But aside from zombie herds and evil antagonists trying to destroy their lives, it’s the grief of beloved friends and family that has taken the biggest toll on these characters. Whether they were taken by walkers or villainous humans, both the characters and the show’s viewers are still left mourning over some of these shocking — and sometimes gruesome — deaths.
Carl Grimes
Only a child when the apocalypse began, Carl grew up to be much like his father: calm, cool and collected in the midst of a zombie takeover. He survived near-death experiences countless times throughout his eight seasons, but was no match for one walker, whose bite ultimately led to the character’s death.
In what was arguably one of the saddest losses on the show, as he succumbs to his bite wound, Carl reminisces with his father and Michonne and shares his hopes for a better future — one that would surprisingly include Negan. In the end, Rick and Michonne walk away to the sound of a gunshot, letting them know Carl was officially gone.
Beth Greene
Beth is introduced in Season 2 of The Walking Dead, the teenage daughter of Hershel and half-sister to Maggie. In her four seasons on the show, she grew close to Rick’s group, including helping them take care of a newborn Judith after her mother’s passing and forming a friendship with Daryl.
Her death came as a shock to the viewers in Season 5 when everything is seemingly looking up for the group until Beth is accidentally shot in the head, killing her instantly. Daryl immediately retaliates by killing her shooter, then must carry Beth’s body back to the grieving group.
Glenn Rhee
The death of Glenn was one of the most shocking and gruesome ones of the entire series. After six seasons of traveling and surviving with the group, befriending (and sometimes saying goodbyes to) members, and falling in love and ultimately marrying his soulmate Maggie, Glenn’s life is cut short at Negan’s hands.
It hit the viewers hard, Glenn having been the very first character Rick Grimes is introduced to in the first episode and his relationship with Maggie being a fan-favorite. The episode’s graphic nature of Glenn’s death was so disturbing to some viewers, it forced TWD heads to put warnings ahead of all future episodes.
Shiva
While Shiva’s initial introduction alongside King Ezekiel was a bit questionable, the pet tiger soon grew on everyone in Rick’s group, as well as the show’s audience. After former zookeeper Ezekiel saved Shiva’s life, the two formed a bond that lasted well into the apocalypse.
Shiva’s tear-jerking death was one that had viewers looking away from their television screens as the beloved pet was eaten alive by walkers in order to save Ezekiel. And although she made a huge impact on the show, the character of Shiva was never portrayed by an actor, but instead via CGI.
Sasha Williams
Sasha joined the ensemble in Season 3, where she became a prominent piece of Rick’s group and later dated the late Abraham Ford. It was an act of heroism that took Sasha’s life in the Season 7 finale.
When she’s trapped in a coffin and used as leverage by Negan, Sasha chooses to end her life in an attempt to also end Negan’s. When Negan opens the casket in front of Rick’s group to reveal his bargaining chip, he’s shocked to find out Sasha has turned into a walker, who attacks him but ultimately doesn’t kill the antagonist.
Hershel Greene
Hershel felt like everyone’s dad on and off-screen; the real father to Maggie and Beth, a father figure to Rick, and offering a fatherly presence to the viewers for two and a half seasons. His calm nature and wise words always helped those around him get back on the straight and narrow despite their not-so-ideal circumstances.
In an unexpected twist, one of The Walking Dead’s villains known as “The Governor” slices Hershel’s neck using Michonne’s katana, then fully decapitates him, leaving his head to mutate in the grass. His zombified head is later found by Michonne, who ends his suffering.
Sophia Peletier
While Sophia’s death was certainly sad, it wasn’t all that unexpected. The young daughter of Carol and Ed, Sophia befriends Carl and Eliza at the camp and later joins Rick’s group at Hershel’s farm with her parents.
When she must escape a herd of walkers on her own, Sophia goes missing. Rick’s group learns that Hershel is hoarding walkers in his barn, and when they break open the door and eliminate every walker, the very last one to walk out is a zombified Sophia, who suffered a bite and is put down by Rick, despite her mother’s pleading.
Henry
Introduced as a child living in the Kingdom, Henry gets taken a liking to by then-partners Carol and Ezekiel, who adopt him after the death of his older brother. Henry grows into a young man in the blink of an eye (literally — the show had a time jump), and falls in love with Lydia, daughter of antagonist Alpha.
In a Season 9 shocker, while Henry’s death is not shown on-screen, his severed, zombified head is seen among other beloved characters’, on display for the group to find, including his adoptive mother, Carol.
Jesus
Paul Rovia, better known as Jesus, quickly became a fan-favorite after his debut in Season 6. It’s after Rick’s assumed death and Maggie’s departure that Jesus is elected the new leader of The Hilltop community.
In the middle of battling a herd of walkers, Jesus swings his sword at one. In an unexpected twist, the walker retaliates by stabbing Jesus through the chest, showing the group they are actually humans disguised as walkers. As Jesus’ boyfriend Aaron puts him down before he has the chance to turn, this shocker signals the start of The Whisperers storyline.
Lucille Smith
After being name-dropped by Negan for several seasons, in Season 10, we finally get to put a face to the name, rather than a barb-wired baseball bat. Lucille Smith was literally Negan’s better half, who survived the apocalypse up until her cancer treatment ran low, and she ended her life to avoid the physical pain.
Being one of the few people who brought the best out of Negan, her death was sad to see for the viewers, as well as for her on-and-off-screen husband. For one episode only, Lucille was portrayed by Hilarie Burton Morgan, real-life wife to Negan’s portrayer, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
