There's a nasty new survivor on The Walking Dead -- and he's post-apocalypse royalty. Spoiler warning for Season 11 Episode 7, "Promises Broken." Assigned to hard labor clearing walkers after being charged with violating the Commonwealth criminal code, Eugene (Josh McDermitt) and Stephanie (Chelle Ramos) spot the snotty Sebastian (Teo Rapp-Olsson). Waspy and whining about the smell of rotting "nasties" to his girlfriend Kayla (Courtney Dietz) and the couple's private security detail, General Mercer (Michael James Shaw), the entitled and rude Sebastian finds out he's not untouchable when "plebeian" Eugene jabs him in the face. Except the peevish punk is untouchable: he's the son of Commonwealth Governor Pamela Milton (Laila Robins).
Comic book readers will recognize Sebastian -- spoiler warning -- as Rick's killer from the final issues of creator Robert Kirkman's zombie saga. Issue #177 of the comic book introduces Sebastian as the governor's spoiled and snooty son, who talks down to Mercer in a profanity-laced tirade for killing "rotters" and disrupting his date. After Pamela scolds Mercer for endangering her son, new arrival Siddiq overhears Mercer blowing off steam in private -- by saying how easy it would be to let the community's leadership die.
It's part of the widening divide between the working class and the elite, who have to "know their place" as Tomi (Ian Anthony Dale) tells sister Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura) in "Promises Broken." (In the comics, it's Princess -- not Eugene -- who gets physical with Sebastian, and Michonne's daughter Elodie who tells her mother it's important "we know our place.")
In the comic books, Pamela Milton is a politician and the elected leader of the Ohio-based network of settlements that would eventually become the Commonwealth. The television show won't reveal Governor Milton until The Final Season Part 2 premieres in early 2022.
The Commonwealth leader is "from a political dynasty in our show, so imagine a family like the Kennedys or the Bushes," teased showrunner Angela Kang on The Walking Dead Season 11 Preview Special. "She's quite formidable, and the actress is amazing, so we're excited to have her."
Eugene's verbal -- and then physical -- altercation ends with him imprisoned for "attacking" the governor's son. But Deputy Governor and "fixer" Lance Hornsby (Josh Hamilton) offers Eugene a way out: disclose the name and location of his people back home, and he can help him. The scuffle cancels Governor Milton's meeting with fellow Harvard alum Yumiko, who is expected to provide legal services to Ms. Milton and her cabinet -- if her group isn't banished from the Commonwealth.
The Walking Dead Final Season Part 1 ends with "For Blood," streaming now on AMC+ ahead of an October 10 premiere on AMC. Season 11 returns with new episodes in 2022. Follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter for all things TWD and stay tuned to ComicBook for coverage all season long.
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