Paul "Jesus" Monroe

Paul "Jesus" Monroe/Rovia
The Walking Dead character
Paul Rovia, as portrayed by Tom Payne in the television series (left), and Paul Monroe, as depicted in the comic books (right).
First appearance	Comic: "Issue #91" (Cameo) "Issue #92" (Full appearance) Television: "The Next World" (Episode 10, Season 6)
Created by	Robert Kirkman Charlie Adlard
Portrayed by	Tom Payne
In-universe information
Occupation	Recruiter

Paul "Jesus" Monroe is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead. He serves as the ambassador for the Hilltop and frequently searches for new recruits. The recruiting process is largely motivated to help their community fight against Negan and the Saviors. He is openly gay and currently in an on-off relationship with Hilltop doctor Alex. In the television series, the character's surname is changed to Rovia.

Personality

Paul shares similarities with the biblical Jesus in his forgiving and open nature, as well as his long hair and beard. He is also shown to be extremely tactical, though sometimes letting his fury and emotions get the better of him. In addition to these, he has been shown to be a highly skilled combatant, being able to defeat his opponent while completely unarmed (instead using his hands and feet as a primary weapon). It can be assumed because of this that he has had formal training of a military and/or martial nature. He also has skills as an escape artist, and has shown himself to be a competent tracker.

Appearances

Comic book series

Paul is introduced spying on the Alexandria Safe-Zone community shortly following the horde invasion. Paul is later attacked by Michonne and Abraham Ford where he easily immobilizes them. After insisting to meet Rick Grimes, he is knocked out and tied up. After the interrogations, Rick eventually decides to let Paul take him to Hilltop. On the way, Paul reveals that he could have escaped anytime but remained there to see if Rick could be trusted. The two make up and continue their way. After reaching Hilltop, he defends Rick when the latter kills a citizen who has been sent by Negan to deliver a message. He thereafter reveals to Rick and his group that he and the rest of his people, for months, have been under siege by the Saviors. He attempts to track them back to their base, but is caught and chased back to the colony.

In the aftermath of Glenn's death at the hands of Negan, he decides to join Rick in his fight against the Saviors and becomes a key member in Rick's decision-making committee. After Rick decides to let go of a captive Dwight, Rick tells Paul to follow him and see what they are up against, but to tell no one of their plans. After gearing up, Paul begins to follow Dwight, hoping to discover the Saviors base of operations. He is later ambushed by three Saviors. As he tries to fight off the Savior trio, he is subdued by one of the members. After being knocked to the floor, Paul is almost killed by the Saviors, however, he is saved by Dwight and another Savior, who tell Paul's attackers to stand down, as they have some "important" questions for Paul. Dwight and the other Savior tie Paul up and load him onto a jeep. They drive to Sanctuary, allowing Paul to get a good look at the area and he bails out of the jeep at the very last second, narrowly avoiding capture and reports it back to Rick. He introduces Rick to Ezekiel, the leader of the Kingdom, in the hopes of forming the three communities into standing against the Saviors. As he sneaks into the Hilltop to tell Maggie of Rick's plan, he learns that Kal betrayed him and ran off to inform the Saviors of their plan in which Jesus catches up to him and convinces him to change his mind. He continues to recruit members of the Hilltop, much to Gregory's dismay.

Later, as Negan holds Rick, Nicholas, Heath & Holly hostage for attempting to kill him, Jesus arrives at the Safe Zone, hidden away from Negan and his men. He then grabs a Savior by his foot and trips him over. The Saviors open fire, but instead of hitting Paul they kill the Savior. Negan tells them to hold fire and at that moment Paul throws himself at the nearest Savior and orders Rick, Heath, Holly, and Nicholas into a trench. He proceeds to fight the Saviors until he works his way to Negan, whom he disarms and captures. Negan frantically tells the Saviors to hold fire and Paul issues an order to let the survivors go and threatens to kill Negan. He tells Paul that even if he were to succeed, the Saviors would still open fire and kill Paul. However it is revealed that Paul's intentions were to stall the Saviors until Ezekiel and his soldiers arrive. Jesus continues to aid Rick and Ezekiel in their fight against the Saviors until Negan is defeated.

Two years after Negan's incarceration, Jesus acts as Maggie's second-in-command at the Hilltop, while still making periodical visits to Alexandria.

Television series

Robert Kirkman has confirmed that Jesus will recur in future seasons of the show. In September 2015, Tom Payne was cast as Paul Monroe.

