See, I think they're trying to throw us off the tea-scent trail with that comment. It's in too many scenes. I keep you around for your tea ... they drink it at breakfast ... I've been wrong before, but it strikes me as significant (even if only symbolically).
"Anyway, a few things. Dr Stevens is likely in on it, but that's not what happened, pay attention to when he's talking to Merle when he gets gets back from killing the national guard. He asks Merle to go put him out of his misery."
Huh? We have no idea what the Governor tells Merle. We don't hear anything, the Governor just kind of says something to him under his breath. I thought that most folks here thought he was telling Merle to take the now-dead Guardsmen to the Lab for Milton to work on.
Pay attention to that conversation, you will hear it ^^