The Walking Dead: 6 TV Characters Who Would Be Dead If The Show More Closely Followed The Comics

The second batch of episodes for The Walking Dead's final season is underway, and as everybody knows, in final seasons, no character is safe. We've already had one sad loss in Savior turned Hilltop loyalist Alden, and there are sure to be more tragic deaths and heartbreaking decisions before the series comes to an end later in the year.

The show has now embarked on what was the comic series final story arc, the introduction of the Commonwealth, a large community running on a rigid, class-based hierarchy. However, the show's take on the Commonwealth storyline is sure to have a few quite significant differences from the comics, due to the absence of characters such as Rick Grimes. In fact, the longer the show has gone on, the more it has 'remixed' comic book storylines, resulting in some characters dying before their time, and others living beyond their comic deaths.

Here's six characters who would have been dead by now if the show more closely followed the comics.

1. Carol Peletier

At the beginning of The Walking Dead TV series, Carol Peletier is a meek, mouse-like housewife, devoted to her daughter Sophia, and firmly under the thumb of her abusive husband, Ed. However, following Ed's death, and later Sophia's, as well as days trapped alone in a closet after Walkers swarm the Prison, Carol emerges a changed woman. The survival of her group becomes her main goal, and thanks to awesome scenes like the one above, in which she rescues Rick and the gang from being slaughtered by the people of Terminus, has been dubbed 'Queen Carol' by fans. The character is even set to front a spin-off alongside fellow fan favorite Daryl Dixon when the main series ends.

This is very, very different from Carol's fate in The Walking Dead comics.

As in the TV series, the Carol of the comics' universe is introduced as one of the survivors in the Atlanta campsite where Rick Grimes reunites with his family. She is considered a little neurotic, but friendly, forming a particularly close bond with Rick's wife, Lori, as their children, Carl and Sophia, are of a similar age. Carol develops a romantic relationship with a fellow survivor, Tyreese, but sometime after the group arrives at the Prison, the relationship falls apart, and Carol's mental state rapidly deteriorates. After Rick and Lori refuse her offer of a polygamous relationship, Carol commits suicide by allowing a Walker to bite her.

In contrast, her daughter, Sophia, who dies in season two of the TV series, makes it until the very end of the comics, with she and Carl being all who remain out of the original group of survivors.

2. Judith Grimes

Judith Grimes was born in dramatic circumstances early in The Walking Dead’s third season, with her birth sadly resulting in the death of her Mother, Lori. Named by her brother, Carl, in memory of a favourite teacher, and dubbed ‘Lil’ Ass-kicker’ by Daryl Dixon, baby Judith quickly becomes the heart of the group, with all the survivors entirely devoted to her care. While Rick and Carl briefly believe Judith dead after finding her blood-soaked baby carrier after the fall of the prison, she was actually saved by Tyreese, and later returned to her Father and brother.

Judith, along with her makeshift apocalypse family, is happily welcomed into the Alexandria safe-zone, and thanks to the continued devotion of her carers, survives the attack of the Wolves, a herd swarming Alexandria, and the war against Negan and the Saviors. Following the death of Carl and disappearance of Rick, Judith is raised by Michonne, trained in both the use of a Katana and Rick's Colt Python to fend off Walkers. Since Michonne's departure to look for Rick, Judith and her brother RJ have been cared for by their 'Uncle', Daryl.

While both Lori and Judith survive Judith's birth in the comics, Judith's life is cut tragically short. When she is just a month old, The Governor launches a brutal assault on the prison where our group of survivors live. As Lori flees with her daughter, she is shot, crushing baby Judith to death when her body falls on top of her.

Judith's survival is one of the most popular changes between the comic and the show, as to many characters, she represents hope for the future.

3. Rosita Espinosa

In The Walking Dead TV series, Rosita, and her travelling companions Abraham and Eugene, are introduced in the middle of season four, after discovering an injured Glenn and Tara on the road following the fall of the Prison. Though in the midst of an important mission to escort Eugene, a supposed scientist, to Washington, the trio aid Glenn in locating his wife Maggie, and after Eugene is revealed as a fraud, they join Rick's group permanently, eventually becoming residents of the Alexandria Safe-Zone.

Rosita survives the fight against Negan and, after a fling with Siddiq, gives birth to a daughter, Coco, in the lead up to the Whisperer War. She is currently in a relationship with Gabriel, and raising Coco with him. While some fans feared for Rosita's safety after she took on a herd single-handedly back in episode 11x08, she remained unscathed, and is now training with Daryl for a position in the Commonwealth army.

The show’s Rosita has outlived her comic counterpart by a considerable amount. During the time jump following the battle with the Saviors, Rosita marries Eugene. She cheats on him with Siddiq and falls pregnant. Eugene is willing to work things out, but before they can, Rosita is killed by Alpha, with her reanimated head found on one of the pikes marking the edge of Whisperer territory. She is put down by Andrea when Eugene cannot bring himself to do so.

