Jon Bernthal, the actor who plays Shane on “The Walking Dead”, thinks his characters days are numbered…but should they be?
There are arguments for killing him off, like the fact that he’s a monster and probably totally insane. But keeping him around has its benefits.
For one thing, as pure evil as he can be, he’s become the occasional voice of reason. Shane is undeniably a monster, but he’s not a monster for the sake of being evil, just practical to the point of ruthlessness. Just ask Otis.
He’s a useful contrast to Rick, who is sometimes a bit too noble for his own good. Shane’s the one arguing for survival above all, and often the conflict between himself and Rick defines the show’s heart; does being human mean surviving, or does it mean being something more?
So we hope he sticks around. If for no other reason than we’re not sure how long the rest of the survivors will make it without him.
image courtesy AMC