Every Walking Dead Survivor Community Ranked

There’s a running joke in The Walking Dead fan base that the characters just move from one survivor community to another. Let's rank them all so far.

There’s a running joke in The Walking Dead fan base that the characters just move from one survivor community to another. But that’s symbolically important for the plot. It feeds into the show’s overall theme (which it sometimes conveys in a ham-fisted way) that we are the biggest threat to ourselves. Even when faced with incredible circumstances like a zombie apocalypse, humankind is still divided and at war with each other.

If all those communities pooled their resources together and worked towards ridding the world of walkers, they’d make some decent headway with it. But that’s not the way they the human race operates, so they need to save all their bullets to use on each other.

Updated on November 25th, 2021 by Saim Cheeda: There have been a few more communities added to The Walking Dead in recent times. These have ranged from levels of viciousness to civility, along with bringing characters who reflect the way of living within their respective groups. Additional context has also been provided for previously-seen communities, which makes them worth analyzing as well. Also, the meaning behind a group’s power and effectiveness has changed, evolving to comprise the resources at their disposal, the leadership quality, and the forces they have under their control. With this in mind, there have been a few more communities added to this ranked list.

15 The Vatos Gang

This was the first real group that Rick and company encountered. On the outside, it seemed as if this was a gang of dangerous men, only to turn out that they were looking after a retirement home and had many elderly people in the community.

They were hardly prepared for the horrors of the apocalypse, though, as supplies would have run out, and with the community members being so elderly, there would’ve been too many mouths to feed and very few workers. Of course, dangerous people would have most definitely overpowered the group.

14 The Living

These guys weren’t shown in their community, having attempted to ambush Rick and company in a town. However, it was clear that they had the means to fight for themselves and attack unsuspecting people as well. It was their bad luck that they encountered Rick.

Still, it’s also clear that the Living didn’t have much of any resources of their own, as they were desperate to capture Rick’s group in order to steal their supplies. With their numbers also having dwindled after Rick killed a few of them, the Living probably didn’t fare well in the long-run.

13 The Wolves

Despite the fact that their appearance was teased for several episodes and we were led to believe they were the most dangerous people in the post-apocalyptic landscape, they turned out to be pretty weak. When they invaded Alexandria, it was pretty scary, but all it took was Carol dressing up as one of them and taking up arms to get rid of them.

Still, the Wolves do look pretty creepy with the letter “W” carved ominously into their foreheads. And that guy Owen was suitably unnerving – if only the actual Wolves had lived up to their menacing promise.

12 The Scavengers

It’s not a good sign when your survivor community is better known as “the Garbage People” than its real name. The Scavengers have always been spineless back-stabbers who will turn their backs on a previous agreement and betray all their allies at the drop of a dime.

Every time they’ve had the chance to do the right thing, they’ve done the opposite of it at the very last second and let everybody down, particularly when they teamed up with the Saviors and double-crossed the Alexandrians. Plus, it didn’t take much to wipe them all out – Simon had a hissy fit and lashed out and that’s what eliminated the entire Scavenger group.

11 Grady Memorial Hospital

When Beth went missing and Daryl went looking for her, there wasn’t much hope that he would find her. Either she was taken by some bad guys or she’d been thrown to the walkers, it seemed. But then we discovered she had actually been picked up by a group of survivors who lived in a hospital. It makes sense, logically, since they would have endless medical supplies, food to last them for months, and a ton of backup generators.

However, the operation was run by the insufferable Dawn and a bunch of useless men. We got Noah out of the whole situation, but it ended with Beth’s dumbest moment as she was being released and tried to stab Dawn with some scissors.

10 Terminus

There are few things lamer than putting up posters around a post-apocalyptic wasteland that advertise your “safe haven” when you actually just intend to eat whoever shows up, but that’s just what the Termites did in season 4 of The Walking Dead. It made a great story arc for the back end of the season as all the characters had been broken up by the prison fallout and the promise of a safe haven slowly brought them all towards the same place.

However, it only took a couple of episodes for Rick’s group to go from being locked in a train carriage at Terminus waiting to be eaten to having escaped and poisoned the Termites with “tainted meat” and killed them with a hatchet. So, they can’t have been that competent.

