The grim circumstances of living in a zombie apocalypse undoubtedly contain many deaths. Adapted from Robert Kirkmancompleted comic series, television series Walking Dead also ends after eleven seasons. The popular gore-soaked series has seen so many characters come and go, such as Dale Horvath’s morale (Jeffrey DeMann) and Herschel Green (Scott Wilson), or others who faced their fate head on like Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) or T-Dog (IronE Singleton), but others were taken too soon.
With the final season wrapping up in Season 11, there will no doubt be a few key characters meeting their demise, despite a few already announced spin-offs that may be hiding some mystery. However, the tension that any character can splurge at any moment is what made the show so compelling. Looking back at over a decade on the series, there are still characters that fans would love to spend more time with.
Noah
Noah (Tyler James Williams) quickly became a fan favorite before his untimely death. The audience met Noah at Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was more of a prisoner than a hospital room. He was forced to return points for his release, only to see his debt grow exponentially. Noah finally got rid of this misguided hideout when an injured Beth (Emily Kinney) was taken to the hospital and they plotted an escape.
Later, after assimilation in Alexandria, Noah continued to win admirers with his loving moral code, always caring for others. Noah even dreamed of becoming an architect so he could build strong walls to keep his community safe. However, Noah was caught in a revolving door, brutally eaten by walkers. What makes his death all the more bitter is that his fate was sealed by Nicholas’s cowardice (Michael Trainor), destroying Noah’s productive future.
Paul “Jesus” Rovia
Jesus (Tom Payne) was able to maneuver through lands infested with zombies and humans to find worthy allies for his community, the Hilltop. Long awaited by fans of the comic, Jesus is at first distrustful of the main group, but soon becomes a key ally. However, as the seasons changed, for some unknown reason, Jesus had little to do. With a final backstab, Jesus finally showed his prowess in martial arts, but was killed in his first encounter with the Whisperers.
Whereas the foggy, moonlit graveyard that saw the end of Jesus was a fantastic place to present zombies impersonating villains losing a stung Jesus. Jesus quickly became a favorite of comic book fans due to his adorable personality and acrobatic walker-killing skills. While Payne certainly took the place of his comic book counterpart, the writers didn’t let him walk.
Dwight
Dwight (Austin Amelio) played a significant role in the war against the Saviors, eventually sabotaging Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Dwight was only motivated to protect his wife Sherry (Christine Evangelista), so when Negan consistently disrespects them, as the foul-mouthed villain likes to do, Dwight finally betrays him. In both the comics and the show, Dwight committed horrific crimes but was later able to find redemption.
However, comic book fans never saw redemption on the show as Dwight was banished by Daryl (Norman Reedus) in the season 8 finale. In the comics, Dwight becomes the leader of the Saviors, where once-violent thugs worked with Rick. Comic Dwight also plays a part in the Whisperer War. However, the character Amelio moved to Fear the walking deadwhere he is looking for Sherry.
Hit
Hit (Corey Hawkins) sparked rumors among fans with his mysterious disappearance from the show. While career decisions played a role in the character’s sudden removal, current showrunner Angela Kang confirmed that the Scavengers captured Heath in the same helicopters as Rick Grimes. So is there still a chance to see Heath in the future?
Heath was Alexandria’s purveyor, a serious realist who could seem a little cynical. Heath also reluctantly killed several Saviors along with Glenn in an act that the couple shared regret about. Speculation about Heath’s fate arose in Hawkin’s last episode, season 7, episode 6 “I Swear” when Tara (Alanna Masterson) and Hit are crushed by walkers on a barricaded bridge and they separate. Heath has not been seen since.
Carl Grimes
Carl (Chandler Riggs), the son of Rick Grimes, has been a main character in TWD since its pilot episode in 2010 and the comic’s second issue in 2003. This character served as the main motive for Rick to build a new life in the apocalypse. Carl himself has a huge arc as he grows up in a zombie-ravaged America and witnesses too many horrors along the way. However, despite his strife, the young child turns into a formidable young man, only to see Riggs unexpectedly dropped from the show.
