Eugene Porter

Dr. Eugene Porter is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and is portrayed by Josh McDermitt beginning in the fourth season of the American television series of the same name. ^[1]

Character background

In the comics, Eugene is an overweight high school science teacher prior to the apocalypse. Post-apocalypse, he utilizes his intelligence to pretend to be a scientist in order to gain the protection of others. He has no survival skills of his own.

Appearances

Comic book series

Eugene Porter, as portrayed in the comic book series. Art by Charlie Adlard.

Eugene first appears at Hershel's farm, which is now occupied by the remaining prison survivors. Eugene claims to know what has caused the plague, but will not disclose any information with the remaining survivors, including Abraham and Rosita. He says he will only share information with officials in Washington DC. His lie, along with a belief that Washington is the only safezone, prompts the rest of the survivors to head there in hopes of long-term survival.

During the journey, Eugene studies various zombies in order to gain knowledge about them, but is careful to shadow the convoy to protect himself.

Eugene's deception is discovered after the Hunter ordeal. Everyone learns of his true career as a science teacher, and that he is using the radio as an excuse to get to Washington DC. He is hated from the group after this but remains a member, travelling with them to the Alexandria Safe Zone, where he lives alone. After Rosita and Abraham break up, she moves in with Eugene, where he tries to create a relationship between them. Eugene eventually realizes he can begin to manufacture bullets in a repair shop nearby, where Abraham is killed when they scout it out. During the war with Negan, the shop is overrun by walkers and Eugene with his crew are captured by Negan. They are tortured for information but eventually escape with the help of Dwight, taking a van with a mix of Alexandrians and defecting Saviours back.

After the two year time jump, Eugene and Rosita have a strained relationship. He works on many projects in the zone and is now a respected member of the community. It turns out Rosita is pregnant by another man but Eugene vows to raise the child like his own.

Television series

Season 4

In the episode "Inmates", Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene meet survivors Tara and an unconscious Glenn on the road as they escape the ruins of the destroyed prison. In the episode "Claimed", Abraham reveals to Glenn and Tara that Eugene is a scientist with classified information of the pandemic and the means to end it. Eugene has told his companions that he had been in contact with government officials located in Washington, D.C. and requires them to escort him there. Glenn, whose main ambition is to locate his wife Maggie and the rest of his group, decides not to embark on this journey. Glenn and Abraham get into a brawl over this, resulting in the attraction of nearby walkers from the fields surrounding the road. Eugene attempts to fend off the surrounding walkers, but his inexperience with firearms causes him to lose control of his rifle and he accidentally shoots through the gas tank of his group's vehicle. The group eliminates the walker horde, after which Glenn walks back down the road they came from to find Maggie, followed by Tara and then Rosita. With the truck out of commission, Eugene tells Abraham that the road behind them is clear and hints that they'll find more survivors and a replacement vehicle if Glenn is correct, so they follow Glenn as well. In the episode "Us", as they walk down the railroad tracks, Glenn comes across a message about Terminus that Maggie had left for him; realizing Maggie is still alive, Glenn sprints forward down the tracks. They come across a tower where a walker is about to fall from the roof on top of Eugene, whom Abraham saves by shoving Eugene out of the way, but causes Tara to fall and injure her leg in the process. Abraham wants to rest, but Glenn wants to push forward. He offers to give Eugene his riot gear for protection if Abraham's group goes with him to Terminus. Abraham accepts and the group moves on. They approach a tunnel where Glenn sees another sign from Maggie; Glenn wants to go through the tunnel, but Abraham declares it too dangerous and won't risk Eugene. Abraham leaves Glenn and Tara with two cans of food and a flashlight, and tells them to backtrack to the last road if they have trouble getting through. When Abraham falls asleep in the car, Rosita drives while Eugene navigates; he tricks Rosita into driving to the far side of the tunnel where they run into Maggie, Sasha, and Bob. They all enter the tunnel and save Glenn and Tara from being overwhelmed by walkers. Eugene manages to convince Abraham to go to Terminus with the others, as they might be able to obtain supplies and recruit others at Terminus to come to Washington. They all head to Terminus, where they are greeted by a woman named Mary. In the season finale "A", when Rick, his son Carl, and Michonne and Daryl are locked up a shipping container by the residents of Terminus, it is revealed that Eugene and the rest have all been captured and are being held there as well. Rick declares that the people holding them are "gonna feel pretty stupid when they find out [...] they're screwin' with the wrong people."

Season 5

In the season premiere "No Sanctuary", the group escapes from Terminus. In the episode "Strangers", Eugene accompanies them to the church. In the episode "Four Walls and a Roof", they have the final confrontation with the survivors of Terminus. The next day, Tara, Glenn and Maggie depart with Abraham, Rosita and Eugene in a bus, heading for Washington, D.C. In the episode "Self Help", when the bus crashes, the group decide to continue north. While camped in a library, Eugene reveals to Tara that he purposefully sabotaged the bus, fearing his abandonment if he does not succeed in abolishing the epidemic. The following morning, the group continue traveling in a fire truck, but are eventually forced to stop after spotting hordes of walkers. During an argument about how they should proceed, Eugene reveals that he lied about his knowledge of a cure and fabricated the mission in order to convince others to help him stay alive. Abraham beats him unconscious. In the episode "Crossed", Eugene is unconscious as a result of Abraham's beating. At one point, Maggie uses a ladder and a blanket to shield Eugene from the sun. In the mid-season finale "Coda", Eugene is seen in the back of the fire truck when Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Tara, Glenn and Maggie return back to Father Gabriel's church.

In the mid-season premiere "What Happened and What's Going On", Eugene appears when he listens to Rick explains the camp Noah was talking about. Eugene later watches the group burying Tyreese and Gabriel speaking. In the episode "Them", Eugene is with the group on their long trek. When 'a friend' leaves them water and the others do not want to risk it being poison, Eugene tries to drink some but Abraham swats it away. He later helps keep the barn doors closed when walkers attack. In the episode "The Distance", Eugene watches as the group deal with Aaron, then goes out to guard the perimeter. He rides the RV on both legs of the journey to Alexandria, playing cards on the table. In the episode "Remember", Eugene enters Alexandria with the rest of his group. He can be seen residing in the house with everyone during the first few nights of their stay in Alexandria. In the episode "Spend", Glenn, Noah, Tara, Eugene, Aiden, and Nicholas head to a warehouse to scavenge parts to repair Alexandria's solar power system. Eugene is reluctant to go, but he is needed to identify the parts they need. As the group enters, they encounter a zombified soldier wearing body armor and grenades and Aiden shoots it, causing an explosion. Tara is critically wounded, and walkers enter the warehouse. Eugene carries Tara out of the warehouse. Eugene arrives in the van and lures the walkers on the outside away. Nicholas goes to the van and tells Eugene they must leave immediately. When Eugene refuses, Nicholas pulls him out of the van and tries to leave without him. Glenn arrives and knocks Nicholas out. In the season finale "Conquer", Abraham visits Tara and talks with Eugene. Eugene credits Abraham for getting them to Alexandria, and apologizes for lying to him about Washington, D.C.; Abraham also apologizes for nearly beating Eugene to death.

Casting

The Eugene character was announced in a casting call for Episode 10 back in July, under code-name "Wayne Kasey".^[2] The character's real name and the actor who would play the role (McDermitt) were confirmed during the show's panel at New York Comic Con 2013. The Hollywood Reporter and other media publicized the confirmation afterwards.

References

External links