Who/what Is The Source Of Deanna's Power?

- - - - - Alexanrdia Deanna Team Rick

#1
zombiekitten

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I decided to make this a thread, because no one has even TRIED to even float a theory: WHAT is the source of Deanna's power in ASZ? Her husband is a total beta, Aiden is walker food, Spencer seems worthless, Tobin is a pussy. Hell, those fuckers can't even shoot.

There seems to be no MUSCLE behind her power and I have a hard time believing it's just her politician's charisma that entrances the ASZers.

As I see it, she brought Team Rick in to BE her muscle, but what she failed to understand from talking to Rick (so much for being able to read people), is Rick won't play second fiddle to ANYONE, much less someone as worthless and weak as Deanna, for very long. I just hope when the time comes, Daryl doesn't push back, because Daryl is RICK'S muscle. Rick has to take over or ALL are doomed.

Anybody else? Surely I'm not the only one with a theory.

Discuss...


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#2
DeadOnMyFeet

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Um...actually you never did GIVE us your theory as to the source of her power. Did you? 

 

It's that hidden crystal necklace she wears.... it focuses all surrounding energies, and lets her brainwash all who cross

her path.  :Fairy: 

 

I honestly don't see her having any power really. Her people are already yielding (willingly) to the stronger leaders. 

And she's a congresswoman, a politician in a political system that votes people into office. In the beginning, she was 

probably appointed leader of the group due to confidence and ability and willingness to delegate and make decisions. 

Just as Rick was. As we recall, Merle thought he was just gonna grab a gun and take over as leader. Well he wasn't the

popular choice. LOL Deanna has had no competition until now. Leadership decisions are based on experience.

And the new group has much more. Since she has no right hand security force, militia, or anything else to enforce her

leadership role, she has no actual authority, and therefore no real power. That is why she's worried about Ricks people

assuming leader roles; she sees her people being willing to follow the most capable, not just who's been around a long

time. And nothing gets people to follow you like saving lives--theirs and their friends. 

If she were smart, she'd realize the odds of finding strong experienced warriors who aren't criminal types or marauders, 

people with a conscience, that are willing to walk into a town with finite food reserves, attend cocktail parties and 

take orders from people who have no clue how to protect themselves from whats outside their inadequate fences, are rather slim. 

 

Now that I think of it, I find it odd that they army didn't leave a contingency of soldiers there to protect them, or that she

didn't have some of her own armed people--granted she's only a representative, not a senator or higher, but still a civil

leader. 

 

 


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#3
thelastpaul

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Truth be told, a lot of people are sheep. A lot of weak people are sheep. There are a lot of weak people living there. This is a Community of people who didn't have to deal with living out in the wild.

 

These are people that want to keep the fantasy of a normal society alive. They've been able to do that, and they recognized that someone has to lead. That someone happens to be someone that was already a leader, and a "high  up" person in society. The woman's strong, has a strong personality, etc. etc.  It's not too far fetched honestly.

 

But I also feel that maybe she's actually a Class II  "Super" zombie that is providing a false sense of security for her "Community" (Human Flesh Farm, is more like it) , so that the remaining survivors of this world keep breeding. That way, they can have a steady supply of flesh forever..


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#4
StrollingDead

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Chairman Mao said "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun" but as in so many other things, the Chairman was wrong, as his own case points out- he didn't get to be a demigod to half a billion people by being the fastest gun in the East. It's the mind that guides the hand that points the gun that has the power.

 

Ever since the first runt convinced people he should be running things cause his Daddy was a great warrior, or the first shaman convinced the hunters that there was a giant invisible tiger out there that was going to get them all unless the shaman got the choice cuts of the kill, it's been the smooth talkers that (usually) run the show.

 

There are of course wars and revolutions, when God fights on the side of the heaviest artillery, but usually power flows through channels.

That's why there was never such a thing as the Ricktatorship. Rick's power always came from getting agreement from the others- and not only physical power of course- who had more power at the prison, Michonne or Hersh?

 

As both Aristotle and Hobbes pointed out, human beings are roughly equal enough in strength that while one can dominate one, two can almost always overpower one- and when three Betas get together, Alpha male becomes Omega.


