The Walking Dead paints a grim look at humanity’s future after a zombie outbreak devastates the world. The original series follows Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) as he wakes up after a months-long coma to find himself in the middle of the end of the world. Reuniting with his friends and family outside Atlanta, Rick becomes the leader of a small band of survivors, beginning their long journey as they attempt to navigate an increasingly brutal world. Rick’s list of allies grows along the way, as does his list of enemies, leading to an all-out war that devastates the already meager human population even more.

The many Walking Dead spinoffs, including Daryl Dixon, Dead City, World Beyond, The Ones Who Live, and more, have given audiences a better idea of precisely what happened to the world when the zombie apocalypse broke out–and what is left of humanity in the years that followed. Ahead of the premiere of Daryl Dixon Season 2, viewers will want to get all the information they can about the post-apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead.

How And When Did The Zombie Outbreak Begin?

The zombie outbreak began in 2010 with the introduction of the Wildfire Virus, an engineered pathogen originating from the la Biomédicine DDMI lab in France. The Primrose Team working in the lab had intended to use the Wildfire Virus for various experiments but somehow was set loose, wreaking havoc on the world. By April 2010, the Center for Disease Control had become aware of the outbreak. In August, the virus was officially declared a global pandemic as instances continued to rise. Strange stories began to surface about the effects of the virus, including instances of cannibalism and even rumors that it caused the dead to come back to life. While rumors of reanimation were initially dismissed, they would prove all too true.

Timeline of the Zombie Outbreak

Before April 2010: The Wildfire Virus is created in France
April 16, 2010: The CDC discovers the Wildfire Virus

Countries begin declaring martial lawAugust 27, 2010: The dead begin to rise

September 7, 2010: The Second Civil War begins
September 9, 2010: Operation Cobalt is executed
September 10, 2020: Human civilization officially collapses with the end of the Second Civil War
October 27, 2010: Edwin Jarvis blows up the CDC

It eventually became clear to world governments that the Wildfire Virus indeed caused the dead to rise. These zombies, known most commonly to The Walking Dead fans as walkers, caused the death toll to rise dramatically as they feasted on the flesh of their living counterparts. Governments began declaring martial law, but each fell, one by one. In early September, Operation Cobalt began its early phases, complete with a Contingency Plan that would eventually bring utter disaster to the world. Recognizing that highly populated areas had become epicenters for the virus, the remnant of the United States government ordered major cities to be bombed, including Atlanta, killing millions. It wasn’t long after that the U.S. government collapsed as well in a brief civil war between the military and the Pennsylvania National Guard. The world had fallen apart, and there was nothing left of what had once been.

Did The Apocalypse Happen Everywhere?

In the early seasons of The Walking Dead, it was unclear precisely how widespread the zombie outbreak was. The relatively self-contained nature of the series left audiences to consider that the devastation may have been contained to the United States or even North America. Dr. Edwin Jarvis, a scientist working at the CDC during the events of Season 1 voiced hope that his colleagues in France may have survived, but this was disproven in the post-credit scene of The Walking Dead: World Beyond‘s finale. Recent spinoffs reveal that the virus indeed spread to the entire world. North America and Europe were both utterly devastated. Although the fates of other continents haven’t been specifically explored in the franchise, it is safe to assume that they were destroyed in the chaos as well. The only beacon of hope would be in island civilizations, though even these may not have been spared.

Types Of Walkers, Explained

The Walking Dead revolves heavily around the dead raised back to life as monstrous versions of their formerly human selves. However, because zombie stories never existed in the world of The Walking Dead, the reanimated aren’t called “zombies.” The living dead were never given an official name, and are instead known by different names depending on the group. They have been called “Lurkers,” “Biters,” “Roamers,” and “Geeks” by various groups, but the most common is “Walkers,” as this is the name used by Rick Grimes and his group of survivors. There are several different forms of walkers, with new variants becoming more prevalent over time.

