Paul "Jesus" Rovia

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NOTE: This page is only about the version of Jesus from the TV series. See here for his comic and Telltale counterpart.

Pure Good
Full Name	Paul Rovia
Alias	Jesus
Origin	The Walking Dead (2010)
Powers/Skills	High Intelligence Peak Human Condition Martial Artist Gunmanship Skilled Tactician
Family	Unnamed parents †
Allies	Rick Grimes Daryl Dixon Carl Grimes Maggie Greene Sasha Williams Ezekiel Rosita Espinosa Tara Chambler Morgan Jones Carol Peletier Aaron (former boyfriend)
Enemies	Walkers The Saviors Negan Gregory (former leader) The Whisperers
Goals	End the All-Out War Free all the communities that are under Negan and The Savior's control (both succeeded) Reunite the separated communities (posthumously succeded)
Goodness Zone	Introducing Rick Grimes and his people to the Hilltop Colony. Leading Hilltop and protecting its people. Helping unite the communities against Negan. Being a key player in ending the Savior War. Sacrificing himself to save his group from Whisperers.
Type of Hero	Merciful Hope-Bringer

“	Look, we got off to a bad start. But we're on the same side - the living side. You and Rick had every reason to leave me out there, but you didn't.	„
	~ Jesus to Daryl.

“	We have to make sure what's left is worth fighting for.	„
	~ Jesus' plead to Maggie.

Paul Rovia, nicknamed "Jesus", is a supporting character from AMC's The Walking Dead.

He's a survivor from the Hilltop Colony, a settlement with nearly two hundred residents. He later moves to the Alexandria Safe-Zone but returns to the Hilltop Colony to aid them during the Savior War. Despite initial distrust from Rick's group, he earns their respect and becomes Rick's trusted ally, stepping into the role as his second-in-command following Abraham's death.

He was portrayed by Tom Payne.

What Makes Him Pure Good?

In General

• His friends nicknamed him "Jesus" (in part due to his appearance) but also due to his innate selflessness and drive to bring hope and peace to others in the post-apocalyptic world.
• He acts as an ambassador and negotiator for the Hilltop Colony, seeking alliances and peaceful resolutions with other communities like Alexandria.
• He's frequently seen connecting with the people of Hilltop and providing aid to those in need, often stepping up to be a de-facto leader in Gregory's stead.
• He saves numerous people from walkers and hostile survivors like the Saviors.
• In general, he makes an effort to avoid killing unnecessarily, with his only kill in the entire series being a complete accident that he felt remorse for.
  • Throughout Season 8, Jesus advocated for sparing lives whenever possible, even those of captured Saviors.
• Overall, he is one of the most morally-sound characters in the entire franchise and lacks any corrupting qualities.

Series

Season 6

• Although he initially tried to steal a truck full of supplies from Rick and Daryl, it was only because he needed to provide for his people and he never attempted to harm either of them. He eventually dropped all hostility toward the two after they spared his life, and showed genuine remorse for his actions.
  • During a scuffle with Daryl inside the truck, Jesus saved him by shooting a walker that emerged from behind him.
• After properly introducing himself to Rick and Daryl, he decided to make up for the loss of their truck by inviting them and their people to Hilltop.
• After arriving to Hilltop and introducing them to their leader Gregory, he proposed that they make a deal: in exchange for Rick's group helping them with a hostile group of survivors called the Saviors, they'll provide them with more than enough food and ammunition in return.

Season 7

• In preparation for war with Negan and the Saviors, he sought to train his people in combat, while emphasizing non-lethal forms of self-defense.
• He also bargained with Maggie, urging her not to let her anger consume her. He reminded her that even in victory, they must preserve something worth fighting for.
• He showed empathy and support for Sasha and Maggie by placing flowers on the graves of Abraham and Glenn respectively.

Season 8

• Despite Gregory's attempts to expel Maggie and Sasha from Hilltop, Jesus stood his ground, advocating for them to stay.
• He helped fight the Saviors, alongside Rick and the rest of the militia, during their final battle.

Season 9

• After the conflict with the Saviors concluded, Jesus continued to play a role in rebuilding and defending Hilltop.
• He dies a sacrificial death, being killed by a Whisperer in an effort to hold them off and buy the other members of his group time to escape.

Trivia

• Both he and his comic self are approved Pure Good.
  • Although, he has a much smaller role narratively, by comparison.
• His death does not occur in the comics. In fact, his original counterpart lives until the very end of the story, years after the events of the Whisperer War.
  • Another change from the source material is his surname; in the comics, his last name is "Monroe", not "Rovia".
• He is one of the only LGBTQ characters in the franchise, being canonically gay, like his comic self. There were even plans at one point to introduce a love interest/boyfriend for him, but it never made the final cut.
• His actor expressed interest in returning to the role in the future, specifically in the Tales From The Walking Dead spin-off.
  • He's stated that he would like an episode that explores Jesus and Aaron's romance set between the 8th and 9th seasons of the main show.

External Links

• Paul Rovia on the Heroes Wiki.
• Paul Rovia (TV Universe) on the Walking Dead Fandom Wiki.