These objects serve as reminders of The Walking Dead's central themes: survival, humanity, and the connections made in the face of the apocalypse.
Rick’s sheriff’s deputy hat
This list would not be complete (or even started) without including Rick’s hat. The iconic hat was introduced in the first scene of “Days Gone Bye” when Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) investigates flipped-over cars at a gas station on his way to find his family. After Carl (Chandler Riggs) gets shot accidentally by Otis in season 2, Rick gives Carl the hat. In Judith’s (Cailey Fleming) first scene after the time jump, she’s wearing the hat when she comes across Magna’s (Nadia Hilker) group in the woods.
Judith then passes it on to her little brother, RJ (Antony Azur), in the penultimate episode of the main series. The hat isn’t just an accessory; it’s a symbol of legacy and the passing of responsibility.
Hershel Greene's pocket watch
Though Hershel (Scott Wilson) was suspicious of Rick’s group at first and advised Maggie (Lauren Cohan) to stay away from Glenn (Steven Yeun), the groups grew together. Hershel eventually views Glenn as family and gives him the pocket watch.
Maggie recovers the pocket watch after Glenn’s death and gives it to Enid (Katelyn Nacon). Unfortunately, it seems that everyone that Maggie loves most dies, and she presumably got it back from Enid after the pike incident, as she’s seen holding it after the first battle with the Saviors. During The Walking Dead: Dead City, she is seen holding it once again.
The pocket watch is a poignant reminder of love, family, and loss.
The Orange Backpack
The orange backpack is sprinkled throughout the series after its first introduction in Season 3. It was first seen when a hitchhiker desperately pleaded for help as Rick, Michonne (Danai Gurira), and Carl drove by silently. Later, they came across his corpse and took the backpack with them.
Over time, the backpack became a symbol of guilt and emotional baggage. Carl is seen with the bag in season 4, and Glenn carries it during his journey with Tara (Alanna Masterson) after the prison's fall. After Carol's heroic save at Terminus, the orange backpack can be seen in the items room alongside Daryl's crossbow, Rick's watch, and Glenn's riot gear.
Shortly after, the backpack reappears at Father Gabriel's church, placed among the group’s belongings after eliminating the threat of the Terminus survivors (or, Termites). The backpack’s continued presence throughout the series reminds viewers of the difficult choices the group has made and the emotional weight they carry as a result.
Each object holds a story that connects the past to the present. These recurring items remind us that even in the bleakest circumstances, it’s the small, seemingly ordinary things that carry the heaviest emotional burdens. Some emphasize the love and humanity shared between the characters, while others are reminders of the cost of survival.
All eleven seasons of The Walking Dead are available to stream on Netflix.