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He's a sympathetic character, even among so many that deserve sympathy. A great deal of the early season success comes from the compelling lead character the studio has created in Javi. Like we've seen on many successful TV shows, extended moments with a character's past life inform us of their present day actions and it makes that player-character closeness much easier to foster. Their conversation reveals this scene comes after David's departure, although it's still not yet known why or how that happened.
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This time it's seemingly soon after the outbreak, where Javi and Kate are both a bit apprehensive to fend off even one potential "muerto" that may be hiding in the darkness. After the stunning cliffhanger of the two-part premiere and a waiting period too long for most, the third episode opens with another flashback to the Garcia family before we joined them. It's a relatable cue made more affecting by the excellent portrayal of this new cast, but especially Javier Garcia. If the first season was about collapse and adaptation, and the second season about the rise of tyranny, this third season is quite obviously thematically centered on family and tribalism. In retrospect, Lee was but a vehicle to assist Clementine in adapting to this world, and in season two we see some of the results of his teachings with Clem's actions.
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