The Walking Dead reveals that Tomi is secretly a surgeon hiding out in The Commonwealth as a baker, showcasing its deception and that the community isn't all it's cracked up to be. When Yumiko asks why Tomi is working in a bakery instead of saving people's lives, he quickly shuts the conversation down, looking around to see who may have been listening. It is evident that something sinister is lurking behind the happy facade of The Commonwealth.
After Eugene makes contact by radio with Stephanie, the two arrange a meeting. Yumiko, Princess, Ezekiel, and Eugene are captured, separated, and held in four separate railway containers by The Commonwealth army. The four survivors are eventually taken in for a further assessment. The group is individually interrogated by two "auditors", who ask a litany of questions to determine the group's eligibility to join the community. Yumiko discovers a note from Tomi on the Wall of the Lost. It says that Tomi is living in the Commonwealth and looking for Yumiko. The four are offered a place in the community and Yumiko proves her worthiness to her captors by telling them about her previous career as a lawyer.
Tomi's decision to keep his own career a secret from this society reveals his distrust of the utopian civilization. Tomi even tells Yumiko not to "ruin" it for him when Yumiko questions his decision. While not a whole lot has been revealed about Tomi's experience in The Commonwealth, it’s clear that his decision to remove himself from the possibility of being in the upper echelons of society means that it’s a dangerous place to be. Not much is known about the inner-workings of the upper society in The Commonwealth. The comics do say that the community runs on a caste system, which explains why The Commonwealth is fixated on burning money. Therefore, it's evident that it benefits from a social hierarchy. Certain creature comforts are kept within the society, such as the use of U.S. currency and placing citizens in their previous jobs, in order to lull members into a false sense of security. The community's heavy-handed tactics in capturing the four and the strange assessment by the auditors show what kind of authoritarian acts the society could demand of Tomi if he were to reveal his previous career.
The treatment of Eugene, in particular, is also indicative of The Commonwealth's use of deception. The pressure put on him to reveal the location of the core group of the series is evidence of the strain and expectations placed on The Commonwealth's citizens' shoulders. If this isn't foreboding enough, it's worth noting that The Commonwealth's mantra, "For the benefit of all, and for all who seek solace at our gates." is eerily similar to seasons 4 and 5's antagonist cannibal community Terminus' mantra: "Sanctuary for all. Community for all. Those who arrive, survive.” The Commonwealth cleverly disguises itself as a place completely unmarred by the zombie apocalypse; the aim for their society is to make it seem as if the zombie apocalypse never happened.
Where Tomi finds himself is in a place of perfect balance. Tomi doesn't have to involve himself in the insidious power structure of The Commonwealth and can continue to live as a happy community baker. Though the show's Commonwealth is more villainous than the comics, Tomi has a lot to lose in regards to the peace and lack of responsibility he faces in his current position there. The Walking Dead isn't known for treating doctors well, and Tomi's discretion makes it clear that his life would change forever if the secret were to be revealed. Most likely not for the better.
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September 22, 2021 at 12:31AM
