The most selfless characters ever to appear on The Walking Dead

Carl Grimes

Carl Grimes is an example of a character who was not always selfless, but in the end, realized the importance of giving people second chances.

A perfect example of Carl’s selflessness involves the character of Siddiq. When Rick and Carl came across Siddiq, a doctor who was surviving on his own and desperately in need of supplies, Rick immediately saw him as a threat. Carl, however, recognized that he was just a man who needed somebody’s help. This ended up costing Carl his life, as he was bitten trying to fend off a small group of walkers while trying to bring Siddiq back to Alexandria. Carl knew that there was a risk going outside of the walls to try to help the man, but his strong morals and selflessness led him to take that risk.

Carl’s mindset during the war with the Saviors in season 7 and 8 also reflect his journey towards a more positive outlook on how to live during the apocalypse. At the beginning of “All Out War,” Carl was intent on killing Negan, even going so far as to infiltrate the Sanctuary in order to take Negan out himself. As time goes on, Carl starts to realize that the constant cycle of war and conflict needs to stop, and that the survivors need to end the war with peace rather than continuing to kill each other. The letters he left for people upon his devastating death reflect how much he had changed, as he was even willing to give Negan another chance to be a better person.

While Carl’s time on the show was disappointingly cut short, his journey is a reflection that people can come back from dark places to do the right thing. His outlook on life was passed on to the people he left behind (like Judith, Rick, and Michonne), and his legacy will be felt for as long as the show goes on.