The Walking Dead was one of the first shows to flirt with the idea of killing off main characters, leaving fans shocked and horrified. Indeed, many of the most shocking plot twists in the post-apocalyptic show involve the deaths of characters. But not all of them. Some of the most shocking plot twists were moments fans didn’t see coming, some of which completely changed the trajectory of the story.

Sure, there were shocking moments, like Rick’s neck-biting incident, Sasha coming out of the coffin already having turned, the return of Morales as a Savior, and Carol’s “look at the flowers” moment with Lizzie. But the game-changing plot twists were on a different level and played a greater role in the overall story, not just a moment in it. The Walking Dead managed to keep the storylines fresh, and the twists kept coming. Even right down to its later seasons, there were plot twists that left fans reeling.

10Everyone is Infected, Not Just the Bitten

Season 1, Episode 6 (2010)

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In the final episode of the explosive first season, the best season of The Walking Dead there’s a major reveal. But fans don’t find out what it is until the next season. Just before a massive explosion at the CDC, Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) whispers something in Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) ear before he relegates himself to certain death. Rick is visibly tormented by this knowledge but doesn’t reveal what it is.

Viewers and the rest of the group finally learn what it was when Rick shares it in Season 2. Dr. Jenner, who was the last surviving employee at the CDC and a scientist who was familiar with the virus and its outbreak, told Rick that everyone is infected. Up until this point, the group members thought that it required a bite for someone to turn. Now they realize that anyone who dies in any way will turn, which completely changes the game.

9Carl Kills Shane to Protect His Father

Season 2, Episode 12 (2012)

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In the penultimate episode of the second season, a main character dies, and while some predicted his demise, no one saw how he would perish coming. Once Rick returned, there was clear tension between him and his old partner Shane (Jon Bernthal). With Shane having taken up with his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), both assuming Rick was dead, the power struggle was evident. It all came to a head when Shane lured Rick out into the forest with a clear intention of killing him.

Rick predicts what’s going on, however, and he kills Shane first. But while he technically kills Shane, his old friend will rise back up once he turns and reanimates. He does, but Rick is too busy looking at Carl (Chandler Riggs), who has followed them and has seen what happened. In a terrifyingly emotional moment, Carl shoots Shane in the head before he can bite his father. It’s a turning point in Carl’s journey.

8Eugene Lied About Being a Scientist

Season 5, Episode 5 (2014)

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While fans had suspicions all along, it was a pivotal plot twist when Eugene (Josh McDermitt) finally confessed who he really was. The situation becomes dire as members of the group try to escape on a bus, traveling to their destination with the goal of Eugene being able to find the cure. Eugene first confides in Tara (Alanna Masterson), telling her he isn’t actually a scientist and just lied to save his life. In doing so, he knew that Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Rosita (Christian Serratos) would go out of their way to protect him.

When Abraham, however, starts to make rash decisions in a desperate attempt to continue their journey to Washington, Eugene finally yells the truth. It’s one of the most emotional episodes, especially after having learned that Abraham was about to die by suicide when coming across Eugene gave him hope to live. He not only beats his friend to a pulp, but collapses and cries as he discovers that everything he had been working towards was never real.

7Dante is a Sly Spy for the Whisperers

Season 10, Episode 7 (2019)

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A twist from the later episodes of one of the best dystopian shows of all time, Dante (Juan Javier Cardenas) has been living in the community for some time, working as a doctor alongside Siddiq (Avi Nash). He is crucial to the survival of the community and gets along well with others, though he’s also at times inappropriate and arrogant. Still, no one suspected that he was a bad guy. He came across simply as quirky and socially inept. That is, until his true colors are revealed.

It’s learned that he’s a Whisperers spy sent by Alpha (Samantha Morton) when Siddiq, who has grown closer to him, hears Dante click his teeth in a specific way. It brings Siddiq back to the traumatizing moment when Alpha captured him and others, beheaded everyone in front of him, and sent him home with a message. Dante was there. Unable to hide this discovery, Dante attacks Siddiq and kills him, later showing no remorse for his actions. It was a sad moment, and fans never suspected Dante was anything but a talented field medic with an odd personality. Part of the reason he may have blended in so well is that it appeared he did start to genuinely like Siddiq, and perhaps his personality prior to being brainwashed by Alpha was peaking through.

6The Walkers are Evolving, Developing New Skills

Season 11, Episode 19 (2022)

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In one of the show’s final episodes, viewers finally see something they perhaps never thought they would. As Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Jerry (Cooper Andrews) fight off walkers, they notice something off. One picks up a rock and throws it at them. Another physically fights back against Aaron. In another instance, one twists a doorknob to open it. When Jerry climbs up a ladder to safety, a walker follows him. They are in complete disbelief as to what they are witnessing. But this is the introduction of variant walkers.

