Merle, Beta and Jerry from The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is known for savagely killing off its main characters. But it’s also known for teasing the death of characters in such a way that makes fans believe they certainly should have died, only to find out later that they didn’t. In many of these cases, the character never ended up dying throughout the entire show’s run. A few, however, eventually met their ends.

Often, fans were sure a character was done for only for them to be miraculously saved. The most notable was in Rick Grimes’ final episode when he was saved in the nick of time by Jadis. But there are other moments that gave fans the same fright.

10Glenn Rhee’s Death Tease Angered Fans

Nicholas and Glenn at a garbage dump holding out guns in The Walking Dead.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How He Died

At the Garbage Dump With Nicholas


Season 6, Episode 3, “Thank You”
Season 7, Episode 1, “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”
Bashed in the Head by Negan

In one of The Walking Dead episodes that infuriated fans, Glenn’s death was teased when he was trapped atop a garbage bin with Nicholas and surrounded by walkers. Feeling the weight and gravity of the situation and guilt for everything he had done, Nicholas wanted to end things. Glenn pleaded with him, but Nicholas pointed a gun to his own head and shot, falling forward and taking Glenn down with him. The episode ended as walkers devoured flesh and viewers could hear agonizing screams, Glenn covered in blood. It was assumed that Glenn was dead.

But later, it’s revealed that he survived. With Nicholas’ dead body covering his, Glenn managed to shimmy himself out from underneath his foe and hide under a garbage dump until the walkers left. Despite fans being happy that the character survived, it seemed nonsensical.

9Daryl Dixon Had Inhuman Willpower

Daryl crouched in a corner in a cell wearing a beige tracksuit in The Walking Dead.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How He Died

After Being Captured by the Saviors
Season 7, Episode 3, “The Cell”
Still Alive
N/A

Fans heard the song “Easy Street” playing on repeat in their heads following this storyline whereby Daryl was captured by Negan and held in a dark cell. Questioned, tortured, and reduced to a shell of his former self, Daryl never lost his will to live. But it seems impossible that he survived it all, much less that Negan would continue to spare him for so long given how brutally he had killed others.

It was clear Daryl would be more trouble than he was worth, and using him as collateral wasn’t working. Daryl wouldn’t break. While fans didn’t want to see the character die, it seems unbelievable that Negan didn’t kill him to send a message. Some also can’t believe he was spared while Glenn was killed by Negan’s bat Lucille in an earlier episode, especially since Daryl is the one who acted out to cause the second death.

8Negan Was Controversially Spared

A close-up of Negan holding his bloody neck as Rick looks down on him in The Walking Dead.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How He Died

When Rick Slit His Throat
Season 8, Episode 16, “Wrath”
Still Alive
N/A

By this time, fans were growing tired of the storyline with Negan and The Saviors. The conflict over two seasons culminated in this moment, with an epic battle between Negan and Rick. It’s what fans waited so long to see, but it didn’t end the way they expected. In retrospect, this was a good thing because Negan was an unlikable character fans grew to love. But at the time, it seemed nonsensical not only that his life would be spared, but that he would survive his injuries at all.

After slitting Negan’s throat, leaving the villain clutching his neck and bleeding out, Rick ordered his group to save Negan’s life and keep him in captivity. Given the blood loss and the nature of the injury, it seems unlikely that Negan would have survived, especially given the hesitation before anyone sprung to action. It worked for the storyline, but seemed implausible.

7Carol Was Saved in the Nick of Time

Carol sitting with T-Dog in The Walking Dead looking back while he sips on something in a mug.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How She Died

In the Prison, After Walkers Got In
Season 3, Episode 4, “Killer Within”

Still Alive
N/A

There was no way fans would have accepted Carol dying so early in the series, or even at all. The seeds were being sowed for an incredible journey for her character. Sadly, this came at the expense of T-Dog. In an admirable move, he sacrificed himself to save her. He knew his time was up, having already been bitten. Still, fans felt the end was nigh for Carol at this moment.

The sacrifice spoke volumes to T-Dog’s character. Nonetheless, fans found it difficult to believe the walkers would be so consumed with T-Dog that none of them would grab Carol as well to have a double feast.

6Merle Maimed Himself to Live

An overhead shot of Merle looking up while handcuffed on the roof in The Walking Dead.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How He Died

Handcuffed to the Roof
Season 1, Episode 2, “Guts”
Season 3, Episode 15, “This Sorrowful Life”
Beaten and Shot by the Governor After Refusing to Help

Rick didn’t know what to do with Merle, who was proving to be dangerous. He handcuffed him to a structure on the roof of a building, and when the group had to run, they left him there. With walkers eventually making their way up and breaking down the door, Merle’s fate seemed all but sealed.

