Rick's Group | The Grimes Family (Rick Grimes) | Georgia (Morgan Jones, Gabriel Stokes) | Atlanta | Atlanta Survivor Camp (Daryl Dixon, Carol Peletier) | Greene Family & Friends (Maggie Greene) | Prison Newcomers (Michonne Hawthorne) | Woodbury (The Governor) | Tyreese's Group | The Chambler Family | Abraham's Group | Terminus | The Coalition & Other Allies | Alexandria Safe-Zone | The Hilltop Colony (Gregory) | The Kingdom | Oceanside | The Saviors (Negan Smith, Savior Outposts, Former Saviors) | Magna's Group | The Whisperers (Alpha) | The Commonwealth | The Reapers | Other Antagonists | Other Survivors
Due to the Anyone Can Die nature of the show and quickly moving plots, only spoilers from the current/most recent season will be spoiled out to prevent entire pages of whited out text. These spoiler tags will be removed upon the debut of the following season, and the character bios will be updated then as well. Additionally, character portraits will be updated each half-season with the release of an official, complete set from AMC. If you have not seen the first ten seasons read at your own risk!
The Kingdom
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In General
"Drink from the well. Replenish the well."
— King Ezekiel
A community on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., run by a man who calls himself King Ezekiel.
- A Cappella: They have an a cappella choir.
- Adaptational Early Appearance: A Kingdom scout first appears in "East", before even Negan appears. The Kingdom itself appears slightly earlier than its comic counterpart.
- Adaptation Expansion: The Kingdom receives much more focus and characterization on the show than its comic counterpart.
- Beware the Nice Ones: A benevolent, cheerful community based on sharing of resources and work, nobility, and fun, it sticks out like a sore thumb in the Zombie Apocalypse. Then we learn that they've been feeding walker meat to the pigs they give the Saviors in tribute. It's unknown whether this accomplishes anything more than a symbolic protest.
- The Good Kingdom: With their king and their mounted knights in armor, they certainly style themselves as one. They also offer a helping hand to Morgan and a badly-injured Carol.
- Horseback Heroism: They have their own cavalry.
- Improvised Armour: Knights of the Kingdom wear what appears to be athletic protective gear.
- Leitmotif: The realm is accompanied by a medieval tune.
- Puppet State: They have been subjugated by the Saviors, and are forced to make regular tributes to them. Ezekiel keeps it a secret from the general populace.
- Redshirt Army: They suffer the greatest casualties in the Savior War with the episode "Some Guy", with only three soldiers surviving a massive assault.
- Second Episode Introduction: Everyone except Daniel are introduced in the second episode of Season 7.
- Sham Ceremony: A rare positive example in which this is done for the benefit of the people, not their ruler. King Ezekiel knows that the medieval-based ritualism and imagery comforts his people, fosters a sense of community, and distracts them from the harsh reality of the post-apocalyptic world, so he just rolls with it.
- Shocking Defeat Legacy: The pike massacre during the fair at the end of Season 9 completely devastates the Kingdom. The community, already in a state of decline due to failing infrastructure and waning crops, is then saddled with the guilt that a murderous psychopath infiltrated the fair and massacred ten survivors including the son of the king and queen on their grounds. The Kingdom may not have officially become uninhabitable for a few months, but they were already defeated long before they fled to Hilltop.
- You Can't Go Home Again: At the end of Season 9, the Kingdom becomes uninhabitable and its residents relocate to Hilltop. However, Ezekiel and Judith agree that they may return one day. It happens again when in Season 10, the Whisperers burn Hilltop, their refugee camp.
- The Kingdom is presumably never repopulated come the series finale, where Ezekiel is made Governor of the Commonwealth and the former residents are shown living in the other communities.
Leadership
Ezekiel
"King" Ezekiel Sutton
"The dead came for me, and yet I smile."
Portrayed By: Khary Payton
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 7-11)
Debut: "The Well"
"People want someone to follow. It's human nature. They want someone to make 'em feel safe. And people who feel safe are less dangerous, more productive. They see a dude with a tiger, shoot, they start tellin' stories about finding it in the wild, wrestling it into submission, turning it into his pet. They make the guy larger than life, a hero. And who am I to burst their bubble?"
A man who is the self-proclaimed king of a community known as the Kingdom. Ezekiel is a former zookeeper who formed a bond with the tiger Shiva, who developed loyalty to him after he saved her life. The pair escaped the zoo together when the walkers rose, and Ezekiel formed a cult of personality utilizing his experience on the stage and the mystique of his pet. Ezekiel rolled with it because it made people feel good, which made him feel good in return. Ezekiel takes in Carol and Morgan at the beginning of Season 7, and becomes close to both of them - especially the former, who he feels he can let his walls and mighty persona down around.
Ezekiel enjoyed a peaceful relationship with the Saviors, and due to their numbers, felt it was unwise to challenge them and endured subjugation. Thus when Rick invited him to join his growing rebellion, Ezekiel refused. However, when Gavin had his young friend Benjamin executed for a petty reason, Ezekiel realized that the Saviors must be stopped, and joined the war in earnest. Despite his bravado he put on to hide his fear of losing his men, his worst fears came true when his people were massacred during the war and Shiva was lost to the walkers. Ezekiel was forced to flee with his subjects to Hilltop for the remainder of the war, and deferred authority to Rick and Maggie, wishing to cast off his king persona.
Following the Savior War, Ezekiel married Carol and formed a family with her and Henry as their adopted son. Six years later, when the Kingdom began to fall into disrepair, Ezekiel began planning a fair to reunite the estranged communities, and though it came together, it came at a horrific price. Alpha infiltrated the proceedings and murdered Henry and nine others. The grief of the loss of their son drove Ezekiel and Carol apart, and the latter divorced him as the Kingdom took refuge at Hilltop. Several months later, Ezekiel discovered to his dismay that he has developed thyroid cancer, convincing him that he is doomed without modern medicine. After being consoled by Michonne and Siddiq, he makes some sort of peace with both Carol and Daryl, and joins Eugene’s mission to meet Stephanie, believing the quest to be a worthy final adventure.
- Adaptation Expansion: Even discounting the fact that he was Spared by the Adaptation, this incarnation of Ezekiel has far more focus and development than his comic incarnation.
- Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Comic Ezekiel never had to suffer the loss of his surrogate children and his community. He also never had cancer.
- Age Lift: Ezekiel is much younger here compared to his comic counterpart.
- Amazon Chaser: He adores Carol's cleverness and skill in battle.
- Amicable Exes: Finally becomes this with Carol once they reunite at Commonwealth and she helps him get the life-saving surgery he needs. Both have overcome their depression over the loss of their son and the Kingdom and are much happier, independent people who enjoy a much healthier friendship that isn’t mired in loss. By "Trust", there is the slightest hint of Ship Tease and the possibility they may get back together one day. By the Grand Finale, they’re not, but the door is still open.
- Badass Boast: Really lets them fly during the Season 7 finale as he leads the calvary against the Saviors with Maggie.Ezekiel: End these Saviors and their accomplices! Alexandria will not fall, not on this day!
- Badass Longcoat: Wears a long black coat to emphasize his king persona.
- The Beastmaster: Tamed a tiger to serve him by his side.
- Beneath the Mask: He's well aware that he's not as powerful as he acts, but admits that he's pretending to be tough in order to encourage others to remain optimistic in the zombie infested world.
- Big Good: As the leader of a large and benevolent community, he certainly qualifies, and during the Savior War he becomes one of the three main leaders of the Coalition alongside Rick and Maggie. He becomes the biggest good of them all in the finale when he takes over leadership of the Commonwealth, the largest community in the series that is home to thousands of citizens.
- Birds of a Feather: He relates to Carol's choice to put on a facade in order to keep the people they care about safe.
- Boisterous Bruiser: He's an optimistic guy who loves to entertain people while clubbing walkers.
- Break the Haughty: Played with in Season 8. While he exudes a huge amount of confidence and bravado in leading his troops into battle with the Saviors, he is still just acting the part. He is terrified at the prospect of losing his troops but puts on a brave face to inspire them. Ezekiel is almost in tears when the Kingdommers have seemingly wiped out Gavin's outpost without a casualty, only to immediately lose most of his troops and his beloved pet Shiva within the span of a few hours, which drains him of whatever confidence he had. With help from Carol, he gets better.
