The Walking Dead: Ranking the best couples
By Joe LaBrosse
6) Aaron and Eric
Similar to Jerry and Nabila, Aaron and Eric are a heartwarming couple that only suffers from a lack of screentime.
From the very first moment when we see them interact, you can tell that the bond between Aaron and Eric is something special. Despite Eric’s injury only being a hurt ankle, Aaron is agonizing over the situation. That moment encapsulates everything about their relationship: despite all they’ve been through together, Aaron and Eric care more about each other than anything in the world.
This made their goodbye all the more heartbreaking. When Eric is fatally wounded in a battle against the Saviors, Aaron struggles to say goodbye to his lover. He can’t bear the thought of life without Eric, but Eric urges him to fight on and stay strong.
Even now, in season 10, Aaron’s love for Eric is still brought up (although rather disrespectfully by Negan). I like to think that his adoption of Gracie shortly after Eric’s death was done in honor of his love. Eric would have wanted Aaron to continue to live a happy life, and by raising Gracie he can do just that.
The fact that this was one of the show’s first LGBTQ relationships makes it all the more impactful. This kind of representation is incredibly important to see on screen, and the fact that The Walking Dead, a show with a massive following, handled the relationship well is amazing.