10 most heartbreaking deaths in The Walking Dead universe, ranked

6. Dale Horvath (Jeffrey DuMunn)

While Dale wasn’t a favorite of many fans, his death was horrible and avoidable. In season 2, episode 11, “Judge, Jury, Executioner,” Dale fought for fairness in handling the captive Randall (Michael Zegen).  He states, “If we do this, we’re saying there’s no hope.”

After pleading his case Rick decides to kill Randall but is unable to when Carl, who was watching events play out, says, “Do it, Dad.” This stays Rick’s hand as he can’t believe his son’s words and the fact he wanted to watch a man be killed.

Dale is walking alone in the field as he hears a cow moaning. He goes over to inspect and sees the cow has been gutted. Just then, a walker overtakes him, the same one Carl didn’t kill earlier in the episode, falls on top of him and disembowels him. Daryl, hearing the screams, runs to him kills the walker but cannot help Dale. He calls for help, and everyone realizes there is no way to save him. Rick, still reeling from the Randall incident, starts to put him out of his misery when Daryl take the gun, looks at Dale, saying “Sorry, brother,” as he shoots him in the head.

It was an awful way to die, and eve though Dale could be a bit much, he contributed to the group in many ways.