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#5
Lurwalker

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I liken Deanna's power to being one of the people picked for Survivor.  Each group looks for a leader and sometimes one is just picked and sometimes one steps forward.  Being a congresswomen in the former world she certainly knows how to step forward to delegate.  Could be that the army that placed them there in the area assigned her the job at the time and as no one else there seems to want to take the reins from her.  In fact most of Asz peeps are acting like the government is still in existence (just like Grady Hosp. group) and waiting for the right time to hit the restart button not realizing how things truly are.    However, like Survivor, most times the power splits and/or shifts to others as they learn of the defects of the leader and many get stuck with the title when someone else is running the reigns in the background so when someone needs to take the blame then the person lead to the guillotine will be Deanna.

 

To me the writers are really pushing the congresswomen issue as her power as she was an elected leader prior to za.  The writers are purposely leaving this issue for future plot development and it may come out that the 3 men who were exiled tried to take over at some point and Deanna may have been able to rally the cowardly troops because of same.  Either way I'm sure this story is going to get told at some point and I very much see Ricktatorship 3.0 kicking in soon.


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#6
Nareen

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Essentially Deanna is the leader for the same reason that Rick is: power of personality and the willingness to take responsibility.

 

I see Deanna’s governance as due to the fact that she is an experienced leader who knows how to handle people, she is a representative of what was once the legitimate government, she and her family were seemingly the first arrivals in Alexandria, and the system they have going there has worked for them so far. 

 

But I also think that Deanna knows that the community is weak, that things are changing on the outside and that they need help.  She just doesn't like all of the consequences.


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#7
Shane is the Man

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Chairman Mao said "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun" but as in so many other things, the Chairman was wrong, as his own case points out- he didn't get to be a demigod to half a billion people by being the fastest gun in the East. It's the mind that guides the hand that points the gun that has the power.

 

Ever since the first runt convinced people he should be running things cause his Daddy was a great warrior, or the first shaman convinced the hunters that there was a giant invisible tiger out there that was going to get them all unless the shaman got the choice cuts of the kill, it's been the smooth talkers that (usually) run the show.

 

There are of course wars and revolutions, when God fights on the side of the heaviest artillery, but usually power flows through channels.

That's why there was never such a thing as the Ricktatorship. Rick's power always came from getting agreement from the others- and not only physical power of course- who had more power at the prison, Michonne or Hersh?

 

As both Aristotle and Hobbes pointed out, human beings are roughly equal enough in strength that while one can dominate one, two can almost always overpower one- and when three Betas get together, Alpha male becomes Omega.

 

You make a very good point. If it had been up to Rick, they would all still be trudging along on the outside. It was Maggie, Michonne, and Glenn iirc that forced him (for lack of a better word) to follow Aaron. 


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Yo soy guajiro y carretero, y en el campo vivo bien, porque el campo es el Eden, mas lindo del mundo entero. 


#8
Jgreenwood

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Speedforce.


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#9
PhilTheIssuesGuy

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I would say if she has any power it is the power of delusion of self. She manipulated  her own mind into thinking she is good leader. She is WAY over her head. I think Rick was correct these people just are so freaking lucky nothing big has gone down before because i think when bleep hits the fan she will not know how to handle it and have to look to rick to make the hard decisions. 


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#10
mosher

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Deanna was the ranking official when she was left at Alexandria. She was followed initially because society had not evolved away from that yet.

 

Deanna is still in charge because Alexandria is still standing and the people there are well aware that very little is standing anywhere else. She will remain in charge until Alexandria suffers. Since this is The Walking Dead, one has to assume it will all go to hell soon.

 

But why would they change captains before now? They live a pretty good life in Alexandria.


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#11
thewalkingjoe

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I would say if she has any power it is the power of delusion of self. She manipulated  her own mind into thinking she is good leader. She is WAY over her head. I think Rick was correct these people just are so freaking lucky nothing big has gone down before because i think when bleep hits the fan she will not know how to handle it and have to look to rick to make the hard decisions. 

I agree, once shit hits the fan she will definitely be looking for Rick to lead/make decisions.


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You can find me on the darkside of the moon


#12
KidSeventySeven

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Speedforce.

 

I was thinking Castle Grayskull, but you might be on to something.


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Jon is fine, dammit.





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