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This article is about the Comic Series character. You may be looking for his TV Series counterpart.

This needs to happen! They'll come and take more of us if we don't fight back! What about your wife?! My son?! I'm not going to let Rick risk their lives, too!
―Morton persuading Vincent into killing Rick Grimes.[src]

Morton Rose is survivor of the outbreak and later an antagonist in Image Comics' The Walking Dead. He is a resident of the Hilltop Colony, alongside his wife and son. He served as the secondary antagonist of Volume 25: No Turning Back.

Overview[]

Morton is a rather short-fused, demanding, and aggressive individual. He is shown to be unsatisfied about many situations he is involved in. For example, Morton suggests extreme punishment for Carl Grimes after he nearly beat his son to death. Carl insists that it was an act of self-defense but Morton doesn't believe him. Another time, when Carl's father Rick, the leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, refuses to go to war against the Whisperers, Morton angrily demands to retaliate, in order to avenge his wife's death. Morton's aggressiveness and exhortation eventually resulted in him getting killed by Rick. For all his faults, Morton deeply cares about his family, as both instances of his aggression involve his loved ones getting hurt.

Pre-Apocalypse[]

Location Unknown[]

Not much is known about Morton's life prior to or as the outbreak began, except that he lived with his wife and son.

Post-Apocalypse[]

Whispers Into Screams[]

When Carl Grimes defended Sophia - a friend and fellow resident of the Hilltop Colony - and himself from the bullies that previously attacked Brian, another youth of the Colony, because of his looks, Morton immediately showed up at the infirmary, carrying his son Brandon and his friend's bodies on a blanket. He then threatened Carl and Maggie Greene alongside his wife, Tammy, saying that the boy should be locked up because of his attack. Although Carl insists it was an act of self-defense, Morton keeps arguing with Maggie. He finally convinces her of giving Carl some sort of punishment. Carl then walks in and says that if he hadn't beaten up Morton's son then Sophia would have been hurt even worse than she already had been and that he will not apologise for hurting his son. He tells Morton and his family to go fuck themselves, and this enrages Morton, who slams Carl up against the wall, calling him a little shit and to never talk to him like that until he is ordered by Maggie to get his hands off Carl. After that, Maggie sends him and his wife to their trailer.

Later, Morton is sitting at the dinner table inside his trailer with his wife and the Harlan family. They discuss Maggie's power in leadership and how no one voted or had an opinion on her new occupation, implying that she simply began to yell out orders. When they start thinking about a way of ending her "reckless" power, Gregory, the former leader of the Colony who also happens to be in attendance, suggests that they kill her. Morton, Tammy, and the Harlan family decide against it, saying that Gregory has crossed the line. Gregory, however, manipulates them into killing Maggie, saying that her death will save lives. An agitated Morton later visits Gregory's trailer, saying that he will help reclaim Gregory's leadership, but they have to eliminate Carl as well.

Life and Death[]

After his wife explains to Maggie about Gregory's plan, Morton and Tammy as well as most of Hilltop witness Gregory's hanging after his failed assassination of Maggie.

Morton and his son are seen at the fair occurring at the Alexandria Safe-Zone some time later, looking for Tammy, unbeknownst that she had been killed by Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers.

No Turning Back[]

Morton gathers alongside the other citizens of the communities to hear Rick's announcement concerning the Whisperers' attack on twelve members of the communities. After being informed by Rick of his wife's death, both Morton and his son mourn over Tammy. Morton, at a small meeting with Rick and loved ones of the other victims, demands that they should attack the Whisperers immediately to avenge Tammy's death.

At a later communal meeting, Rick explains his slow and tentative plan to deal with the Whisperers, but Morton is hotly unsatisfied with Rick's plan to defeat the Whisperers; the meeting quickly unravels after that. When Maggie instructs everyone to leave, Morton retorts, saying that they won't leave until they've created a "proper" plan. Jesus tries to escort him out of the building but Morton punches him in the face, igniting a brawl. The following night, Morton with his son visits the home of Vincent and Julia, the parents of Josh, who also was killed at the hands of Alpha.

Morton has convinced Vincent to attack Rick and scare him into taking greater action against the Whisperers. The same night, they ambush Rick, on the streets of Alexandria as he is returning home, and Morton proceeds to beat him up with his own cane. While he beats him up, however, his hood falls down and reveals his face. Eventually, Vincent tries getting Morton to quit attacking Rick, as murdering Rick wasn't what he agreed to do. Morton, however, refuses to stop, saying that Rick wasn't supposed to see them attacking him and now they have to kill him.