- Cane Fu: He fights with a cane by his side, but said cane also has a sword tucked away under it.
- Catchphrase: His "And yet, I smile..." speeches.
- Cultured Badass: He is learned in zoology and the theatrical arts.
- Dead Sparks: His marriage to Carol, once a loving and supportive one, becomes this after Henry is killed and the Kingdom starts to fall apart at the seams. Ezekiel tries in vain to salvage the union but the passion is no longer there on Carol's end and the two separate, leaving Ezekiel heartbroken. In midlate Season 11, she tells him they won’t get back together, and Ezekiel accepts it for now, but implies he’s still willing to hold out at least a little hope for later down the line.
- Decomposite Character: He takes over Maggie's role as the new leader of the Commonwealth after Pamela is overthrown.
- Dented Iron: Ezekiel is quite confident in his army enduring battle, but when the majority of them perish in their first assault on a Savior base, the king loses quite a lot of confidence.
- Despair Event Horizon:
- He passes it in "Some Guy" after witnessing his entire militia except for Carol and Jerry being gunned down by the Saviors, and later Shiva pinned down and eaten by a horde of walkers.
- Happens again in Season 10 after losing Henry and the Kingdom, as well as his marriage to Carol falling apart. He becomes extremely depressed and walks out to the edge of a cliff in the woods, only to be interrupted by Michonne. Ezekiel admits he isn't sure exactly what he came out to do, but is able to rebound from it after a heart-to-heart conversation with her.
- Disabled in the Adaptation: His comic counterpart never had cancer.
- Dreadlock Warrior: Has this look going on.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: After suffering the loss of both his surrogate sons, his militia, his kingdom, and narrowly surviving his cancer, Ezekiel puts his second chance at life to good use to become the new beloved leader of the Commonwealth in the series finale.
- Excellent Judge of Character: Zig-zagged. On one hand, he sees right through Carol's Stepford Smiler act immediately. On the other hand, he fails to realize there's something off about the woman he's talking to in "The Calm Before" (who is actually Alpha in disguise) until it's too late...
- Fake Ultimate Hero: Admits that his whole king persona is all just an act and he's not as badass as he desires to be, but he only acts this way so he can keep his followers hopeful.
- A Father to His Men: He shows great compassion for all his loyal followers and even has Morgan train struggling rookie Benjamin. He has a breakdown when the majority of his soldiers are wiped out in their first major battle with the Saviors and calls himself a terrible leader.
- Fire-Forged Friends:
- While they don't exactly become friends, he does reach an understanding with Negan upon realizing how much he truly has changed in the eight years since the Savior War. The two share a friendly conversation on the train ride back to Commonwealth and Ezekiel seems to make peace with his grudge against Negan, opining that he doesn't want to spend the rest of his days with hatred in his heart.
- He initially talked back to Mercer during his screening to join the Commonwealth, accusing him of being a power-tripping cop like the ones before the Fall. Mercer grows personally disgusted by Ezekiel and calls him an asshole, unaware that Ezekiel is usually a Nice Guy. When the two men work together during the Commonwealth revolution, they make peace and form a bond of respect. In the show’s epilogue, Mercer works as Ezekiel’s lieutenant governor, the two leading the Commonwealth as trusted friends.
- Foil:
- To Negan, who is a tyrant that demands his subjects to kneel in his presence and rules them with an iron fist; Ezekiel on the other hand just pretends to be a king but treats his subjects as equals.
- To Daryl. Daryl is a Jerk with a Heart of Gold who nevertheless can be quite rough and cynical; Ezekiel is a Nice Guy who doesn't have a mean bone in his body and is almost unfailingly optimistic. Daryl is asocial and his comfort zone is keeping to himself; Ezekiel is naturally people-oriented and loves being theatrical and speaking in front of large crowds. Daryl adopts a Canine Companion named Dog; Ezekiel is a Kindhearted Cat Lover with a pet tiger named Shiva. Finally, Daryl maintains a close but ultimately platonic relationship with Carol, while Ezekiel ends up falling in love with and getting married to Carol.
- For Happiness: His whole goal in protecting the Kingdom in the apocalypse is because he wants what's as close to a good society to live in as possible. He also sees the good potential of the Commonwealth despite its corruption and becomes determined to fix it for the good of everyone.
- Friend to All Living Things: He loves his pet tiger and is shown happily tending to the animals at the Commonwealth Halloween celebration in "New Haunts".
- Genius Bruiser: He's able to see right through Carol's helpless façade and has been stuffing his food supplies for the Saviors full of walker meat in order to slowly (supposedly) poison their mooks.
- Good Counterpart: To Negan. Unlike the dreaded Savior leader, Ezekiel is a kindhearted, noble leader who brings hope to others and helps everyone out of the goodness in his heart while Negan forces others to obey him and takes joy in pure sadism. But the two of them share a vast army, intelligent leadership, influence over mass crowds, and a taste for the theatrics.
- Good Feels Good: He loves to help people because it makes him feel noble. His desire to inspire joy in others is so strong that he elects to stay at the Commonwealth despite being fully aware of the corruption there.
- The Good King: He is a wise, kind-hearted ruler who loves his people and does what he has to in order to protect them.
- Gracefully Demoted: He goes from being one of the three Big Goods of the Coalition to ceding leadership duties to the council of Hilltop (specifically Yumiko) after his son's death and finding out he has cancer. He ends up being assigned as a kennel worker at Commonwealth, basically returning him to his life pre-apocalypse despite the years of leadership experience he'd gained since then. Though Ezekiel doesn't have any problem with this and happily watches over the animals. In the Grand Finale, he becomes the governor of the Commonwealth, which now operates as a loyal ally state to the other communities of the Coalition.
- Green-Eyed Monster: After Henry's death puts his and Carol's marriage on the rocks, Ezekiel grows jealous of the bond between Carol and Daryl and personally asks the latter to give them some space. It’s not until late Season 10 that he finally puts his jealousy towards Daryl to rest once he is assured by Daryl that he respects the hell out of him, and realizes he resented Daryl for nothing.
- Hakuna Matata: More or less his ideology, which he tries to ease his subjects with.
- Happily Married: He and Carol become engaged in Season 9 and spend the next six years in a loving and supportive marriage. Unfortunately, Henry's death drives a huge wedge between them and they separate.
- Heroic BSoD: After suffering a brutal battle that costs him most of his army, the king isolates himself from everyone following him while he copes with his loss.
- Honorary Uncle: Through his marriage to Carol, Judith implicitly regards him as another extended family member. He's definitely this to Jerry and Nabila's children.
- Hope Bringer: He's acting tough because he wants to make others feel hope in the world again.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Outshines Glenn, Rick, and Hershel combined in terms of heroism. He's a kindhearted guy whose whole reason for remaining noble is because Good Feels Good.
- Incurable Cough of Death: He starts developing one as Season 10 progresses and his cancer worsens. In "Acheron, Part I", he coughs up blood, and in “Promises Broken” he keeps suffering from nasty coughing fits due to doing community service in dusty derelict apartments.
- Karmic Jackpot: Working hard to repay his second chance at life by opening an underground clinic for the Commonwealth’s less fortunate likely played a big part in becoming the governor of the Commonwealth by the end of the series, now having the opportunity to use the Commonwealth’s resources and people for good and helping rebuild the Coalition.
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: He loves his pet tiger Shiva. To the point where he went back to an overturned zoo to save her from the dead.
- Kindness Button: Complementing his tiger Shiva or his safe zone is a good way to get on his friendly side.
- Knight in Shining Armor: What he strives to be. He acts like the most noble person ever and wants to bring happiness back into the world, but he's struggling with certain problems with the Saviors.
- Knight of Cerebus: Inverted. His entire character was pushed to bring more hope and comedy into the series in order to contrast the Anti-Hero leader Rick and The Dreaded psychopath Negan.
- Large Ham: He intentionally acts in an over-the-top theatrical manner.
