The 10 saddest deaths in The Walking Dead history
By Ashley Hurst
8. Lucille
Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) was introduced in the season 6 finale and quickly became one of the show’s most iconic characters. In the season 7 premiere — only his second appearance on the show — he kills Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), but more on that later.
Given how Negan was introduced, it was hard for fans to feel any kind of empathy for him. However, in season 10, the writers decided to adapt the “Here’s Negan” comic, giving us insight into Negan’s tragic origin story.
In the episode, Negan tries to save his wife Lucille (played by his real-life wife Hilarie Burton Morgan) from dying of cancer. He scours the desolate, zombie-ridden land in search of chemotherapy drugs. The episode does a phenomenal job of showing us a different side to Negan; this is a man who loved his wife and would go to any lengths to help her.
When Lucille ultimately commits suicide after losing all hope, Negan is absolutely crushed. It’s amazing how we’ve gone from hating a character to feeling so sorry for him at this moment. Of course, after the death of Lucille, Negan goes off the rails, and the rest is history. I mean, he literally names his barbed-wire-covered baseball bat after her; the same bat he uses to kill Glenn and Abraham.
7. Hershel
The Walking Dead fans will never forget the moment in season 4 when the Governor (David Morrissey) rolled up at the prison with Hershel (Scott Wilson) and held Michonne’s katana to his throat. Hershel was a good man, a moral compass for the group. Killing him went to show that the zombies weren’t the worst thing about the end of the world; rather it was the people who seized power in the chaos the zombies created.
When Rick (Andrew Lincoln) makes a speech in a vain attempt to get the Governor to stand down, we briefly think Hershel will be spared. But then the Governor utters the word “liar,” and chops off Hershel’s head. All while his children are watching.
In the comics, it’s actually Tyreese who is killed by the governor. No one expected Hershel to take his place.