In The Walking Dead, many characters have come and gone, but some have become bigger than the show. Yes, some lasted for years because they were popular, but I’m talking about characters that not only defined the show but went beyond it.
These characters define The Walking Dead. They have cemented themselves in pop culture, become memes one way or another, and are so well established in the fandom that it’s impossible not to love them.
Let's get it started with Glenn!
Glenn Rhee
The first obvious choice is Glenn, played by Steven Yeun. And while I’m sure the first reaction to this would be, “How can he be bigger than the show? He only lasted for six seasons!” It’s the impact that his character made.
Yes, Steven Yeun’s portrayal of Glenn is considered one of the show's best. Yeun has built an impressive career after leaving the series. He was even nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Minari and won an Emmy Award for Beef. Yeun’s a fantastic actor.
But Glenn’s death in season 7 cemented the downfall of The Walking Dead. Not only did the show decline in quality, but fans felt cheated that there were two deaths instead of one. His death marked the end of an era for the series, showing he became more than just a character.
I can’t tell you how many people said they stopped watching the show after Glenn died exactly, but it's in the millions. He was the heart of the series, which means he became more than the show at the very end.
Negan
What was originally supposed to be a Walking Dead villain arc became one of the show's biggest characters. And now, it’s essentially become Jeffrey Dean Morgan's whole public personality.
All right, maybe that’s pushing it too far. Morgan has done other roles besides Negan over the last ten years, including Sterling Point and The Boys. But there’s no denying Negan's impact on the series as a whole.
It was largely due to Morgan’s charisma as the character. I don’t believe anyone else would have portrayed Negan so well. But because of that, he became bigger than the show. Negan is one of the few characters with an entire spinoff dedicated to him and Maggie (Lauren Cohan). He’s a very popular character fans love.
He’s become a big name for the franchise. Some people dress up like him for Halloween because he’s cool, even if they haven’t seen the show.
Rick Grimes
Oh, Rick.
While I know they struck gold with Morgan’s casting as Negan, Lincoln’s casting as Rick Grimes was diamond. I don’t believe there's another actor on the planet who could play Rick Grimes as well as Lincoln did. He portrayed him so well in the seasons we saw, even the worst ones. And when he left the show, it just didn’t feel the same.
It was awesome to see him and Michonne (Danai Gurira) again in The Ones Who Live, but it didn’t feel the same as it did in the main series. However, his character has become more than that, at least on social media. Many consider Andrew Lincoln’s portrayal one of the best of the 2010s. And it’s not even just that — he’s become a part of meme culture.
I know you’ve seen that meme of his head tilted while talking to Shane (Jon Bernthal); it’s everywhere. Or the infamous “Caaarl.” Some people have never seen The Walking Dead but still know those memes. Once you’re in meme culture, you’re there forever.
Daryl Dixon
I don’t even need to explain why Daryl (Norman Reedus) has become bigger than The Walking Dead. I did a whole article about it, so I’ll keep it short here.
Daryl became such a fan favorite that he got a spinoff TV show (entering its final season in 2027), and he just couldn’t die. The Walking Dead survived off his survival.
It's like the writers asked each other how important other characters are. "Who’s okay to kill? Glenn? Sure. Carl? Fine. Rick freaking Grimes? Yeah, why not? Let's 'kill' him off so he can appear again in movies or a TV show later. But Daryl? God, no. We would never touch a hair on his head."
Daryl became so big that he’s essentially the face of the franchise. Yes, Rick defined this series, but Daryl kept its legacy going. And once he’s gone, I fear it will be a long time before the franchise gets a big return, which makes me wonder if he might be nearing the end. Who knows? But most likely, he’ll live to see another day when he can ride his motorcycle off into the sunset.
You can check out all 11 seasons of The Walking Dead on Netflix.
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