There was a time when The Walking Dead TV series followed the comic book’s source material very closely. Fans could predict where the show was heading based on the comic’s story but the series eventually deviated into its own thing. This includes the matters of romance, with several couples different in both versions of the story.

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Alternatively, there were romances that did get adapted as they were supposed to, such as Glenn & Maggie. The strength of the couple’s bond wasn’t the same as in the TV series, however, and the comics are distinct here. Rick Grimes and his group had many challenges in the zombified world, but the characters found solace in love. It’s worth looking into the best couples who stood out thanks to their chemistry and overall connection.

Michonne & Morgan

Michonne and Morgan in The Walking Dead comic

The TV show version of Michonne is different from The Walking Dead comics, as she was in a romance with Morgan rather than with Rick. Morgan died right after the group got to Alexandria, although their relationship went into detail beforehand.

They were never rocksteady but Morgan and Michonne had a see-saw dynamic that made them entertaining. It stemmed from the different ways they handled grieving for their deceased families and how this drew them closer. The pair’s fragile dynamic was still underlined with love, with their final moments before Morgan’s demise remaining heartbreaking.

Eugene & Stephanie

Eugene and Stephanie meet in The Walking Dead

Stephanie ultimately became something of an underused character in The Walking Dead comics considering her arc with Eugene was set up for so long. Their love story mainly played out during Eugene and Stephanie’s correspondence over the radio, which was as sweet and awkward as a character like Eugene deserved.

The radio calls were where their relationship developed, as both went a long way in developing genuine trust for each other that blossomed into love. The downside arrived when they met, with Stephanie playing coy for no real reason and the characters getting some shoehorned issues that were ultimately resolved offscreen.

Andrea & Dale

Andrea and Dale smile in The Walking Dead comic

There was an elephant in the room of the couple’s age difference, but this was resolved when Andrea acknowledged it and claimed she loved him regardless. After initial issues with Dale’s insecurities that Andrea may leave him, the couple eventually became firm in their relationship.

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Andrea’s influence empowered Dale to get over his wife’s death while his presence made Andrea feel she deserved to be loved. The pair was so strong that the romance was adapted in the TV series for Bob Stookey and Sasha Williams. Like Bob, Dale met his end through a zombie bite and the couple had a heartfelt goodbye.

Aaron & Jesus

Aaron and Jesus talk in The Walking Dead

Aaron and Jesus had a “pair the spares” trope vibe when they first got together, with the characters repeatedly mentioning earlier that they would be a good couple simply because they were single. However, their unproblematic romance was very refreshing next to every other pair who made minor issues blow out of proportion.

Aaron and Jesus became a battle couple who took down Beta and realized how much they loved each other. They found completeness through their relationship, with both men becoming much more open with their emotions.

Maggie & Dante

Maggie and Dante hug in The Walking Dead comic

The TV series heavily deviated away from Dante’s character and knowledge of this romance is known mainly to Maggie’s comic book Walking Dead fans. As it happened, Maggie found a true friend in Dante when she was in charge of the Hilltop and she shared her doubts with him.

They knew each other on a deeply emotional level, to the point where Maggie unloaded her grief at losing Glenn for Dante’s empathetic response. The attraction was natural after a solid build-up as they became a couple. However, Dante was ultimately ignored in the time skip, where the older Maggie made no mention of him, which takes away some of the impact of this couple’s bond.

Carl & Sophia

Carl and Sofia hug in The Walking Dead comic

Sophia's death in season 2 of the TV series, followed by Carl’s own in the eighth, meant that this pair was never going to happen in live-action. In the source material, though, they were the romance that lasted all the way up until the end.

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Carl and Sophia first became attracted to one another when they became teenagers, with the pair finding love when people their age couldn’t even truly fathom it. They had problems after Lydia’s toxic influence on Carl, but the future was bright as Carl and Sophia were married with a child by the series’ conclusion.

Glenn & Maggie

Glenn and Maggie smile in The Walking Dead comic

The death of Glenn will forever remain the most heartbreaking moment in The Walking Dead, which also brought his marriage with Maggie to an end. They were the longest-lasting couple at the time of his death, by which point both had relied on the other to cope with the grief of losing loved ones.

They were the couple fans could count on to remain strong even when things were bleak. Maggie and Glenn got through issues like depression, becoming parents in the apocalypse, and survival - adult themes that worked well with their dynamic. The only problem was how their marriage got sidelined in the grand scheme of things after Glenn’s demise.

Rick & Andrea

Rick and Andrea embrace in The Walking Dead comic

The series took its time to plant the seeds for this couple’s romance, with Rick and Andrea going from strangers to best friends and eventual lovers. They became strong through their camaraderie and realized they had a natural attraction toward one another because there was no pretending where their dynamic was concerned. 

The pair were never under threat to break up, as they found happiness with how independent both were. Rick and Andrea knew one would remain strong when the other might not be, becoming partners in the matter of survival in both emotional and literal aspects. Rick didn't live too long after Andrea passed away, making them star-crossed lovers in the end.

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