When Vincent tackles Morton off of Rick, Morton tries to persuade Vincent, saying that Rick will jeopardize the lives of both Julia and his son. Vincent tells him that murdering Rick wasn't what he agreed to do. Morton angrily states that he doesn't care. Vincent punches Morton, but Morton shoves Vincent away and drops down to retrieve Rick's cane and finish the deed. At that moment, Rick sinks his teeth into Morton's neck from underneath him, bleeding him out and ending his life.

Death[]

Killed By
  • Vincent (Indirectly Caused)
  • Himself (Caused)

After Vincent decides not to help Morton murder Rick, Morton shoves him away and gets down to retrieve Rick's cane to murder him with it.

Rick takes advantage of this and bites Morton on the side of his neck, ripping it out and tearing out his jugular, making him bleed to death.

Killed Victims[]

This list shows the victims Morton has killed:

  • Himself (Caused)
  • Possibly numerous counts of zombies

Relationships[]

For a more in-depth look at Morton's relationships, read here: Morton Rose (Comic Series)/Relationships

Allies[]

Enemies[]

Quotes[]

The following is a list of some of Morton's most memorable quotes.

Whispers Into Screams

"Look at this boy-- he's a menace. He's ready to attack us right now. We can't have him running around on his own. He's too goddamn dangerous. Just look at what he's done."
- Morton about Carl after he nearly killed his son, "Issue 135"


"Yeah, they started working on our boys right after they fixed up the kid that fucked them up in the first place! That's some bullshit if I've ever seen it."
- Morton about how Carl's wounds were treated before his son, "Issue 135"


"I know you're the head bitch in charge these days, but you don't fucking scare me. We're going to be compensated in some way for the pain and suffering these boys are enduring. You're going to allow me to. opt out on any patrols beyond the wall, so I can help care for my son while he heals. And we're going to need more rations for a time... gonna need some improvements on our trailers to accommodate the needs of our sons. Also, I don't just want that little fuck punished... he needs to be locked away. He's fucking dangerous. But before that... he's going to apologize to all of us for what he did."
- Morton telling Maggie to give his family compensation for what Carl did, "Issue 135"


"Kid's a goddamn powder keg waiting to go off. It's too dangerous having him here. Locking him up won't be enough. He's got to go."
- Morton to Tammy and the Harlans about Carl, "Issue 135"


"Nobody ever said anything about killing anyone. You're taking it too far, Gregory!"
- Morton to Tammy and the Harlans about Carl, "Issue 136"


"Been thinking about it long and hard... what you want to do. I think you're right. Things are bad... and they're only getting worse. Maggie Greene has to die... we're in. But you have to kill the boy, too."
- Morton telling Gregory to kill Maggie and Carl, "Issue 136"

No Turning Back

"After what they did to Tammy and the rest?! Why the fuck are we just sitting here? We need to leave today-- arm up and go! We should have their fucking heads on spikes!"
- Morton to Rick about taking action against the Whisperers, "Issue 146"


"I lost my fucking wife to these maniacs! You sent away our only advantage?!"
- Morton yelling at Rick for taking Lydia away, "Issue 148"


"Hey, Rick! See how easy it is to take action?! You ignored us... and we're taking care of it... right away! See?! (…) You're going to stop fucking talking! You don't speak! Enough talking from you! All you do is talk! USELESS FUCKING TALK! ENOUGH!"
- Morton as he beats up Rick for not taking action against the Whisperers, "Issue 150"


"He wasn't supposed to see us! Now we got no choice, Vincent! Just keep fucking watch!"
- Morton to Vincent as he is about to kill Rick, "Issue 150"


"This needs to happen! They'll come and take more of us if we don't fight back! What about your wife?! My son?! I'm not going to let Rick risk their lives, too!"
- Morton persuading Vincent into killing Rick, "Issue 150"


"I DON'T FUCKING CARE! (pushes Vincent) Back the fuck off! (…) Let's... finish this..."
- Morton as he is about to finish Rick off, also his last words, "Issue 150"


Appearances[]

Issues 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Book Four
Book Five
Book Six
Book Seven
Book Eight
Book Nine
Book Ten
Book Eleven
Book Twelve 👁 👁
Book Thirteen 👁 👁
Book Fourteen
Book Fifteen
Book Sixteen
Appears Voice is heard
👁 Appears with no lines Appears in a flashback
Appears as a walker 🖼 Appears in a photograph/video
Appears as a corpse Appears in a hallucination/dream

Trivia[]

  • He is the second character who Rick Grimes has bitten in the neck and killed, the first being the marauder Andy in Issue 57.

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