- The Last Dance: In late Season 10, with his condition worsening he decides to join Eugene’s journey to meet Stephanie and potentially new allies who could help out the struggling communities, deciding it’s a worthy choice for his final adventure. It turns out to have been a good choice indeed since after joining the Commonwealth, Ezekiel finally gets the needed medical aid to survive his cancer, defying this trope.
- The Leader: Of the Kingdom until Season 10, when he steps down from any leadership role due to his own personal traumas. In the series finale, he takes over Pamela's job as the governor of the Commonwealth.
- Manchild: He has a really childish demeanor, but he is a good guy.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: With Carol, though it's played with in that while Carol is still a very feminine woman and Ezekiel himself isn't exactly effeminate, he is also far more comfortable showing his emotions and wearing his heart on his sleeve, not to mention more of a romantic and artistic spirit than Carol is. Ezekiel also dresses and acts much more flamboyantly while Carol favors a more practical and low-maintenance appearance.
- My Greatest Failure: Presumably he views the loss of Ben's father and seven other men following his orders to be this. Ben notes he has been much more cautious since after that happened, and fostering Ben's growth as a future member of his court and teaching him survival skills is clearly very important to Ezekiel, to the point he asks Morgan for his help in this regard. This also likely factors into his decision to give in to The Saviors' demands and keep the tribute a secret from the community at large; he doesn't want to lose any more of his people over something as foolish as Pride.
- Named by the Adaptation: The show gives him the last name "Sutton", which can be seen on his medical folder in "New Haunts".
- Nice Guy: He is easily one of the kindest and most genuinely good-hearted people in the entire series.
- Obfuscating Insanity: He's faking his royal persona in order to give his people a larger than life figure to follow.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Serves as a surrogate father figure to brothers Benjamin and Henry. Much to his sorrow, he outlives them both.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Whenever he drops his "king" persona it's a good sign something's very wrong. A good example is when he bitterly tells Daryl one-on-one to give him and Carol some space after their marriage starts to falter, with nary a hint of his over-the-top Large Ham demeanor. He eventually drops the king persona altogether after Season 9, becoming more serious thanks to his cancer and a more down-to-earth guy; but the above still holds true as when he becomes genuinely angry, it’s for good reason.
- Parental Substitute: He is the primary father figure to Benjamin and Henry. After Benjamin's death, he takes over parenting duties for Henry. By Season 9, Henry has taken to calling him "Dad".
- The Philosopher King: Many walls around the Kingdom are inscribed with his words of wisdom.
- Promotion to Opening Titles: Starting with the sixth episode of Season 9.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: He's much more cooperative compared to the other leaders encountered in the series. While he doesn't agree to help Rick fight the Saviors, he offers Daryl asylum due to him being a fugitive.
- Relationship Upgrade: He and Carol become a couple sometime before the start of Season 9, and later marry.
- Sad Clown: He acts like the happiest man in the world, but even he has his own personal problems.
- Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: Gender inverted; he's the Energetic Guy to Carol's Savvy Girl. Carol is the more down-to-earth of the two and is known for her keen eye and pragmatism; Ezekiel is a Large Ham who loves giving grandoise speeches and mingling with the good people of his community.
- Scary Black Man: At least to his enemies and to strangers. He sits on a dark throne with a tiger by his side, but ultimately to his friends he's lovable and kind.
- Secret-Keeper: He keeps the Kingdom's arrangement with the Saviors a secret from his people, and is not happy about it one bit.
- Sex with the Ex: Sleeps with Carol before the start of the Hilltop battle in "Morning Star".
- Sheep in Sheep's Clothing: Carol at first believes that Ezekiel is playing some kind of game to fool everyone while hiding some villainy underneath, but he really is just a good guy who's only acting over the top to inspire hope in his group.
- Ship Tease:
- He starts to show more and more interest in Carol until they officially become a couple in Season 9. They divorce at the end of the season, but in Season 11, Ezekiel begins leaning towards rekindling their relationship. Carol does insist they won’t get back together, but she’s not that stern in telling him so, and Ezekiel is more amused than anything. While they aren't together by the series finale, the fact that Carol has remained at the Commonwealth as Ezekiel's deputy governor does leave the door open for them to get back together later down the line.
- Defied in Season 10's "Silence the Whisperers", with Michonne. He kisses her in a moment of loneliness and confusion, only to immediately apologize. Michonne isn't bothered by it, as she understands what he's going through, and the two of them are able to talk it out and remain friends.
- Smarter Than You Look: He quickly figures out Carol's faking her helplessness and uncovers her true character almost instantly.
- Spared by the Adaptation: In the comics, he was the last of Alpha's decapitation victims to be revealed. Here, Henry takes his place and Ezekiel survives, though there are several Red Herring moments to trick comic readers into thinking he met the same fate in the show as well. He ends up surviving the events of the series.
- Stepford Smiler: He's not as happy as he seems thanks to the Saviors' frequent visits to his community. In Season 10, following the Trauma Conga Line mentioned below, he barely even bothers with the "smiler" part anymore. A pep talk from Yumiko and meeting Princess helps restore at least some of his optimism, however.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Like most people, he is not a fan of Negan even post-Heel–Face Turn, admitting he's tried his best to avoid him over the years out of disgust with his old way of running the Saviors. However, in "Outpost 22", the pair are forced to form a rocky alliance when they recognize they're the ones most qualified to spearhead a rebellion with the other captured Coalition residents against the Commonwealth.
- Sword Cane: He wields a golden one as his scepter.
- Took a Level in Cheerfulness: After his optimism takes a hit due to his divorce, his son's death, and his cancer diagnosis, Ezekiel starts to get some of his spirit back after his surgery to receive his tumor is a success and he lands back on his feet.
- Trauma Conga Line: His son is murdered, the Kingdom falls, Carol breaks up with him, and he finds out he has thyroid cancer, all within the span of a few months.
- Universally Beloved Leader: He's loved and respected by everyone in the Kingdom. Many of his soldiers died because they threw themselves on the king to protect him from the hail of bullets. Even Carol, who initially finds him ridiculous, eventually warms up to him. In the Grand Finale, he becomes the new governor of the Commonwealth, and is clearly a leader who is adored through genuine respect and admiration rather than wealth and luxury like Pamela was.
- Weapon-Based Characterization: Ezekiel wields a golden Sword Cane as his scepter. Like its master, it conceals itself behind a grandiose, over-the-top exterior for the greater good. And, just like King Ezekiel himself, should not be dismissed as ornamental or harmless.
- What You Are in the Dark: After Carol arranges to have his cancer surgery scheduled earlier than originally planned, Ezekiel decides it's his duty to give back to the community and opens up a secret hospital to take care of all the people who can't afford legal treatment from the Commonwealth healthcare system.
- The Wonka: He's a very quirky guy, but he's smarter than he looks.
- Your Days Are Numbered: He is convinced that having thyroid cancer with no access to modern medicine means this for him. However, medical aid at the Commonwealth is finally able to remove the tumor by Part 2 of Season 11.
Carol
See Carol Peletier
Jerry
Jerry
"If you need me, holler. I keep in hollering range."
Portrayed By: Cooper Andrews
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 7-11)
Debut: "The Well"
Ezekiel's personal steward and bodyguard. A large, happy-go-lucky kind of guy, he has developed nothing short of Undying Loyalty to his king. When the Kingdom enters the Savior War, Jerry is the only one of Ezekiel's inner circle besides Dianne to survive the assault on Gavin's outpost. Despite this, Jerry steadfastly refuses to lose faith in his king. After the war, Jerry marries Nabila and starts a family with her, raising three children together. During the Whisperer War and after the fall of the Kingdom, Jerry learns of Ezekiel's cancer, and upon learning he is embarking on a journey he may not return from, agrees to begin stepping up into a leadership role for the veteran residents of the Kingdom.
- Aborted Arc: Seasons 10 and 11, as noted in Informed Attribute, state that Jerry has begun stepping up as a leader offscreen, and "Variant" suggests he may one day become king of a new Kingdom. This ultimately never comes to pass, as Jerry is seen residing at Alexandria without such a title by the end of the series. The Coalition remains led by Maggie, Daryl, Carol, Gabriel, and Ezekiel who takes over as governor of the Commonwealth.
