5 The Walking Dead characters who definitely won’t be back in 2023

Mercer

When Michael Mercer first made his presence felt in The Walking Dead, fans were excited. Not only did his look in the series seem like the perfect adaptation of his comic book counterpart, he was a larger-than-life presence who instantly made himself at home on the show.

Perhaps the most memorable character from the Commonwealth saga in the show’s final season, he was the General of their army. The irony is that, despite his formidable presence and the Commonwealth’s corruption, he is a good person – and he proves that when he helps the survivors bring down the leadership and start a new one.

When we last saw Mercer in the series finale of The Walking Dead, he had become the lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth, working with Ezekiel to ensure a brighter and better future for the next generation. Much like the former king of the Kingdom, he has found his place as a leader and that feels like the perfect end to his story.

It’s unfortunate on one end because Michael James Shaw did such a wonderful job as the character and we would love to see him back in the role, but on the other, Mercer got his happy ending with Princess.

We’re not ruling out a cameo appearance in a future season of one of the spinoffs, but right now, the Commonwealth chapter has come to a close – and a happy one at that.