Although he was an antagonist in the comics, Hershel was relatively harmless, being more insufferable than dangerous. However, his TV counterpart looks like he could be a genuine threat, while maintaining his stuck-up attitude. With Hershel starting a fire in Dead City season 2, the Croat was able to find out that New Babylon was heading to Manhattan, confirming that Maggie's son is working with the show's villains. As a result, he has the potential to become way more evil than he was in the source material, suggesting Hershel may be worse than ever in The Walking Dead.
Hershel Becomes A Real Brat At The End Of The Walking Dead's Comic Series
Despite Who His Parents Are, Hershel Is Pretty Insufferable In The Source Material
Throughout The Walking Dead comics, Glenn remained a loyal and upbeat survivor while Maggie turned into a valuable and stoic leader, but their son didn't seem to inherit these traits. Instead, with Maggie choosing to shelter her son and keep him away from the horrors of the apocalypse, Hershel wound up becoming a real brat, who wasn't particularly popular among the rest of the Commonwealth. His lack of experience outside the community made him ignorant of the true threat walkers posed, using them for a traveling show, rather than treating them as the serious threat they are.
Additionally, he dismissed paying hotel fees, tried to get Carl arrested, and insulted Rick's legacy after he had passed away. As a result, Hershel developed an entitled attitude throughout the story and was easily one of the most frustrating characters by the end of the comics. While he looks to have maintained some of that bratty demeanor in the TV universe, it doesn't appear that Logan Kim's take on the character will be quite as insufferable; however, given that he is aligning with the show's main villains, Hershel could still become an extremely irritating character in Dead City season 2.
Hershel Is On The Villains' Side In The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2
Episode 2 All But Confirmed That Hershel Is Willingly Assisting The Dama & The Croat
While Hershel himself hasn't admitted that he is helping the Dama and the Croat in Dead City season 2, "Another Shitty Lesson" all but confirmed he is involved with the show's main villains. The episode heavily alluded to him starting the fire that alerted the Croat to New Babylon's voyage, suggesting Hershel has potentially been aiding the antagonists ever since he was released from imprisonment. Although The Walking Dead's New Babylon Federation is also a villainous faction, it seems unlikely Hershel was selling them out just to rescue Maggie and Ginny, especially after season 2's premiere.
"Power Equals Power" confirmed that Hershel had drawings of the Dama and New York, proving that his time in Manhattan had a big impact on him. Therefore, he could be forced into choosing between Dead City's villains or his own mother, and his comic history alongside his dark storyline means it may not be a straightforward decision. The spinoff show may try to redeem Hershel and have him become an important survivor for the franchise's future, but it's just as likely that he pledges his allegiance to the Dama and becomes even worse than he was in the source material.
Why The Walking Dead Keeps Making Hershel A Bad Guy
His Villainous Side Directly Contrasts Glenn While Showing The Impact Of Growing Up In The Apocalypse
Now that Hershel is on his way to becoming a villain in the TV universe, it creates questions around why he is constantly being portrayed as a bad guy in The Walking Dead. Considering how much everyone loved Maggie and Glenn as a couple, it seems odd that their son has been unbearable in two different continuities, but it's a very intentional decision. With Glenn not around to raise his son, it feels all the more agonizing that one of the sweetest characters in the franchise was essentially replaced by someone so difficult to cheer for.
Rather than honor his father's legacy, Hershel's villainous turn only makes Glenn's death hurt even more. His ignorance in the comics and fascination with the Dama in the TV universe also highlight how growing up in such a broken world impacts the youth. Lizzie's arc was a more disturbing demonstration of this, but Hershel's strange behavior and decisions in the source material alongside Dead City confirm that the apocalypse can have a detrimental effect on a young person's mind, even when raised with love, hence why The Walking Dead has double downed on making Hershel a villain.
