TWD: 5 Characters That Had To Go (& 5 Fans Were Sad To See Go)
The Walking Dead has seen many characters come and go, but some of them needed to go, and some of them no one wanted to go.
The Walking Dead is much more than a post-apocalyptic zombie franchise. It's about the relationships and bonds formed and maintained between the survivors who are forced to walk a bleak path forward into an uncertain, dangerous future. Throughout the show's 10 season run, audiences have seen many characters come and go, usually in grotesque fashion.
Some had lived on well past their prime, while others remain beloved fan favorites, right to this day. Some have died, while others are still out there somewhere. Here's 5 characters who had outstayed their welcome, as well as 5 that fans were crushed to see get their walking papers.
10 Had To Go: Lori
It may seem unfair to have wanted Lori to check out, but by the time season 3 had rolled around, her relationship with Rick had decayed to the point of no return. The two would attempt to reconcile several times, but Rick's fragile mental state, combined with Lori's affair with Shane, had soured the mixture.
In reality, Lori's death was a strong necessity for several reasons. First, it gave Rick a consequence for his own behavior, and a reason for regret, plus it reminded the audience that nobody on the show was truly safe. It would also bring he and Carl closer together, especially with Judith now in the picture.
9 Sad To Go: Dale
Dale was a fan favorite from the start, acting as the paternal figure that everyone looked to for consolation and advice. His relationship with the survivors would suffer throughout the second season, especially when it came to Andrea and Shane. As such, he fell out of favor with both, while his confidence began to slip.
His death at the hands of a walker was a shocking and tragic event which sent ripples through the viewership. Few wanted Dale to leave the show as quickly as he did, especially since it served little purpose for the overall story arc.
8 Had To Go: Shane
As much as audiences wanted to believe that Shane would mend his ways and come back to a semblance of normalcy, the truth is that his character had gone far off the deep end by the end of the first season. His unstable mental state and obsession with Lori had set him down a dark path which included killing Rick, and usurping his position as the head of the group.
While Shane had done a number of honorable and noble things throughout the series, most viewers were happy to see him go, especially when he enacted his final plan to lure Rick out into the wilderness and murder him in cold blood. It was high time for him to leave the group.
7 Sad To Go: Sophia
One of the most soul-crushing moments of entire Walking Dead run was undoubtedly the tragic reveal of an undead Sophia stumbling out of Hershel's barn. Audiences were left in limbo as to Sophia's fate, ever since the first episode of the second season when she disappeared after a walker attack.
Characters like Daryl would continue searching for Sophia, giving viewers hope that she'd be found safe and sound. Sadly, their faith was destroyed when it was revealed that Sophia had been dead all along, serving up the first truly large tragedy of the show.
6 Had To Go: The Governor
By the time season 3 was in full swing, audiences already had enough of the Governor to last two lifetimes. His attack on Rick's group set up a heavy dose of foreshadowing for an even worse confrontation with Negan, which would occur several seasons down the road.
Season 4 saw the Governor make his last big push against Rick and his group after he came apart at the seams. His treachery, brutality and inhumanity made him irredeemable in a way that Negan managed to avoid. When Michonne finally killed him by impaling him on her katana blade, audiences cheered.
5 Sad To Go: Carl
Carl's character arc didn't match the comic books, where he lived a much longer and fuller life. In hindsight, his death might have been a good thing, as it subverted the expectations of those who knew the comic inside and out, while setting up a proper and fitting end to the Saviors story arc.
Not only did Carl's death give people on both sides a reason to stop and reconsider the war they were fighting, but it also filled Rick with enough mercy and compassion to spare the Saviors, including Negan himself. This act would pay dividends in the events still to come.
4 Had To Go: Spencer
Spencer Monroe did little to set himself up as a fan favorite, thanks to his utter dislike of Rick Grimes and their crew. After watching his previously safe community of Alexandria turn upside down, as well as the death of his parents, Spencer fell headfirst into a world of resentment and anger.
Following Negan's reveal and the Saviors' dominance over Alexandria, Spencer tried to capitalize on the situation by attempting to turn Negan against Rick, thereby setting himself up as the new liaison. Negan saw right through Spencer's treachery, and disemboweled him in the middle of the street as an example to everyone else.
3 Sad To Go: Glenn
Comic book fans dreaded Negan's arrival, for they knew what was coming. The TV show and the comic follow roughly the same continuity, but they don't run perfectly parallel. As such, it was a surprise to see Abraham on the receiving end of Negan's baseball bat.
For a brief moment, audiences believed that Glenn would survive the ordeal and continue on with an entirely new character continuity. Sadly, Daryl's angry antics would force Negan to make another example out of the group by turning a bloodied Lucille on Glenn, exactly as the comic book had done. It was a cruel act on the part of the showrunners to give false hope for the character, only to rob them of it immediately after.
2 Had To Go: Michonne
Michonne's time on The Walking Dead had finally come, but not for the reasons most might think. In truth, Michonne had been through a lot over the course of the show's run, and her newfound leadership role felt hollow and devoid of passion in the wake of Rick Grimes' apparent demise.
Recent events have proved that Rick Grimes is indeed alive and well, and when Michonne found out, she set out to search for him. Her exit from the show was a necessity that will no doubt pave the way for her character's return in the upcoming Walking Dead feature film, where Rick is destined to return.
1 Sad To Go: Rick
As much as fans have embraced other characters from the show, Rick Grimes will forever be the linchpin upon which viewers hang their hats. His transition from a small town cop to a reluctant leader in a post apocalyptic hellscape was a window into the psyche of the everyday person. The unfolding events tested his resolve, his stamina, and at one point, his sanity.
Though Rick had come full circle by the time Negan played his final card, it was time for actor Andrew Lincoln to finally hang up the Colt Python and move on. Fans knew it was coming, but it didn't make things any easier. His absence from the show is apparent in every episode that has since aired, but his dramatic return in the upcoming Walking Dead movie should give fans reason to cheer.