Who does Matthew Jeffers play in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live? Character explored

Fans of Matthew August Jeffers have a new reason to follow up with The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, as the acclaimed actor recently made his debut as Nat in episode 2 of the series. Nat's role in the story revolves around accompanying Michonne (Daniel Gurira) on her long journey to find her husband and reunite with him.

When Nat was introduced in the episode, he was portrayed as a member of the community who had grown sick of leaving other people behind. As such, the chance for his salvation and new life appeared in the form of Michonne, who was driven to find Rick and rescue him from the Civic Republic Military. Needless to say, Nat soon became Michonne's dedicated traveling companion.

However, fans of the show soon realize that his stint with the acclaimed spinoff of The Walking Dead was only temporary, no matter how impactful.

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Who is Nat in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live?

Fans knew that while Nat would never take Rick's emotional place in Michonne's heart, the two characters bonded on their journey after their chance encounter in episode 2. Trauma and hope had brought them together, and as they recovered from a gas orchestrated by the CRM, they became even closer. It was Nat who convinced Michonne that she could continue loving her husband and go back to her children which would not mean abandoning him.

However, Nat's presence in the story was ephemeral, even if he did play an instrumental part in helping Rick and Michonne unite. When they spotted a CRM helicopter, Nat was the one to shoot it down - as fate would have it, Rick was aboard the same. He did manage to survive the fall and reunite with Michonne. However, Nat was not lucky enough to make it out alive as he was caught in the crossfire by the CRM soldiers.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jeffers revealed his feelings about Nat's tragic demise:

"I think it goes back to the core of who Nat is, which is loyalty and making sure that the ones that you love, whether you've known them for two days or 20 years, get their dreams fulfilled... So when Nat sees Michonne in unison with Rick, it's like, okay, I can walk off into the sunset in this kind of beautiful, tragic ending."

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What is The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live all about?

Scott M. Gimple, Danai Gurira, and Andrew Lincoln produced The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which chronologically takes place after the first and original The Walking Dead series concluded. Having premiered on January 25, 2024, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is the sixth spin-off series in this internationally acclaimed franchise.

The plot takes place after the first series, with Rick and Michonne as the protagonists. The series deals with the aftermath following the disappearance of the protagonist, Rick Grimes, and majorly focuses on Michonne's attempts to find him.

Throughout its run, the series has managed to introduce more fan-favorite characters to its already nuanced ensemble cast, including Donald Okafor of the CRM and Michonne's companion Nat. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is broadcast on AMC+ every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.