The Walking Dead franchise is expanding with new spinoffs, including Daryl Dixon Season 2, “The Book of Carol.” Other spinoffs, like Dead City and The Ones Who Live, continue the story of the post-apocalyptic universe, allowing the franchise to continue years after the end of its flagship series.

While many of the original show’s best aspects have been resurrected in its spinoffs, the new series has failed to replicate the tragic deaths that The Walking Dead delivered in its eleven-season run, and each season brought at least one incredibly devastating death to the table, from series mainstays to new characters who had far more potential.

11Amy Was the First Major Death in The Walking Dead Season 1

Amy Was Bitten By a Walker

Actor:
Emma Bell

First Episode:
1×01: “Days Gone Bye”

Death Episode:
1×05: “Wildfire”

Amy Harrison is the first major death in The Walking Dead, perishing when a herd of walkers attacks the camp, claiming several lives in the process. Amy is the first casualty of the attack, getting surprised by a walker as she steps out of the RV. Her sister Andrea is left crying as she holds her sister’s dying body, then is forced to put her down after she reawakens as a walker.

Despite only surviving a few episodes, Amy will always be remembered by The Walking Dead fans. Her death was a traumatic turning point for the series, which telegraphed that no one was safe. Furthermore, certain characters would never be the same after Amy’s death, particularly Andrea, who never forgave herself for surviving when her sister did not.

10Dale Was Killed Before His Time in The Walking Dead Season 2

Dale Was Disembowled By a Walker

Actor:
Jeffrey DeMunn

First Episode:
1×01: “Days Gone Bye”

Death Episode:
2×11: “Judge, Jury, Executioner”

Season 2 of The Walking Dead includes many major deaths, but Dale’s was one of the most shocking. In one Dale-centric episode, the survivor pleads with his group not to execute a young captive who they worry may betray their location to his friends. However, despite fighting so hard for someone else’s life, Dale loses his own when he is ambushed by a walker in the field, disemboweled, and eventually put out of his misery by Daryl Dixon.

The Walking Dead fans were understandably shocked by Dale’s sudden death, especially since the character lives much longer in the graphic novels. It was later revealed that Jeffrey DeMunn asked to be killed off when his friend and showrunner Frank Darabont was fired. In one tragic episode, all of Dale’s potential as a character was cut short because of behind-the-scenes drama.

9Lori Grimes’ Death Shattered Rick in The Walking Dead Season 3

Lori Died While Giving Birth to Judith

Actor:
Sara Wayne Callies

First Episode:
1×01: “Days Gone Bye”

Death Episode:
3×04: “Killer Within”

Lori Grimes, Rick’s wife, fought hard so that her daughter, Judith, would be born safely. However, she herself was not so lucky. Without the help of modern medicine, childbirth proved to be difficult and Lori knew that either she or her baby would survive. In a rare moment of selflessness, Lori asked Maggie to cut the baby out of her, knowing that it would kill her.

Lori may not have been the most popular character in The Walking Dead, but fans will always remember her brave selflessness in making sure that her daughter would have a chance. Lori’s death crushed Rick, who spent many of the next few episodes descending into depression and grief over her loss.

8Hershel Was a Steady Moral Compass Until His Death in Season 4

Hershel Was Beheaded by the Governor

Actor:
Scott Wilson

First Episode:
2×02: “Bloodletting”

Death Episode:
4×08: “Too Far Gone”

Hershel Greene met a particularly grisly end halfway through The Walking Dead Season 4 after he and Michonne were captured by the Governor and his army. The Governor used his prisoners as a bargaining chip to get to Rick and the Prison Community. However, the villain was enraged by Rick’s offer to help them and publicly beheaded Hershel using Michonne’s sword.

Hershel’s death was utterly tragic, especially given the fact that he had been a bastion of hope in the dark world, yet met such a horrific end. Hershel’s death changed everything for Rick, who had been steadily growing in character and compassion thanks to his mentorship. Losing Hershel caused Rick to swing wildly in the other direction, reaching some of his deepest lows in the series.

7Beth’s Death Was Unexpected and Traumatic in The Walking Dead Season 5

Beth Was Shot in the Head by Dawn Lerner

Actor:
Emily Kinney

First Episode:
2×02: “Bloodletting”

Death Episode:
5×08: “Coda”

Beth dies in Season 5 of The Walking Dead after a long storyline that saw her separated from the rest of the group after being kidnapped by Dawn Lerner’s hospital community. Just when it seemed that Beth’s friends were about to rescue her, the captive lunged at Dawn, trying to kill her and free the other prisoners at the hospital. Dawn proved faster than Beth, instinctively shooting her in the head, killing her.

Fans were crushed by Beth’s death, as one of their favorite characters was snuffed out so suddenly after a full season of building up her return to the group. Beth never got to have her reunions with Daryl or Maggie, as she met an abrupt end that many found unsatisfying. To this day, Beth’s death stands out as one of the most heartbreaking in the entire series.

