In a world where television shows are often canceled well before their prime, 11 seasons may seem impossible, unheard of even. Yet, AMC's The Walking Dead achieved this feat and is still going through several spinoffs.
What started as one man, Rick Grimes, awaking alone in a hospital during a zombie (walker) outbreak searching for his family, transformed into a far larger story that introduced countless characters, numerous locations/communities, and more plotlines (both big and small) than we can even remember clearly.
Even if you haven't seen a single episode, characters such as Rick Grimes, Daryl, Negan, Carl, Michonne, The Governor, and Carol have become household names. While this was far from easy, we've collected 7 characters from The Walking Dead, excluding the spinoffs, that we believe deserve more love.
1. Beth
Starting our list is Maggie's little sister, Beth Greene. Her character started off mostly behind the scenes once the main group of survivors reached Hershel's farm in season 2.
The biggest moment she had at the time was her attempted suicide over the loss of her mother. Since then, Beth had become a caretaker for Judith, while also handling larger weapons, and holding her own against walkers.
She even proved herself to one of the toughest and hardest to read characters of the show: Daryl. After the fall of the prison thanks to The Governor, which resulted in her dad's death, Daryl and Beth teamed up for a short while, overcoming obstacles until her unfortunate kidnapping.
While trapped at Grady Memorial Hospital, she learned several medical procedures while trying to aid in the escape of fellow captive Noah. Daryl's mission to rescue her is admirable and touching, but in the end, he fails.
Beth's character impacted Daryl so much that he remained shut off from the rest of the group for some time, even upon arriving at Alexandria. Beth's independence, hope, and strength are easily forgotten, which is unfortunate, as her character had so much promise that audiences were robbed of.
2. Alden
Alden may have started off as a villain, but he quickly proved himself worthy of Rick's group. Alden was one of Negan's Saviors who, thanks to his persistence and demonstrations of trust, became a nearly right-hand man for Maggie at The Hilltop community.
Alden's character speaks for itself. He was loyal, strong, and willing to leave his dark past as a Savior behind him.
He even found a brief romance with Enid. Unfortunately, like Beth, his character arc was just unfolding when he was killed off-screen in a rather brutal fashion.
When Maggie returns to the show, sometime after Negan's release, she brings trouble with her in the form of The Reapers, who were ex-military turned essentially crazed murderers. During their mission to retrieve food from Maggie's old community in order to save Alexandria, Alden is wounded and forced to be left behind so Maggie and Negan can continue onward.
When she returns for Alden, he's a walker, revealed to have had his throat slit. An unsung hero in his own right who needs to be recognized for it.
3. Siddiq
Siddiq started out with the cards stacked against him, for it was his rescue from walkers that cost Carl his life. But over time, Siddiq becomes a core member of the group, serving as the primary medical expert in Alexandria, which dedicated fans of the show already know what that means.
Siddiq's role extends to his role on the council and becoming a father after a brief tryst with Rosita (so brief that she moves on and begins a relationship with Father Gabriel). But his new role as father is tragically cut short when he is betrayed and killed by Dante, a Whisperer spy.
What many forget about Siddiq is his constant warmth, intelligence, and duty to protect Alexandria. He trained Enid, defended Alexandria, only to be killed off quite suddenly and unfairly.
Siddiq deserves more love and admiration for his role, suffering an unfair fate like every other medic on the show. He is far from forgettable.
4. Carl
One of the most devastating character deaths in the entire series has to belong to Carl, Rick, and Lori's son. And he remains one of the most disliked characters in the series.
We have to disagree for a plethora of reasons, most of which stem from the argument that he was a kid, and sometimes kids make mistakes and can come off irritating. What many neglect to realize is that Carl was a child when the apocalypse began, therefore far from prepared to adapt to a world completely different than what he knew.
His early behavior is realistic and changes rapidly with the world around him. He matures at an impressive rate, learning how to fight and hold his own amongst the group, as a majority of the time, he's the only kid present.
Let alone the big shoes he had to fill with his father being the leader of their group. Carl, as mentioned before, saved Siddiq at the cost of his own life.
Before that, he cared for his sister Judith, saved Tyreese and his group, granting them safety in the prison, and ultimately saves his father from going down a dark and dangerous path thanks to his letter, which only proved he was made to be a leader. There were many children and teen characters that had come and gone on the show, but none who could hold a candle to him (except Judith).
Jokes and memes aside, many will look back years from now and realize how hard everyone was on Carl.
5. Lydia
As tragic as her backstory was, Lydia proved she could be more once surrounded by those who truly loved and cared for her. She grew up in an apocalypse of her own before the walkers emerged, as her mother proved to be vicious, violent, and deadly, even to the point of murdering her father.
Her mother would become Alpha, leader of The Whisperers, a group of survivors who dress and act like walkers to blend in and survive. Lydia's introduction to the group was rough, as many deemed her a spy and untrustworthy.
But even after The Whisperers fell, mostly due to Negan's covert work, Lydia struggled to fit in at Alexandria, often the verbal and physical punching bag for bullies. She builds two father-daughter relationships with Daryl and Negan before the end of the series, growing, maturing, and becoming a pivotal member of the group.
She was far from weak, often stronger than most expected. She grew, adapted, and bonded with several characters, experiencing love and loss many times before finding her happy ending with Elijah at The Commonwealth.
Her smile could light up the world. Her bravery could stop a horde of walkers.
Give the girl a break, give her some peace, and give her a hug.
6. Andrea
This one may rustle some feathers, but truthfully, we never understood the amount of hate Andrea received. Andrea may have had horrible taste in men, but she was a fighter with a heart full of compassion, even until the end.
One of the original characters of the show, she, alongside her little sister Amy, survived with what would become Rick's group, consisting of members including Glenn, Lori, Carl, Daryl, Dale, Carol, and Shane. Amy's horrific death was enough for Andrea to consider suicide at the CDC, but thanks to Dale, she continues onward.
It's her involvement with The Governor at Woodbury that makes her decisions questionable, as she's blind to his true intentions, unlike Michonne. Andrea's lack of intuition ultimately costs her life after she's bitten by a walker, Milton, after getting captured by The Governor during a dramatic escape to warn her friends at the prison.
What many fail to realize is that it was Andrea who ultimately brought Michonne (one of the best characters of the series) to Rick and the group as the two teamed up before Woodbury. Michonne's first introduction to Rick's group is due to her willingness to deliver baby formula for Judith after Glenn and Maggie are captured by The Governor.
Andrea also made it her mission to save both her friends and Woodbury by placing herself as a mediator for Rick and The Governor, even though it ultimately failed. Andrea was human, from her strengths to her very faults.
She always did what she believed was best and remains an underrated character of the franchise.
7. Connie
Last but not least is Connie, a member of Magna's group consisting of her sister Kelly, Luke, and Yumiko. First found by Judith, the group soon becomes the newest members of Alexandria, where Connie, despite her disability (deafness), was strong, wise, and resourceful.
Her duties from survivor to journalist at The Commonwealth were not easy, but consisted of a strong bond with herself and Daryl. Her sweet demeanor was no match for the lone wolf, who rushed to greet her often and even learned ASL.
What many overlooked about Connie went beyond her connection with Daryl, was her resilience, not just surviving the cave collapse Carol accidentally caused, but her horrifying experience with Virgil and the copious amounts of walkers, both the dead and Whisperers.
We can't name one thing to dislike about Connie, which is why it is only fair that she makes our list.
Stream the complete The Walking Dead series on Netflix.