- Action Dad: After the second Time Skip in Season 9 he has become a father and is still regularly on the front lines.
- Advertised Extra: Despite his Promotion to Opening Titles in Season 11, he's been the main cast member with the least screen-time or development.
- Badass in Distress: He is taken prisoner by the Saviors in "How It's Gotta Be" and placed under threat of execution unless Maggie acquiesces to their demands. Thankfully, they let him go and he returns to Hilltop.
- Bash Brothers: With Ezekiel. They frequently fight together since he is the king’s self-appointed bodyguard. Even after Ezekiel quits using the King title, they’re still usually seen fighting closely together.
- Battle Couple: Seen fighting alongside his love Nabila in Season 9.
- Beard of Barbarism: He has a fuzzy beard and is The Berserker of his group.
- Berserk Button: There seems to be only one way to stop him being nice and that's failing to show Ezekiel the proper respect. After becoming a family man, this also begins applying if you mess with his family.Jerry: Do not interrupt the King.
- The Berserker: While he's nice for the most part, when Jerry needs to get in a physical fight he won't hold back at hacking and slashing.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He's a goofy, lovable guy... but seeing as he's Ezekiel's personal bodyguard, he must have a good deal of combat experience. When a Savior named Gunther is about to behead Ezekiel, Jerry cuts him in half with his axe and continues hacking at his body long after he's dead.
- Big Damn Heroes: Just when it looks like Ezekiel will be executed by Gunther, Jerry rushes in to save the day.
- Big Eater: Not surprising considering his size. And don't come between him and his cobbler. He refused to put down his food while on official business, even when Ezekiel himself asks him to.
- Big Fun: He is very nice and friendly.
- The Big Guy: One of the larger members of the Kingdom, and serves as Ezekiel's bodyguard, wielding a huge battle axe.
- Bodyguarding a Badass: He guards Ezekiel, who is far from helpless in a fight.
- Breakout Character: Quickly became a fan-favorite from his first episode and ended up surviving the massacre at Gavin's outpost in Season 8. Jerry eventually became a main cast member, even getting his own subplot about him stepping into a leadership role. He ultimately survives the entire series.
- Break the Cutie: The pike massacre and the fall of both the Kingdom and Hilltop take a heavy toll on Jerry’s psyche and cause him to sour immensely. While he is still a good, kind man to his friends, he becomes a lot more dour by Season 11 due to how badly things have been going for the communities.
- Canon Foreigner: Never appeared in the comics.
- Character Development: Jerry’s primary development has revolved around him learning to stop placing Ezekiel on a pedestal and recognize that he is simply his friend and fellow survivor. Jerry eventually comes around to the idea, finally calling Ezekiel by his name and not “boss” or referring to his former title as “king”. He also proves it when he gently offers a comforting hug to Carol in “Diverged”, proving he truly does recognize Carol (and by extension Ezekiel) not as his royal, but as his friend who needs his help. He also matures from Plucky Comic Relief into more of The Heart of his people, with his lighthearted moments eventually focusing more on his desire to help others with their problems than just cheesy puns.
- Deadpan Snarker: Not usually, but he takes a level in "Squeeze" when he and several others are trapped in a cave and he is put in a tight spot due to his size. His subdued reaction to Kelly finding a box of dynamite also has shades of this.Jerry: I'm just a 6'2 dude who had trouble fitting into airplane bathrooms. Why wouldn't I be OK?
- Friend to All Children: As to be expected of a Gentle Giant with a positive attitude, he’s great with kids. He immediately gives the teenage Enid some of his armor before the opening salvo at the Sanctuary, is seen doting on both baby Judith and Gracie later in the season, and is delighted to welcome his own children into the world. He also plays with Judith along with his own children at the Fair.
- Genius Bruiser: He's huge and powerful, but he's also a perfectly intelligent, capable fighter. While he famously became The Berserker in "Some Guy", in "Variant" he calmly allows some walkers to get in close so he can slash them with his sword, taking his injured leg into account and expending as little energy as possible.
- Gentle Giant: He's enormous, but a friendly and lovable guy. In the eighth season premiere, he even gives Enid some of his armor to protect herself. A note supporting the "giant" bit — he gives her his forearm pad. It's big enough to be a chest protector for her.
- Good Is Not Soft: He has no problem killing human threats if he has to.
- Happily Married: To Nabila starting in Season 9.
- The Heart: Jerry is known and loved throughout the communities for his big heart and ability to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Ezekiel recognizes this towards the end of Season 10, and this is why he leaves him in charge of the native Kingdom residents. In the extended run, he takes special care to check on Carol when she’s suffering after her fight with Daryl, and in Season 11 he is still eager to hold a party for Ezekiel once he’s out of surgery.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: The resident Gentle Giant is a proficient swordsman, which he shows off to great effect in "Variant".
- Hold the Unsolicited Ingredient: In Season 11 he promises to hold a pizza and ice cream party for Ezekiel when he gets out of surgery. Ezekiel warns him not to get pineapple on his pizza, implying he’s done it before.
- Informed Attribute: Towards the end of Season 10, Carol says that Jerry has been stepping up as a leader for the community, but Jerry doesn’t get much screentime in either Seasons 10 or 11, let alone any that actually showcases this. Most of the leadership is left to Daryl, Aaron, Gabriel, and Maggie.
- Lame Pun Reaction: Inspires these in Ezekiel, even causing him to break character.
- Nice Guy: Jerry is always friendly toward everyone. He even greets Negan rather casually upon seeing him for the first time in six months, and at the Commonwealth, of all places. Cooper Andrews stated that he thinks Jerry ultimately moved past his hatred for Negan faster than the others due to being this trope.
- Official Couple: With Nabila starting in Season 9.
- One-Man Army: He can decimate scores of walkers and hostile survivors all his own, befitting his status as The Big Guy. In "Variant", even with an injured leg, he's able to kill several walkers with his sword.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Downplayed. While Jerry is known as a lovable, cheery fellow, he becomes perfectly serious when he’s in a fight with the living or the dead. That said, there are a few occasions where the friendly, patient, and easy-going Jerry is completely absent, and that’s a real cause for alarm.
- In “Some Guy”, his usual happy demeanor is completely absent when he violently hacks Gunther in half with his axe.
- In “Squeeze”, he grows gradually more exasperated and snarky as the stress of trying to escape the tight tunnels out of Alpha’s cave gets to him.
- In "Out of the Ashes", he is furious when he finds some surviving Whisperers using a discarded hijab of Nabila's for themselves and goes along with Aaron's ensuing interrogation.
- In "Variant" he's as shocked as the others when they are attacked by variant walkers, and furiously snarks as to when the hell walkers started using doorknobs.
- Phrase Catcher: Ezkeiel and Carol will sometimes scold him by saying "Jerry!", usually in response to a badly-timed joke or pun, though it's almost always in jest.
- Plucky Comic Relief: One of the most lighthearted characters until Season 10, when he begins to sour and become more shaken by things. After this, while he still provides light-hearted moments, they're more sincere and heartfelt than outright comic relief.
- Promotion to Opening Titles: In Season 11.
- Pungeon Master: Makes a few puns here and there to lighten the mood.
- Real Men Can Cook: It’s not surprising for a large, Big Eater who’s also a father of three to have picked up some cooking skills, but his famous “fettuccine con cannellini beans à la Jerry” does sound divine for an apocalypse meal.
- Red Baron: A dying Yago refers to him as "The Axe Man".
- Red Herring: "Family" sets him up to seemingly be on the path to a Heroic Sacrifice, but his next appearance shows him alive and unharmed, and he survives the events of the Grand Finale.
- Red Is Heroic: His official court attire is a red tunic.
- Sole Survivor: He is the only one of Ezekiel's original militia who is not wiped out by the Saviors at the end of "Monsters" or in "Some Guy", with the exception of Dianne (who is working with the Hilltop soldiers).
