‘Walking Dead’ Season 4 Spoilers: Potential For Governor’s Backstory In Flashback?

Season three of “The Walking Dead” introduced a couple of new fan favorite characters -- Michonne and the Governor. Fortunately, both managed to survive the zombie apocalypse for another season, which means that, when the hit AMC show returns for its fourth run in the fall, viewers will continue learning more about them.

The last time we left off, Michonne was safely inside the prison, and the Governor slaughtered a large part of his “army” before running off with two of his cronies. With the Governor’s David Morrissey set to return to season four as a series regular, one fan asked TVLine.com if that leaves a possibility of a flashback showing the Governor’s backstory.

Thanks to season three, viewers learned that, before the zombie apocalypse, the Governor (or Philip as he was known at the time) had a wife and daughter, Penny. Eighteen months before the zombie outbreak, the Governor’s wife died in a car accident, leaving him to care for their young daughter. When the outbreak finally did happen, Penny somehow became a zombie, and, when the Governor took charge of Woodbury, he kept her reanimated body locked up in a secret room. Enlisting the help of his old friend Milton, the Governor was trying to work on a way to restore Penny back to the way she was.

According to TVLine, the Governor’s origin story would seem like “a golden opportunity” for Scott Gimple, the series' new show runner. However, it’s uncertain whether such a plotline exists in season four. “The show could just as easily wind up being too busy with recurring characters like Laura, a single mom and ex-nurse who isn’t quite as strong as she first appears; Melody, a ‘just one of the guys’ kinda gal in her 20s; and Don, who sounds like Hershel, if Hershel were crankier and two-legged,” TVLine’s Michael Ausiello teased.

“The Walking Dead” has kept flashbacks to a minimum throughout its three seasons, only taking the time to show how Lori, Shane and Carl fled their hometown (and a hospitalized Rick) to seek refuge in Atlanta. Creator and Executive Producer Robert Kirkman even told TVGuide.com in 2012 that fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting to see how the zombie outbreak even happened.

“I don’t find that to be interesting at all,” he explained. “In zombie fiction, you see the outbreak, you see the first days and the craziness in almost every other story told in this realm. I’m very proud of the fact that, for the most part, ‘The Walking Dead’ has skipped over that part.”

So, while the opportunity to see the Governor’s life prior to his Woodbury meltdown might look bleak based on Kirkman’s previous comments, there is always hope with a new show runner on board.

“The Walking Dead” returns for its fourth season this fall. Would you like to see a flashback of the Governor’s backstory? Let us know in the comments section.