Caesar Ramón Martínez (Comic Series)

"I never married--I never had kids. Didn't speak to my parents anymore. I was all alone. Only person I thought I'd have to look after was myself. I saw people losing their minds over watching their loved ones die--not me, I thought. I don't sleep well--last night, you guys didn't sleep well because a crashed helicopter doesn't make for comfortable bedding--but it didn't matter to me. I can't close my eyes without seeing those kids--crying out for their moms--for me--as their guts spilled out on the floor... Knowing I couldn't do anything but run."

- Martinez telling the group about his past.

Caesar Ramón Martínez, more generally addressed as Martínez (Couple misprints with the name "Rodríguez" ) is a character first encountered in Issue 27 of Image Comics' The Walking Dead as well as a main character in the novel series. He is a fence guard in Woodbury, and one of the most trusted allies of The Governor. Martinez helps Rick, Glenn, Michonne, Stevens, and Alice escape Woodbury. He served as an antagonist of Volume 5: The Best Defense and Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life.

Augusta, Georgia
Martínez was a man who was formerly a gym teacher, and a children football coach before the outbreak. He divorced and never had kids, and he was not on speaking terms with his parents. His school had been designated as a "safe zone" once the outbreak began, and it was soon home to many of the children and parents that lived in the town. He played basketball with the students before the "biters" overtook the school. Once the zombies overran the school, they killed most of the people inside, while the others (including Caesar) ran for safety; an action he would always regret.

Woodbury, Georgia
Main Article: Caesar Ramón Martínez (Novel Series)

The Best Defense
Martínez was first seen when Rick, Glenn and Michonne first arrived at Woodbury. He, Wes and several other guards cleaned out the area around the fences of biters to let them in. After they had been weapon checked, Martínez offered to take them to see the Governor before he showed up to give the group a tour himself.

This Sorrowful Life
Martínez is taken off of guard duty by another guard who tells him that the Governor wants to see him about something.

Later while on a trip to see Stevens, he saw that the Governor had sliced Rick's hand off, and realised that the Governor was a monster. He then devised a plan to help Rick and party escape. He and Glenn took down two guards and he even knocked Gabe unconscious to help them escape. After Steven's death he was saddened at the loss of his friend's death and comforted Alice on the way to the prison.

He explains his sad backstory and job as a gym teacher to the group as they walk. They fight their way back to the Prison which had become temporarily overrun and Martínez helps clear it of biters. However, it is later revealed he did all this under the Governor's orders, to infiltrate the prison - find its location, strengths and weaknesses - then leave and report back to him. Rick catches on to this and goes after Martínez (who had escaped almost an hour earlier) alone in the RV and runs it over him, crippling him. Rick then goes on to strangle him to death whilst he confirms he was sent by the Governor, however just wants to bring some families back with him. Rick leaves him to tun in the field.

Made To Suffer
In a flashback, the Governor manipulates his audience into going to war with Rick's group. He uses Martínez's severed head as 'evidence' that Rick's group are monsters who need to be put down. He tells the town that they murdered Martínez and left his head outside Woodbury's gates.

What We Become
Rick mentions Martínez when telling Abraham Ford about the horrible things he has done to protect those he loves.

Death
As Martínez is running back to Woodbury, he is run over, and crippled, by Rick in Dale's RV.
 * Killed By
 * Rick Grimes (Alive)

Martínez admits to being sent by the Governor, but, says that he planned only to bring the good citizens back to the prison, and not the Governor or his men. Rick, however, strangles him to death, saying that Martínez doesn't know what people are capable of. He leaves him to turn in the field.

Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Caesar has killed:
 * Numerous counts of zombies and possibly unnamed people.

Rick Grimes
"You selfish piece of shit. You've got the--room--the supplies for everybody in Woodbury--the whole damn town! Everyone."

- Caesar to Rick.

Martínez appeared to Rick and others he as though he was on their side, and assisted them in escaping Woodbury, as ordered by The Governor to show him where the Prison was located. Rick was suspicious of him throughout the journey back, but, he began to trust Martínez. Throughout their journey to the prison, Rick is the most distant from Martínez until their arrival, finding the prison overrun. After the onslaught and aftermath, the survivors introduce the new people to one another. Rick wanted to introduce Martínez to Carl only to realise he had escaped. Coming to terms with his suspicions, Rick leaves once again to pursue Martínez in the RV. He catches up to the running man and disables him with the speeding vehicle before having one final confrontation. Martínez reveals he had been more interested in leading his fellow citizens to the prison for a safer life rather than follow The Governor's initial orders, though Rick does not care to hear it anymore after everything he and his people went through. His final acknowledgement upon his death at the hands of Rick is that Rick is just as twisted as The Governor himself.

Stevens
It is revealed that Martínez and Stevens were really good friends. When Stevens was killed whilst escaping Woodbury, Martinez was visibly upset.

Brian Blake
Martínez was apart of the Governor's inner circle. When Rick's group arrived, The Governor asked Martínez to help them escape so he could find the prison and report back to him its location. Whether or not Martínez had a change of heart is left uncertain, he is caught by Rick - and later killed - returning to Woodbury, but, despite The Governor's orders he claimed he was only going to gather the good people there and leave behind The Governor and his men, the truth of this is left ambiguous, but, Rick chooses not to believe him and murders Martínez. As The Governor recovered from his own mutilations, Caesar's reanimated body was recovered and the head severed to be used as a symbol for the Woodbury citizens to see that the prison survivors were the insane ones. This act is the most contributing factor in The Governor's plan to lead Woodbury's assault on the prison.

Alice Warren
It is revealed during the novel, The Road To Woodbury, that Alice had a crush on Martínez.

Appearances
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 * content =

Volume 5: The Best Defense

 * Issue 27

Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life

 * Issue 31
 * Issue 32
 * Issue 33 (No Lines)
 * Issue 34
 * Issue 35
 * Issue 36

Volume 8: Made To Suffer

 * Issue 43 (Flashback)

Volume 13: Too Far Gone

 * Issue 75 (Back-Up Story)
 * }}

Trivia

 * Robert Kirkman has stated that Martínez was meant to be homosexual, but this plot line was not pursued further.
 * Kirkman also mentioned he was planning to overwrite Martínez's story, which would've included not killing him. This was due to him being the first Hispanic character in the comics, which could've received condemnation from fans.
 * He was mistakenly called "Rodríguez" on two separate occasions in Woodbury, first by Glenn and then by Stevens. This is similar to a typo encountered in Issue 93, where Jesus was willing to take the group to Kenneth, who in fact was Gregory.
 * Martinez' second name was revealed in the novel The Fall of the Governor.