9 Woodbury

Woodbury established itself for a little while as a community that could have been a safe haven. The Governor did cut corners and killed people, but most of the members weren’t aware of this. Of course, all the success they attained went for naught in the end.

Woodbury was burned to the ground with the Governor simply standing around to watch. They deserve some credit for keeping things going for a while but ultimately suffered from a megalomaniac leader.

8 The Whisperers

The Whisperers added to the roster of Walking Dead survivor communities, having only made their first appearance in season 9’s midseason finale when what appeared to be a walker stabbed Jesus. However, in just a few short episodes, they made their chilling presence known to the show’s fan base.

Wearing zombie flesh as a mask might sound bad, but as we’ve seen from various predicaments that Rick and co. have gotten themselves out of, that’s the best way to disguise your living skin from the ravenous hordes of the undead. So, the Whisperers were actually quite smart, if only Alpha and Beta didn't have the habit of killing their own people left and right.

7 The Kingdom

It’s not very cool to just set up shop and declare a place “the Kingdom” and decide that you are the king, but then that’s probably what happened hundreds of years ago in every country that has a royal family. And King Ezekiel is a fair leader.

He might not be resilient enough to face the evil hand of the Saviors, but he is kind, chilled-out, open-minded, and relatively impartial. He had a pet tiger called Shiva, which was a huge point in his community’s favor. Although the Kingdom fell eventually, it was a pretty flourishing community in its time.

6 Oceanside

The Oceanside community is like The Walking Dead’s very own Themyscira, a campground run entirely by women. There are both boys and girls among the children they’re protecting, but all the adult survivors are women. Some of the highest authorities in the Oceanside have been shown to have pretty poor judgment, but on the whole, they’re a capable bunch.

Plus, they gave Tara a much-needed opportunity for her own story arc when they found her unconscious on a nearby beach. No one in the Oceanside community has become a really major character, but they’re an interesting and powerful little community.

5 Georgie's Group

For all intents and purposes, Georgie’s group seems to be what the future is about in The Walking Dead. She had knowledge of advanced techniques for sustainable living, which Maggie employed and saw great results come out of.

The only reason her community isn’t at the top is because it hasn’t been seen yet, making it difficult to form a conclusive opinion about it. Still, Maggie certainly found it accustoming since she left for years to set up Georgie’s group further and came back looking healthier than before.

4 The Hilltop

What has let the Hilltop down in the past is its leader, the cowardly Gregory, who changed his allegiance every five minutes if it meant there was less chance of him getting hurt. However, some of our favorite characters moved into the Hilltop (or started off there before joining Rick’s group), like Maggie and Jesus. And let’s not forget that Maggie had the worst thing about the Hilltop hanged at the Hilltop, so it’s not all bad.

The Hilltop’s stronghold seems to have been hashed together since it’s literally just a fenced-off couple of buildings on top of a hill, but the community itself is quite interesting and was able to keep thriving when Alexandria and the Kingdom faced shortages in resources.

3 The Saviors

Say what you will about Negan, but he’s nothing if not a bold leader. Every single person in his group was kept in line, and if they thought about disobeying him, he made sure they never do it again. His methods were questionable, of course, because he ruled with fear instead of love, but it’s hard to argue with the results.

The Saviors dominated near-enough the entire post-apocalyptic hellscape and had basically every other group of survivors under their thumb, giving them most of the resources they manage to find or grow or manufacture.

2 Alexandria

Rick’s group has gone by a number of different names over the years as they’ve jumped from location to location, but they finally found a place to call home in season 5 when Aaron recruited them to move into Alexandria. Alexandria had all our favorite characters: Rick, Daryl, Glenn, Michonne, Abraham, Tara, Aaron, Jesus.

They’re the first group to successfully stand up to Negan (after an embarrassing amount of unsuccessful attempts, admittedly) and if there’s ever a coalition between several different groups that are oppressed by the Saviors, like season 8’s “All-Out War” storyline, then its Alexandria that instigates it. If the Saviors are The Walking Dead’s Galactic Empire, then Alexandria is the Rebel Alliance.

1 The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is supposed to have dozens of thousands in numbers within their community. Their soldiers wear gear that nobody in the apocalypse has seen thus far. Their community also has the social circles and classes that were present before things went to hell.

For this reason, it’s safe to saw the Commonwealth is the strongest group due to its ability to retain all of its citizens in such vast numbers and bring back the kind of normalcy that was once in the world.