Regular Walkers

A walker is no longer human, though some individuals mistakenly believe that there are still traces of their humanity left after their reanimation. Typical walkers are slow, shambling from place to place without any sign of cognitive function beyond the basic motor functions. Walkers feast on warm flesh and seemingly have no preference between animals and humans. They are attracted to warmth and can be corralled using human flesh as bait or by lighting a fire. They are also attracted to sound and can be swayed from one direction or another by noise in the distance. Because they are drawn to the same things, walkers often coalesce into massive herds, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

All human beings are infected with the Wildfire Virus, meaning that anyone who dies will transform into a walker, regardless of their manner of death. Many survivors were not aware of this early in the apocalypse, leading to many more deaths than would have occurred otherwise. A human who is bitten or scratched by a walker immediately becomes infected with a higher form of the virus that will kill them in a matter of hours unless the infected body part is amputated quickly. The only way to kill a walker is to destroy its head, where its sole functions take place. Walkers have been known to remain animated even without a body–the head must be destroyed before they are finally put down.

Walker Variants

It was recently discovered that variant walkers exist among the hordes of the undead. These walkers either were infected by a mutated strain of the Wildfire Virus or transformed as a result of their surroundings. Variant walkers have existed since the beginning of the outbreak, though they began appearing in larger numbers as the apocalypse went on.

There are countless different walker variations. Among the most common types are Lurkers, who remain dormant until alerted by an outside force, making them particularly dangerous to travelers who aren’t paying attention to their surroundings. Also common are Climbers, who can more agilely make their way through environments, even climbing walls to reach their prey. Among the most troubling walker variations are Roamers, who are said to return to places that they remember in their previous life. Roamers provide the best evidence yet that there may be an element of humanity left in the reanimated dead, though all other evidence points to the contrary.

Some walker variants are more physically dangerous than others. Some zombies can burn flesh with a touch. Others are extremely fast and can even match the pace of a human. Reports have even surfaced of a strange occurrence in which multiple walkers become fused to form a superorganism known as the Walker King. The only known Walker King was discovered in the sewers of New York City and proved to be especially difficult to put down.

It is unclear precisely why variant walkers are becoming more common in the second decade of the apocalypse. It may be due to certain walkers’ extended lifespan, allowing them time to mutate and become more dangerous. Regardless of the reason behind this transformation, the increased population of walker variants makes survival even more difficult for the remaining humans on Earth.

Major Human Settlements In The Apocalypse

Community
Leader(s)
Location
Fate

Alexandria

Deanna Monroe (deceased)
Rick Grimes (missing)
Council of Alexandria

Council Leader: Michonne Hawthorne (left)
Aaron (current)

 
Virginia
Destroyed (rebuilt)

The Hilltop Colony

Gregory (executed)
Maggie Rhee (left)
Tara (deceased)

 
Virginia
Destroyed

The Kingdom

King Ezekiel

 
Virginia
Destroyed

The Sanctuary

Negan

 
Virginia
Destroyed

The Civic Republic of Philadelphia

Unclear

 
Pennsylvania
Surviving

The Civic Republic of Portland

Unclear

 
Oregon
Destroyed

The Civic Republic of Omaha

Unclear

 
Nebraska
Destroyed

The Commonwealth

Pamela Milton (imprisoned)
Ezekiel Sutton (current)

 
Ohio
Surviving

Although humanity was mostly destroyed by the zombie infestation, many communities have managed to survive well into the apocalypse. While several smaller communities have risen and fallen over the years, a handful of particularly large settlements are notable as well.

The Coalition of Communities Is Made Up Of Multiple Settlements

The Coalition of Communities was a group of settlements in Virginia that formed a union that allowed trade, mutual protection, and shared culture between various groups. The most prominent of these settlements was Alexandria, a large walled city originally governed by Deanna Munroe. This settlement was distinct in that it had running water, electricity, and large stores of food that allowed many of its survivors to live mostly unbothered by the apocalypse for multiple years. Alexandria was largely destroyed in a conflict with a group of marauders known as the Whisperers but was later rebuilt and is now governed by a council of prominent leaders from the community.

Another distinct group within the Coalition was the Hilltop Colony. Originally ruled by Gregory, the community was surrounded by a large wooden wall and had plenty of farmland for agriculture. Later, the group was taken over by Maggie Rhee, under whose rule Hilltop flourished. Maggie built great structures to help the settlement grow and provided sanctuary for many travelers during her time as leader. However, years after Maggie’s departure, Hilltop was destroyed in a raid by the Whisperers, who brought a walker army with them.

