Henry and Lydia’s relationship in The Walking Dead was wasted potential

When Henry was revealed to be the final victim of the pike massacre at the end of season nine of The Walking Dead, fans were shocked. After his relationship with Lydia was a core focus of the latter half of the season, it was surprising to see his time on the show cut short.

With Carl killed off the show the season prior, Henry seemed to be taking over Carl’s comic storylines. This includes his relationship with Lydia, as Carl and Lydia’s relationship plays a key role in the comics. After so many fans complained that killing Carl was the show’s biggest mistake and that it ruined the show’s future, having Henry take over his role in some fashion was the logical next step.

Instead, Henry was killed off, too, ruining any future storylines and character development between him and Lydia. This was a mistake, which is only compounded by the loss of Carl in the season before. With one of Lydia’s only real connections to the survivors gone, her storyline seems to be a little lost with the Whisperer War finally finished.

The Romeo and Juliet-esque relationship between the two was a refreshing one and would’ve been a nice reprieve during the very dark season 10. Instead, we are left thinking about “what if?”

By killing off Carol and Ezekiel’s son in season 9, The Walking Dead wasted Henry and Lydia’s relationship and story potential.

Helping Lydia

What we did end up getting in season 10 is only further proof that they should’ve kept Henry around and with Lydia.

Throughout season 10, Lydia was mistrusted, mistreated, and abused at the hands of the people she thought would welcome her. Even Carol, Henry’s adoptive mother, used Lydia for her own personal gain in the Whisperer War.

Henry would not have stood for that. He would’ve fought to make sure that Lydia was safe and happy in the communities, just as he did in season nine.

Lydia has already suffered so much on the show, so to see her misery compounded even further since Henry was killed off was cruel.

Was it real?

Was Henry’s decision to go out and save Lydia on his own a naive one with grave consequences? Certainly. Was it also a sign of the instant connection and real feelings between the two? Absolutely.

While many people dismissed Henry and Lydia’s relationship as just young love, it was more than that. Henry risked his life to save Lydia from a life of abuse after recognizing the connection between them and the horrible situation she was trapped in.

Seeing their relationship continue to develop and strengthen throughout seasons 10 and 11 would’ve made them grow on people who doubted their relationship. By cutting the relationship off before it could go through much development, The Walking Dead left Henry and Lydia as wasted potential.

Character development

Had Henry survived the pike massacre, his character would’ve been challenged in new ways. His character post-time skip was always focused on doing the right thing, so to see him struggle to maintain that hopeful outlook while Lydia supports him and reminds him of the good he can do would have been intriguing.

Meanwhile, Lydia would’ve had someone to rely on as she adjusted to life in the communities. While her mental strength and good heart allowed her to become a contributing member of the communities despite their doubts, Lydia would’ve been able to do so in a much more natural and interesting way with Henry by her side.

And, with the majority of The Walking Dead’s relationships in shambles or non-existent going into season 11, keeping Henry and Lydia together would’ve been a sign of stability amidst the chaos of the Whisperer War, despite them only being teenagers.

With Daryl always talking about fighting for the future, this relationship could’ve been a perfect example of that exact future – one where people protect those who need protection and always do the right thing, rather than just “living with it,” as Daryl put it in season nine.

While there’s nothing that can be done about it now, Angela Kang and the Walking Dead writers wasted a lot of story potential by ruining Henry and Lydia’s relationship. The chance to see the two grow into their own and eventually become leaders of the communities years down the line sadly will never come to fruition.

Do you think that Henry and Lydia’s relationship was an example of wasted potential in The Walking Dead? Let us know by leaving a comment!