The Walking Dead’s 10 greatest characters, ranked

5. Glenn

Played by: Steven Yeun

Seasons: 1 – 7

Status: Dead

Suffering the same fate as Abraham, Glenn bit the bat in the Season 7 premiere at the hands of Negan. It was one of the most gruesome and disturbing deaths in television history and even more shocking since Negan had already bashed in Abraham’s head, so we thought we were done with the executions when Glenn was also targeted.

Glenn was part of the foundation that held up the series from the beginning. He was the everyman character, sort of a representation of the average viewer, since he didn’t have the same sort of skill sets that some of the other heroes possessed. But that only meant he had to work harder to survive; regularly volunteering for dangerous missions, his bravery was inspiring.

When he fell in love with Maggie, audiences didn’t just have a young, spirited personality to cheer on, now there was a budding romance to root for. Their devotion to each other was contagious, however in this world serious attachments are also a curse. Glenn’s daring confidence grew and as a result he had many heart-stopping close calls. In the end, his love for Maggie was his most endearing attribute, and his final last words are both heartbreaking and life-affirming – “Maggie, I’ll find you”.

4. Daryl

Played by: Norman Reedus

Seasons: 1 – 11

Status: Alive

The epitome of manly ruggedness, Daryl is much more than a biker with a crossbow. Although he can seem like the quiet type, unlike his openly hostile brother, Daryl is not someone you want to mess with. His distant behavior only attracts more curiosity about what he is thinking and planning. He is hesitant to form allegiance, so when he does, the bond is strong. However Daryl is always his own man and he lives by a code, meaning he will never blindly follow even his closest of allies; if he doesn’t agree with someone’s strategies, he will speak his mind and maybe even break close ties.

His figurative brotherhood with Rick would become more significant than with his blood brother Merle. Daryl and Rick were two soldiers that would lead the charge, fighting side by side and back to back. Daryl is even more deadly because of his stealthy tactics. The only thing that would get in their way was each other as the two would clash about the best way to govern the people. Daryl’s special connection with Carol is another highlight of the series, particularly because of its platonic nature. He has always been protective of her and he is equally in need of her companionship.