Season 6

Jesus makes his debut in the episode "The Next World," first seen bumping into Rick who is on a supply run with Daryl. Jesus pulls a smooth-talking con on them, pick-pocketing keys from Rick and planting the idea of approaching walkers in their mind so that they react predictably when firecrackers he had set go off, allowing him to drive off with their truck of supplies. When attacked by Rick and Daryl later, Jesus is able to physically defend himself, displaying impressive combat abilities, though he surrenders when they threaten him at gunpoint. Jesus is bound at his wrists and ankles and left at the side of the road but in seconds is able to free himself and climb onto the truck unobserved. Later, when they realize he is on the truck and slam on the brakes, Jesus takes a considerable fall at speed but is immediately able to get up and run, outpacing Daryl who gives chase. Jesus gets into the truck where he is fought by Daryl, and grabs Daryl's gun in order to kill a walker that would have otherwise attacked Daryl from behind. Daryl pulls Jesus from the truck, which is accidentally released of its brakes, and Jesus is knocked unconscious in the process of the truck rolling backwards into a lake. Jesus is brought back to Alexandria and despite being bound in a locked room in a guarded house, Jesus is able to free himself and escape confinement without raising an alarm, and identify and infiltrate Rick's home where he asks to speak with Rick.

In the following episode, "Knots Untie", Jesus is humble about his impressive escape, saying that, "Knots untie, locks get picked, anarchy comes from order," suggestive of a philosophy that seeks harmony rather than control. While he was free, Jesus located, infiltrated and took an accounting of Alexandria's armory and food supplies, and an estimate of their population. Noting that they are low on provisions, he suggests they trade with his community and takes them to The Hilltop. When Gregory, The Hilltop's leader, tries to get the upper hand on the Alexandrians who might face starvation without their food, Jesus works his influence to convince The Hilltop that being charitable with the Alexandrians in their time of need and building a relationship of trust and respect will pay back far more in the future than this single exchange. Jesus also intercedes when Rick and his group stop an assassination attempt on Gregory instigated by Negan, preventing further bloodshed. The Hilltop has suffered considerably from The Saviors' extortions, and while they did not have enough fighters or ammunition to move against Negan and his gang, Jesus readily volunteers to join when Daryl and the group offers to take out Negan and rescue Craig, a Hilltop hostage.

In the episode "Not Tomorrow Yet", Jesus comforts Tara who is feeling guilty about lying to Denise and her experiences when she was last involved in an attack on a community of survivors. Jesus tells Tara that it is love for Denise which gives her a reason to fight. When gunfire breaks out, Jesus and Tara both urge Andy and Craig to leave, to ensure The Hilltop is not connected to the attack on the Saviors, though Jesus dons his mask and rushes in with confidence that the Saviors will never see him. He is later seen saving Glenn and Heath from a dying Savior by shooting him before stating "So this is the next world."

Season 7

Jesus first appears in the fifth episode of the season, Go-Getters, where he attempts to comfort Maggie and Sasha (who are hiding in the Hilltop from Negan) on their lost loved ones. Gregory decides that the two of them must leave and when Jesus disagrees, Gregory states he is free to go with them. Sasha later tells Jesus that he should be in charge of the community, though he insists that he just tries to help, Sasha tells him he might have to do more. When the Hilltop is attacked by walkers let in by the Saviors, Jesus helps Sasha fend them off (once again showing off his impressive skills in hand-to hand combat) while Maggie destroys the car system drawing them in. The next day, Jesus continues to argue with Gregory as he refuses to turn away Maggie (who is pregnant) as well as Sasha as the two helped save them. When Simon, one of the head Saviors, arrives at the Hilltop, Gregory attempts to turn over the two, but is foiled by Jesus hiding them elsewhere. When confronted about it, Jesus tells him they are all staying and though he doesn't want to be in charge, Gregory won't be either. The episode ends with Jesus sneaking aboard one of the Savior's trucks in order to find Negan where he discovers Carl Grimes already there, bent on killing Negan & his Saviors.

Reception

Critical reception

The Weekly Crisis listed Jesus as #10 in their list of The Ten Best Characters in The Walking Dead, saying: "Being nicknamed after the son of God seems like one hell of an exaggeration, but Jesus has shown time and time again that he is a good, trusting man who just wants what’s best for everyone. The name fits. Even though we’ve only recently been introduced to him, Jesus is quickly showing himself to be one of the book’s greatest characters."