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"Chaos Theory" is the third and final part of The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor. It spans chapters 17-23. It is the third part of the series overall.

Plot[]

No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks.
―Mary Wollstonecraft

The group stops briefly at a deserted rest stop, and then settles at an abandoned plantation house. They stay there for some time with winter approaching, but one day a well-armed gang of drug-addicts invade their home, wanting it for themselves. Philip Blake, with his family held hostage, keeps the gang at bay with an unloaded shotgun, and negotiates that they can have the house if they're allowed to leave. The gang fires at them as they depart, however, and though Nick Parsons and Philip manage to take down the gang, Penny Blake - mistaking a gang member for her father - is shot and mortally wounded amidst the battle, dying in Brian's and Philip's arms. Brian Blake, who was assigned to guard her, is beaten savagely by Philip.

Over the proceeding days, a grief-stricken Philip brutally tortures two gang members he had captured (whom he names 'Cher' and 'Sonny'), and pays nightly visits to Penny - now undead - tied to a tree in the orchard. Nick and Brian go out to try and rescue the two prisoners, but Nick ends up euthanizing them due to the severe extent of their injuries. They soon depart, Philip dragging the Penny-zombie with them.

Their vehicle breaks down a few miles from the plantation, and while on foot they find the town of Woodbury, populated by a small community of survivors. The town is disorganized and comes under frequent undead attack. Three former National Guardsmen, led by "Major" Gene Gavin, control the town by force, and frequently hold dirt races as entertainment and as an excuse to steal from the townsfolk.

Philip would continue to become insular and insane, visiting dead Penny tied up in the group's apartment room and feeding her severed human body parts. A few days later, Philip disappears, and Brian follows Nick as he goes looking for him. They find him in the woods, tying up a young girl from the town. Nick intervenes, but with Philip refusing to stop, he opens fire - the blast from his shotgun strikes both Philip and the girl, killing the latter. As Nick goes insane from his actions, Brian angrily shoots Nick in the side of the head. Nick‘s eyes roll back and he falls to the ground, dead. He goes to comfort Philip, who dies in his arms, and then leaves to allow a group of walkers to eat the bodies.

Brian falls into sort of a catatonic state during the next two days grieving for Nick and his brother. Constantly questioning what his brother, Philip Blake would have done in certain situations but he is brought back to his senses when he hears "GoodBye" somewhere from his semiconscious.

Two days later a town meeting is called at the courthouse - walkers have surrounded the settlement, attracted by the noise of the dirt races, and Gavin is organizing a defense. Several people speak up against him but Gavin threatens them, shooting dead the town's mechanic as he tries to leave. After Gavin sends his men out to round up the other townsfolk, Brian walks up and shoots Gavin's face. He calls the armed townsfolk in the room to follow him and prepares to take back the town. One of the men, Martinez, is first to greet him, and when Brian is asked his name, he answers "Philip Blake".

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