The Walking Dead: 6 Most Heartwarming Reunion Scenes

In the apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead, it is common for our group of heroes to become separated from each other for various reasons, be it zombie hordes, the fall of a community, a group member being taken hostage by the enemy, or many more. However, these separations can sometimes lead to heartwarming reunions, as was the case in episode 11x06, 'On The Inside', in which sisters Connie and Kelly are reunited after a long separation.

Let's take a look back at six other beautiful reunion scenes from The Walking Dead.

1. Rick and Carl (Season 1)

As every fan knows, The Walking Dead’s original lead character, former Sheriff Rick Grimes, begins the series waking from a coma, only to realise that a deadly virus that raises the dead has plunged the world into turmoil in his absence. Worse, he has no idea where his wife, Lori, and young son Carl have ended up.

For the first two episodes of the series, Rick's main goal is to find his family. He accomplishes this in the third episode, when his new friend, Glenn, takes him to a camp in Atlanta where Lori and Carl also happen to have been staying. From Lori's point of view, the reunion is somewhat awkward, as she had been led to believe Rick was dead, and had begun sleeping with his best friend, Shane in his absence. However, Rick's reunion with Carl is adorable, an early bright spot in a series that would grow increasingly dark.

2. Glenn and Maggie (Season 4)

After the fall of the Prison community mid-way through season four, the main group of protagonists are scattered, including newlyweds Glenn and Maggie. Each one of them refuses to believe that the other is dead. While Glenn must convince a group of new allies to aid in his search for Maggie, Maggie faces similar reluctance from fellow Prison survivors Sasha and Bob.

Eventually, the couple's determination pays off. They are happily reunited in a tunnel, after fighting off a herd of Walkers.

3. The group reunites after escaping Terminus (Season 5)

The various separated groups spend most of the back half of season four heading for Terminus, with the promise that 'All who arrive survive'. Unfortunately, the initial reunion of some of the group is hampered by the reveal that Terminus is a trap, and the residents of the community have resorted to survival through cannibalism.

Luckily, in an awesome sequence that will go down in Walking Dead history, the group are discovered and rescued by Carol before they can be killed. Daryl and Carol share a tight hug, and Rick and Carl are ecstatic to be reunited with baby Judith, after believing that she had been killed in the fall of the Prison.

4. Ready to battle the Saviours (Season 7)

After the deaths of Abraham and Glenn at Negan’s hands, Rick Grimes is left in a state of shock that lasts quite a few episodes. Despite the urging of Maggie, Rick is unable to find his fight, at first meekly accepting Negan’s dominion over Alexandria.

It is only after the murder of Spencer, whom Rick had sworn to protect, and Eugene's forced recruitment into Negan's ranks, that Sherrif Grimes finds the will to fight again. He and his friends venture to Hilltop, where they are reunited with Daryl, who has recently escaped Negan's clutches, and Maggie. Rick apologises to Maggie, admitting that she was right the whole time, and that they will have to fight back. Happily reunited, the group begins planning for the future.

5. Rick and Hershel (Season 9)

Left seriously injured while trying to lure a herd of Walkers away from Alexandria, Rick Grimes suffers a series of hallucinations, seeing some of his dearly departed friends. During one such vision, he returns to the farm and reunites with Hershel Greene, who was tragically killed by The Governor back in Season four. Rick and Hershel share a warm hug, as Rick apologises for what happened to Hershel, and the tragedies that have befallen Hershel's daughter, Maggie, under his watch. Hershel reassures Rick that he is not to blame, and that all Maggie has been through only serves to make her stronger.

The scene is both heartwarming and a tearjerker, for multiple reasons. Scott Wilson, who played Hershel, was quite ill with Leukemia when the scene was fillmed, and passed away just a few days before the episode aired.

6. Maggie and Gabriel (Season 10)

As the Whisperers close in on our heroes, Father Gabriel chooses to stay behind and hold them off while his friends escape. For a few terrifying moments, it seems as if Gabriel will be overwhelmed, but thankfully, it is not the end. Gabriel is saved at the last moment by the return of Maggie Rhee with her new friend, Elijah.

Maggie and an overjoyed Gabriel share a warm hug. Maggie had been absent from the show since the season nine time jump, and as we soon learn, had faced some trials of her own in the quest to return to the group.

With our group has been splintered once more in season 11, we'll likely see at least a few more happy reunions before The Walking Dead ends.