The Walking Dead Has Finally Replaced The Governor After 9 Years
The Governor, who has a reputation as one of the The Walking Dead's two best villains, has finally been replaced in season 11 after nine years.
After nine years, The Walking Dead has found a replacement for the Governor in Josh Hamilton’s Lance Hornsby. Played by David Morrissey, Phillip Blake aka The Governor is widely considered to be one of the two best villains in the show’s history, the other being Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan. For nearly two seasons, the Governor was a thorn in the side of Rick’s group.
Long before their arrival in Alexandria and their battles with the Saviors, the Whisperers, and now the Commonwealth soldiers, the group had to contend with the Governor, who proved to be a callous and twisted murderer whose charisma made him a huge threat to everyone on the show. His ability to command trust and respect from the people of Woodbury helped him maintain a villainous presence on the show even after his defeat in the season 3 finale. Due to the Governor’s role in seasons 3 and 4, Rick’s group was dealt a number of crushing blows. Because of him, they lost the prison, Andrea (Laurie Holden), Herschel (Scott Wilson), and Merle (Michael Rooker).
The Governor, who left a memorable mark on the series, was killed off in The Walking Dead season 4 midseason finale in 2013. Now, nine years later, the series has finally replaced the villain, which is something that fans have wanted for quite some time now. The Commonwealth’s Lance Hornsby wasn’t a true villain in the comics, but his role in The Walking Dead season 11 part 2 has proven that he has what it takes to properly succeed Morrissey’s character. Like Blake, Lance is a conniving manipulator who perfectly blends charm with sociopathic tendencies.
Whereas Negan flaunted his most evil traits by sadistically murdering Glenn (Steven Yuen) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) in his first-ever encounter with Rick’s group, the Governor and Lance have been considerably more controlled and less obvious with their actions. Both have been adept at hiding their true selves from the people around them. But at the same time, both know how to smoothly switch from evil to hospitable in an instant. This quality was on display throughout The Walking Dead season 11 episode 15, titled “Trust”, including the moment where Lance immediately backed off his threats to Maggie’s people and put on a mask of friendliness.
Though Lance knows how to come off as a nice and welcoming person, he clearly has a cold-blooded side that won’t hesitate to eliminate anyone he sees as an obstacle. The discovery that he knew about the people Sebastian had sacrificed, the way he tried to frighten Maggie’s son, his willingness to strike at the Hilltop, and his efforts to wipe out Riverbend have showcased Lance as a ruthless villain in the same vein of the Governor. Given what the former was able to accomplish before his demise, the comparison has ominous implications for Daryl (Norman Reedus) and the others in The Walking Dead season 11’s remaining episodes.
