The Walking Dead cycles through characters regularly, some we care about and some we never get attached to. Regardless of status, there’s a few we will always love. 

Although our opinions as fans will vary, there are a few characters (who we’ve come to know as friends) that the large majority of us love…or loved. After diving into season seven, we find what it means to truly hate someone. Now, some of these hated people may be on the list of “Best Characters” but they are not “Most Liked” by a longshot, after all, it takes the best writers to create such atrocious personalities.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

1) Glenn

Remember this pizza delivery boy from season one?

Although the list is in no particular order, we know that Glenn, no doubt, will always make the top two.

Glenn Rhee was in his early mid-to-early twenties when the series premiered. Before the apocalypse he was a pizza delivery boy, and after, he became the main supply runner, due to his prior experience of course.

Glenn’s personality is stable, loyal and level-headed. He has put his life on the line for other members of the group on multiple occasions, and has deep-rooted emotions. One thing that made us love Glenn even more is his connection to his wife, Maggie. When it comes to Maggie and her family, Glenn has a weakness. The one time we see a coldness in him that makes us question his nature is when his wife’s sister is killed. He even cried when he was ”forced” to stab a member of the most malicious group in the series.

Our arguably favorite character met his end during the premiere of season seven, but he will live in our hearts as we forever curse AMC for breaking them.

The evolution of Glenn over the furst five seasons

2) Daryl

This is close to the first moment we ever see Daryl.

When Daryl is introduced to the series, we are rather skeptical. So how did he become the #1 character ever to grace the series?

“I ain’t claimin’ nuthin.” Except that Daryl is overall, the best character from TWD. You’ll see that in season seven, he hasn’t received much glory, but a look back at his journey will help us remember why we love him.

Early on, Daryl was the brash, impulsive, and aggressive younger brother to the bad-mannered Merle. Daryl is generally rational, honest, and both physically as well as emotionally strong (aside from the heart-breaking death of his only family member). He is often known as the strongest and most capable in the group due to his background and will.

It takes a while to see his soft side, but we find out that Daryl takes much of the blame for many deaths in the series, causing him great distress. He has grown close to many of the characters, such as Rick, Carol, and at one point Beth. Without words, Daryl has appointed himself as a second father to Carl and Judith on multiple occasions as he always has others best interest at heart.

The evolution of Daryl of the first five seasons

3) Michonne

Now everyone wants a katana.

First introduced in at the end of season two and had us on the edge of our seats waiting to see more of this mysterious walker-wielding ninja.

Michonne quickly became a favorite simply due to her unique fighting style and perplexing personality. But after she became such an integral part of the group due to her bonding with Carl, we get to connect with her and her mournful past.

It took her sometime to move on and start to trust again. After she did this, she began to develop an ability to spot liars and malevolent intentions, a trait Daryl also carries. This has helped the group in the past, and compliments Rick’s lack of character reading. Speaking of Rick, the two make a powerful force as a couple, and truly bring out the best in each other with their honest conversations. Although we fight the urge, we will always refrain from comparing her to Rick’s former wife, Lori.

The evolution of Michonne over the first five seasons 

4) Rick

Fresh-faced Rick has been through the grinder since season one.

Let’s face it, pre-apocalypse, as a whole, Rick had it going on. But since then, he has had it harder than probably anyone in the series.

In the premiere of the series, Rick wakes up from a coma in a hospital and finds that the world is coming to an end. You can see the shock this would be. After finding Morgan at the beginning of the series, he is led to his wife, son, and partner outside of town.

It doesn’t take long for Rick to realize his wife has been cheating on him with his partner, that his wife is pregnant, and the world truly is ending via a “contagious” sickness. Soon into the first season, Rick is appointed leader due to his morality, humbleness, and intelligence.

Unfortunately, due to his emotional weaknesses, Rick gradually becomes rather cold and irrational. Every tragic event that occurs, starting with Lori’s death, results in an emotional breakdown for Rick. To overcompensate, he often will shut down completely as he goes on auto-pilot.

