The kids won’t go down without a fight.

Between some ruthless leaders like Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Ezekiel (Khary Payton), some warrior women like Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Michonne (Danai Gurira), and some killer villains like Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), The Walking Dead had one of the strongest ensembles during its 11 seasons on AMC. And the survivors of the outbreak were only made stronger thanks to the badass kids in their lives.

From Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) mini-me to all of Rick Grimes’ kids to the child that started it all, plenty of children have come and gone throughout the apocalypse, but only some are remembered as being as fierce as the surrounding adults in the new world.

10Summer

If the name Summer doesn’t ring any bells, then the nickname Teddy Bear Girl (Addy Miller) probably will. This young walker was the first child to appear on TWD, and the first walker Rick kills in the series premiere “Days Gone By.”

While little is known about Summer, she got her nickname after that memorable moment when she was seen picking up a teddy bear from the ground and roaming around a parking lot just before turning to reveal her bloody face and glazed-over eyes for Rick to see.

9Gracie

Gracie (Anabelle Holloway) has quite the infant years, being born to Saviors, left to be an orphan, then taken in and raised by Aaron (Ross Marquand), who had just lost his boyfriend in Season 8. Growing up alongside best friends Judith (Cailey Flemming) and R.J. (Antony Azor), Gracie learned from the best when it came to slaying walkers.

Despite being born into the apocalypse, Gracie was raised to be sweet and kind by her adoptive father, but strong and capable when it mattered, learning the ins and outs of killing walkers and surviving a basement flood infested by walkers.

8R.J. Grimes

Rick Grimes Jr. – fondly known as R.J. – may not have been expected, but he was definitely planned. Long after Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) death, it was during an intimate moment in Alexandria when Rick suggested to Michonne that they try to help the world by trying to grow it.

R.J. was born to a loving mother and sister, but a presumed dead father when Rick disappeared after the bridge explosion in Season 9. While he became one of Judith’s students, he’s most remembered for taking the reins and donning his father’s hat, which was passed down to Carl, then to Judith.

7Duane Jones

Although he only appears in the series premiere, Duane Jones (Adrian Kali Turner) remained a pivotal character for several seasons any time his father Morgan (Lennie James) appeared on the screen. Duane’s tragic death, at the hands of his zombified mother, changed Morgan forever, but the child is remembered for something more.

Most fans note that it was Glenn and Morgan who saved Rick’s life at the start of the apocalypse, but really it was partly thanks to Duane, who realized Rick was a human and instead of killing him, knocked him out so his father could take him in and save his life.

6Henry

Henry (Matt Lintz) was always dealt a lousy hand, first when his parents were killed, then when his older brother and guardian was killed by The Saviors. His brother’s death changed Henry, urging the child to kill whoever it was that killed his brother, holding a loaded gun to the imprisoned former Saviors.

Thanks to the guidance of Morgan and his adoptive parents Ezekiel and Carol (Melissa McBride), Henry moved past his grief and lived a happy life at The Kingdom until his dying day when he joined Enid, Tara (Alanna Masterson) and several others in being beheaded by Alpha in one of the show’s most gruesome moments.

5Lydia

Lydia (Cassady McClincy) enters the scene as a teenager in Season 9, but she’s badass from the start, a member of her mother’s group The Whisperers despite longing for a better life. Her better life is achieved when she’s exiled by her mother and finds a family with Daryl (Norman Reedus) and a relationship with Henry.

Despite some inner and outer turmoil over her decision to betray her mother, Lydia eventually becomes a noble member of the group, but it’s not until the series finale that she survives her toughest trail: getting her arm amputated after being bitten by a walker.

4Enid

Image via AMC

Unlike those she comes to care for, like Alexandrians and Hilltop members, Enid (Katelyn Nacon) was just like Rick’s group at the start, out on her own with only her survival instincts to guide her. Even after finding refuge in communities, Enid bravely faced what was outside the walls and battled walkers, and sometimes humans.

Enid’s motto “JSS: Just Survive Somehow” stayed with her until her dying day when she, along with several other friends, was beheaded by Alpha (Samantha Morton) and left to turn. But the moment she had no other choice than to eat a living turtle to survive will always make her pretty badass.

3Hershel Rhee

Hershel Rhee (Kien Michael Spiller) was born long after the devastating events that occurred during the all-out war with The Saviors, growing up both at the Hilltop and on the road with his mom. Hershel, donning a cap just like his late dad and his late grandfather’s name, was reintroduced during Maggie’s return in Season 10, older, wiser, and not opposed to some revenge.

Hershel proved to be a capable fighter like his mother and a sweet-talker like his father, and when the moment came that it was only him and his father’s murderer Negan alone in a room, he didn’t hesitate to pull a knife on the villain, and only time will tell what he has in store for Negan if he joins his mom on that trip through NYC in The Walking Dead: Dead City.

2Judith Grimes

Image via AMC

Judith Grimes was dubbed “Little Ass-Kicker” by Daryl the second she was born in that devastating episode in Season 3 when Carl had to kill their mother after she died giving birth. From then on, Judith became Rick’s and Carl’s reason for pushing on.

Years after the death of her brother and the presumed death of her father, Judith appeared as a slightly bigger ass-kicker when she was revealed in Season 9 shooting walkers and wearing her dad’s hat. While Judith had her life saved by Daryl in the end, she wound up saving everyone’s lives in one way or another since she was born.

1Carl Grimes

Of all the kids on TWD, Carl is arguably the fan favorite, being the only child character on the show for the majority of the eight seasons he was on. Carl not only proved to be fearless like his dad, but his most defining trait was his honor.

Carl slayed walkers, fought off Negan, and saved countless lives, but in the end, it was his noble personality and longing for harmony that always made him go out of his way – and out of his safety – to try and help others.