As someone who has watched (and rewatched) all 11 seasons of The Walking Dead, some deaths really hit and feel like they’re meant to be there as part of the narrative. Other times, deaths don’t make sense and feel like they're there purely for shock value.
These are the deaths that, years later, still feel like a waste. And no, I will not be swayed by any other opinion on these.
Beth
I will die on this hill. Beth’s (Emily Kinney) death was hands down one of the worst deaths of this show, ruined some aspects of the story, and still, to this day, feels like it was such a waste of her character.
There are so many reasons why this death is just thrown at viewers as if it means nothing, and truly, that’s how it felt. By this point, we had spent half a season trying to find Beth after they took her in season 4. It was Daryl’s (Norman Reedus) main goal because he felt personally responsible after they got separated when the prison fell.
Not only that, but we were finally starting to get to know Beth and understand who she was. She was growing into a character that many fans, including me, were starting to really like. And then, out of nowhere, she was taken out, thanks to a gunshot, no less, because of a reflex from a cop. Make it make sense. Why do all of this just to kill her a few episodes later?
Carl
One of the most egregious reasons The Walking Dead made fans turn away was Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) death. Honestly, it was a moment that nearly made me turn away from the show, too.
The big reason really is that in The Walking Dead comics, Carl is the entire point. At the end of the series, he tells his kids the story we read and relives what his dad did to protect him and keep him and his loved ones alive. It is essentially his tale.
But then Carl’s death in the show robbed him of that. And not only that, but his death felt really meaningless. Sure, he got bitten while trying to get a doctor back to Alexandria, and that doctor did end up staying for a while. He died doing something good. But after everything this kid has gone through — even losing an eye to get there — that’s how he goes out?
Tyreese
The Walking Dead decided to do the funniest thing ever and kill off another main character an episode after Beth died. Except it wasn’t funny, and it really killed the vibe of the entire fifth season.
Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) was a gentle giant. He had a kind heart and really did want what was best for everyone, but he wasn’t afraid to kill or hurt when he had to to protect the ones he cared about. In season 5, a walker bites him. To try to save him, the crew chops off his arm, but he dies from blood loss.
Blood loss. Of all things. In the zombie apocalypse. After he survived so many death attempts —my god.
I just can’t get behind killing Beth in the midseason finale and then killing Tyreese, a beloved character, in the premiere. What is the goal here? To completely annoy fans?
Rosita
To this day, I don’t understand why the show decided to kill Rosita (Christian Serratos) in the finale. She made it all the way to the end, only for her to get bitten by a walker trying to save her infant daughter. Apparently, Serratos asked for this heartbreaking death, but it still doesn’t sit well with me years later.
Granted, she did die peacefully in bed, and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) is there with her until the very end, where he is the one who puts her down before she can reanimate as a walker. But it still feels like a slap in the face to fans. Every other major character made it out alive, but she was the one taken out? It’s so sad and so pointless, especially for her daughter.
Noah
Just… what was this character's point?
I love Tyler James Williams as an actor, but his portrayal of Noah felt like it meant nothing when he died a few episodes after Beth was able to free him from the hospital. What was the point of her having to stay behind for him to be freed, only for him to die not long after? And not just die — painfully. Brutally.
Noah’s death is considered one of the most graphic deaths of the whole show, where walkers quite literally tear him apart. It’s extremely sad and terrifying to watch, and it makes me wonder why they added him to the show. I guess we’ll never know.
You can stream all 11 seasons of The Walking Dead on Netflix.
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