Nowadays, Rick has left behind his moral code and makes it his sole purpose to survive and protect his family, his group. He trusts no one, and is laid blame for nearly every negative experience the group goes through. But we can’t help but feel for him, if you look back, every season just gets worse for him, and it would be hard for anyone to remain stable if they went through what he has.

The evolution of Rick over the first fice seasons

5) Jesus

Who’s Paul Rovio?

When introduced to this man who goes by the name of “Jesus” we are unsure what to think.

After his initial greeting which leaves him a mysterious character that is nothing but a thief and conman, we don’t know if this guy is crazy, evil, or perfect. He shows athleticism and charm that adds to his magnetism. But we don’t really get to know him until season seven.

Paul is resourceful, kind-hearted, and makes friends easily. We look forward to seeing more from Jesus in the coming seasons.

One of Jesus' shining moments

6) Hershel

The moral compass of the group for a limited time.

The father of Maggie and Beth was a veterinarian who became the doctor for Rick’s group.

At first, to protect his family and resources, Hershel would not allow the group to stay at his farm.  He was so attached to his loved ones, that he was led to believe that the walkers were simply sick. So he kept the dead in his barn until he found a way to cure them. He has saved multiple lives, including that of Carl during their first meeting.

Hershel was known for always doing what he truly believes is right. Even during his worst decisions, he was never without a wise word.

His death by the Governor was shocking and too early, but we’ll never forget the wisdom and righteousness of the old man.

Check out this Hershel bit

7) Maggie

Maggie is a fearless force.

The poor girl has lost nearly everything since the apocalypse has started, can she hold on to the one love that remains?

Generally a loving, kind, and thoughtful, like many of the traumatized souls, she grows cold and distrusting. She has now lost her sister, father and husband. Her child she carries is her only connection to her family.

Though going through rough patches, Maggie always resorts to her determined and strong nature, making her a good leader always ready for a fight. It is hard to say how she will do without Glenn to keep her grounded, but we have hope in our strong-willed woman.

The evolution of Maggie over the first five seasons

8) Carol

Carol has debatably changed more than anyone in the series.

The weak-willed, soft-spoken woman has become one scary lady.

In season one, Carol was the abused wife of Ed, and just a few seasons later, after the loss of her daughter, became one of the craziest humans we’ve seen.

Carol has shown no limits, killing sick people to prevent an epidemic, or little girls to prevent a serial killer. She is known to scare little kids, do things her own way, and has become a wonderful deceiver.

All this aside, Carol’s transformation was entertaining to watch, her now strong will and empowerment is something to admire. It is said that she and Daryl have switched roles as their progressions are opposite.

Although we don’t permit her cold tactics, we occasionally see that she is still a human and hope to see more humanity in the future.

Look at the flowers

9) Ezekiel

King Ezekiel, and Shiva, were an immediate favorite.

If the pet tiger and throne room aren’t enough to captivate you, there’s plenty more to Ezekiel than meets the eye.

The former zookeeper was one of the quickest attachments for fans. He was introduced as a possibly crazy man who believed he was the king of his community, his kingdom.

Despite the pompous air he carries, Ezekiel is a kind-hearted man who looks out for his Kingdom and adds lightness to the dark world. He has even been shown to reach the heart of Carol, who seems untouchable.

Ezekiel is a very new character, but we expect to see much more of him these coming seasons.

Ezekiel talks with Carol

10) Morgan

Morgan has been a wise and valuable member of the group.

The “monk’s” past is full of anger and resentment. But after an encounter with a cheesemaker, he learns the value of peace.

We forget about our first meeting with Morgan in season one when he saved Rick’s life as well as caught him up to speed. He isn’t a prominent character until much later on.

The staff-wielding Morgan has added a lot to the group. He is often the voice of reason and is one of the only people to promote peace. He once refused to kill, but has since then seen it as solely a last resort. His episode with the cheesemaker is one of the best, and only, fillers in the series.

Rememeber the cheesemaker?

This wraps up our list. Surely there are others that we just love, but in general, these are the fan’s not only favorites, but most liked. Feel free to let us know your personal favorite, along with any on the list you just don’t like!

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