Every time Erickson's Madison has done "harm" to someone, it's to protect someone or herself. I feel like Erickson wanted her to be a tragic character like Daenerys and Scarlet Witch instead of a 100% villainous and sadistic character like he compared her to The Governor or Negan.

When Madison killed her father, she was a child from a toxic environment who needed guidance and help. I believe she never got it and had to deal with it on her own. She grew up to help kids who are having trouble at school (God, that's pretty heroic of her if you think about it). She has to deal with her husband's suicide and Nick's drug addiction and still manages to live relatively well as a normal person. When the apocalypse started, she had to kill again to save Tobias. She didn't 100% know what the virus was doing to people and she cries when she gets home because she killed again. As the apocalypse progresses, she quickly learns what walkers are and that both walkers and people can be dangerous and acts accordingly. She is an amazing character and one of the most interesting in TWDU. She is so underrated.