At its peak, AMC's zombie series The Walking Dead was as notorious as Game of Thrones for killing off popular characters. Over its 11 seasons, the series killed off upwards of 1,000 named characters. Some of the most notable include Shane, Sophia, Beth, Hershel, Abraham, and of course, Glenn.
Of all the deaths over the years, there's one character in particular that creator Robert Kirkman regrets not keeping alive. The character in question is Tyreese. Played by Chad Coleman, Tyreese was introduced in season 3 and survived up until season 5, episode 9, "What Happened and What's Going On." His journey was a little different to his role in The Walking Dead comics. On the page, Tyreese had a slightly larger part, being Rick's right hand man in the war against the Governor. Even so, Kirkman still killed him off, because of course he did.
"I wish I was still writing Tyreese," Kirkman told CinemaBlend. "Yeah, that's a character I really enjoyed. You know, I wish I was still writing Tyreese on the show. But, it didn't keep him alive."
Compared to so many other characters, Tyreese had one of the most poignant sendoffs in the show's history. After being bitten by a walker, he hallucinates and recounts key moments from his past; manifestations of his guilts and the choices he made. It was a rare time the show treated a death with a high level of delicacy, exploring psychological issues as well as physical injury. His death continues to be one of the most memorable in Walking Dead history.
The main series may be over, but the larger Walking Dead universe continues to grow and expand through a number of spinoffs. Up next is Dead City season 2, which continues Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) adventures in zombie-infested Manhattan! That one premieres on AMC and AMC+ on May 4. We're also getting a third season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon coming sometime later this year. The Walking Dead comics, on the other hand are well and truly over.
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