Maggie Rhee was once one of The Walking Dead’s most beloved leaders—a survivor who had fought through hell and back to protect her people. But after Rick Grimes was taken by the CRM, something changed. Instead of staying and leading the community that had supported her for years, Maggie left—turning her back on Hilltop and the people who had fought alongside her.

And when the Whisperers came, bringing death and destruction with them, Maggie was nowhere to be found. The people of Hilltop begged for help, writing letters pleading for her return. But did she come back? Did she fight for the home she once promised to protect?

No. She did nothing.

Maggie didn’t return until it was too late—only when her new community was wiped out by the Reapers. And when she finally walked back into Alexandria, she expected to lead again, as if she hadn’t abandoned everyone who once trusted her.

So, what really happened? Why did Maggie leave? And was her return too little, too late? Let’s break down the real story of how Maggie let Hilltop fall and why some fans believe she may be one of The Walking Dead’s most selfish characters.

Maggie’s Disappearance: Why Did She Leave Hilltop?

After Rick’s supposed “death” in Season 9, Maggie vanished with little explanation. We later learned that she had left to join a new group led by Georgie, a woman who promised a new way of rebuilding civilization. It seemed like a promising opportunity—after all, Maggie had spent years fighting just to survive. Maybe she deserved a fresh start, right?

But what about everyone else?

She didn’t just leave Hilltop—she abandoned a community that had built itself around her leadership. These were people who had followed her, fought for her, and trusted her to guide them through the darkest days of the apocalypse. And she left them without a word.

Worse? She knew they were in danger. She knew that other threats could come. And yet, she walked away.

And then… the Whisperers arrived.

The Whisperer War: Where Was Maggie When Hilltop Needed Her Most?

When Alpha and the Whisperers descended upon Hilltop, the community was completely unprepared for what was coming. The people left behind tried to hold everything together, but without Maggie’s leadership, they were vulnerable.

The Whisperers burned Hilltop to the ground.

Dozens of people were killed. Families were torn apart. And the survivors? They were desperate.

They wrote letters to Maggie, begging her to come back.

But what did she do?

Nothing.

No response. No help. Nothing but silence.

Some fans defend Maggie, saying she didn’t know what was happening. But let’s be honest—Maggie wasn’t out of reach. If she had time to build a new life elsewhere, she had time to check in on her old one. She had time to at least send someone back to help.

Instead, she ignored the people she once swore to protect.

And when she finally did return, it wasn’t out of loyalty or responsibility. It was because her new community was destroyed.

Maggie Returns… But Only Because She Has Nowhere Else To Go

Maggie’s long-awaited return in Season 10 wasn’t some heroic moment—it was an act of desperation.

The Reapers had wiped out her new home, leaving her with no other option but to go back to Alexandria. Suddenly, after years of silence, she expected to lead again, to take charge, as if nothing had happened.

She even acted shocked to see the destruction of Hilltop—as if she hadn’t ignored their calls for help.

And yet, despite everything, the people of Alexandria welcomed her back.

But should they have?

Was Maggie Right to Leave? Or Was She Just Selfish?

There’s no denying that Maggie has been through hell. She lost Glenn in one of the most brutal deaths in The Walking Dead history. She had to raise a child in a world that kept getting darker. She fought battle after battle, watching people die around her.

But here’s the thing—so did everyone else.

Daryl, Carol, Michonne, and the rest of the survivors never had the luxury of just walking away. They stayed. They fought. They bled for the communities they loved.

Maggie didn’t. She chose to leave.

And in doing so, she doomed Hilltop to fall.

So, can she really call herself a leader?

Maggie vs. Negan: The Ultimate Irony

One of the biggest conflicts after Maggie’s return was her grudge against Negan. She still hated him for killing Glenn—and rightfully so. But here’s where things get messy:

Negan, the man she wanted dead for so long, was actually one of the people who helped protect Alexandria in her absence.

While Maggie was gone, Negan was fighting for the same people she abandoned.

Let that sink in.

Yes, Negan had done horrible things in the past, but at least he stayed. He fought. He didn’t walk away when things got hard.

So, when Maggie demanded that Negan be exiled or executed, it raised a huge question:

Did Maggie even have the right to make that call anymore?

She abandoned them. Negan didn’t.

The hypocrisy is hard to ignore.

Final Thoughts: Can Maggie Ever Be Redeemed?

Maggie Rhee was once one of The Walking Dead’s greatest leaders. But after Rick was taken, she made a choice—one that cost the lives of countless people at Hilltop.

She wasn’t there when they needed her. She ignored their cries for help. And when she finally returned, it wasn’t because she wanted to—it was because she had no other choice.

Now, as The Walking Dead universe expands, Maggie’s story isn’t over. She and Negan are now the stars of Dead City, a spinoff that will explore their uneasy alliance in a walker-infested New York.

But for many fans, the damage is done.

So, what do you think?

Did Maggie have the right to abandon Hilltop and return only when she needed help?
Or was she just as selfish as Negan was in his worst days?

Let’s discuss—because in The Walking Dead, survival isn’t just about fighting walkers. It’s about choosing who you stand with when the world falls apart.