5 Saddest character losses in the past eight seasons of The Walking Dead

Heading into Season 9 of The Walking Dead, the series has seen numerous characters meet untimely demises. Of course, some have impacted the series more than others. Here are the toughest losses so far.

On The Walking Dead, a character can be killed off at any point. Whether you’re ready for it or not, no one is safe. We’ve seen this theory proven true countless times as many of our favorite characters have either been torn apart by walkers or murdered by other survivors. A small percentage have died under odd circumstances, though most have been zombie-related.

In the past eight seasons, fan-favorites like Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Hershel (Scott Wilson) have died, impacting the show in a major way. Herschel, for instance, set forth in motion the events that would see his group leave the Prison permanently.

At the same time, Hershel’s death was one which fans cringed at more than most — mainly because it was completely unexpected. The potential for Hershel to die only cropped up when the Governor captured him. Before that, Hershel was safe. He was doing good, watching Maggie’s relationship with Glenn develop, and seeing Beth mature as well.

Witnessing Rick give his passionate speech to the Governor’s army also gave fans more hope for Hershel’s survival. Unfortunately, Phillip’s psychotic tendencies prevented him from seeing the logical conclusion to his dilemma. And as a result, He executed Hershel.

The major character deaths that followed have been equally shocking. Each has affected the series in its own way, though all of them have advanced the story forward. Keep in mind the character deaths which proceeded Hershel’s death were just as important. In lieu of that, we’ve compiled a list of The Walking Dead’s toughest losses so far.