Yet miraculously and bravely, he managed to cut off his own hand to break himself free, fight the walkers one-handed while bleeding out, and make his way to safety to get rescued and patched up. Merle should have died in that episode. His eventual death changed Daryl Dixon, and the redemption arc that eventually followed was worth looking past the nonsensical nature of how he survived.

5Connie and Magna Were Caved In

Connie and Magna from The Walking Dead looking scared while in a cave.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How They Died

Trapped in a Cave
Season 10, Episode 9, “Squeeze”
Both Still Alive
N/A

Connie and Magna were literally caved in when Carol accidentally dropped an explosive and the cave they were in collapsed. While others made it out in time, Connie and Magna were missing.

Yet later, not one but both of them somehow made their way out of the cave alive. They claimed to have walked among the walkers, but how and when they were able to cover themselves with walker guts to do so is a mystery. They became separated in the pack and went on separate journeys, Connie near the brink of death when Virgil came across her. While fans can believe they made it on their own, how they got out of the cave in the first place is questionable.

4Carl Was on the Brink of Death

Rick from The Walking Dead in his sheriff uniform holding a shot Carl and gritting his teeth.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How He Died

Getting Accidentally Shot by Otis
Season 2, Episode 2, “Bloodletting”
Season 8, Episode 9, “Honor”
Shot Himself After a Bite

Way back in season two, Carl was still an innocent young boy, and when he saw a young deer, he couldn’t help but stop and marvel at its beauty in such an awful world. This led to him getting accidentally shot. Carl was on the brink of death and the fact that his life was spared against all odds made fans curious.

From getting consistent blood transfusions from his father to a complicated surgery done by a veterinarian without the right equipment, this was the type of life-saving that is reserved for movies and TV shows. Fans were happy that Carl did survive since he went on to become a strong, resilient fighter. The story was more believably played out over several episodes with touch-and-go moments. But Carl making it through that seemed like divine intervention. What makes it worse is that he eventually died in such an awful way. He is a character fans believe deserved better.

3Beta Went Down an Elevator Shaft

Beta from The Walking Dead looking up from the bottom of an elevator shaft.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How He Died

Fell Down an Elevator Shaft
Season 9, Episode 13, “Chokepoint”
Season 10, Episode 16, “A Certain Doom”
Stabbed in the Eye by Daryl

When Beta and Daryl met and fought, it was as brutal as expected. It was an epic fight scene fans couldn’t wait to see. Daryl eventually gained the upper hand as Beta fell several feet down an elevator shaft to his presumed death.

However, the seemingly indestructible leader emerged without a scratch to continue his wrath. The idea that he could have fallen so far without breaking his neck or back, or at least being unable to move freely for a few days, is ridiculous. Then again, Beta came across as almost inhuman.

2Everyone Thought Jerry Was Done For

Jerry trying to squeeze out of a small, dark hole in a cave in The Walking Dead.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How He Died

Unable to Get out of a Small Opening in the Cave
Season 10, Episode 9, “Squeeze”
Still Alive
N/A

During a scene when the group members crawl through a tunnel to emerge on the other side before it caves in, Jerry is the last to come out. He uses his size and strength to help push and pull the others to safety. But before he can slide through, rocks start falling and the already small opening becomes even smaller. Jerry is a big guy, and it becomes apparent that he likely won’t be able to fit through the opening.

As they pull, and he struggles to get out, walkers approach him from behind. He kicks to fight them off. Fans truly believed this would be the end of Jerry. But he somehow shimmied his way through to safety.

1Aaron and Gabriel Played Russian Roulette

Gabriel and Aaron tied up at a table as Mays holds a rifle to them in The Walking Dead.

When They Should’ve Died
Episode
Real Death Episode
How They Died

Forced to Play Russian Roulette
Season 10, Episode 19, “One More”
Still Alive
N/A

When Aaron and Gabriel come across a man named Mays during their explorations, they end up being forced to play a game of Russian Roulette. Sitting at a table facing one another, he forces them each to point the gun at their own heads and pull the trigger. There’s a single bullet in the chamber, so it’s just a matter of whom pulls the right (or wrong) one first.

It’s a tense, beautifully acted scene, especially as they get down to the wire and Mays gives them a choice to point the gun at their own head or the other person before pulling the trigger. Neither is willing to kill the other, which speaks volumes to Gabriel’s character arc, especially, given that he began as one of the most controversial The Walking Dead characters. The luck they both had given that the game went several rounds is unbelievable. One or both should realistically have died at that moment.