Lance Hornsby in The Walking Dead season 11 with a scar on his face

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Walking Dead season 11, episode 17.The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang has revealed what makes Lance Hornsby different from previous antagonists on the show. AMC’s zombie series is no stranger to power-hungry villains that have posed serious threats to the main group of survivors over the years. As illustrated by the opening narration of The Walking Dead‘s mid-season premiere, villains like the Governor, the Terminus survivors, and the Whisperers have all been formidable adversaries. It appears that, almost every time the show’s heroes find another large group of survivors, a major conflict soon follows.

Lance Hornsby continues this trend, acting as a militant force that wants to see The Walking Dead‘s protagonists destroyed. Introduced as a spokesperson and the deputy governor for the Commonwealth, it soon became clear that Lance has his own ambitions, planning to work his way up the ladder of power in his community. The end of season 11 part 2 saw this plan go into full swing, with Lance draping Commonwealth banners over the walls of Alexandria, Hilltop, and Oceanside. The newest episode shows that, even when held at knife point by Daryl, Lance is still confident enough to put on a smile.

In an interview with TV Line, The Walking Dead‘s showrunner, Angela Kang, elaborated on what makes Lance Hornsby different from previous villains on the show. Lance may be a dangerous person, but Kang said that he doesn’t always present himself that way. Check out Kang’s explanation below:

“I think that he represents a different kind of danger. Some of the other villains that we’ve had were much more like ‘I’ll kill you all’ right from the start. [They were] like, ‘I don’t care!’

“He’s not like that. He’s much more this insidious danger of he’s your friend until he turns on you.”

What Is Lance’s Goal In The Walking Dead?

Josh Hamilton as Lance Hornsby in Walking Dead

Kang’s comments about Lance ring true for the way he’s presented himself since taking a larger role in the story during The Walking Dead season 11 part 2. While Lance pretended that he wanted to assist communities like Alexandria and Hilltop, even trying to befriend Aaron and Maggie, his conquest of those communities reveals his true intentions. His corrupt tactics seem to be a defining quality of the Commonwealth, reflected in how Pamela Milton drew a Walker horde toward the community during a protest. What separates Lance from Pamela, though, is that he acts as the face of the Commonwealth for outsiders, making his friendly act all the more sinister.

Lance’s current plan appears to be using the conquered communities to prove himself an asset to the Commonwealth beyond acting as a reassuring figure for newcomers. However, it appears Pamela may use him as a scapegoat to take public pressure away from her and Sebastian, who has been sending poorer members of the community out to forage for money. Despite Pamela’s interference acting as a possible solution to his actions, Lance’s role as The Walking Dead‘s final villain indicates plenty of twist and turns lie ahead in the next seven episodes. Given how much the television version of Lance differs from his less villainous comic counterpart, it’s compelling to think about where the series will take his character and what his final destination might be.