Summary
The Walking Deadmay be one of the most popular ‘zombie apocalypse’ franchises in history, but that is far from what the series is about. Unlike other zombie stories,The Walking Deadisn’t just a shoot-em-up, action-packed sagafilled with grisly violence and widespread mayhem. Sure, it incorporates those aspects, but that’s not what the series is about.Above all else,The Walking Deadis about one thing: people.
Not the zombies, butthe survivors themselves are the true focus ofThe Walking Dead, asthe series delves into what happens to human beings when they’re thrust into a literal hell on Earth.In some cases, the horrific hardships this world offers gives them the chance to prove how truly good humanity can be, even in the worst conditions imaginable. In other cases, the exact opposite is true, as many people devolved into monsters more dangerous than the Walkers themselves.
However, there’s one thing that remains the same for everyone inThe Walking Deadno matter what: change. Everyone was changed by the experience, and everyone changed during the experience. And of them all, these are the10The Walking Deadcharacters who change the most from beginning to end.
I’m Starting To Think The Walking Dead’s Teased Character Return Won’t Actually Happen
The Walking Dead has had a lot of returns over the last 14 years, but one teased character looks like they may never return to the franchise.
10Rick Grimes was a Deputy who Never Fired His Gun to the Savior of Humanity
Before the zombie apocalypse, Rick Grimes was a deputy who never fired his weapon. He lived in a quiet town where he was well respected, and led a simple, happy life.Then, everything changed when he was shot by an unnamed criminal and went into a coma.When he awoke, Rick was thrust into a zombie apocalypse, which saw him finally firing his gun to put the first zombie he encountered out of its misery, marking his metamorphosis into a post-apocalyptic survivor.
After that first zombie kill, this former small-town deputy was put through the most horrific situations imaginable, until he finally emerged on the other side as the savior of humanity.From never firing his gun, to doing whatever it took to save the world, Rick truly saw tremendous change throughoutThe Walking Dead.
9Maggie Greene was a Sheltered Young Woman who Became a Semi-Corrupt Leader of Humanity
WhenThe Walking Deadfans meet Maggie, she is a sheltered young woman with little control over her own life. After leaving the farm, Maggie suffers immense hardship, including watching her family getting killed by Walkers,watching her true love Glenn getting beaten to death by Negan,and raising a son all by herself - and that last point is what made Maggie change so dramatically.
By the end of the series, Maggie becomes President of the Hilltop, and her son Hershel is a spoiled brat who puts their entire community in danger by keeping live Walkers for his traveling show.
By the end of the series, Maggie becomes President of the Hilltop, and her son Hershel is a spoiled brat who puts their entire community in danger by keeping live Walkers for his traveling show.Maggie uses her power and influence to allow Hershel to do whatever he wants, which is a far cry from the sheltered, complaisant girl she once was.
Lauren Cohan, who plays Maggie Green, also played Martha Wayne inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
8Carl Grimes was a Little Kid who Became a Battle-Weary Remnant of a Barbaric Past
Carl Grimes, the son of Rick Grimes, was just a little kid when the world fell into a zombie apocalypse. Rather than spending his youth growing up in a safe town with a loving family,Carl witnessed people getting eaten by the undead,he shot Shane in the throat to save his father, and he even lost an eye.
As an adult in a society that had developed well beyond the state of the post-apocalyptic world he grew up in, Carl became a battle-weary remnant of a barbaric past, which is a tragic change from the little kid with his entire future ahead of him that fans saw in issue #2. However,Carl also became a loving husband and father, allowing him the chance to give his daughter the childhood he was robbed of.
7Andrea Harrison was an Unspectacular Survivor who Became a Sharp-Shooting Hero
Andrea and her sister, Amy, were two of the original survivors inThe Walking Dead, and in the early days of the comic’s history, they were pretty unspectacular. That is, until Amy died, which lit a ferocious fire inside of Andrea. From that tragedy,Andrea grew stronger, and eventually trained herself to become an ace sniper. Andrea is arguably the deadliest survivor inThe Walking Dead, all the way up until her tragic death.
Andrea died inThe Walking Dead#167, as she gets infected while saving the life of a friend and fellow survivor. This, after proving herself to be an integral member of the group, as well as Rick’s lover and Carl’s surrogate mother.Andrea grew immensely since her first appearance, which is solidified by her heroic death.