- Stout Strength: On the heavy side, but possesses an incredible amount of strength. This is best shown in "Squeeze", when he holds up a beam keeping an entire cave from collapsing by himself, allowing all but Magna and Connie, who stay behind to kill some Whisperers, the chance to escape.
- Trademark Favorite Food: The man loves himself some cobbler.
- Undying Loyalty: Even when Ezekiel renounces his king position, Jerry tells him that he will always be his hero.
- Weapon-Based Characterization: Jerry wields a broad-headed battle axe, which is as grandiose (befitting his position as Ezekiel's right-hand man) as it is powerful (befitting his position as a 6'2, likely 400 lb man with the strength to match).
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: He’s clearly distressed in Alpha’s cave since due to his heavyset frame, he is at an immediate disadvantage trying to escape.
- Wrecked Weapon: His battle axe is destroyed in Season 8's "Some Guy". He gets another one in later seasons.
- You Are in Command Now: Ezekiel leaves him in charge of the Kingdom people while he joins Eugene's quest to meet Stephanie. Carol mentions in "Find Me" that Jerry has been stepping up in Ezekiel's absence.
- Zombie Infectee: Narrowly averted in “Squeeze”. Some walkers catch up to him as he’s climbing through a tunnel and begin chewing on his feet, but thankfully they don’t bite through his boots and he survives.
Militia
Richard
Richard
"The day's coming when you can't be that good."
Portrayed By: Karl Makinen
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Season 7)
Debut: "The Well"
"We have to do something to make them believe us. And then, when we gain their trust back... we kill them... end them. We join with Alexandria and the Hilltop, and we crush them in one fell swoop."
Ezekiel's lieutenant. Much more grounded and cynical than his boss, Richard seeks to declare open war on the Saviors, knowing they will not honor their peace treaty. Ezekiel refuses to go to war, fearing how the Kingdom would lose many people in such a conflict. Richard begins scheming to sacrifice himself to motivate Ezekiel to join Rick's rebellion, but to his dismay, the Saviors deny his request to become a martyr and kill poor Benjamin. Richard reveals his plan to Morgan, who responds by killing him in turn. Richard's actions nevertheless inspire Ezekiel to go to war, even if he doesn't live to see it.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Much more treacherous then his comic counterpart.
- Age Lift: He is older than his comic counterpart.
- Ascended Extra: Gets more to do than his comic counterpart.
- Bait-and-Switch: Happens twice in "Bury Me Here." When the Saviors seriously consider killing him to send the Kingdom a message, Jared chooses to shoot Benjamin behind him instead, leaving Richard alive when he was sure that he'd be killed. Then when Richard tells Morgan that he'll tell Ezekiel of his involvement in Benjamin's death, Morgan kills him when he refuses to tell the king immediately.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: His desire to be the sacrifice the Kingdom needs to fight the Saviors comes true when Morgan kills him for indirectly causing Benjamin's death.
- Cassandra Truth: The Kingdom refuses to take his requests to combat the Saviors seriously until his death manages to change things for them.
- Character Death: Morgan strangles him to death then puts him down after getting pissed off at his actions.
- Death by Adaptation: His comic counterpart lived long enough to die fighting in the Savior War, but here he dies before the Kingdom fully joins the war.
- Death by Irony: He consistently tells Morgan that he needs to kill again in order to survive in the new world; unfortunately, he's the first person Morgan kills again. He's also buried in the exact same grave he dug in order to trick the Kingdom soldiers.
- A Death in the Limelight: Gets a lot of character focus in "Bury Me Here," his last episode before he's killed by the end.
- Decomposite Character: While he is still an important member of the Kingdom, his comic counterpart's role of being Ezekiel's personal bodyguard is given to Jerry.
- Didn't See That Coming: He is quite surprised when Morgan kills him.
- Do Unto Others Before They Do Unto Us: He wishes to attack the Saviors first to end their threat.
- The Extremist Was Right: He's finally proven correct about how the Kingdom should fight back against the Saviors in "Bury Me Here."
- Gone Horribly Right: His plan to start to fight back against the Saviors and get Morgan to help works... But only after he accidentally gets Benjamin killed and sparks Morgan into a rage to kill him in front of everyone.
- Good Is Not Nice: He wants to protect the Kingdom, but he'll do it through some very unethical methods.
- Heel–Face Door-Slam: Just when he realizes that his actions to get the Kingdom involved in combating the Saviors were wrong, Morgan randomly murders him for not coming clean with Ezekiel immediately.
- He Who Fights Monsters: Begins showing that he might not be so different from the Saviors when he becomes consumed by a desire to strike back at them. Though it's not entirely unjustified, seeing as they are worse than him, but that doesn't prevent Richard from going to great extremes.
- Honest Advisor: He respects Ezekiel greatly, but makes it clear to him that he doesn't appreciate his attitude of neutrality toward the Saviors.
- Honor Before Reason: He engages in fisticuffs with a smart-mouthed Savior, which is satisfying but not particularly wise. He later draws a gun on the same Savior, which leads to even more conflict.
- I Did What I Had to Do: He justifies trying to sacrifice Carol by saying he'll do whatever is necessary to end the reign of the Saviors.
- Jerkass Has a Point: He's a bit of a prick, but his desire to take out the Saviors is completely understandable.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He is grim and somewhat cold, but is still a loyal member of the Kingdom and a good man.
- Killed Mid-Sentence: Morgan suddenly knocks him down with his staff and suffocates him, all while he was apologizing to the Saviors about their previous failed deal."I just wanna say, we get it. We understand-"
- The Lancer: Ezekiel's lieutenant, and is far more grounded and cynical than his theatrical boss.
- Made of Iron: He is beaten up by both Jared and Daryl but takes it quite well both times.
- Manipulative Bastard: In "Bury Me Here," he tricks the Kingdom soldiers and the Saviors into nearly escalating into an all-out war.
- Mauve Shirt: Gets quite a bit of characterization before he's killed off.
- Mirror Character: It's revealed that he's a lot like Morgan since both men have lost their families due to their inactions and seek to atone for their mistakes.
- My God, What Have I Done?: He has a look of horror on his face when Benjamin dies because of him and later breaks down to Morgan when he confesses his role in the young man's death.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: His attempts to get the Kingdom involved in the war with the Saviors accidentally gets Benjamin killed instead of him.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: From both Jared and Daryl.
- Outliving One's Offspring: His children died before he joined the Kingdom.
- Perpetual Frowner: He's very morose, and Jesus claims to have never seen him smile before.
- Pragmatic Hero: He is willing to get Carol killed in order to drive the Kingdom into action.
- Properly Paranoid: He's totally right about not trusting the Saviors.
- Pyrrhic Victory: He finally succeeds at getting the Kingdom to join the war against the Saviors, but at the cost of his and Benjamin's lives.
- Revenge Before Reason: His obsessive desire to gain revenge against the Saviors for all their cruelty causes him to accidentally get Benjamin killed and leads to Morgan becoming a crazy survivalist again.
- Secret-Keeper: He's one of the few who is aware of Ezekiel's deal with the Saviors.
- Sole Survivor: He is the last living member of his family, until he ends up killed himself.
- The Stoic: He rarely shows emotion, even when being beaten up. It breaks when Carol and Morgan refuse to help convince Ezekiel to attack the Saviors, and he breaks down and cries. Jesus lampshades it when he says that he's never seen him smile before.
- Surprisingly Sudden Death: Morgan randomly murders him when his back is turned at a Savior trade, right in front of everyone.
- Tragic Hero: Richard desires the opportunity to strike back at the Saviors to protect the Kingdom at any cost after he lost his own family because of his own inability to save them before joining the soldiers.
- Tragic Mistake: His actions to coerce the Kingdom into a war with the Saviors indirectly cause Benjamin to get killed.
- Underestimating Badassery: He initially assumes that Carol isn't very accustomed to violence and fighting. Morgan quickly corrects his mistake.
- War Hawk: He desperately wants to go to war with the Saviors, and will even go behind Ezekiel's back to do so.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: He rightfully wants to fight back against the Saviors, but some of his methods are questionable. Daryl beats him up when he realizes that his plan involves sacrificing Carol's life.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He subjects Carol and Morgan to this, angry that both are competent, badass survivors who refuse to help him try to convince Ezekiel to go to war with the Saviors. He gets it back from Daryl when he later tries to sacrifice Carol to get Ezekiel motivated, and takes it to heart when Daryl suggests he die instead.
