A handful of memorable characters disappeared from The Walking Dead before making surprise returns. While some notable figures went off on side journeys until they circled back into the main storyline, others jumped over to Fear the Walking Dead after a brief absence. The AMC apocalyptic drama recently closed out its milestone tenth season. Following six bonus episodes, The Walking Dead will conclude after a supersized season 11.
By basing the live-action show on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series, AMC has had a slew of characters to focus on. With Rick Grimes at the center as a hardened leader, the series built a core group of figures to fill out intertwined plots. While only two original survivors are left heading into season 11, the series has effectively created an ensemble cast of supporting characters. With so many deadly threats existing in the apocalyptic world, faces come and go, but in some cases, familiar figures return in the unlikeliest of places.
Over the course of 10 seasons thus far, The Walking Dead has made a habit of bringing back characters through flashbacks, visions, or hallucinations. There have also been situations of characters like Heath leaving with no explanation of his fate. While viewers wait patiently to find out the future of major characters like Rick and Michonne, others have come back into focus, putting an end to any questions regarding mysterious absences. Here's every figure in The Walking Dead that has left only to return to the franchise down the line.
Morgan Jones
Morgan Jones (Lennie James) was the first living human that Rick encountered after waking up from a coma. While wandering around in shock regarding the fallout of a zombie apocalypse, Morgan's son, Duane, mistook Rick for a walker, so he hit the man with a shovel. The sheriff left Morgan and Duane behind by the end of the pilot episode, and James' character wasn't seen again until season 3's "Clear." By then, Morgan had lost his son, and his mental health had taken a hit. He refused Rick's offer to join the group of survivors at the prison, but the character would appear once again in the season 5 premiere, "No Sanctuary." After rescuing Daryl and Aaron out on the road, Morgan Jones finally reunited with Rick in Alexandria a few episodes later. He served as a vital member of Rick's group through season 8 before leaving the original series for the spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead. Morgan continues to appear as a regular character in the series that is currently in its sixth season.
Merle Dixon
Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) was a member of the original survivor camp along with his younger brother, Daryl. He first encountered Rick while on a scavenging trip to Atlanta. While there, he got into a tussle with the others, causing Rick to handcuff him to the roof before they abandoned him. The group later returned only to find that Merle cut off his hand to seemingly escape. While he didn't directly appear in season 2, the character appeared through visions to taunt his brother. Merle officially returned in The Walking Dead season 3, which revealed that he joined Woodbury as the Governor's right-hand man. He eventually got captured by the prison group, but when the opportunity arose, Merle Dixon attempted to kill the Governor. In the end, the character was killed after a planned assassination of the Woodbury leader.
Morales
Morales (Juan Pareja) was also one of the original survivors featured in The Walking Dead season 1. Before returning to the camp holding the survivors, Morales served as one of the scavengers that Rick met in Atlanta. Rather than travel to the CDC at the end of the debut season, Morales took his wife and two young children on a new mission to Alabama. In season 8, it was revealed that Morales was a lieutenant for the Saviors. The character revealed that he lost his family after splitting from the original group, and they never even made it to Alabama. Since he was too far gone, Daryl had no choice but to kill the man that once served as a key ally in the early days of the apocalypse. Despite being a callback to the beginning of the series, Morales' return never truly paid off.
Maggie Greene
Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan) made her debut in The Walking Dead season 2. When Carl was accidentally shot, Rick's group sought help from survivors at the Greene family farm. Shortly after, both groups merged, seeking refuge in a nearby abandoned prison. Not only did Maggie emerge as a major leader for the group as time went on, but she also struck up a romantic relationship with a fellow survivor, Glenn Rhee. After Glenn's brutal death at the hands of Negan in season 7, Maggie gave birth to their son, Hershel. Around the same time, Maggie became the leader of the Hilltop community, assisting with Alexandria's assault on Negan and the Saviors. At some point during the six-year time jump following Rick's departure, Maggie left to help build a new community. Despite all the time that passed, Maggie kept in contact with Carol through letters, and she returned just in time to help her former allies against the Whisperers. Cohan's character will presumably remain as a core figure throughout the rest of the series.
Dwight
Morgan wasn't the only character whose Walking Dead trajectory involved a departure and a crossover to Fear the Walking Dead. Dwight (Austin Amelio) made his franchise debut in season 6 when he ambushed Daryl with the help of his wife and sister-in-law. The trio were servants of Negan's before escaping, which resulted in Dwight having half of his face burned as a punishment. Though Sherry found a way out, Dwight was forced to remain at the Sanctuary. In season 8, Dwight became an informant for Rick's group since he too wanted to overthrow Negan. The intel and warnings were sincere, but it didn't exactly go as planned. That said, Daryl still let Dwight go free, and the character disappeared from the franchise until he joined Fear the Walking Dead in season 5. He spent nearly a year searching for Sherry before joining Morgan's convoy.
Sherry
Like Dwight, Sherry (Christine Evangelista) spent time on The Walking Dead before returning to the fictional universe after some time had passed. She made her debut in the same episode as her husband, attacking Daryl after mistaking him for a member of the Saviors. When Dwight and Sherry returned to the Sanctuary, the latter offered to be one of Negan's wives to spare her husband's life. Full of remorse, Sherry helped Daryl break out of the Sanctuary before escaping herself. Though she wasn't seen after season 7, it was revealed that she left a note for Dwight which motivated his search. Upon looking for his wife in Fear the Walking Dead, Dwight and Sherry finally reunited in the season 6 episode titled "Alaska." Her arc will likely continue, as Dwight tries to repair their marriage in the spinoff's current storyline.