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The Walking Dead, Survival Rule Of The Week: Dealing with death

By Liam O'Leary

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, The Walking Dead -- AMC
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, The Walking Dead -- AMC /
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Everyone dies. In a zombie apocalypse, A LOT of people die (Even more so in The Walking Dead). The important thing is what we do AFTER someone dies.

We’ve all seen it. We’ve all experienced it. Death. It happens to everyone and will happen to everyone, eventually. It just happens faster in a zombie apocalypse. Oh! And it happens more in a zombie apocalypse…

…A lot more.

But, the thing with death in a zombie apocalypse is how we handle it. How we handle when we are faced with death is important, even crucial, to our survival.

Let me explain…

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC /

First things first, though. Before we can get to how to handle death, we need to accept the fact that it will happen. Whether it’s an acquaintance, a friend, your brother, your girlfriend, your wife, your kid, you, people in your group will die; It’s just going to happen.

Now, obviously, you can take steps to protect yourself and the people you care about, but, ultimately, there will come a time when ill befalls us and we don’t make it. We can’t predict it, we can just hope it comes after the apocalypse is over.

If you convince yourself that this can’t happen, you’re setting yourself up to make when it does happen, that much more difficult to cope with.

Now that that is out of the way, let’s get to the meat of this: How to deal with losing someone in a zombie apocalypse.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee, The Walking Dead — AMC
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee, The Walking Dead — AMC /

To begin with, it will likely be devastating. If nothing else, the deceased will be a friend, and losing a friend, never mind a family member, is tough to get past.

That said…you’re still in a zombie apocalypse, that means neither you nor the rest of your group can afford you going into Crazytown. However you deal with death, don’t let yourself become reckless or crazed, or else your group may have to deal with another death: Yours.

To that end, you also shouldn’t let the death of someone in your group change who you are.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Christopher Matthew Cook as Officer Licari, The Walking Dead — AMC
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Christopher Matthew Cook as Officer Licari, The Walking Dead — AMC /

I mean, if that death was caused because you were careless or reckless, then, yes, by all means, become more careful.

Other than something like that, though, don’t let someone’s death make you more belligerent, violent, or ruthless. The objective here is to be able to live with the person you are (Or become) in the wake of the death of someone you care about. Becoming a ruthless killer may not be conducive that aim…just saying.

If you have to dive into work, like shoring up defenses, farming, building projects, etc., then do it. Whatever keeps you sane, do it.

Secondly, look to the friends and loved ones you still have for support. They’re dealing with this loss, too; Being there for one another can make the process more bearable than doing so alone.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, The Walking Dead — AMC
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, The Walking Dead — AMC /

Talk with them, spend time with them, be there for them. Sometimes, just being around the people you love can help you push past the pain of losing someone. It certainly can’t be any worse than isolating yourself with the pain.

And, speaking about being there for your group, sometimes, helping your friends and family through this loss can also help you. Who knows? Maybe they’re coping better than you are and can help you more than the other way around!

Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, The Walking Dead — AMC
Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, The Walking Dead — AMC /

Finally, try to live up to what the deceased person would have wanted you to do.

People don’t have to be intentionally profound to teach you things. Sometimes, simply the way they carried themselves can teach you an important lesson.

Whether it’s about how you run your community, how you treat other people, or simply how you should approach life, don’t forget the lessons that our friends and family have to teach us. You might be surprised by the wisdom of those around you.

Death, to put it mildly, sucks, yet…it’s inevitable. We will all lose someone, especially in a zombie apocalypse, but, while that fact can’t change, how we react to it can.

We can choose to let death harden us, even destroy us, but, we can also choose to learn from it and let it strengthen us; That’s the key word: Choose.

My suggestion? Choose to learn from it. Choose to become stronger.

Next: The Walking Dead, Survival Rule Of The Week: Once bitten, twice shy

And that’s our survival rule of the week!! Hopefully, it will help you should you ever need it and give you that mental edge that will prove so crucial once the dead start eating everyone.

If you like this and want to find out more rules to survive the zombie apocalypse, why not pick up a copy of my book, The Rules: A Guide To Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse! You can get it on Kindle here and on iTunes here!

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