Finally, the heads of two communities are about to meet in The Walking Dead issue 180. For several issues, there has been speculation as to what Governor Pamela Milton will do when she arrives to meet Rick Grimes in the Alexandria Safezone. Much to everyone’s surprise she is operating on what appears to be good faith and not providing any signals as to what her true intentions are. This only becomes more complicated when Rick decides, as his own good measure of faith, to show her around the community he has built. While on their tour the 2 of them have a disagreement about how their governments are running and what is best for their people.
The Good:
With Pamela Milton entering the Alexandria Safezone it expands The Walking Dead as it provides another ally or threat to the 4 communities as her intentions are still unknown. Despite not revealing her intentions, she has come into the Alexandria Safezone under good terms as she wants to meet and speak with Rick. Rick understanding this agrees to meet with her and offers her a tour of his community. While on this tour Rick, when asked, explains when traveling to this community he ran into a leader, also called the Governor, who cut off his hand. As he is telling this story he is emphasizing that his people have gone through several difficulties and have had to fight for their lives. This is his attempt to show the strength of his community and to make it clear that his people are willing to oppose outside forces if necessary. During the tour, Rick and Pamela begin to have a conversation about the one another’s government. Pamela questions how Rick can live as an equal among his people and not above them. He responds by making it clear that people view him as a leader based on what he has accomplished in the past and his experience. He further states that the house that he lives in currently, which is the same size as his neighbors, is bigger than the one he lived in before the apocalypse occurred. Conversely, Rick challenges Pamela on the way that she is ruling her community, which is set up as a class system based on your profession prior to the apocalypse. Rick is challenging the fact that it is unfair to the people beneath her. In response to Rick’s assertion, she makes it clear that it gives people the ability to strive for something along with moving the world forward, as the world use to work. In this debate, they both establish and bring up valid flaws in each other’s government structures, alluding to the best way to govern their respective people. In hearing her side, Rick states that maybe it is time for a new world order to exist in the way that society functions, thus implying that Pamela will play a role in ushering that into existence.
The Bad:
The comic has several lose ends. The biggest one being the Commonwealth’s army is going to be stationed at lookout station one. The comic makes no mention of how they are taking being stationed their rather, it makes it clear that Dwight and a few others will escort Mercer to let them know where they will be staying. Given the fact that many troops have been deployed, possibly too many for an escort mission, it raises questions as to what their true intent is and how they will react to that order. Furthermore, Michonne is offered a luxury apartment by Lance along with her own office to work in. With this offer on the table it is not clear whether she accepts it and what is the agenda that Lance has in store for her. The final lose end is what did Eugene inform Rick about when rushing back to the Alexandria Safezone that was crucial for him to know. Without that information being revealed it raises questions about what Rick knows about Pamela and what he needs to find out.
The Verdict:
Issue 180 does provide a clash between Governor Pamela Milton and Rick Grimes as their values and life style differs with one another, yet this clash takes an unexpected route. As the two remain civil towards one another despite challenging and defending their communities. This provides a bit of a letdown ending for the New World Order arc as it leaves readers wondering how the meeting between Rick and Pamela will change their communities respectfully.
