One of the most controversial aspects of The Walking Dead franchise is the plot armor that keeps long-running characters like Carol Peletier and Rick Grimes alive. Despite this, death continues to be a prominent theme in the series. There have been dozens of demises that didn't impact the group dynamic or devastate viewers.
However, there are many main character demises that influence the overarching plot, group dynamic, and the audience's perception of the show. Devastating deaths such as Carl Grimes and Glenn Rhee even turned viewers away from the horror series. Among the impactful and significant character demises, some didn't just influence the other characters or plot but clarified some crucial aspects of the world of The Walking Dead.
10 Merle Dixon Proved People Were Still Capable of Change
Merle Dixon was important to a major character's arc, but how he influenced Daryl Dixon is not the only way Merle served the overall plot of The Walking Dead. In the earlier seasons of the series, the line between good and bad people was more defined. As the show continued, the characters proved to be more morally gray than either.
Michael Rooker portrays Merle.
Merle's death highlighted that though some characters, like the Governor, are irredeemable, bad people are capable of changing. Merle Dixon was a bigoted, violent character at the beginning and devoted himself to being second-hand to a man who demanded he kill and torture. Despite this, he chose to let Michonne live and died attacking the villain, proving he wasn't a perfect person but he was able to see the positives of doing the right thing despite the costs.
9 People Like Shane Walsh Didn't Belong
Some Walking Dead fans still believe Shane is one of the best characters ever. While he may have had likable qualities, Shane was a disturbed and selfish person. Though he acted as though he wanted Carl and Lori because he was the one who could keep them safe, he made it clear he was obsessed with having Rick's family for himself because he considered them his property.
Jon Bernthal portrays Shane.
This obsession with Rick's wife and child led to Shane betraying his old friend and causing his own demise. This was a major event in TWD that made an important statement about this post-apocalyptic world. Not only did the end of the world change Shane, but his demise highlighted that those with an unhealthy need to control and hold power over other people couldn't survive long before their nature turned allies into enemies.
8 Duan Jones Was Key For Character Development
Duane Jones was crucial to Morgan Jones's character development. Though the boy was only in a couple of episodes, viewers learn that his death caused his father to spiral into a path of destruction. The death of Morgan's son and wife haunts him throughout his storyline.
Adrian Kali Turner portrays Duane.
However, Duane's death wasn't just impactful due to how it changed Morgan. The youth died because Morgan couldn't kill his wife's undead corpse, and her zombified being caused the demise of her son. Morgan emphasizes the message of this scenario, pointing out that they can't hesitate to do difficult things, or they risk it being catastrophic later on.
7 The World Ended With Dale Horvath
Dale Horvath was one of the saddest deaths in the early seasons of The Walking Dead. He was suddenly attacked by a walker and gutted, leaving his group without a key moral figure. During the time of his demise, Dale was fighting a losing battle to try to convince everyone they shouldn't kill a young man they deemed to be a threat.
Jeffrey DeMunn portrays Dale.
Dale was the most civilized character, desperate to hold onto the morals they held before the apocalypse. After his demise, it didn't take the group long to devolve and use brutal, violent measures to ensure their survival. It took the survivors over a decade to establish a new civilized way of living, proving Dale was right about his concerns that their world was truly over if they couldn't hold onto previous world beliefs.
6 Lori Grimes Pointed Out a Harsh Reality of This World
Lori Grimes proved it is not easy to be a mother in this world. Many of the mothers in this post-apocalyptic storyline, including long-running characters such as Michonne and Carol, suffered due to their roles as parents. Being a provider and protector of a child was a major aspect of Lori's character.
Sarah Wayne Callies portrays Lori.
In the end, Lori's character lived and died as the ultimate maternal figure. She was far from perfect, but her consistent love for her children prevailed overall, leading to her demise in order to bring Judith into the world. Her arc not only highlighted the heartbreak of being a parent in a dangerous world but emphasized that pregnancy became ever more hazardous and risky without modern medicine.
5 The Most Realistic Example of Unfit Survivors Was Nicholas
A major theme throughout The Walking Dead is what it takes to survive in the world of the undead. Some characters couldn't withstand the difficulties of this world, leading to their demise. However, other survivors were capable of staying alive but failed when faced with the horrific and violent aspects of their difficult existence.
Michael Traynor portrays Nicholas.
Nicholas had an interesting and underrated arc. He started as a coward who caused Noah's death and attempted to kill Glenn due to fear. When Glenn began mentoring him, there seemed to be hope for a redemption arc. Despite this, when faced with an impossible obstacle, he chose to take his own life. Nicholas was a prime example of how some people, even with the right resources and mentors, aren't built to withstand the trauma and unknown of this post-apocalyptic scenario.
4 The Darkest Human Characteristics Were Exposed By Lizzie Samuels
Lizzie Samuels disturbed viewers early on. She was convinced that the walkers weren't just dead but different and intriguing creatures. The little girl sympathized with the undead more than the living and proved her dark nature when she tortured animals.
Brighton Sharbino portrays Lizzie.
Though Lizzie was key to Carol's timeline, forever changing this long-running character's perspective, she exposed an eerie side of humanity. When faced with the deadly and horrific reality of the world, Lizzie was unnervingly content, embracing the creatures that ended civilization. Her death was a tragic necessity, making it clear people (and children) with her mindset were a danger to everyone living, especially after she kills her own sister to prove walkers aren't bad.
3 Hershel Greene Served His Purpose
Hershel Greene was never a leader like Rick Grimes, but he was the patriarchal figure in the group from Season 2 to Season 4. He's a father figure to the majority of the group, offering profound and humbling advice. Hershel's medical and farming expertise also served to better prepare them for survival outside of fighting and killing.
Scott Wilson portrays Hershel.
Hershel's demise at the hands of the Governor was shocking and changed the dynamic of the show. This wasn't the only impact his death made, though. With so many skills, Hershel was the older person who prepared his loved ones for the future. Removing him from the dynamic gave his people the opportunity to learn from their wise mentor and utilize his teachings without him to carry the mundane but necessary aspects of sustaining a community.
2 Glenn Rhee Was a Revolutionary Death
Glenn had an amazing timeline that made him a lovable and sincere fan favorite. His death between the Season 6 finale and the Season 7 premiere broke the hearts of many viewers. Many fans turned away from the show following Glenn's demise, despite it following the source material's version of his conclusion.
Steven Yeun portrays Glenn.
Glenn's death introduced the brutal nature of Negan, establishing the villain as someone unlike previous antagonists. The loss of this central member upturned the group, forcing them to consider how they've survived this long with the tight-knit family they built. Despite the devastation of Glenn's demise, he was the first original character to die in a few seasons, revealing that plot armor in the series wasn't indefinite and this new overarching storyline would forever change expectations.
1 Sophia Peletier Set the Standards
The dynamics of the world and the stakes were up in the air for the first couple of seasons of The Walking Dead. Viewers knew the dangerous world would lead to devastation and death, but the lengths the creators were willing to go for a complex, dark storyline were slowly revealed.
Madison Lintz portrays Sophia.
The first season featured children as walkers, and the second season had a dramatic arc in which Carl is shot and nearly succumbs to his wound. However, Sophia coming out of the barn at the Greene Farm as a walker mid-Season 2 solidified the stakes of this post-apocalyptic world. Knowing children are just as vulnerable as other survivors highlights the intensity of the show.
