Glenn Rhee’s death is one of those TV moments that people still talk about to this day. Not just because it was shocking, but because it genuinely felt like a turning point for The Walking Dead. It wasn’t just another casualty in a world overrun by walkers. It was THE moment that reminded us the show wasn’t holding anything back, that no one was safe, and that the stakes were impossibly high.
Before Glenn died, the show still had a sense of hope. He was the kind of character who cracked jokes under pressure, and somehow kept a sense of decency in a world that was slowly, painfully, and terrifyingly losing its humanity. He wasn’t just surviving the apocalypse. He was keeping the heart of it alive.
And when that heart was ripped out, everything shifted. Glenn’s death helped push the series into a darker, more oppressive tone. Maggie hardened faster than anyone could have predicted. Rick became more ruthless, more calculating. Negan’s brutality hit differently because it was personal. And fans? Well, we all collectively felt like we’d been sucker-punched emotionally. But imagine a world where that never happened. Imagine a world where Glenn never fell to Negan’s bat, where his quick thinking, bravery, and unwavering hope stayed alive to guide the group.
How would Maggie’s arc have changed? Well, for starters, she wouldn’t have been forced to harden so quickly. With Glenn alive, she could have leaned on him as a partner, sharing the emotional and strategic weight of leadership rather than being shaped primarily by grief and loss. Rick, too, might have been different. Glenn’s presence could have grounded him, offering a steady moral compass and a reminder of why he was fighting in the first place. Rick might have made some of the same tough decisions, sure, but perhaps with a little more restraint, a little more humanity intact.
Even Negan’s impact might have felt slightly different. Without Glenn’s death as the defining moment of terror, Negan could still have been terrifying. But the group’s emotional core wouldn’t have been shattered in the same way. There are other ways Glenn's survival could have shifted the series as well. Perhaps the group would have handled crises differently with his level-headed guidance. Maybe even some characters would have survived longer, or developed differently under his influence.
Of course, Glenn’s survival wouldn’t have made the apocalypse any less dangerous. Walkers would still roam, communities would still clash, and impossible choices would still need to be made. But Glenn being alive could have made all the difference in how the group faced those dangers.
Overall, it would have been nice to see Glenn survive and keep hope alive for everyone around him. But we all know that it would never have happened, since he also died in the comics. Sadly, we’ll just have to imagine a world that could have been.
All 11 seasons of The Walking Dead are streaming on Netflix right now.