Did Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) survive The Walking Dead end?

The final episode of The Walking Dead aired in November 2022, with many of the main cast surviving. What was Gabriel's fate?

Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes - The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 - Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC
Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes - The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 - Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC /
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Actor Seth Gilliam is probably best known for his role as Ellis Carver in HBO's The Wire, and he has a long list of impressive credits to his name. He portrayed Father Gabriel Stokes on AMC's long-running Walking Dead series from season 5 until the conclusion in season 11. Did Gabriel survive?

Gabriel Stokes was introduced to Walking Dead viewers in the season 5 episode "Strangers." He was introduced as a weak, cowardly man who only survived because he sacrificed the lives of others. Later, he became skilled in combat and a leader within the communities. He is one of several characters who undergo a drastic transformation throughout the series.

Over the years, Gabriel wrestled with his faith. By the final season, his faith was restored, and he had a thriving church, the First Christian Church of the Commonwealth. He survived until the conclusion of the series, and in the series finale, he redeemed himself for one of his most significant sins of the past.

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Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes - The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 - Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC /

During the overthrough of the Commonwealth, where members of the resistance and our survivors worked against Governor Pamela Milton (Laila Robins), she ordered the gates closed. This trapped many residents between an oncoming horde and the gates. Seeing this reminded Gabriel of the time he locked the doors of the church, trapping his parishioners outside to be killed by walkers. He quickly sprang to action, telling the soldiers they would have to shoot him to stop him from opening the gates.

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BTS, Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes, Executive Producer Greg Nicotero, Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter, Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa - The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 - Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC /

Gabriel suffered a great loss in the final episode as Rosita (Christian Serratos) succumbed to a walker bite. Their romantic relationship had dwindled by the end of the series, but they continued to raise Coco together. After the one-year time jump in the series finale, Gabriel and Coco were living at the newly rebuilt Alexandria.

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Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes - The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 24 - Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC /

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