The Walking Dead is a show where you come for the zombies but stay for the characters. In a world ravaged by walkers, found family shines and relationships are more intense. Like any televised drama, it’s easy to get invested. We want our favorite characters to successfully slice and dice their way through rotting antagonists just as badly as we want them to find love.
Shipping is the result, and The Walking Dead fans get about as opinionated on the matter as any other fandom. But who you ship isn’t a competition. Whether one couple has your entire heart or you’re rooting for them all, what you like often aligns with your values and favorite tropes. So, in the spirit of having a little fun, here’s what your favorite The Walking Dead ships (might) say about you’re love story preferences.
NOTE: “Shipping” refers to the desire for two or more people to be in a romantic or sexual relationship. Canon does not make or break a ship. This article is purely for fun!
Rick and Michonne: You Want Enemies to Be Lovers (& Soulmates)
With The Ones Who Live here, it can be easy to forget that Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) started as enemies, or at the very least, weary strangers, particularly on Rick’s part. From Rick yelling, “We patch you up, and then you are gone,” to Michonne growling, “Don’t you ever touch me again,” the couple began in pretty hostile territory. However, there was no going back once they decided to trust each other. Michonne became a surrogate mother to Carl (Chandler Riggs) and the ultimate confidant to Rick. It’s difficult to place them in one category. Enemies to lovers? Soulmates? Why not both?
They say opposites attract, but if you’re Team Richonne, you know kindred spirits can be just as successful in the love department. You can’t help but cheer on people who are more alike than they are different, knowing that if they combine their best traits, they’ll become an unstoppable force. And hey, you’re also not opposed to a little angst if it just so happens those same similarities start them in enemy territory.
Glenn and Maggie: You Like a Good Relationship of Convenience Story
For many Walking Dead fans, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) are still THE couple. They’re the show’s first true love story, and audiences get to follow their evolution across multiple seasons. They prioritize things like communication and teamwork and don’t shy away from difficult conversations, like the moral complexities of having children in the apocalypse. There’s no doubt Maggie and Glenn would still be together had Negan not put a heart-shattering, bat-swinging halt to that in Season 7.
With all the romance, it’s easy to forget Maggie and Glenn’s relationship started as one of convenience. “I’ll have sex with you,” Maggie said on their now-iconic supply run. “It’s not like our options are vast these days.” Of course, like most relationship of convenience stories, the two inevitably catch feelings—and what a joy it is to watch. If you’re a fan of this trope, then you already know it leads to some of the best slow-burn love stories, as Maggie and Glenn so perfectly proved.
Rick and Daryl: You Can’t Get Enough of the Bodyguard Trope
At this point, it’s safe to say a Rick and Daryl romance will never be canon, considering Rick and Michonne are happily together. Still, “Rickyl” remains one of the fandom’s most popular ships—and it’s easy to see why. The two have an intense bond. Either of them would sacrifice themselves if it meant saving the other. Daryl, in particular, doesn’t mess around when it comes to protecting Rick. Their final gaze-lock before the bridge explosion in Season 9 is hauntingly perfect. And even after everyone assumed Rick was dead, Daryl searched for years. FOR YEARS!
Many argue the duo are more like brothers than lovers. However, if you’re one of the hopeful Rickly shippers out there, you clearly value loyalty. Love stories about found family and battle-bonded characters are probably your jam. You might also like the bodyguard trope because something about overprotective relationships just speaks to you.
Carol and Daryl: You’re a Friends to Lovers Fan
Carol and Daryl don’t have canon on their side. Still, it hasn’t stopped them from being one of The Walking Dead‘s most popular ships. Daryl Dixon reignited the “Caryl” fires when all arrows pointed to Carol being Daryl’s “person who waits.” The two have been close since Season 1, and by Season 11, they exchanged earnest “I love yous.” In combination with Melissa McBride‘s and Norman Reedus‘ chemistry, it’s enough to drive anyone mad.
If you’re rooting for a Carol and Daryl romance, you probably like friends-to-lovers stories with a healthy dose of love denial. In fact, you likely crave romance in most shows. You’ll never admit it. Just like the ship you always end up championing for can’t seem to admit their feelings for each other. And, hey, if they’re emotionally unavailable rebels, they get extra points from you.
Maggie and Negan: You’re a Dark Romance Devourer
If you fell off The Walking Dead after Glenn’s death, you probably just spit out your drink. But yeah, “Neggie” is a thing fueled largely by Negan’s massive character shift from an authoritative villain to a hopeful hero. People also can’t overlook chemistry, and it just happens that Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan have oodles of it. Season 11 had no shortage of hostile interactions between the two, with a hint of sexual tension underneath. This dynamic continued into Dead City. Many fans suspected TWD would do the unthinkable and pair Maggie with the man who killed her husband.
Yes, it’s twisted. However, it’s par for the course if you’re a dark romance enjoyer. You probably hide your affinity for Maggie and Negan the same way you hide the fact you read things like Haunting Adeline. Enemies-to-lovers is your favorite trope. Death threats are like foreplay, and if characters are getting thrown against the wall, you don’t mind as long as it leads to angry kissing.
