Television rarely delivers a world as intense, immersive, and emotionally charged as The Walking Dead. From its very first haunting moments, the zombie series drops you into a reality where the dead roam freely, survival is never guaranteed, and every decision can mean life or death.
Yet what truly made the show unforgettable wasn't just the constant tension or the terrifying walkers. It was the characters themselves. Over the seasons, The Walking Dead introduced a staggering array of heroes, antiheroes, and villains, each making entrances that instantly demanded our attention and left a lasting impression.
Some arrived in moments of quiet, understated power, their presence immediately commanding respect or empathy. Others burst onto the screen with shocking intensity, changing the course of the story in a single moment. In this article, we're looking back at some of the most memorable character introductions in the hit zombie series.
Rick Grimes
- First appearance: Season 1, episode 1
We first meet Rick as a sheriff’s deputy, a figure of order and authority in a familiar, structured world. But then he is violently ripped from that life when he awakens from a coma in an abandoned hospital to find everything he once knew destroyed. Cities are emptied, streets are eerily silent, and the dead roam freely. Suddenly, the rules that guided him no longer apply, and the man of law and order is thrust into a world where danger lurks around every corner. He then embarks on a journey to be reunited with his wife and son.
Daryl Dixon
- First appearance: Season 1, episode 3
Daryl's first appearance in The Walking Dead was really entertaining to watch. After Rick finally reunites with Lori, Carl, Shane, and their survival group, they encounter a walker eating a dead deer in the woods. They continuously beat the walker until it stops moving. Thinking the walker is no longer a threat, Rick and the others stand around, catching their breath. But suddenly, leaves can be heard crunching nearby. Preparing for another walker attack, Rick and the others are surprised to see Daryl walk out from behind the trees.
It's the way Daryl approaches the group that makes his first appearance so memorable. He had this cool, controlled intensity, moving with the ease and confidence of someone who has survived countless dangers and knows exactly how to handle himself. While he and Rick don't get off on the right foot at the beginning, they eventually form a bond built on mutual respect, trust, and shared survival.
Glenn Rhee
- First appearance: Season 1, episode 1
Before we even physically see Glenn on our screens, we hear his voice over a radio while Rick is stuck in a tank. Rick is forced to stay inside the vehicle because walkers swarm it from outside. While at a loss for what to do, Glenn's voice suddenly plays through the radio. He lightens the mood by asking Rick if he feels cozy inside the tank.
At this moment, we knew that Glenn was going to be a character who stood out. However, we don't actually physically see him until the second episode of the first season. After guiding Rick out of the tank via the radio, they meet in an alleyway and work together to get back to Glenn's survivor group's campsite.
Michonne
- First appearance: Season 2, episode 13
Of course, one of The Walking Dead's best characters was given an introduction that was as unforgettable as it was dramatic. Michonne didn’t simply walk onto the screen. She emerged from the shadows as a hooded, mysterious figure, her katana flashing as she decapitated a walker threatening the vulnerable Andrea in the woods. Trailing behind her were two chained, armless, and jawless walkers. Now, talk about a grand introduction to a character who would eventually become one of the most iconic and beloved figures in the zombie series!
Negan
- First appearance: Season 6, episode 16
Negan, Negan, Negan. He's a Walking Dead character who instantly became one of the most terrifying and unforgettable figures in the series. From the moment he is introduced in the season 6 finale, it’s clear that he is a character who will not just enter the story but dominate it. With his leather jacket, devilish grin, and infamous barbed-wire-wrapped baseball bat, Lucille, Negan has his men line up Rick and his group to torture them before ultimately killing two of them. RIP Abraham and Glenn!
King Ezekiel
- First appearance: Season 7, episode 2
King Ezekiel's introduction really stuck with many viewers, and it doesn't come as a surprise. When we first meet Ezekiel in the seventh season, we're not introduced to him in the chaos of a walker attack, but in the calm, orderly, and surprisingly thriving community he leads. Morgan wheels in a skeptical Carol to meet Ezekiel in the community's auditorium, and once the camera pans to him sitting on his throne with his intimidating pet tiger, Shiva, the moment immediately commands attention.
With a regal posture, deliberate movements, and a calm confidence, Ezekiel radiated authority and charisma. He quickly became a character whose journey you wanted to follow.
Jesus
- First appearance: Season 6, episode 10
Last but not least is Paul "Jesus" Rovia, or simply known as Jesus. He might not have been introduced with a tiger or armless walkers, but his first appearance was just as unforgettable in its own way. We meet him in the sixth season. While Rick and Daryl are on a supply run, Jesus casually bumps into Rick.
In the midst of this happening, he pickpockets Rick’s keys. What we find out moments later is that he also set up a distraction with firecrackers so that he can drives off with their truck of supplies. Although this was unfortunate for Rick and Daryl, this scene was quite funny with the way Jesus handled the entire situation.
You can stream all 11 seasons of The Walking Dead on Netflix.