4. Ezekiel

King Ezekiel, leader of the Kingdom, is introduced to Rick and the gang by Jesus in season seven, as a potential ally in their battle against Negan. Though unwilling to openly oppose the Saviours at first, Ezekiel agrees to give asylum to Daryl. However, after Ezekiel’s ward, Benjamin, is killed by a Savior during what was supposed to be a simple supply drop, He and the Kingdom join the fight.

Things initially appear to have gone well for Ezekiel following the time jump, having married Carol and adopted Benjamin’s orphaned brother, Henry, as their son. Unfortunately, things soon go downhill after the arrival of the Whisperers. During a festival meant to reunite the estranged communities, Henry and many others are killed by Alpha, with their zombified heads placed on pikes to mark Whisperer territory. Soon after, Ezekiel and his people are forced to flee the Kingdom during a horrible snowstorm. His marriage to Carol crumbles, and even worse, he is diagnosed with Cancer.

In some good news, Carol and Ezekiel’s relationship has improved in recent episodes, with Carol attempting to make a deal with Lance Hornsby to get Ezekiel to the top of the Commonwealth’s list of patients needing surgery.

In the comics, Ezekiel is introduced at around the same point in the story, and soon develops a romantic relationship with Michonne. After the time jump, the pair have broken up, although Ezekiel has plans to win her back at the Fair. Sadly, like Rosita, Ezekiel falls victim to Alpha, his head ending up on a spike.

5. Morgan Jones

After Rick Grimes wakes from a coma to discover a zombie apocalypse in The Walking Dead's very first episode, the first living people he encounters are Morgan Jones and his son, Duane. It is Morgan who fills Rick in on all that occurred while Rick was in his coma, and offers supplies for his quest to find his family, and a radio, so the two can keep in contact. Rick radios Morgan regularly throughout the first season, but with no response, he fears the worst. Morgan is revealed to be alive in season three, but in the time since his first appearance, Duane has died, leading to Morgan suffering a mental breakdown. Unable to get through to him, Rick is forced to leave Morgan behind.

He next reappears in season five, when after recovering from his breakdown, Morgan tracks Rick to Alexandria. He has developed a pacifist mindset, at first trying to avoid conflict where possible, but briefly returns to his violent ways after witnessing the death of young Kingdom resident Benjamin at the hands of the Saviors. Though he eventually finds a happy medium between peace and the occasional need for fighting, Morgan leaves Alexandria following the 'All Out War' story arc. He is currently one of the lead characters in the spin-of series Fear The Walking Dead.

In the comics, Rick meets Morgan in much the same way as the show, becoming his introduction to the apocalyptic world. After helping Morgan and Duane obtain weapons and supplies to aid in their own survival, Rick departs in search of his own family. After the group passes back through the town of Cynthiana following the fall of the Prison, Rick reunites with Morgan, who's mental state has taken a severe hit after Duane's death. Despite reservations from other group members, Rick invites Morgan to travel with them. After the group makes it to Alexandria, Morgan is given a job as a Chef.

Sadly, when a horde of Walkers swarms Alexandria sometime later, Morgan is bitten. Michonne amputates Morgan's arm in a desperate attempt to save him, but it is too late. He passes away soon after with Carl at his side, having mistaken him for his own son, Duane.

6. Father Gabriel Stokes

Our survivors first met Father Gabriel Stokes in season five of The Walking Dead. After rescuing Gabriel from Walkers, the group take shelter in his Church while they plan their next move. Alone and unprepared for life in the apocalypse, he accompanies the group when they leave. A cowardly character at first, Gabriel is in desperate need of the group's protection. At first, he repays them by attempting to get them kicked out of Alexandria in fear that they will threaten his own place in the community.

In time, however, Gabriel begins to redeem himself. He comes to understand the reasons Rick and the group are the way they are, and becomes more willing to learn from them. It may have taken him a while, but now, in season eleven, Gabriel is one of the most valuable members in the group. In his most recent appearance, Gabriel is seen taking care of Rosita's baby girl, Coco, while she undergoes training as a Commonwealth soldier.

In the comics, Father Gabriel's story arc plays out similar to the show, at least initially. At first struggling with life in the apocalypse, he eventually becomes loyal to Rick, once he grows to understand that Rick and the group's more violent acts were necessary for their survival. Gabriel joins Rick's militia to battle against the Whisperers, but this sadly leads to his end. While keeping watch from one of Alexandria's towers, Gabriel panics at the sight of a large incoming herd of Walkers. He falls while rushing to get help, breaking his ankle and left hanging upside down from the tower's ladder. Gabriel's screams draw the attention of the then Whisperer leader, Beta, who slices open Gabriel's stomach, leavinghis remains to be devoured by Walkers.

This death has been teased a few times in the TV show through images of towers, and Gabriel was almost gutted by Whisperers in season ten, before being rescued at the last moment by Maggie and Elijah.

All these characters live to fight another day, at least for now. Who knows if that will still be the case once The Walking Dead reaches its end later in the year.