The Walking Dead is finally coming to a thrilling conclusion after eleven seasons on the air. As fans prepare for the final batch of episodes, starting October 2, the future of The Walking Dead universe seems bright, with new spinoffs centered around fan favorite characters set to premiere in the near future.
Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes was the foundation of the series for its first nine seasons until his mysterious exit. In that time, he underwent major character development, aided by several important people in his life, both friends and enemies.
Lori
Sara Wayne Callies starred in the first three seasons of The Walking Dead as Lori Grimes, Rick's wife and the mother of Carl and Judith. During her time on the show, Lori struggled with her love for both Rick and his best friend, Shane, causing a divide between the two men that would never be fixed.
Though their relationship was anything but functional, Rick and Lori learned plenty from each other in the early days of the apocalypse. Rick in particular learned how much he truly loved his wife after years of a strained relationship — making it all the more devastating when he lost her forever.
Glenn
Steven Yeun's Glenn Rhee was a part of the show's main cast from the very beginning, making his first appearance in the pilot episode, in which he saved Rick from a herd of walkers in Atlanta. He would remain on the series until his tragic demise at the hands of Negan, with many fans thinking Glenn didn't deserve to die.
Not only did Glenn save Rick's life early in the series, but he also brought with him a certain light that was rare to find within someone as the apocalypse dragged on. Glenn often served as Rick's moral compass, reminding him of his humanity when it seemed furthest away.
Maggie
Lauren Cohan's Maggie Greene joined the series in season 2, remaining a main cast member throughout the show's run, with a brief respite in the ninth season. During her time on the show, she would marry and start a family with Glenn, becoming one of the group's most prolific leaders in the meantime.
Rick and Maggie share a similar temperament, which led to a remarkable friendship over the years. However, while they shared a loving relationship, their like minds often led Rick and Maggie to push each other down similarly dark paths, often taking things too far when left unchecked.
Daryl
Daryl Dixon is not only one of the show's strongest fighters but is also very much the heart of The Walking Dead. Played by Norman Reedus, Daryl is one of only two characters from the show's first season to make it all the way through season 11, and will soon receive his very own spinoff set after the finale of the flagship show.
Though they didn't get off to the best start, Rick and Daryl would eventually become best friends and brothers-in-arms. Daryl consistently proved his loyalty to Rick, strengthening the man as a leader and a warrior as the days grew darker and more dangerous.
The Governor
David Morrisey's Philip Blake, also known as the Governor, was the main antagonist of The Walking Dead's third and fourth seasons. Running the settlement of Woodbury, the Governor clashed with Rick's group, eventually destroying the prison in which they had settled, sending them scattered throughout the surrounding forest.
The Governor holds a dishonorable reputation of being the man who took everything away from Rick. Just when it seemed as though Rick's community could survive and start anew, the villain arrived to destroy everything he had built. Rick never forgot the Governor's treachery, nor how, in the end, he had not been able to defeat him.
Carl
Chandler Riggs portrayed Rick's son Carl for the first eight seasons of The Walking Dead. Initially an inexperienced child, Carl would grow into one of the show's most capable survivors until his tragic death after being bitten by a walker during the Savior War.
As his oldest child, Carl was the main person whom Rick fought for as the apocalypse began. However, it was in Carl's death that Rick was transformed, pushing himself to accept his son's dream of a peaceful end to the Savior War, sparing Negan's life and allowing the surviving Saviors to assimilate into the coalition of communities.
Hershel
Hershel Greene is one of The Walking Dead's most beloved characters and one of the final roles in the career of veteran actor Scott Wilson. Hershel joins the series in its second season, becoming a vocal and important member of the group until he is beheaded by the Governor in the season 4 midseason finale.
Hershel was Rick's main mentor in the early seasons of the series, attempting to keep him from treading a darker path than he ought. He meant so much to Rick that he even appeared to him in a hallucination in Rick's final episode as the wounded leader questioned whether his life had meant something.
Michonne
Danai Gurira is one of several Walking Dead actors who is also in the MCU, and she got her big break by portraying Michonne beginning with the show's third season. Michonne would quickly develop into one of The Walking Dead's most important characters, beginning a romantic relationship with Rick in season 6. Though Gurira exited the series during its tenth season, she will return alongside Andrew Lincoln for a spinoff series centered around their two characters.
Michonne became Rick's closest confidant in his final seasons of the series, proving to be the true love of his life in a way that Lori never could. With her, Rick began the family he had always needed, finding happiness at the end of the world, even if it was short-lived.
Negan
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Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrays Negan, the main antagonist in the sixth, seventh, and eighth seasons of the series. Negan and his Saviors go to war with Rick's group during this time, nearly destroying everything they'd built in previous seasons. Despite his villainy, Negan has undergone a redemption arc in recent years, becoming a valuable member of the core group.
Negan pushed Rick to new and darker depths than he had ever accepted before, shattering his confidence and nearly killing him on multiple occasions. However, with this enemy, Rick was finally able to ultimately prove his goodness, sparing Negan's life and establishing himself as a hero once and for all.
Shane
Jon Bernthal's Shane Walsh was a main cast member for the first two seasons of The Walking Dead. Shane begins as Rick's best friend but slowly begins to hate him when it becomes clear that Lori favors her husband over him. Shane is killed at the end of season 2 after attempting to murder Rick.
To Rick, Shane served as a cautionary example to never implicitly trust anyone. Though Rick would eventually overcome this faulty line of thinking, it would take the exceptional heroism of his peers for him to get over Shane's betrayal. He would never truly be the same, however, as a small piece of Rick's humanity was lost forever when he was forced to kill the man who had once been his closest friend.