Dianne
Dianne
Portrayed By: Kerry Cahill
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 7-11)
Debut: "The Well"
"You're a good leader. I knew it before, but last night... you saved the gates, you saved the community, you saved lives."
— Dianne to Maggie Rhee
A Kingdom archer and one of Ezekiel's most trusted soldiers. During the Savior War she works alongside Hilltop's soldiers and develops a great deal of loyalty and respect for Maggie Rhee.
- Action Girl: One of Ezekiel's top soldiers.
- Ascended Extra: Gets more lines and screentime in Season 8. She is also working with the Hilltop soldiers for much of the season and thus manages to avoid the fate of the rest of Ezekiel's militia, save Jerry.
- Bodyguarding a Badass: Serves as Maggie's bodyguard a few times.
- Breakout Character: Though still a minor character, she manages to survive the events of Season 8 that slaughtered almost all of her cohorts in the Kingdom and remains a prominent supporting character.
- Broken Pedestal: Downplayed in Season 11’s “The Lucky Ones”. She tells Maggie she still deeply respects her, but is nonetheless disappointed that she has refused a deal with the Commonwealth and is leaving, knowing Hilltop cannot be rebuilt without outside help.
- The Bus Came Back:
- After being MIA since "A Certain Doom", she finally returns in Season 11's "For Blood".
- After moving to the Commonwealth in "The Lucky Ones" she isn't seen again until the penultimate episode, "Family".
- Canon Foreigner: Never appeared in the comics.
- A Day in the Limelight: Gets a bit more dialogue and screen time than usual in "The Lucky Ones", leading to her Know When to Fold 'Em moment mentioned below.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: She decides to leave Hilltop for the Commonwealth after realizing it's a lost cause to try to salvage it without the Commonwealth’s offered aid, while also advising Maggie to do the same.
- Red Herring: "The Calm Before" throws some hints that she will be one of the pike massacre victims with a bit of focus on her, such as when she says goodbye to Tara. She ultimately does not meet her end at Alpha's hands, and in fact, survives the whole series.
- Secret-Keeper: She knows about Maggie's plot to eventually kill Negan, and accompanies her to Alexandria to help do it.
- The Smurfette Principle: The only prominent female member of the Kingdom militia.
- The Straight and Arrow Path: She is highly skilled with her bow, being able to headshot two Saviors in seconds from a considerable distance and through a fence.
- Undying Loyalty: To Ezekiel and later especially Maggie. Even when she leaves Hilltop to join the Commonwealth, she assures Maggie she still respects the hell out of her.
Daniel
Daniel
"Let's get you some help."
Portrayed By: Daniel Newman
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 6-8)
Debut: "East"
A Kingdom rider. Rick and Morgan encounter him while searching for Carol, and Morgan gets Rick to spare him. After finding his horse with Morgan and a wounded Carol, Daniel agrees to bring them to the Kingdom for help. He is killed during the wiping out of the Kingdom's armed forces in early Season 8.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: He reanimates after being killed and is shot through the head by Alvaro.
- Big Damn Heroes: Just when it seems that Carol is going to bleed out from her gunshot wounds, Daniel shows up with his friends to save her life and take both her and Morgan to the Kingdom.
- Canon Foreigner: Never appeared in the comics.
- Character Death: He is among the many casualties in early Season 8.
- Chekhov's Gunman: He first appears in "East" as a random survivor whom Morgan stops Rick from killing.
- Mauve Shirt: Received little characterization before dying.
- Multiple Gunshot Death: He gets shot down by a hail of bullets from a turret during the invasion of a Savior artillery base.
- No Name Given: He was credited as "The Man" for his appearances in the last two episodes of Season 6.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He's a relatively minor character but without him Carol likely would have died and the group would have never encountered the Kingdom.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: He lasted quite a few episodes before getting killed.
Alvaro
Alvaro
Portrayed By: Carlos Navarro
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 7-8)
Debut: "The Well"
A Kingdom soldier. He is killed by the Savior Gunther while trying to escort Ezekiel to safety.
- Character Death: He is killed by a Savior named Gunther in "Some Guy."
- In the Back: He gets shot when his back is turned, courtesy of Gunther.
- Named by the Adaptation: He was a nameless soldier in the comics.
- Red Shirt: Besides the exchange mentioned below as well as being shown to have friends/family at the Kingdom, he has no other characterization before dying.
- Sophisticated as Hell: He initially speaks to Rick's group with sophisticated, medieval-style language, but quickly switches to a more casual tone when he sees Jesus.
- Surprisingly Sudden Death: He gets shot unexpectedly when guiding Ezekiel to safety.
Shiva
Shiva
*ROAR!!!*
Portrayed By: Randy Carnival and Scott Hunter (motion capture)
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 7-8)
Debut: "The Well"
"Keeping a tiger isn't practical, I know. She eats as much as ten people. She could yank the chain out of my hand. Hell, she could yank my arm right off. But she hasn't. She won't."
— King Ezekiel
A tiger who is the pet of King Ezekiel. She formed a bond with Ezekiel when he not only saved her life in the zoo she was kept in, but when he rescued her from the zoo when society ended. Shiva was a large part of why Ezekiel developed such a sense of mystique amongst his constituents, as they all imagined fantastic stories about how he tamed such a ferocious beast. Shiva is one of the main symbols of the Kingdom and a key asset during the Savior War. However, she too falls when she gives her life to save her master from a horde of walkers, devastating her owner who can only watch.
- Action Girl: She's a badass female after all.
- Androcles' Lion: Or tiger in this case. Ever since Ezekiel saved her life she’s been nothing but loving and loyal to him.
- Artistic License – Animal Care: Real life tigers do not form emotional bonds with their keepers, and because they are solitary by nature, they cannot be trained to consider themselves subordinate to their keepers on the social hierarchy like dogs. In reality, Shiva would eventually attempt to kill Ezekiel in a moment of weakness, though there are few exceptions like this
.- Female tigers are social, and share territory with sisters and other females. Shiva makes the sound of "prusten" towards Ezekiel often, which is a sound of social regard and acknowledgement, if not affection, encountered by zookeepers in real life. If any tiger would have emotional bonds with a human, it would be a female zoo-kept one.
- Artistic License – Biology: Shiva's attack in the Season 7 finale shows her mauling a man for several seconds. While it might be accurate behavior from a zoo born animal that has never had to kill before, footage of tigers in zoos attacking humans proves that they can kill people in a heartbeat by biting their necks and severing the spinal cord with their fangs. If anything, Shiva should have killed, then begun lashing out with her claws at anything threatening her kill. Spree killing behavior or bloodlust are done by animals that feel comfortable enough in the environment to kill multiple times, and unfamiliar territory, gunfire, and yelling would NOT have been the place for a tiger to feel comfortable enough. Tigers also lash out and roar during flight responses, so Shiva was just as likely to shit herself while clawing down anything in her way.
- However, her death is fairly inaccurate behavior. Predators with a 1 in 5 success rate know when to cut and run, and Shiva would not have stuck around to be overwhelmed. Self-preservation instinct is strong enough in female tigers that they will abandon their own cubs before starving, so Shiva would've booked it.
- Automaton Horses: Or tiger. As noted above, a real tiger wouldn’t have been killed in the way Shiva was, as it would’ve ran for it or fought its way out well before it could’ve gotten crowded in. On the pragmatic side, it’s not easy to film a bunch of extras being flung back like toys by an already expensive CGI tiger (similar to how Rick’s horse in the pilot episode couldn’t have realistically kicked and fought back against a bunch of extras).
- Awesome, but Impractical: Downplayed, but Ezekiel acknowledges that despite the fact she's one of the most badass pets you could have, Shiva does have her setbacks such as the large amount of meat she needs to eat.
- Big Damn Heroes: Her intervention in the Season 7 finale directly saves Carl's life, as he was moments away from being killed by Negan with Lucille. She does it again in Season 8's "Some Guy", saving Ezekiel, Carol and Jerry as they are about to be swarmed by walkers, only this time at the cost of her own life.
