew this wouldn't have happened anyway, as The Governor made it clear he intended to kill everyone anyway. Still, it was good to see Rick's change of heart.

Merle, on the other hand, saw that change of heart coming and decided to do what needed to be done. He captured Michone and was prepared to hand her over. In his own way, that was Merle trying to step up for his brother and the group. It was misguided, of course, but he was trying.

Along the way, he decided to go a different way. He let Michone go, summoned up some courage, rounded up some zombies, and faced down The Governor and his team. It was a doomed effort from the beginning, but somehow noble and somehow befitting Merle. He was a man who realized just how far he'd fallen, and that he'd never really be able to fit in with the group. The only way forward for him was to sacrifice himself for his brother, so he did.

And even though I knew what Daryl would find, it moved me to see his pain when he found Merle the zombie and had to put him down. Moreso than when Carl had to end his mother, this was the most tragic and painful loss of the season. That is a credit to Daryl and Merle, who found his center only to meet his end. Such is all that awaits those that live in what remains of our fractured society as depicted on "The Walking Dead." There is no happy ending, only a final peace. That is what Merle got on Sunday, and I was surprised at how much the show made me care about that.

Here's to hoping the finale is just as rewarding.