The Walking Dead has never really focused so much on love and relationships; the story is all about survival, which means there’s little time for trivial things like romance. But whenever two people have actually gotten together on the show, it has been for an important reason, and became an important part of the plot.
That said, fans weren’t exactly gung-ho about every relationship. While some were met with gleeful claps and excitement among viewers, others were rejected as simply not feeling right.
As we gear up for the upcoming 10th season of the series, which is set to premiere on October 6, 2019, here are 5 relationships from the AMC series that fans were totally behind, and 5 they rejected.
Rick And Michonne: Yes
Dubbed “Richonne,” fans were ecstatic when these two badass leaders finally hooked up. Rick had lost his wife Lori when she died giving birth to Judith (who is most likely his best friend Shane’s biological child), while Michonne lost her boyfriend. The two were great friends and allies for years until one day, they decided to take things to the next level.
They became this beautiful nuclear family in the midst of an apocalypse, with Michonne being welcomed with open arms as a mother figure for Carl and Judith. Sadly, Rick disappeared (presumed dead but isn’t) and Michonne will be leaving the series after the 10th season. But even though the relationship only bloomed at the end of season 6, it has been one of the most loved of the series.
Carol And Ezekiel: No
It might be because so many fans have been “shipping” Carol and Daryl since the very beginning of the series. But even if those two were only ever destined to be BFFs, Carol and Ezekiel just seemed off.
Ezekiel took a liking to Carol immediately, letting down his guard within one day of meeting her to show her who he truly was behind the mighty king persona. He managed to win Carol over, and, to his credit, treated her like a queen. But the relationship ultimately didn’t last as Carol had to follow her heart and be where she needed to be. And viewers were OK with that.
Abraham And Sasha: Yes
When we met Abraham and Rosita, who were traveling together with Eugene, they were sort of together, though their relationship seemed more physical than anything else. But when Abraham and Sasha began to develop feelings for one another, it was clear there was a much deeper connection between those two.
Sadly, Abraham had his head bashed in before they could pursue a true relationship, and Sasha sacrificed her life for the sake of the group not long after. But viewers were totally down with their romance had it had the chance to blossom, even if Abraham didn’t exactly let Rosita down lightly when he moved on.
Rosita And Father Gabriel: No
Rosita seems guarded, so it came as a major surprise when it was discovered that she was in a relationship with Father Gabriel, which somehow formed in the five-year time jump between seasons 8 and 9.
Not only is it a strange pairing, but Rosita is also pregnant with Siddiq’s child. Talk about a love triangle. It seems far too complicated a time to be pursuing romance, and we can’t help but wonder if Rosita would be better off paired with Siddiq since Gabriel might still be pining for Anne anyway.
Glenn And Maggie: Yes
Arguably the best relationship of the series, their courtship began when a young and shy Glenn found himself being seduced by a gorgeous farmer’s daughter in the middle of an abandoned shop. The rest was history as Glenn won her heart and that of her father, and the couple faced lots of adversity, always doing whatever it took to save one another.
They got married, apocalypse-style, and Maggie became pregnant. Glenn was brutally killed by Negan before he could meet his child, and Maggie left the show (though maybe not for good). Still, theirs remains arguably the best romantic relationship on the show.
Shane And Lori: No
This relationship was just wrong from the beginning. Believing that her husband Rick was lost at best, dead at worst, Lori began an illicit affair with his best friend and former partner on the police force, Shane.
Even if Rick was dead and gone, the whole thing was distasteful. And while we can sympathize with the dire circumstances, the implication is that there was an attraction between the two from the beginning. Eventually, Lori became pregnant with what was assumed to be Shane’s child, Judith.
Aaron And Eric: Yes
The first significant LGBT relationship of the series, Aaron and Eric were adorable together, having met and begun dating pre-apocalypse. They stuck together through the worst times, up until Eric sadly perished by a gunshot to the abdomen during the group’s takedown of the Saviors outpost.
In a final heroic effort, Eric pleaded with Aaron to leave him be to die by a tree and keep fighting to ensure they achieved the goal they had worked so hard for: to take down the Saviors. Aaron made the sacrifice, and sadly, when he returned, Eric was gone, already having died and reanimated.
Henry And Lydia: No
It was young love that would, under normal circumstances, feel like a beautiful Romeo and Juliet story where two teenagers from different sides were fighting to stay together. But it was really a love born from late-night private chats while both were locked in a cell.
In the end, it’s this relationship that, at least in part, led to Henry’s death. And while we would have loved to have seen the group obliterate the Whisperers and their leader Alpha, Lydia’s mother, this wasn’t to be (yet, at least). And Henry and Lydia’s relationship ended before it even began, causing more harm than good.
Jerry And Nabila: Yes
One of the most beloved and jovial characters on the series, Jerry served as Ezekiel’s advisor and right-hand man during his reign of the Kingdom. At some point during the fast forward in time, Jerry finally found love and got together with a fellow Kingdom resident Nabila. They had three children together.
Fans love this relationship because of its normality: two people fell in love, had children, and built a family. It seems so pre-apocalypse, yet they make it appear as if nothing is happening around them, and they’re simply enjoying life.
Andrea And Philip “The Governor” Blake: No
One of the more surprising deaths on the series since Andrea was such an integral character in the comics, one of her most questionable moves was getting into bed, literally, with the Governor. He was cunning and clever and managed to win her heart. But as expected, he turned on her and left her for dead.
It took some time, but when Andrea realized his dark and sadistic nature, it was too late. She tried to kill him but was unsuccessful. This relationship was one that was doomed from the beginning.