At the very end of Season 2 of AMC’s The Walking Dead viewers had a chance to catch a brief glimpse of a katana-wielding cloaked figure, Michonne, a fan favorite from The Walking Dead comic book series who will play a key role in Season 3.  Michonne is a potent ally of Sheriff Rick Grimes and judging from the powerful image that was released today, Danai Gurira (Treme), the intense theatrically-trained actress who is portraying her, appears perfect for the role.

 

In describing her to Entertainment Weekly, which posted this first image of Michonne, The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman noted that the essence of her character from the comic books remains intact, "but like a lot of things on the show, there will be little tweaks and differences here and there.  We saw that her introduction is slightly different than it was in the comic, and her interaction with Andrea is going to be a really cool addition to the character that will get television viewers up to speed, and they’ll get to know her a lot faster than the comic readers did."

 

Kirkman said that a lot of different actresses were auditioned for the role, but that Gurira "came in and blew us all away.  She has an incredible presence, and she has a theatrical background. She is very physical and just perfect for the role."

 

In Season 3, which begins airing in October, Rick and his band of survivors attempt to turn a prison into a safe, zombie-proof fortress.