The Walking Dead series features many powerful women, and one fan-favorite is Michonne. Introduced in the final scene of season 2, Michonne became a vital element in the lives of many. Played by an unknown actress in the brief season 2 clip, Danai Gurira would be cast in the role by season 3. Why did Michonne keep walkers as pets?
Before encountering Andrea (Laurie Holden) after the fall of the Greene Family farm, Michonne chose a life of solitude. This was due to her trauma of losing her son Andre and boyfriend Mike, portrayed by Aldis Hodge.
When first introduced, Michonne was in the company of two pet walkers. Bound in chains, the walkers, whose jaws and arms were chopped off for her protection, served as Michonne's first line of defense against other members of the undead. Her scent was masked by that of the walkers, allowing her to travel among herds.
How did Michonne create her walkers?
The interesting thing about her pets was that these walkers were formerly two men she knew well. One was the walker of her boyfriend Mike, and the other was his friend Terry, portrayed by Moses J. Moseley and Theshay West, respectively.
Soon after the outbreak, Michonne, Mike, Terry, and Andre took shelter in a refugee camp where Michonne became a supply runner. One day, a horde overran the camp, and Mike and Terry, who had gotten high, were unable to protect baby Andre, resulting in his death, and both men were bitten. When Michonne returns and learns of the fate of her family, her bitterness and anger overwhelms her and she allows the men to turn.
Michonne felt the loss of her family greatly. At one point she even hallucinated visions of Mike and had conversations with him. Turning the men into her pets was a form of punishment for the death of her son.
Michonne carried the heartache of her son's death with her while she chose a life of solitude, avoiding any other survivors she encountered. This changed in season 2 when Michonne saved Andrea's life after she was left behind at the farm. The two become great friends and Michonne was there for Andrea at the end of her life.
She eventually joined the Woodbury community, and after she learned of the Governor's (David Morrissey) true nature, she joined Rick's group at the prison. This was the beginning of great things for Michonne, who, after losing her family, finds a new one.
Michonne left The Walking Dead in season 10 to search for Rick (Andrew Lincoln), who was assumed to have died in an explosion. She would return in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which reunited her with her love.
Check out these stories and more on Undead Walking:
Follow Undead Walking on Twitter (X) and Facebook and sign up for the once-daily Undead Walking newsletter to avoid missing out on everything in The Walking Dead universe.