6Eastman Had the Most Impactful Death in TWD Season 6

Eastman Was Bitten by a Walker

Actor:
John Carroll Lynch

First Episode:
6×04: “Here’s Not Here”

Death Episode:
6×04: “Here’s Not Here”

Eastman was a one-shot character who appeared in a flashback episode exploring Morgan’s whereabouts leading up to the events of The Walking Dead Season 6. After helping Morgan back from the brink of madness, Eastman was bitten by a walker and died shortly thereafter. Left without his mentor, Morgan carried on his legacy, claiming that “all life is precious.”

Despite only appearing in one episode, Eastman stood out as a particularly compelling character. His episode is one of the strongest in The Walking Dead‘s sixth season and fans come to truly care about him and Morgan as its story progresses. His death was tragic, but ultimately necessary for Morgan to finally learn what he was meant to learn on his journey.

5Glenn’s Death Changed The Walking Dead Forever in Season 7

Glenn Was Beaten to Death by Negan

Actor:
Steven Yeun

First Episode:
1×01: “Days Gone Bye”

Death Episode:
7×01: “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”

The Walking Dead kicked off Season 7 with two of the most shocking deaths in its entire run. After capturing Rick and his group, Negan beats Abraham Ford to death with a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire–but doesn’t end the bloodshed there. When Daryl Dixon attacks Negan in anger, the leader of the Saviors elects to claim another victim. In a moment that will forever live in infamy, Negan murders Glenn in front of his pregnant wife, beating him to death the same way he killed Abraham.

Glenn was one of the most popular characters in The Walking Dead, yet suffered one of the most tragic fates imaginable. Fans were understandably upset by his violent end and, even eight years later, this moment is still seen as a negative turning point for the show. Glenn died too early to see his son born and never got to say a proper goodbye to the love of his life, making for one of the saddest deaths in the entire franchise.

4No One Expected Carl’s Death in The Walking Dead Season 8

Carl Was Bitten by a Walker

Actor:
Chandler Riggs

First Episode:
1×01: “Days Gone Bye”

Death Episode:
8×09: “Honor”

Halfway through Season 8, Carl Grimes revealed to his father that he had been bitten by a walker during an earlier expedition. In an episode devoted to his death, Carl says his final goodbyes to as many of his friends and family as he can before finally taking matters into his own hands and ending his life before the infection can.

Carl’s death was one of the most shocking in The Walking Dead, as most fans expected him to survive the events of the entire series. So much potential was lost with Carl’s decease, which also pushed Rick to grapple with the most difficult loss of his entire life. Nevertheless, Carl’s legacy lived on in Rick’s decision to spare the surviving Saviors after the war, including Negan, which had been his son’s dying wish.

3Henry and the Pike Victims Ignited the Whisperer War in TWD Season 9

The Whisperers Murdered Ten Characters and Mounted Their Heads on Pikes

Actor:
Matt Lintz

First Episode:
7×02: “The Well”

Death Episode:
9×15: “The Calm Before”

The penultimate episode of The Walking Dead Season 9 delivered one of the most devastating scenes in the show’s history as it was revealed that the Whisperers, led by Alpha, had claimed ten victims from the communities, placing their severed heads on pikes. Among the dead were several notable characters, including Tara and Enid, but the last was the most devastating: Henry Sutton, the adopted child of Carol and Ezekiel.

Although fans didn’t have enough time to get to know Henry, Carol’s grief is what truly sells the tragedy of his loss. Carol lost many children throughout the events of The Walking Dead, but it was Henry’s death that broke her. She had finally allowed herself to love another child again, raising him almost to adulthood when he was abruptly taken from her. In truth, Carol has never been the same since she lost Henry.

2Siddiq Didn’t Deserve to Die in The Walking Dead Season 10

Siddiq Was Murdered by Dante

Actor:
Avi Nash

First Episode:
8×01: “Mercy”

Death Episode:
10×07: “Open Your Eyes”

As the sole survivor of the Whisperers’ attack in the previous season, it seemed like Siddiq would last for longer than he did. Alexandria’s resident doctor lost his life when he discovered that Dante, a new member of the community, was a Whisperer spy. To protect his secret, Dante murdered Siddiq and left him to turn with his baby, Coco, still in the room.

Siddiq was a relatively new character when he died and fans had hoped to see more of him in the future of the series, but his potential was cut short by the selfishness of a truly terrible villain. Worse, Siddiq’s untimely death left his daughter Coco without a father.

1Rosita’s Death Closes Out The Walking Dead Season 11

Rosita Was Bitten by a Walker

Actor:
Christian Serratos

First Episode:
4×10: “Inmates”

Death Episode:
11×24: “Rest in Peace”

The Walking Dead‘s series finale gave many of its characters surprisingly happy endings, but Rosita Espinosa wasn’t so lucky. After fighting through the hordes of walkers that had infiltrated the Commonwealth, Rosita revealed that she had been bitten during the scuffle. She died peacefully with her friends around her, marking the final death in The Walking Dead‘s epic eleven-season run.

Rosita came so close to surviving the events of The Walking Dead but ultimately lost her life while fighting for her home. She at least had the privilege of dying a peaceful death, which has become all too rare in this post-apocalyptic world. Her death left Coco without either of her biological parents, though Rosita made sure that her daughter would be looked after when she was gone.