These were first shown in The Walking Dead: World Beyond, in the post-credits scene when a walker in France is seen banging powerfully at a door, something walkers didn’t previously appear to have the strength to do. But fans were just as taken aback as Aaron when the show depicted the walkers evolving and getting smarter.

5The Governor’s Heinous Act Left Fans Gutted

Season 4, Episode 8 (2013)

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Fans knew that The Governor (David Morrissey) was one of the most heinous villains the group had come across. He was evil and showed no remorse. When he captured Michonne (Danai Gurira) and had Hershel (Scott Wilson) on his knees in front of the group at the prison, fans were horrified. But they fully expected that someone would jump in and stop him. Even Rick and his friends didn’t think The Governor was capable of doing what he did next.

But with a swift, slow-motion swing of his sword, he decapitated Hershel in front of everyone, including Hershel’s two daughters. It sent shockwaves through the group and fans were left with mouths agape. Viewers thought the issues with The Governor would reach a breaking point. But Hershel being the victim, and in such a heinous way, was more jarring than anyone imagined. He was a TWD character who didn’t deserve to die.

4Eugene Quietly Plots Epic Redemption, Betrays the Saviors

Season 8, Episode 16 (2018)

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Eugene had defected to The Saviors for some time, falling under Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) spell because he showed Eugene how he appreciated his talents versus underestimating him like his core group. Eugene completely changed, becoming more confident and even making moves against his own people. But it was clear he always felt tortured about it.

The big redemption moment for Eugene was a massive plot twist that was actually a positive one. All the way up to the big battle against the Saviors, it seemed like Eugene would be the one to finally take down his group. As they were surrounded by Saviors with guns, all fueled by Eugene’s homemade ammunition, they felt like it was all over. But once the Saviors started shooting, the guns exploded, killing them. Eugene had sabotaged them to help his true friends, thanks to an earlier conversation with Rosita (Christian Serratos) that encouraged his change of heart.

3Negan Takes Out Two People, Not One

Season 7, Episode 1 (2016)

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One of the most teased, drawn-out moments in television history, fans were angered at the show for making them wait so long to find out who Negan killed. In fact, the death episode became a turning point for the show where many fans abandoned it, upset about the violent and gruesome nature of the acts.

The plot twist came in that while fans were theorizing and analyzing to figure out who Negan killed, only a small subset of fans figured out that he didn’t stop at one. After brutally bashing Abraham in the head as he valiantly “took it like a champ,” as Negan said, the leader of the Saviors didn’t take too well to Daryl (Norman Reedus) coming out of line and talking back. In retaliation, Negan turned around and bashed Glenn (Steven Yuen) as well. The fact that there were two kills, not just one, made the long-teased moment a surprise in more ways than one.

2Rick Didn’t Die (and Jadis Saved Him)

Season 9, Episode 5 (2018)

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Fans knew that Rick was leaving The Walking Dead and which episode would be his last. When he was caught in an explosion, fans were upset. While the characters believed him to be dead, fans were happy to see he was not. He continued on trying to get himself to safety, encountering more of the dead en route and losing copious amounts of blood. By the end, it seemed Rick had perished alone in the woods, though not without a lack of trying to survive.

The big plot twist came in the post-credits scene when Rick is lying down in a helicopter in the air. Fans see Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) with him, explaining where she has been all this time. It was one of the most exciting moments that eventually led to one of the best The Walking Dead spin-offs, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

1Sophia Was in the Barn the Whole Time

Season 2, Episode 7 (2011)

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It’s one of the most heart-wrenching moments ever in The Walking Dead, and of any show in the franchise overall. For all of Season 2 up to this point, the group was desperately searching for Sophia (Madison Lintz). They made their way to Hershel’s barn and convinced Hershel to allow them to stay. During the day, Daryl and others went out to search in hopes of finding Sophia alive, or at least her body to bring closure to Carol (Melissa McBride).

The biggest plot twist comes in this episode when Shane angrily opens the barn doors where the group knows that Hershel has been keeping walkers. They mostly consist of Hershel’s own friends and family members, including his wife. But any time he came across a walker, he brought it to the barn in hopes that there would one day be a cure, and he could save them. After they all amble out, one final, thin body emerges. It’s a reanimated Sophia, and Carol drops to her knees and screams as Daryl embraces her and urges her not to look. It’s not only the most shocking The Walking Dead plot twist but also the most heartbreaking death in the show overall.