- Big Eater: As befitting a huge tiger, Ezekiel mentions she needs to eat ten times as much as a person.
- The Big Guy: As a 500 lb tiger, Shiva possesses tremendous brute strength. She is seen effortlessly pinning down and mauling grown men, and flings a walker away like a chew toy.
- Big Guy Fatality Syndrome: Unfortunately, she succumbs to a walker horde's sheer numbers and strength.
- Book Ends: Ezekiel and Shiva's bond ends the same way it began. Ezekiel first earned Shiva's loyalty when he rescued her at the zoo, as she was howling in pain. Shiva dies after saving Ezekiel from mortal danger, howling in pain as the walker herd consumes her.
- Cats Are Mean: Averted, she's loyal to her master after he saved her life. She's also very friendly with Daryl shortly after meeting him, licking his fingers lovingly. She definitely plays this trope straight to enemies of the Kingdom.
- Cats Are Superior: She's a feline predator and the Kingdom's greatest warrior. She is also the King's royal pet, sitting right by his throne at all times.
- Character Death: Shiva perishes in "Some Guy" when she sacrifices herself to fight off walkers to protect her master.
- Defiant to the End: Shiva fights tooth and nail until she is finally unable to get back up from under the horde that has pinned her down.
- Devoured by the Horde: She is pinned down and unable to free herself from a horde of walkers, and is killed and eaten.
- Dying Moment of Awesome: She dies fighting a horde of walkers and keeps swinging until the bitter end.
- Heroic Sacrifice: She gives her own life to protect her master from the walker horde.
- Killed Offscreen: Most of her actual death is mercifully offscreen.
- Mighty Roar: As befitting a tiger.
- Non-Human Sidekick: For Ezekiel.
- Outside-Context Problem: Every survivor who is introduced to her is understandably bewildered by her presence. She's critical to the Kingdom's attack on Negan in the Season 7 finale, as it's her unexpected appearance that gives the distraction needed to turn the tide against the Saviors.
- Panthera Awesome: Just when you thought the show couldn't get any cooler, a huge tiger joins the cast.
- Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: Shiva is named after the Hindu God of Destruction.
- Sacrificial Lion: Or tiger, as it were. Her death finally pushes Ezekiel over the Despair Event Horizon and is the final blow that shatters his confidence and hope after losing countless friends already.
- Team Pet: To Ezekiel and the Kingdom.
- That Poor Cat: Dies getting devoured by a horde of zombies as her master watches in horror.
- To Serve Man: Kills and partially eats at least two Saviors during the battle at Alexandria in the Season 7 finale, and does the same to a few others in Season 8.
- Undying Loyalty: Ezekiel saved her life years ago at the zoo, now she acts like a house cat to him and would never attack him and presumably not his constituents. She's allowed off her leash in the Season 7 finale to fight in the battle against the Saviors, and is trusted enough by Ezekiel to not kill any friendlies. Even when she is separated from her owner, she tracks him down and gives her life to protect him.
- The Worf Effect: She is the physically strongest powerhouse of the Kingdom, so her death marks a serious blow to the Kingdom and emphasizes that the Savior War is still a serious cause with plenty of casualties.
- Zerg Rush: As badass as a tiger is, due to her stature, Shiva is much shorter than the walkers and was thus easily crowded in by the horde, and ultimately overwhelmed and pinned down.
Families
Benjamin's Family
Benjamin
Benjamin
Portrayed By: Logan Miller
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Season 7)
Debut: "The Well"
A young member of the Kingdom whose father was a key member of Ezekiel's inner circle before his death. Showing little skill with either a gun or a knife, Benjamin finds his footing when Morgan trains him in aikido. However, Benjamin unfortunately pays the price for Richard's scheming when he is killed by the Saviors. Benjamin's death sends Morgan over the brink and leads to the Kingdom joining the war against the Saviors.
- Adaptational Badass: While inexperienced at first, he's far from the incompetent Butt-Monkey his comic counterpart was.
- Age Lift: He is younger than his comic counterpart.
- The Apprentice: He ends up getting trained in the art of aikido by Morgan, which brings Morgan's story full circle as he was once trained in the same way by Eastman.
- Ascended Extra: His comic counterpart was a minor character who was only notable for getting beaten up by Rick. Benjamin is a recurring character in the show.
- Big Brother Instinct: He has a younger brother, Henry, who he protects with his life.
- Character Death: He is killed off in "Bury Me Here", by Jared.
- Coming of Age Story: "The Well" depicts his gradual growth as a competent soldier of the Kingdom.
- Death by Adaptation: His comic counterpart is alive and well during the Whisperers arc, but here he dies before the Savior War even begins.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: He has blonde hair and is a kind young man.
- Hero-Worshipper: Mainly to his deceased father, but also to Ezekiel and later Morgan.
- I Just Want to Be Badass: His late father was one of the best fighters in the Kingdom, and Benjamin desperately wants to be like him. With Morgan's training, he starts to achieve this goal.
- Like a Son to Me: Morgan begins to view him as a surrogate son to replace Duane. He even accidentally refers to him as Duane after his death.
- Mauve Shirt: He gets more focus than most of the Kingdom soldiers, but it wasn't enough to save him from being killed off.
- Morality Pet: He keeps Morgan, who had recently broken his Thou Shall Not Kill stance, from going off the deep end again. After his death, Morgan returns to his violent, unstable mentality.
- Nice Guy: It's why Morgan takes a liking to him.
- Promotion to Parent: After the death of his father, Benjamin has stepped up to become a father figure to Henry. After his death, Ezekiel takes Henry in.
- Secret-Keeper: One of the few people in the Kingdom to know about the deal with the Saviors.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: His rise to a credible warrior is cut short when he gets killed by the Saviors.
- Too Happy to Live: He finally finds his place within the Kingdom as a proud soldier working under Ezekiel and serves as Morgan's coming-of-age apprentice, then he gets shot and bleeds out.
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: One of the kindest characters in the Kingdom gets shot dead by the Savior Jared as a warning.
- Took a Level in Badass: He is too unskilled to even kill a walker at first, but with Morgan's training he grows into a more capable survivor. It reaches the point where he is able to knock Jared on his ass using the skills Morgan taught him.
- War Hawk: He supports going to war with the Saviors, telling Ezekiel that it is the right thing to do and that if they don't, Rick's people will try anyway and get killed with those deaths being on the Kingdom's hands... or that Rick’s people will be able succeed in liberating everyone from the Saviors, and the Kingdom will have no claim to the victory.
Henry
"Prince" Henry
"Save me a seat next to you at the movie, okay?"
Portrayed By: Macsen Lintz and Matt Lintz
Voiced By: Adolfo Moreno [Teen Henry], Blanca Rada [Young Henry] (Spanish dub), Yuu Okano [Teen Henry] (Japanese dub), Finn Posthumus ["The Well" to "The Bridge"] (German dub), Jean-Stan DuPac [Teen Henry], Cécile Gatto, Emmylou Homs [Young Henry] (French dub), Matěj Havelka (Czech dub)
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 7-9, 10note )
Debut: "The Well"
"You stand up for what's right, and you fight what's wrong. You taught me that."
Benjamin's younger brother. Following Benjamin's death and the advent of the Savior War, he forms a murderous vendetta with the Saviors to avenge his brother, personally killing Gavin and causing Hilltop to lose their Savior captives. After the Savior War, he is adopted by Ezekiel and Carol and later journeys to Hilltop to begin training as a blacksmith. There, he meets the Whisperer girl Lydia, who he quickly grows attached to. When Lydia is taken back by Alpha, Henry goes after her, forcing Daryl and Connie to rescue them from the Whisperers. Henry forms a relationship with Lydia, but it's tragically short-lived as Henry ends up as one of Alpha's victims during the pike massacre.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: His decapitated head reanimates and is put out of its misery by either Daryl, Michonne, Carol, Siddiq, or Yumiko.
