The Walking Dead kicked off its final stretch of episodes on Oct. 2, and it’s beginning to sink in that the end is drawing near much quicker than we would like. With a not-so-welcome return to The Commonwealth, fans were invited into a story that wasn’t light on heartbreak and turmoil. At its core, TWD is still a show about survival in a world overturned by the undead; we weren’t exactly expecting sunshine and rainbows.
Returning with an episode titled “Lockdown”, fans were thrust into a world of distrust with a thinly painted veil of a town trying to balance reality and a happily-ever-after existence. The Commonwealth was supposed to be a fresh start, a realm of new possibilities, but it seemed like they were in the throws of an even more intense fight for their lives. That point was hit home prominently when fans saw a sign that read “Justice for April” when citizens were protesting in Union Square; another sign had the words ‘MONEY FOR LIVES’ upon it.
So who is April Martens, what does the other sign mean, and what on earth is happening in The Commonwealth? Let’s take a look.
First things first, who is April?
April Martens first appeared in season 11 of The Walking Dead, being mentioned or seen in three episodes: “Rogue Element”, “The Rotten Core”, and “Trust”. April’s character suffered a cruel fate at the hands of Governor Pamela Milton’s son, Sebastian. Sebastian isn’t anyone’s favorite character, so nothing we say here will be surprising, but he is a terrible guy.
Fans first learn April’s name in “Rogue Element” when her name is on a list of people given to Connie and Kelly. The list will end up holding more importance than they could imagine, and the Milton family is at the center of it.
April comes into play as a citizen who needed a hand-up and was found by Sebastian. He offered to help her get out of debt, a promise she couldn’t turn down, but she had to do something for him first. The mission was dangerous, and there wasn’t protection offered — except being sent out with others that Sebastian had also “offered to help”.
Upon reaching a location where money was said to be located, they discovered walkers and knew they were in trouble. What started as a group of twelve quickly dwindled to three, and then — there was just April. Unfortunately, being alone meant she was stranded when the power went out, and she had no way to escape a room she’d locked herself inside. So, how was she found if she was trapped away from The Commonwealth?
Daryl and Rosita find her in the home after they hear screaming when they step inside it. Unfortunately, a slew of events places them all in greater danger, but Carol and Mercer save their lives. As they attempt to make it back to The Commonwealth, they reencounter walkers, and while they’re covered in all the blood and… other fluids of the zombies, April gets nervous when she gets caught up with one, and her reaction to the situation causes them to attack her, despite their best efforts to stay hidden.
Daryl, Carol, Rosita, and Mercer all look upon her in heartache as she’s taken down, and Rosita takes it upon herself to stab April, not allowing her the chance to reanimate.
Why are people demanding justice for April?
It’s a plain and simple response: April deserved better. Sebastian never intended to help reduce or take care of April’s debt; he wanted the money for himself instead. Being a Milton gave him a sense of power but also a desire to have more of it, and then more of it still. Let’s be honest, he’s also a selfish guy, and he’s not had an admirable role model in his life. Even if he did, it’s easy to tell that Sebastian’s personality is one that even the warmest of hearts might not have been able to soften.
April wasn’t the first person he took advantage of, and she wouldn’t be the last. He uses people as pawns in his game, moving and shuffling them around as necessary, ready to push and shove them out of the way at a moment’s notice. Life or death wasn’t a matter of concern for Sebastian, not as long as he was getting what he wanted out of the situations at hand.
So people are demanding justice for April because she didn’t deserve to lose her life, she didn’t deserve to be lied to, and she didn’t deserve to die. People also demand justice for themselves, not to be the next person finding themselves in April’s shoes. If Sebastian can do it to her, he can make anyone his next victim.
People loved April, she was a person, not a pawn, she had a family, friends, and was a mother — April existed, and she was good. With people who loved her, it’s clear that her death will not be in vain, and as cracks begin to surface in The Commonwealth, we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Sebastian and Pamela have been in power for far too long; it’s about time someone swept the rug out from under their feet. So yes, we’re shouting “Justice for April”, and if you’ve watched season 11, we know you are too.
The Walking Dead airs new episodes Sunday nights on AMC, and as we’re in the final stretch, you won’t want to miss them.