In The Walking Dead, some of our favorite and not-so-favorite characters died. While some survivors were killed off-screen, others we got to see in all their gory glory. But some character deaths were less than satisfying. Given the amount of pain and harm they caused, some deserved less merciful ends. In this article, we’re going to run through five characters that we wish died more painfully. But first, a couple of honorable mentions.
Honorable mentions
Lizzie Samuels
This choice may be a bit controversial, but I stand by it. We meet Lizzie in season 4, along with her sister Mika. Carol takes the girls under her wing, and we think things are good until they’re not. Mika is murdered by Lizzie, who believes her sister will come back as a “friendly walker.” This leads to Carol giving Lizzie the old Yeller treatment or maybe the Of Mice and Men treatment. Instead of “look at the rabbits,” we get one of the show's more haunting lines, “look at the flowers.” While Lizzie’s death is tragic, it almost seems too kind.
Gorman
Gorman appears in season 5 episode 4. He’s a police officer stationed at Grady Memorial Hospital. He earned a spot as an honorable mention for his abuse of power. He is an example of a person who lets power go to his head. For me, one of the more chilling lines in the show comes from Gorman: “The girl should have been mine.” He firmly believes he is above the law and can own a person. That mindset is horrific. The idea of owning another person is barbaric.
1. Ed Peletier
While some viewers may not remember Ed, I certainly do. His behavior toward Carol and their daughter, Sophia, easily earned him a spot on this list. Ed was relentlessly abusive to his family, to the point that even other survivors tried to intervene.
His eventual death marked a turning point for the group, and especially for Carol, who goes on to experience some of the most powerful character development in the entire series. But I don’t think Ed went out with a big enough bang. It was too quick to feel like justice. And while Carol was able to get some satisfaction in “picking” his brain, he deserved a more painful death.
2. The Governor
The Governor inflicted so much pain in early seasons. After everything he did to Michonne, Hershel, Maggie, and so many others, his eventual death felt hollow. The Governor was a wolf in sheep's clothing, pretending to be kind when in reality he was a monster.
Thriving on control and manipulation, the Governor's actions are some of the worst in the show. A bullet to the brain was honestly too good for him. He deserved so much worse. He caused irreparable damage to our band of survivors. But even an ending worthy of his insane cruelty would never erase the hurt he caused.
3. Alpha
There are tons of reasons to dislike Alpha. My main reason is forcing a mother to give up her infant because it’s crying. That is also the decision that led me to include Alpha on this list. Her choice was cruel, and Alpha showed absolutely no remorse. But that’s not all.
Alpha also demonstrated incredible cruelty to her own daughter. The leader of the Whisperers was a brutal hypocrite. Her blatant disregard for young life and familial bonds is why I think her end could have been a bit more painful. She dies by a lover's hands, yet was that truly enough of a punishment?
4. Pope
Religious fanaticism has caused many deaths in fiction and in real life. The Walking Dead is no exception. Pope brings religious zeal to his group of survivors, the Reapers. He is sadistic and power-hungry.
While claiming to be a chosen brotherhood, Pope is responsible for the deaths of some of his best men. His cruelty to his own people is what earned him a spot on this list. Not even counting just what his actions led to for our favorite group of survivors.
5. Andrea
Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m a little biased. I HATED Andrea. Comic Andrea might be a total badass, but the TV version leaves a lot to be desired. She constantly betrays her friends and makes one questionable decision after another. When she finally died, I’ll admit, I cheered a little. But at the same time, I was disappointed.
Suicide felt like too easy of a way out for all the pain and damage she caused. I truly believe Andrea was indirectly responsible for several fan-favorite deaths within the main group of survivors. She could have single-handedly ended the conflict between the people of Woodbury and the prison if she weren’t so concerned with a warm bed and even warmer body to keep her company.
We only covered a few characters, yet their deaths echoed throughout the show. Whether we loved them or hated them, they all met their end. Some were victims of their own pride, others died due to grand delusions. Death was the catalyst for character growth and change, but it was also a lens into the minds and humanity of the survivors left after the world as they knew it ended. In the end, though, there are still some we wish had suffered more for their crimes.
The Walking Dead is streaming now on Netflix.