The Walking Dead: Every Character That Survives Through The Series Finale
The Walking Dead is, without a doubt, one of the greatest shows to ever air on cable television. As well, what it has accomplished as a cultural phenomenon is unparalleled for any other show… ever. One of its endearing qualities has been its ability to shock and surprise viewers. This has been obtained through surprising moments where no character was ever safe and any character could die at any moment.
However, with the announcement of a series of Walking Dead films and spinoffs, did the show lose some of its suspense at its most critical moment… the ending? Do we know who makes it through the end of the series now? Through some analysis, here’s every character that should survive through the series finale of The Walking Dead.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD
There are only two characters remaining from the first season of The Walking Dead in Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride). These two are the most deeply invested characters currently on screen. The other two would be Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira). However, these two characters departed the show and are expected to show up in the films. Knowing that they will return in theaters removes any suspense that either character could show up in the Season 11 final season and experience any other fate other than staying alive to move into the films.
When it comes to Daryl and Carol, every moment over the course of the next 31 episodes, which includes the Season 10 Finale, eliminates the possibility of the two characters dying. All of those tense-filled moments of the characters being surrounded by walkers, confronting another big bad guy, or any other moment will lose its suspense, as viewers will now know that Daryl and Carol escape to a future television show.
With the removal of death as the outcome for the pair, all that is left is an ensemble cast who we aren’t really all that invested in other than the possibility of Maggie (Lauren Cohan), Eugene (Josh McDermitt), Aaron (Ross Marquand), and possibly Ezekiel (Khary Payton). Yet, because of how large the ensemble cast has been the past four to five seasons, one of the things The Walking Dead has struggled with is developing most of its characters in a way that we feel truly invested in them like we were in the cast from the first four to five seasons.
Arguably, only Maggie’s fate will be one that we may be concerned with. However, this past week on Live with Kelly and Ryan, Cohan may have removed that suspense too when she teased her own spinoff for Maggie.
That leaves us with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Judith (Cailey Fleming). These two characters have received significant screen time over the past several seasons. Negan presents a questionable dilemma for viewers, as his character has gone from one of the most evil villains the show has presented to a character who is now trying to redeem himself among the very group he injured. Yet, even with Negan the show faces its own problems, as the source material, the comic books, shows Negan going off on his own and living beyond the end of the comic book series. And, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is arguably the most famous actor on The Walking Dead with huge star power. If Morgan stars in a spinoff or a stand-alone film, it’s sure to have greater success simply based on how popular the actor is.
Judith presents her own problems when it comes to questioning whether she lives or dies on the show, as there are no other Grimes family members alive on the show other than the very little seen Rick Junior aka R.J. In the source material, Carl Grimes is the surviving member of the Grimes family and the comics closes with Carl, Sophia, and their child. Since the television show has, at least, followed the overall story arc of the comics, it would make sense that the television show ends with the same, if not similar, ending and shows Judith in Carl’s place.
Without having any concern for major characters like Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Negan, or Judith, The Walking Dead has painted itself into a bit of a corner by losing one of its biggest tools that has made it a success – killing a major character without notice. This leaves the show in a position where it has to become more creative in its ability to tell stories and retain the shock value that has captivated viewers over the past decade.
Plus, we know that Michonne and Eugene make it through the end because the show’s creator, Robert Kirkman, already said so previously.
We’re hoping for the return of Rick Grimes for the final season and an ending that mirrors the comic books as best as possible. But can the show even achieve that when we know that Rick dies in the comics? It’s a challenge that the writers of The Walking Dead must now overcome.
What do you think about all of this? Can The Walking Dead retain its shock value when we know that most of its major characters are now safe beyond the final season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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Yes , absolutely killing the main characters is only liked by writers, and Gimple NOT FANs . Try changing scenery, having more zombies , less talking, and how about filling holes like why no guns, bullets, when Abraham showed Eugene the place to make the bullets and such, So why now NO HIGH TEC WEAPONS and lots of bullets?
I really like Rosita. I’m thinking they will probably kill her off but I’m wondering what they will do with her child. Perhaps Eugene will raise it.
just had a wicked thought. what if they said they were going to end the series, and do the spin-offs, but they have no intention of doing either? what if in the first episode back they haul off and kill daryl? that would be a curveball nobody would see coming….c’mon, they arent above that! they love the sneak attack!
My entire family are Walking Dead freaks, it would be sad to see any of the main people be killed off the show wouldn’t be the same.
I think it’s gonna be interesting how they’re going to do this bringing Rick back but can’t bring Carl back unless when he was in the shed about to shoot him self he missed
I think it was foolish to announce spin offs this early. Especially for Daryl and Carol, they are fan favourites and the knowledge that we could lose them kept that edge of your seat feel to watching. Now it feels less exciting. Personally I will watch to the end but I fo feel alevel of enjoyment has bern taken away from me.