- Ascended Extra: Originally he is just Benjamin's little brother and nothing more, but receives slightly more characterization and screen time in Season 8. In Season 9, he gets to take an active role in the plot and is one of the main protagonists of the season.
- Book Ends: His first appearance has him heading to the theater to grab a seat for movie night. His last appearance has him asking Lydia to save him a seat for movie night at the Kingdom fair. He also leaves to take care of a busted pipe, much like he was seen doing in his reintroduction after the Time Skip earlier in the season.
- Canon Foreigner: He has no direct comic counterpart and Benjamin has no sibling in the comic.
- Character Death: Decapitated by Alpha in "The Calm Before".
- Creepy Child: His attitude after his brother's death is very similar to Carl in Season 3, and he shows absolutely zero remorse for killing Gavin. He later directly confronts the Savior hostages with the threat of opening fire on all of them if Benjamin's actual murderer does not step forward. Thanks to Carol and Ezekiel's good parenting, however, he is able to move past this mindset and become a reasonably functioning teenager.
- Decomposite Character: Due to Carl's Death by Adaptation, he picks up his comic book storyline of wanting to be a blacksmith at Hilltop, having a close bond with his adoptive mother figure, and Carl's relationship with Lydia. Subverted in that Henry also ends up dead, bringing an abrupt end to all future comic storylines.
- He takes Ezekiel's place as the last of Alpha's decapitation victims to be revealed near the end of "The Calm Before".
- Decoy Protagonist: At first it seems Henry will take Carl's place as the young teen boy protagonist of the series, only for him to end up as one of the casualties of Alpha's massacre.
- The Dulcinea Effect: He is convinced Lydia is a good person after only one long conversation with her, despite the lack of any hard evidence to support this. His actions for the rest of Season 9 involve him trying to rescue her from having to go back to her miserable existence with her mother.
- Fake Guest Star: He is one of the main focuses in Season 9 after the second Time Skip and has more screen time in the back half of the season than anyone not named Daryl, Michonne, or Carol. He also appears in every episode starting with the sixth until his death in the fifteenth, a feat matched only by Daryl (who appears in all episodes that season).
- Foil: To Lydia, as a clean-cut and idealistic teenager who was raised in a good community with loving parents, in contrast to Lydia's far more cynical and abusive upbringing at Alpha's hands.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: He is astounded to hear that Alpha is apparently unwilling to come rescue her own daughter.
- Good Is Dumb: He's a good-hearted kid, but some of his decisions are... not smart. The shining example is when he frees Lydia from her cell and lets her roam free around Hilltop while his back is turned; it's only thanks to hearing a baby's cry that she doesn't double-cross him and try to escape. Granted, Daryl was watching from the shadows and would have quickly put a stop to it anyway, but Henry didn't know that.
- Green-Eyed Monster: He is disappointed to find that Enid has gotten together with Alden. Downplayed in that he doesn't resent Alden for it, and quickly becomes interested in Lydia instead.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Prince Henry shows all the signs of being compassionate, loving, noble, and kind, just like his older brother.
- Happily Adopted: Neither Carol nor Ezekiel are his actual parents, but he still refers to them as "Mom" and "Dad" anyway.
- The Idealist: Carol calls him an idealist after he grows up. It shows when he immediately believes that Lydia, a member of the Whisperers, is a good person despite only knowing her for a few hours.
- Like Father, Like Son: Every bit the idealist as his adopted father Ezekiel.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: In "Do Not Send Us Astray", he enters the pen of Savior hostages to confront his brother's killer, but leaves the door unlocked, which allows the majority of them (including the guilty party) to bum-rush him and escape.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Succeeds in freeing Lydia from her miserable life with the Whisperers, but at the cost of ten other lives, including his own.
- Off with His Head!: Gets beheaded by Alpha along with nine others to put a scare into the Coalition and to mark the Whisperers' territory.
- Precocious Crush: He develops a crush on Enid, who is some years older than him.
- Sacrificial Lion: The pike victim whose death has the most relevance for the story going forward, particularly for Carol.
- Ship Tease: He quickly takes a liking to Lydia, a member of the villainous Whisperers who is imprisoned at Hilltop after surrendering. Fortunately, Lydia turns out to be a decent person, and the two become a couple, something that is cut tragically short when Henry is murdered by Lydia's mother, Alpha, mere hours later.
- Sole Survivor: After the deaths of his father and brother, Henry is the last surviving member of his original family.
- Spotlight-Stealing Squad: In Season 9, due to filling much of the same role and narrative purpose as Carl did in the comics.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Lydia, as Alpha kills him before their relationship can progress any further beyond a few kisses.
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: As foolish and reckless as he may have been, he was a good-hearted kid on a mission to save an innocent girl from a horrible life she didn't deserve.
- Took a Level in Badass: Learns to fight after Benjamin's death, and in "Honor", he kills Gavin.
Jerry's Family
Nabila
Nabila
Portrayed By: Nadine Marissa
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 7-11)
Debut: "Bury Me Here"
A member of the Kingdom who works in the gardens. During the Savior War, after the massacre of the Kingdom's armed forces, she steps up to help the people escape from Gavin, and subsequently becomes one of the Kingdom's primary soldiers afterwards. After the Savior War, she gets together with Jerry, and they end up having three children together.
- Action Survivor: In mid-Season 8, she is able to steal a gun from a Savior and provide enough distraction and cover to help get the Kingdom's people to safety.
- Battle Couple: With Jerry in Season 9.
- Demoted to Extra: She goes from a supporting character in Seasons 7 and 8 to mostly being an extra from Season 9 onward, only occasionally getting lines or focus.
- Happily Married: She and Jerry are clearly very happy together.
- Nice Girl: A pleasant, caring woman who fights for her community.
- Non-Action Guy: In Season 7 and 8A. She becomes a competent fighter in her own right as the Savior War goes on. After having three children with Jerry, she relegates herself to the sidelines to be able to care for their family.
- Official Couple: She and Jerry get together during the Time Skip between Seasons 8 and 9.
- Token Religious Teammate: Downplayed since its not talked about in her case. Her Hijab makes it clear she is the only Muslim survivor until Siddiq joins. By the end of the series she is the only named Muslim survivor left.
- Took a Level in Badass: She goes from meek gardener to Action Survivor to competent badass in her own right, as evidenced by her presence on the final battlefield in "Wrath" and her helping save Aaron in "The Bridge".
- Twofer Token Minority: She is African American and Muslim
Ezra, Aliyah, and Mariam
Ezra, Aliyah, and Mariam
Portrayed By: Micah King (Ezra), Autumn Azul (Aliyah), Maya and Delaney Timber (Mariam)
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Seasons 9-11)
Debut: "Bounty"
Jerry and Nabila's three children. Born during the six years between Rick Grimes' disappearance and the arrival of the Whisperers.
- Nice Guy: As to be expected from the children of Jerry and Nabila. They seem to be good kids who are close with their parents.
- Took a Level in Badass: In "Out of the Ashes", Ezra and Aliyah are shown receiving sword training from resident Little Miss Badass Judith.
Other Residents
Dana
Dana
Portrayed By: Peggy Sheffield
Appearances: The Walking Dead (Season 8)
Debut: "Do Not Send Us Astray"
The Kingdom's doctor. After moving to Hilltop alongside the other communities during the later days of the Savior War, she is killed when a reanimated Tobin bites and mauls her to death.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: Reanimates after being mauled by the zombified Tobin. She's later put down by Daryl.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She's extremely rude to Siddiq at first, though she comes around on him when he stands up to her.
- Shoot the Medic First: As if doctors weren't already in short supply, she's one of the first people to be killed by the recently reanimated Tobin when she goes to check on her patients in the early hours of the morning.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Lasts all of one episode before being killed off.
Kingdom Scout
Kingdom Scout
Portrayed By: N/A
Appearances: The Walking Dead: Dead City (Season 1)note
A young scout who was murdered by the Croat.
- Remember the New Guy?: She's never mentioned in The Walking Dead, even when Ezekiel lists off the reasons he despises Negan to his face.
- Small Role, Big Impact: The fallout of her murder by the Croat leads to his fleeing to Manhattan, which in turn kicks off the entire plot of Dead City.