While the series often maneuvered well with comics and audience expectations, Carl’s murder proved to be a blow under the belt. Fans really wanted Carl to continue his father’s work, so in Season 8, fans were crushed by the loss of Carl being bitten by a walker while protecting Siddiq. This effectively set back the Carl arc and, unfortunately, the career plans of Riggs, who was preparing to match his comic book counterpart. This move away from comics left a sour taste in the mouths of fans, resulting in a colossal drop in viewership for episodes following Carl’s untimely death.
Denise Cloyd
Deniz (Merrit Wever) was a genuinely kind soul, crippled by fear, and sadly, when she finally faced him, she met her sudden end. Introduced in Alexandria, Denise was forced to take on the stressful role of a community doctor after Rick killed the former. Denise later started a relationship with Tara and finally decided to leave her safe walls to find an orange soda for her girlfriend.
While resupplying, Denise musters up the courage to give an impassioned speech to Daryl and Rosita (Christian Serratos), and even himself to stop running from his problems and wake up, but Dwight hit her in the eye with a crossbow arrow. After Denise was given the sudden death of Abraham in the comics, fans had to lament how much of a father she could become after she finally poured out her heart and soul.
Glenn Rhee
There is not much controversy about Glenn (Stephen Youn) is one of the most significant losses TWD ever seen. The beloved character was introduced in the second episode and played a vital role in every confrontation the survivors faced, up until his brutal death. In addition, Glenn has always been a voice of reason and empathy, motivating others to take the moral path rather than the easy one. With the remarkable fate of the comics already etched in the minds of many fans, the fate of the TV series character seemed inevitable.
With Negan’s disappointing “mini mini moe” cliffhanger, fans speculated about who the victim was; however, in the pit of so many stomachs were Glenn’s last words to his wife Maggie (Lauren Cohan). While it pains many to admit that this commitment to the source material was the right decision, giving the remaining characters incredible motivation, it doesn’t make it any easier to accept his death. Of course, the character could achieve much more, since he was recently a husband and will soon become a father. This low point of the series will never be easy to accept.
Siddique
Siddique (Avi Nash) became a short-lived character on TWDtaken too soon after so many others had died to protect it. Although several time jumps implied that Siddiq had developed a strong relationship with his co-stars, even having a child with Rosita, there was not enough screen time with the audience before it was cancelled.
Siddique was overcome with guilt over the death of Carl, who was bitten by a walker trying to save him. Siddiq also later struggles with PTSD after being kidnapped by the Whisperers and impaling the heads of several of his friends on spikes. All this death to save Siddiq, only for him to die so soon after, is devastating to fans who were hoping the loss of these beloved characters would mean something more.
Beth Green
Beth (Emily Kinney) was a passive character that fans met in the second season, troubled by the world and ready to let go. She blasted through the next few seasons, singing sweet songs and babysitting Judith, before finally coming out of her shell. In the mid-season 5 finale, “CODA”, Beth was killed by fearful officer Don Lerner (Christine Woods).
In previous episodes, Beth and Daryl escaped the governor’s destruction of the prison (David Morrissey). Beth then forms a bond with Daryl and confronts herself before she is kidnapped by Dawn officers and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. There, she will use her newfound confidence to help free Noah before her accidental death. Of course, the shy girl finally came to her senses.
Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes (English)Andrew Lincoln) is the main protagonist of both the comic and the series, so fans were understandably disappointed to learn that his character was leaving in season 9. You can’t blame Lincoln’s personal decision to leave the show to be with his growing family, but he’ll leave a hole behind. TWD could never be filled. Faced with this predicament, the writers attempted to expel Rick from the group and keep his fate a mystery.
TWD still hoping to end Rick’s story with a spin-off. Together with MichonneDanai Gurira), whose absence is also sorely missed, the pair of zombie killers are poised to wrap up their stories in 2023. Little information has been revealed after years of speculation, but diehard fans are ready to see more from Rick, whose incredible tenure on TWD came too early.
Source: Collider
