A Question of Justice

"Negan deserved to die when it ended. Rick was wrong because he made a call that wasn't his to make. I just want to make sure that you're not wrong in the same way that he was." - Jesus, "The Walking Dead"

"The Walking Dead" began its ninth season on Sunday, October 7. Throughout the season I'll be recapping the episodes each Monday, considering themes and where the series is headed.

Next week is going to be rough. I'm not ready. We've known Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) was leaving, and last night as the episode closed we saw how it's going to happen. But there will be plenty of time to dwell on that next week.

For now, the focus is on the new world that Rick has tried to build. We've seen the hope of it in he premier as Rick tried to honor the dream of his son, Carl, by bringing peace to the world. And for him, that meant sparing the life of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). As he said in the finale, his mercy overcame his wrath. But that wasn't the case for everyone.

In fact, there has been a big question about what is just for the Saviors and the rest of the world. Maggie (Lauren Cohan) never agreed with Rick about Negan, and she went a different way with her own thorn in Gregory, hanging him in public. Last week, she and Daryl (Norman Reedus) discovered that the folks from Oceanside similarly couldn't let it go, and took justice into their own hands.

And last night, Maggie appeared ready to do the same, finally, with Negan. Rick sought to stop her. He is driven by the promise he made to his son, and a vision of a new world that Carl gave him. Maggie is driven by the loss of her husband, and the vision of a life where Glen can't see his son grow up. And Daryl is caught in between, as are many others.

Jesus (Tom Payne) tried to talk Maggie out of it. Daryl tried to plead the other side to Rick. But the problem comes back to a lack of construct and rules, a point Michonne (Danai Gurira) raised earlier in the season.

Both Rick and Maggie were right, and both were wrong. Both had valid reasons for their actions, but both acted unilaterally. For justice to work, everyone has to feel like they have ownership. That seemed to be the point Daryl and Jesus articulated last night. Since it wasn't a group decision, and there is no framework, everyone again feels free to make their own decisions.

As part of my Faith in Film study this fall, I spent three weeks looking at justice in different films and books, including "To Kill A Mockingbird," "A Time to Kill" and "Just Mercy." It's clear that there are a variety of opinions and feelings about justice and crimes. But it's also clear we have an imperfect system because it is run by people, and we come with bias and baggage.

I love what Jake Brigance, the lawyer in "A Time to Kill," says about justice, "And until we can see each other as equals, justice is never going to be even-handed. It will remain nothing more than a reflection of our own prejudices."

And that's certainly the question in the world of "The Walking Dead." For the new world to progress, people have to see each other as equals, partners in the struggles of the world, or they'll constantly be a group at war. And that begins with a shared view of justice. When you constantly have to worry about retribution, you can never feel free.

And that is why we saw the fragile peace crumble near the episode's end. The question is can it be saved? Rick expressed concern that if Negan died he'd become a martyr for the Saviors. Rick chose to believe in the good, risking his life to lead the walkers away from the people. And being a martyr for a cause can cut both ways.

Rick's dream, or rather the dream he's tried to realize for Carl, has been to create a lasting peace. The last few months of his life has been dedicated to building a better world. Maybe his sacrifice will finally achieve that.

Only time will tell.