6Eugene Porter was a Fraud who Became a Saving Grace for Humanity
When Eugene was introduced, he claimed to know of a secret operation in Washington, DC where scientists were working on a cure for the zombie virus. However, it was quickly revealed that Eugene was lying through his teeth. There was no such organization, and even if there was, he certainly wouldn’t have known about it.Eugene was a fraud, lying to save his own skin.
Skip ahead a few decades to the events ofThe Walking Dead#193, andEugene is working to reunite the east and the west coasts of the United Statesby way of a railway that he is helping to rebuild. He’s literally working to bring humanity together, which is far more admirable than the fraud he originally was.
5Michonne Hawthorne Goes From Being a Sword-Wielding Badass to a Pillar of Law & Order
Michonne’s debut inThe Walking Deadis arguably the coolest out of anyone in the whole series, as she shows up not only wielding a katana, but also with two jawless, armless zombies on chains that act as her camouflage. Thankfully,Michonne was a good person, and quickly became an integral part of Rick’s group- and she grew to be far more than that for society at large.
Once humanity started to rebuild (as shown inThe Walking Dead#193), Michonne became Judge Hawthorne, the highest-seated judge in all the land, acting as a pillar of law and order in society.Going from a lone warrior to a supreme judge is a dramatic change, indeed, and it’s one that Michonne went throughinThe Walking Dead.
4The Governor was a Decent Man Before Devolving into a Fascist Psychopath
While the Governor is one of the most twisted and ruthless villains inThe Walking Dead, it’s revealed inThe Governor Specialthat he didn’t start out that way. The Governor admits that being a leader did not come naturally to him, and that he had to become someone else entirely once people started looking to him for leadership.He was a decent, modest man before the apocalypse, but once he had a taste of power, the Governor became the villainfans know him as today.
His past is only briefly touched on inThe Governor Special, butit’s enough to understand the extent of his villainous metamorphosis.And once he took center-stage as a main villain inThe Walking Dead, the Governor’s monstrous transition into a full-fledged fascist psychopath was complete.
3Lydia Survived Being Raised in a Horrifying Cult & Shapes a Brighter Future for Herself
The Walking Deadfans were introduced to Lydia when she was just a child,the daughter of Alpha who was being raised in the horrific cult called the Whisperers.The Whisperers believed in survival of the fittest to a fault, regularly abusing each other in the name of culling the weak. Thankfully, Lydia was captured by Rick’s group, and quickly decided to join them of her own free will.
While her origin was a tragic one, Lydia’s future was bright. InThe Walking Dead#193, it’s revealed thatLydia grew up to be a well-adjusted and valuable member of society, acting as a courier for the Commonwealth. It’s heartwarming to see that a child raised in such cruelty could make a better life for herself, and that’s exactly what Lydia did, as she found a way to change her life for the better.
2Mercer Goes from Being a Servant of the Miltons to a True Keeper of the Peace
Mercer was introduced as the Former General of the Commonwealth Army, but it quickly became apparent that he was little more than a servant of the ruling family of the Commonwealth, the Miltons. Mercer followed the orders of Pamela Milton without question, even when it nearly led to an all-out civil war. However, with Rick’s guidance,Mercer finally saw that blindly following someone in power was the wrong path, and that he should have been fighting for peace all alonginstead of simply being a servant of the Miltons.
Mercer was introduced as the Former General of the Commonwealth Army, but it quickly became apparent that he was little more than a servant of the ruling family of the Commonwealth, the Miltons.
When Mercer saw the light,he actually arrested Pamela Milton for nearly causing a civil warwithin the Commonwealth just to retain her power, marking a major change for his character even in the relatively short time he was inThe Walking Dead.
Negan’s introduction inThe Walking Deadis perhaps the most iconic moment in the entire franchise, as he not only immediately established himself as the most brutal villain yet, but he also killed a main character like it was nothing: Glenn. From that point on, Negan continued to show fans how vicious he was as a man with seemingly no morals. But then,when the brutality of the world turned back to civility, Negan was forced to live with the crimes of his past in exile.
The Walking Dead#193 showedNegan living all alone on the outskirts of human civilization, as he had become repentant,viewing himself as unworthy to join society after the many murderous atrocities he committed during the zombie apocalypse. Upon witnessing his debut, no one likely could have guessed that Negan would receive such an ending, making his one of the 10 biggest character changes inThe Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead
Cast
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on August 11, 2025. It follows Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. He embarks on a journey to locate his family, encountering various survivors amidst the chaos.
