What happened to Sophia in The Walking Dead?

Actress Madison Lintz began portraying Sophia Peletier in The Walking Dead when she was 12. She was introduced in season 1 as the daughter of Ed (Adam Marinavich) and Carol (Melissa McBride). She was also good friends with Carl Grimes (Chander Riggs). Sophia and her family were part of the Atlanta group who made their way to the CDC, hoping for help and answers.

At the end of season 1, the group discovered the CDC with only one remaining scientist, Dr. Jenner (Noah Emmerich). He gives them many details about the virus and he and his group studied the virus and the walkers extensively. He would also secretly tell Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) that everyone is infected. Something that Rick wouldn't believe until the end of season 2.

Below is an image from the season 1 finale episode "TS-19" as the group arrives at the CDC. The episode aired in 2010, and it is difficult to believe only Rick, Carol (Melissa McBride), and Daryl (Norman Reedus) survived the series ending in 2022.

At the beginning of season 2, the group was traveling towards Ft. Benning in Columbus, GA, and encountered a traffic jam of abandoned vehicles on the highway. A horde of walkers descended, forcing the group to retreat under the cars. Sophia leaves the protection of the car and is approached by two walkers. Terrified, she runs into the woods as the walkers pursue her. She is found by Rick, who tells her to stay by the creek, but when he returns, she is gone.

The group was very concerned about her and began searching. After Carl (Chandler Riggs) was accidentally shot by Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince), the group moved to Hershel's (Scott Wilson) farm. Daryl was the most diligent in the search but always came up empty-handed, save for the time he found her doll, which didn't seem like a good sign as she always had the doll with her.

In the midseason finale of season 2, "Pretty Much Gone Already," the group had learned that Hershel, who believed the walkers were just sick, kept a massive amount of them in his barn, hoping for a cure. Shane (Jon Bernthal) had enough of the nonsense and proceeded to throw open the barn doors and began shooting the walkers, which forced the hands of the others as the horde come upon them all. This lead to the discovery of the fate of Sophia.

After all of the walkers lie dead, a lone shadow emerges from the open barn doors. The camera pans from the ground to reveal small ankles, rolled up pant legs, and the tell tale blue shirt of Sophia Peletier. She has a walker bite on her left shoulder and her eyes reveal the pale of the undead. Carol plunges ahead and is grabbed by Daryl as they two fall to the ground Carol's cries can be heard in the background. The camera pans to the other faces, who are shocked and saddened at the presence of the child they searched for so long.

Sophia advances, growling at them, and Rick is the only one with the courage to do what needs done.

This scene will forever be remembered as iconic in Carol Peletier's evolution from abused housewife to badass survivor. It was revisited in season two of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon—The Book of Carol.

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