Was The Walking Dead's Governor originally teased as early as season 2? Played by David Morrissey, The Governor was the first major villain Rick Grimes and his band of survivors had to take down. Known to his friends as Phil, The Governor is the leader of Woodbury, a comfortable and well-stocked community that hides a deeper darkness. Despite the friendly 'town mayor' act, The Governor is actually a sadistic murderer who routinely slaughters and tortures others in order maintain his position in Woodbury. When the likes of Rick and Michonne threaten that, The Governor embarks on a quest for revenge, eventually mounting a full attack on Rick's prison. Although The Governor succeeds in destroying the good guys' settlement, the villain's past misdeeds soon catch up to him in deadly fashion.
The Governor's introduction marked the first of many human antagonists in The Walking Dead, but Rick had certainly encountered a few bad apples before that. In season 1's "Vatos" for example, a gang of attackers kidnap Glenn and try to rob some weapons. Rick forms a team to bust into the gang's hideout but once inside, they discover the Vatos bunch are actually caring for residents of an old people's home who were unable to evacuate. Understanding their situation, Rick cuts his adversaries some slack and the two groups go their separate ways on friendly terms.
The Vatos characters never feature again in The Walking Dead, but they were supposed to make an appearance in season 2 until the scene in question ended up on the cutting room floor. In these initial plans, Rick's survivors seek shelter with Vatos and the old-timers after escaping the CDC. Arriving back at the settlement, however, the place had been overrun and the Vatos crew left for dead. The deleted scene would've included a moment where Daryl notices the residents had been shot, rather than bitten.
This bloodbath perfectly fits The Governor's strategy of attacking smaller communities, executing everyone inside and swiping their supplies, and Vatos would've geographically fallen within Woodbury's hunting ground. The scene plays up the mystery of the attackers' identities, with Daryl going so far as to claim he's more concerned about the perpetrators than the undead. This strongly suggests the storyline was to be developed in later episodes. Fans have speculated that the Vatos massacre was intended as setup for the impending arrival of The Governor.
Perhaps the scene was removed because The Walking Dead's producers realized the beginning of season 2 was too early to start teasing The Governor's season 3 arrival. The villain's unassuming introduction and gradual outing as a madman allow The Governor to develop naturally into a chilling and menacing villain, but that evolution might not have been as effective with a season's worth of build-up. This approach was adopted for Negan and backfired somewhat, as the character's eventual arrival simply couldn't match the hype. Alternatively, the deleted scene might prove that the Woodbury arc was originally to begin in season 2. The Walking Dead's second run is generally considered its weakest due to a lengthy time spent on Hershel's farm. This might've been due to a change of plans regarding The Governor's debut.
The Walking Dead has never confirmed who killed the Vatos gang, so the intended culprits could've been nothing more than disposable TV-only villains who were ultimately scrapped. Even without the The Walking Dead season 2's Vatos scene, it makes sense to assume the group were killed by The Governor's men. As a small, modestly-armed bunch with old people to defend, it was only a matter of time before Vatos were picked off by a more ruthless and organized foe.
The Walking Dead season 10 is currently on hiatus.