After over a decade, The Walking Dead is coming to an end, with the last episodes of its eleventh and final season airing every Sunday on AMC. While various spinoffs and anthology series promise to keep the franchise shambling on, it is the end of an era for the beloved horror series.
Over the years, fans have had to say goodbye to many of their favorite characters on The Walking Dead. While the series always tried to give each character a fitting sendoff, they didn't quite hit the mark every time. According to IMDb, the final episodes of certain characters were far better than others.
10 "Honor" - 6.8
8x09 (2018)
Season eight's midseason premiere picks up after the shocking revelation that Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) had been bitten by a walker in a previous episode. He is given one final chance to say goodbye to his father and Michonne, who stay with him throughout his final day on Earth.
Carl's death came at a grim period in The Walking Dead's history, as the Savior War that comprised the eighth season proved particularly underwhelming to fans. The character's demise served only as an insult to longtime fans of the series, who had long held the belief that the character would one day inherit the role of the protagonist from his father. His sudden and unfulfilling death seemed to betray everything the series had set up regarding the character, making for a dud of an episode.
9 "What We Become" - 7.7
10x13 (2020)
Michonne (Danai Gurira) was one of The Walking Dead's longest-surviving characters prior to her departure in the show's tenth season. Her final episode, "What We Become," involves the character attempting to survive a sick game concocted by the distraught stranger Virgil, all the while hallucinating about what her life could have been like had she never met Rick.
"What We Become" struggles somewhat in its hallucinatory sequences, which at times elevate the episode's plot and, at other times, merely leave the audience confused. Nonetheless, the episode takes a rapid turn in its final minutes, setting up Rick and Michonne's upcoming spinoff in epic fashion.
8 "What Happened And What's Going On" - 7.9
5x09 (2015)
Season five was a truly brutal time for fans of The Walking Dead, as fan-favorite characters seemed to be killed off every few episodes. Just one episode after the death of Beth Greene, Tyreese Williams (Chad L. Coleman) suffered a walker bite that would slowly kill him over the course of his final episode.
Tyreese was many things, including one of Rick's most powerful fighters. But, more importantly, he was also a good man. His final episode perfectly illustrates his moral fiber as he struggles with seeing hallucinations of those who had died before him. In the end, he lets go, leaving his life of tribulations behind forever in a truly poetic and heartbreaking turn of events.
7 "Coda" - 8.7
5x08 (2014)
After a season of being separated from the core group, Beth Greene (Emily Kinney) finally seemed to be about to escape Dawn Lerner's hospital in "Coda." However, right when she was about to be rescued, Beth took things a step too far, attempting to kill Dawn, only for her enemy to shoot her in the head, killing her instantly.
"Coda" proved to divide fans who, despite recognizing the quality of the episode itself, couldn't help but feel cheated by having a character come so close to salvation only to be suddenly killed for a single mistake. Nevertheless, Beth's death served to heighten the season's ongoing story of loss and pain as Rick's group slowly began to descend into despair.
6 "This Sorrowful Life" - 8.8
3x15 (2013)
In the penultimate episode of The Walking Dead's third season, Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) attempts to atone for his many sins by hunting down and killing the Governor himself before a war breaks out between Woodbury and the prison community. While he comes close, Merle is eventually mutilated and shot by the villainous Governor, who leaves his reanimated body to be discovered by Daryl.
Despite his surly nature and general unpleasantness, fans grew to love Merle Dixon during his time on the series. His final moments cemented his heroic turn, even if he could never change in the same way that his brother had. The final scene in which Daryl has to put his brother down remains one of the most heartbreaking in the show's entire eleven seasons.
5 "Better Angels" - 9.0
2x12 (2012)
"Better Angels" sees the relationship between Rick and Shane (Jon Bernthal) continue to deteriorate as it becomes increasingly clear that only one of them can be allowed to survive. In a shocking twist of events, Shane lures Rick away from the group and attempts to kill him, only for Rick to turn the tables and kill his best friend first.
Shane may not have been everyone's favorite character, but his arc was certainly one of the better storylines in The Walking Dead's second season. The tension between him and Rick comes to a perfect conclusion, as Rick must push himself further than ever before in order to survive.
4 "What Comes After" - 9.2
9x05 (2018)
Five episodes into The Walking Dead's ninth season, Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes departed from the series. After suffering an injury that leaves him with terrible blood loss, Rick spends the episode seeing visions of his past, present, and future as he wonders if he will finally die.
While it broke many fans' hearts to see Rick Grimes depart The Walking Dead, many were glad that he managed to survive the events of his final appearance. The episode itself was truly astounding, bringing together the best parts of Rick's journey through the years and sending the beloved character off the right way.
3 "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" - 9.2
7x01 (2016)
Kicking off a rather rocky season of The Walking Dead, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" finally reveals the identity of Negan's victim after season six's cliffhanger finale. In a shocking turn of events, the villainous leader of the Saviors brutally kills Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz) before deciding to take a second victim in fan-favorite character Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun).
Though the episode received criticism for its overindulgence in blood and gore, it was difficult for fans to deny the masterful presentation of Negan's entry to the series. The season premiere effectively breaks the viewer alongside Rick as events continue to get worse and worse. By the time Rick finally breaks and submits to Negan, the audience is right alongside him, groveling in fear before the show's next big bad.
2 "The Calm Before" - 9.3
9x15 (2019)
Season nine's penultimate episode adapted a key moment from The Walking Dead's comic source material. The episode's final moments reveal that the Whisperers have killed ten characters, placing their reanimated heads on pikes to mark the border of their territory. Several of these victims were major characters who fans had grown to love over the years, including Enid (Katelyn Nacon), Henry (Matt Lintz), and Tara (Alanna Masterson).
While the episode itself is a masterclass in building tension, it is in the gruesome reveal of the Whisperers' victims that the episode truly shines. Cutting back and forth between other survivors noticing their friends' absence to the reveal of each head on a pike proves emotionally resonant and heartbreaking, culminating in the horrific reveal that Carol has lost yet another child.
1 "Too Far Gone" - 9.6
4x08 (2013)
The midseason finale of The Walking Dead's fourth season sees the Governor's reappearance at the gates of the prison. Having taken two prisoners, Michonne and Hershel (Scott Wilson), the Governor demands entry into the community. However, despite Rick's agreement and pleas to the contrary, the Governor beheads Hershel in front of his friends and family.
Hershel's death was truly horrific and heartbreaking, shattering Rick's dream of building a better world. The episode breaks out into an epic battle as the characters are forced to contend with the Governor's invading army. Blood is spilled, carnage ensues, and hope is lost in what has proven to be one of The Walking Dead's very best episodes.
Source:gamerant.com