The Walking Dead panel: Who was Beta before the apocalypse?

More information was revealed about Beta during season 10 episode 2 of The Walking Dead, but his identity before the apocalypse is still a mystery.

The Whisperers are a mysterious bunch, but a little more was revealed about their group during episode 1002 of The Walking Dead. However, with those reveals also came some more questions about those who walk with the undead.

One of the bigger questions came when Alpha lifted the mask of Beta to look at his face. It has been rumored that his identity is one that would make him recognizable to people as if he were a celebrity before the world fell apart.

So, who exactly is Beta under that mask and what did he do before the apocalypse? We asked our panel who they think he really is.

Sara L. says

He is certainly famous, that comic bit is too iconic to leave out. Fear the Walking Dead planted the seed for Beta being a musician and I think especially with this last episode that, that is true. He was humming, and he said the only music he enjoyed was the sound of the dead. I do think it’s interesting that everyone in the photos had a face but Beta AND his best friend were scribbled out. It is possible that maybe even his friend is recognizable and he had to be scribbled as well. Maybe they were a famous singing duo. Nicotero loves planting little hints and Ryan is very much passionate about Beta so I even think the “have a nice day” shirt could be a hint to music legend Bon Jovi!

Joe says

Based on the way Alpha reacts when she lifts up Beta’s ski mask in the most recent episode, I believe that Beta is somebody that was famous prior to the collapse of civilization. I am not caught up on the most recent season of Fear The Walking Dead, but I have seen social media posts showing an image from season 5 that likely reveals Beta’s identity from before the outbreak. In the image, Beta is depicted as some sort of performer, likely a country singer. This is a diversion from his identity as a basketball player in the comics, but I like that they are seemingly sticking with the idea that Beta was a celebrity who does not want anybody to recognize him, no matter what.

Renee says

The look on Alpha’s face when she raised his mask leads us to believe he was someone she recognized. Rumor has it he might be the bearded musician we saw on a wall in Fear. Perhaps his friend, the walker that Alpha killed, was his bandmate and that is why he couldn’t leave him.

Adam says

Admittedly, I’ve completely missed all the hints about the ties to Fear the Walking Dead. However, I enjoyed the idea from the comics about Beta being someone the public knew well before everything broke down. Based on the size of Beta, I love the idea of him being a professional wrestler (or “sports entertainer” if you like the WWE) because he sure fights like he has that skill set. If he was a musician, that massive frame is a bit of a waste.

Who do you think Beta was before the world fell apart on The Walking Dead? Was he a celebrity? Do you buy the link to the musician from the companion series? Let us know your opinion in the comment section.