The third major community in the Coalition was the Kingdom. Ruled by an individual who called himself King Ezekiel, the Kingdom was a large walled community that boasted a wide population. The survivors of the Kingdom were distinct in that they crafted armor for themselves that protected them from walker bites. The population of the Kingdom was decimated in a conflict with the Saviors and, though they were able to rebuild, the community was eventually abandoned when a harsh winter caused much of its infrastructure to crumble. The surviving citizens of the Kingdom, including Ezekiel, eventually moved to one of the other cities in the Coalition.

The Coalition was also known to absorb other smaller communities in the nearby area. Among these was Oceanside, a beachfront community of women who aided the Coalition in a war with the Saviors. The Saviors themselves were a group of marauding individuals led by Negan Smith who demanded tribute from other communities. The Coalition formed to life the yoke of the Saviors. After a bloody war, the Saviors were defeated and their surviving ranks were taken in by the various communities after the fall of their headquarters, the Sanctuary.

The Civic Republic Military Protected Three Major Settlements

The Civic Republic Military, formerly the Pennsylvania National Guard, was an army that survived the events of the global outbreak after defeating the United States military in the Second Civil War. The CRM became the defenders of three major cities that were supposed to be destroyed during Operation Cobalt: Portland, Omaha, and Philadelphia, the headquarters of what became known as the Alliance of Three. The combined population of these three communities was the largest known of any settlements in the post-apocalyptic world. However, under the leadership of Major General Johnathan Beale, the CRM attacked Portland and Omaha, destroying the settlements. The CRM was eventually destroyed by Rick Grimes and Michonne Hawthorne, leaving Philadelphia unharmed by the military’s plot but also vulnerable to outside threats.

The Commonwealth Is One Of The Most Advanced Civilizations

The Commonwealth was a massive community located in Ohio. The settlement is believed to have been the home to over 50,000 survivors, making it one of the largest communities in the apocalypse. The Commonwealth had many luxuries of everyday life before the apocalypse and was considered a haven for those allowed inside its walls. However, the Commonwealth’s leader, Pamela Milton, grew corrupt over the years and began abusing her power to help herself and her family. After the communities of the Coalition were devastated in the Whisperer War, the Commonwealth took many of their survivors in while their home settlements were rebuilt. Upon discovering the corruption rampant in the Commonwealth’s governments, the remnant of the Coalition led a coup and overthrew Milton. The community is now ruled by Governor Ezekiel Sutton, the former king of the Kingdom. After the CRM’s destruction, the Commonwealth allied itself with the Civic Republic of Philadelphia.

How Many Humans Are Left After The Apocalypse?

The Walking Dead Franchise

Series
Years
IMDb Rating
Rotten Tomatoes Score
Streaming

The Walking Dead
2010-2022
8.1/10
79%
AMC+ Netflix

Fear the Walking Dead
2015-2023
6.8/10
73%

The Walking Dead: World Beyond
2020-2021
4.5/10
46%
AMC+

Tales of the Walking Dead
2022
5.9/10
74%

The Walking Dead: Dead City
2023-Present
7.1/10
80%

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
2023-Present
7.6/10
70%
AMC+ Netflix

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
2024
7.9/10
88%
AMC+

The Walking Dead has many iconic characters that remain strong focal points in the franchise, but few grew and evolved as much as Carol.

Over ten years after the outbreak of the apocalypse, there are very few humans left. In the letters column of issue #177 of The Walking Dead graphic novel series, author Robert Kirkman suggested that as few as 1.6 million survivors were left in the world after the initial outbreak. If this is the case for the television universe as well, it is safe to assume that far fewer are left after ten years of zombie attacks and fighting between surviving communities. The population of walkers now far exceeds that of humans, making humanity an endangered species. Hopefully, the forging of new settlements will stop the rapid decline in the human population before they become extinct entirely.

The gritty world of The Walking Dead is growing constantly, with new elements being added with each season of every show in the franchise. While the apocalypse can be intimidating, it seems that humans might just survive after all–if they can keep from destroying one another.