Aaron's Journal: Season 2, Episode 6
Spoilers if you haven't yet seen Season 2, Episode 6!
Read it on nbc.com or below where I've copied and pasted.
...
Power Failure
I remember the first time I heard the words "Sebastian Monroe." Since that day, all I've ever wanted was for him to get what he deserves.
It was a few years after the Blackout - couldn't tell you exactly how many, but well before I found the cul-de-sac - I was heading south, trying to outrun the cold, and I came across a group of people sleeping in an old truck stop, living off squirrel meat and maple syrup. They were in rough shape but generous with what they had, so I stayed. I was lonely and tired of living alone. But a week or so later, four mountain men showed up, and let's just say they weren't interested in squirrel meat. They killed two of the older kids and I helped the rest hide in one of those old overflow tunnels. It was only a matter of time before they found us. Just as they stumbled across our trail, I heard yelling, then musket fire and metal clanking together, and screaming. It was a slaughter - and then suddenly, nothing. I waited for an hour before working up the nerve to stick out my head. And that's when I saw them.
There were about a dozen. All sworded-up in uniforms and cobbled together body armor. Just boys really,but all of them had an M patch sewn onto their shoulder. Their leader, Major Sapp (that was his name, I swear), came over to make sure we were okay. "Who are you?" I asked, half expecting his response to come at the end of a knife. But he just smiled. "Militia, sir. Under the command of General Sebastian Monroe." And he straightened at the words, prouder than any man I've ever seen. "This is part of our Monroe Republic patrol route." Monroe Republic? What the hell was that? I thought I was in Wisconsin. And it was at that moment I started crying. Not because the United States was gone, or because we'd just been saved by a bunch of kids still going through puberty. I cried because for the first time in years, someone was willing to throw down his name and say "No more."
After that, we got our hopes up and tried building a community. When the Militia came back a few months later and asked for taxes, we gladly handed over our crops. I mean we were citizens of the Republic. We would have done anything for them. They were the good guys, right? But then I started hearing the rumors. Vanishings. Conscriptions. Executions. With each traveler that passed through, the stories got worse. So when they came back for taxes again we said no. Major Sapp responded by burning the homes and taking the livestock. "If you're not loyal to the Republic, the Republic isn't loyal to you." They rode off, and we scattered in search of a new home.
There aren't many men in this world that I hate more than Sebastian Monroe. He's brought nothing but pain, misery and death to those I care about most and, to be honest, I'm glad they caught him. In fact, I've been sitting around drinking just in case Miles showed up asking for my help breaking Monroe out of Patriot custody. (Okay, maybe that's not the only reason.)
For years, I never understood how a man who had the power to do so much good could screw it up so badly. At least, I didn't understand... until I suddenly set two men on fire..
...
So I don't normally post this kind of thing, but I really wanted to discuss it with you all (and I'm on my way out of town, so this is not the best moment to do so anyway!). I'm not sure if I've done it correctly, and I apologize if I haven't. But paging corycides in particular, because I know she follows these Aaron things and has pondered the early Republic extensively.
Read it on nbc.com or below where I've copied and pasted.
...
Power Failure
I remember the first time I heard the words "Sebastian Monroe." Since that day, all I've ever wanted was for him to get what he deserves.
It was a few years after the Blackout - couldn't tell you exactly how many, but well before I found the cul-de-sac - I was heading south, trying to outrun the cold, and I came across a group of people sleeping in an old truck stop, living off squirrel meat and maple syrup. They were in rough shape but generous with what they had, so I stayed. I was lonely and tired of living alone. But a week or so later, four mountain men showed up, and let's just say they weren't interested in squirrel meat. They killed two of the older kids and I helped the rest hide in one of those old overflow tunnels. It was only a matter of time before they found us. Just as they stumbled across our trail, I heard yelling, then musket fire and metal clanking together, and screaming. It was a slaughter - and then suddenly, nothing. I waited for an hour before working up the nerve to stick out my head. And that's when I saw them.
There were about a dozen. All sworded-up in uniforms and cobbled together body armor. Just boys really,but all of them had an M patch sewn onto their shoulder. Their leader, Major Sapp (that was his name, I swear), came over to make sure we were okay. "Who are you?" I asked, half expecting his response to come at the end of a knife. But he just smiled. "Militia, sir. Under the command of General Sebastian Monroe." And he straightened at the words, prouder than any man I've ever seen. "This is part of our Monroe Republic patrol route." Monroe Republic? What the hell was that? I thought I was in Wisconsin. And it was at that moment I started crying. Not because the United States was gone, or because we'd just been saved by a bunch of kids still going through puberty. I cried because for the first time in years, someone was willing to throw down his name and say "No more."
After that, we got our hopes up and tried building a community. When the Militia came back a few months later and asked for taxes, we gladly handed over our crops. I mean we were citizens of the Republic. We would have done anything for them. They were the good guys, right? But then I started hearing the rumors. Vanishings. Conscriptions. Executions. With each traveler that passed through, the stories got worse. So when they came back for taxes again we said no. Major Sapp responded by burning the homes and taking the livestock. "If you're not loyal to the Republic, the Republic isn't loyal to you." They rode off, and we scattered in search of a new home.
There aren't many men in this world that I hate more than Sebastian Monroe. He's brought nothing but pain, misery and death to those I care about most and, to be honest, I'm glad they caught him. In fact, I've been sitting around drinking just in case Miles showed up asking for my help breaking Monroe out of Patriot custody. (Okay, maybe that's not the only reason.)
For years, I never understood how a man who had the power to do so much good could screw it up so badly. At least, I didn't understand... until I suddenly set two men on fire..
...
So I don't normally post this kind of thing, but I really wanted to discuss it with you all (and I'm on my way out of town, so this is not the best moment to do so anyway!). I'm not sure if I've done it correctly, and I apologize if I haven't. But paging corycides in particular, because I know she follows these Aaron things and has pondered the early Republic extensively.