The Walking Dead universe is full of interesting characters, some of whom took the main stage, while others didn't get the screen time they deserved. The series ran for eleven seasons and featured a massive list of impressive actors whose performances drew viewers in, becoming invested in the fates of these characters. The story has always been about the survivors, an element that was crucial to its success and has made forever fans of some of the story's subjects.
The series initially focused on Rick Grimes, portrayed by Andrew Lincoln. Still, throughout the stories, characters like Daryl (Norman Reedus), Carol (Melissa McBride), Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and others became central to the storyline. While these key players are vital to the story, there have been many others whom fans longed for to have more screen time.
Tara Chambler (played by Alanna Masterson)
Introduced in season 4, Tara was part of the side story focused on the Governor (David Morrissey), who, by this time, had taken yet another name, Brian Heriot. He met Tara and her family, who had been living alone in an apartment building. She comes across as a cold, hard woman, but this is a facade she uses to protect her family and mask her insecurities. After the attack on the prison, Tara is consumed by guilt over her alliance with the Governor.
After being forgiven by Rick and his group, she begins to mature and overtime she evolves into a worthy leader of the communities. When her girlfriend is killed by a member of the Saviors, she becomes vengeful, which leads her down a dangerous path, but eventually she has a change of heart. After the season 9 six-year time jump, Tara finds herself the leader of Hilltop, a job she is well-suited for.
Merle Dixon (played by Michael Rooker)
Merle was the character viewers loved to hate and then eventually came to love. Merle is an awful human being when he is first introduced. This shows Rooker's talent as he is a wonderfully pleasant person but can portray a jerk with ease. Viewers were surprised to see him again in season 3 as a henchman of the Governor.
His younger brother and Rick's group greatly influenced him to be a better person. In the end he sacrifices himself for his brother and if he was successful, it would have been interesting to see more of him and what he would make of his life after that.
T-Dog (played byIronE Singleton)
T-Dog is just good people. He was a selfless man who was a member of the original Atlanta group and always did what he could to benefit the people he surrounded himself with. His death was a heartbreaking one as he sacrificed himself to save Carol. He told her, "This is God's plan. He'll take care of me. Always has. He's gonna help me lead you out of these tombs."
This character could have made a significant difference in the tone of the group. Had he survived, he would have been one of Rick's go-to people to get things done and most likely been part of the leadership team.
King Ezekiel (played by Khary Payton)
King Ezekiel was a formidable man whose past work in the theater equipped him with the skills he needed to survive in the apocalypse. His theatrics drew people's attention, and his wise and caring demeanor led them to follow him as if he truly was royal.
His story was a good one, and he ended up as the leader of the Commonwealth, but often it seemed like he wasn't reaching his full potential. There were times when he didn't receive the screen time he deserved, and his presence in certain situations would have been beneficial to the group as a whole.
Beth Greene (played byEmily Kinney)
Beth was a divisive character, there are fans who lived and died by Beth and another camp who disliked the character with a vengeance. But before her death, she did start to become someone who could have become a real survivor. She was just starting to mature, and it is difficult to say how her story would have continued. It would have made a fascinating story to see her live on and survive.