Morgan Jones
First survivor Rick meets after his coma.
Morgan Jones is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead, portrayed by Lennie James in the American television series of the same name and its companion series Fear the Walking Dead. He is a devoted father struggling with the recent death of his wife, and he and his son Duane are the first survivors Rick Grimes encounters after awakening from his coma. Morgan is known for his catchphrase "you know what it is" and later becomes the protagonist of Fear the Walking Dead.
Quick Facts
- Series
- The Walking Dead
- First
- Comic:
- "Issue #1" (2003)
- Television:
- "Days Gone Bye" (2010)
- Last
- Comic:
- "Issue #83" (2011)
- Television:
- "All I See Is Red" (2023)
- Portrayed by
- Lennie James
- Also known as
- Television:; Nightingale
- Creator
- Robert Kirkman; Tony Moore
- Adapted by
- Frank Darabont (The Walking Dead)
- Children
- Duane Jones † (son)
- Television:
- Morgan "Mo" (adoptive daughter)
Facts from the source article.
Appearances
Morgan's son Duane mistakes Rick for a walker and knocks him out with a shovel; Morgan realizes Rick is alive and aids his recovery, providing details of the outbreak. Rick supplies Morgan and Duane with guns from the Sheriff's station before departing for Atlanta. Months later, during winter, Morgan finds a Game Boy for Duane as a Christmas present to lift his spirits. Duane later falls prey to walkers, specifically his turned mother, and becomes a zombie.
Unable to cope, Morgan chains Duane in the house and begins killing passing survivors to feed him. When Rick, Carl, and Abraham return, Morgan agrees to join them after freeing his zombie son. He develops an intense fixation on Carl, who reminds him of Duane, and becomes a primary defender of the campsite. Morgan deepens his bond with Michonne due to their shared damaged psyches and loss, and tries to maintain Carl's childhood innocence.
At the Alexandria Safe-Zone, Morgan is assigned the role of chef by leader Douglas. Frustrated with the community's fake upbeat attitude, he leaves a welcome party with Michonne and they have sex; he regrets it the next morning, clinging to his deceased wife's memory, which angers Michonne.
Development and reception
Lennie James played Morgan in the series premiere "Days Gone Bye". Mike Ryan of Vanity Fair described Morgan as "scared shitless of zombies breaking in, which seems like a reasonable reaction". Liz Kelly and Jen Chaney of The Washington Post compared Morgan and Duane to Michael and Walt from "Lost". Josh Jackson of Paste wrote that Morgan and Duane are "tormented by Morgan's wife walking the streets outside the suburban home where they're squatting" and called it "the most nightmarish of scenarios – hunted by the shell of a loved one".
Jackson also stated that Rick is "shell-shocked by the world he wakes up to and Morgan serves as his shepherd into reality". Leonard Pierce of The A.V. Club described Morgan as "beautifully played by the always welcome Lennie James" and noted a "wrenching" scene where Morgan tries to destroy his reanimated wife. Kris King of Starpulse observed that Morgan "has a powerful scene involving the fate of his wife and his grizzly attempt to come to terms with his loss".
Scott Meslow of The Atlantic described the episode's most devastating scene as Morgan aiming at his wife's head through a rifle, almost pulling the trigger several times before collapsing in tears, calling Morgan's fate a dark reflection of Rick's worst fears.
More in Characters & Survivors
Elsewhere in The Walking Dead
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