How The Walking Dead Sets Up Its Final Season

Following that riveting end to The Walking Dead Season 10, let's look at how the AMC show sets up its final season.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 10 finale, "A Certain Doom," which aired Sunday on AMC.

With The Walking Dead Season 10 finally finished, there are a lot of things that could happen to the joint communities after their victory in the Whisperer War. The being said, the casualties were many, and it's clear the alliance hasn't recovered from the loss of Rick Grimes, as well as other key leaders who were absent from the most recent debacle. While peace has been temporarily achieved, let's look at how The Walking Dead sets up its eleventh and final season.

THE COMMONWEALTH HAS ARRIVED

The final scenes of the Season 10 finale have Commonwealth soldiers ambushing Eugene, Yumiko, Ezekiel and Princess after they go to find Stephanie at Charleston. They've been in radio contact for some time, but given this hostile reception, it remains to be seen if the soldiers will be friend or foe. In the comics, Rick was the one leading the partnership with Mayor Pamela Milton, but her hot-headed son, Sebastian, made life difficult, as it was a classist, elitist society.

If the Commonwealth adopts a similar approach to the comics, tensions could arise with the alliance, which will be very skeptical of trusting outsiders again. However, the communities are in need of resources, as the Whisperer War left them depleted in terms of manpower, food and shelter, so they might have to bend their rules and accept help from the Commonwealth. They did have people interested in equality in governance such as Mercer and Stephanie, who could become Eugene's love interest after all their time on the radio, but this could open up the show to a potential coup like in the comics.

MAGGIE'S BACK IN TOWN

When Maggie left, the alliance fell into further disarray: Ezekiel's Kingdom and Negan's old Sanctuary both crumbled on the inside, while Tara's death left Hilltop struggling. Alexandria was eventually razed, and while Oceanside did show resilience and fortitude, there was an obvious lack of leadership. Now that she's back, Maggie has a lot to repair, as everyone will rely on her experience to heal the wounds of old.

She does have Daryl, Carol, Rosita and Gabriel as well, and new allies such as her slasher bodyguard. Still, Maggie might have evolved, and it'll be a test seeing how she handles new personalities and if people are willing to follow her lead. Virgil, who Michonne previously met, seems to have rescued Connie after the cave-in, so this could be her first litmus test, setting the tone for if she's back as a more diplomatic leader or someone hard-edged who believes aggression and proactivity will keep them safe.

A WAR OF NATIONS

In Season 9, Rick was taken by the Civic Republic Military (CRM), with Anne overseeing. Michonne then set off to find him. As much as we expect their threads to be fully resolved in the planned movies, their new paths could result in a crossover. Given that The Walking Dead: World Beyond is already expanding on this military being part of the Alliance of the Three, it's easy for the Civic Republic, the Campus Colony in Omaha and the unseen colony in Oregon to enter the fray.

Given the Commonwealth is now part of the series and different societies are interacting, this can help build the future in terms of politics and governance again. Daryl and Carol also love going on the road, hence their spinoff that's in the works, so the joint communities can l0ok at traveling contingents to meet other societies. They shouldn't just depend on the Commonwealth, after all, and this can even play off like Game of Thrones with "mini-nations" being formed as a possible war brews between CRM and the Commonwealth.

NEGAN AND LYDIA'S JOURNEY

It's going to be tense between Maggie and Negan, as he killed her husband, Glenn, only to reform and become a war hero. Negan has changed his ways and wants to redeem himself with the youths, which could see him even trying to atone with Hershel Jr. It'll place Judith in between a rock and a hard place, though, as she considers them both like parents, so Negan might well be turned into a roaming ranger to avoid the drama.

Lydia is also on a similar trajectory, as she saved Carol and helped destroy Beta's horde. Yet the new breed of heroes in the alliance don't trust her. However, seeing as Lydia's won over Daryl and the other leaders, Season 11 may well have her training under him, Carol and Maggie more. This will give her clarity as to whether she and Negan belong with these people. They've earned respect, but it remains to be seen if it'll be given. Lydia as a roaming ranger also works, as she could connect the alliance with those on the outside. She could become more trusting, as she knows what it's like when people judge a book by its cover.

The Walking Dead Season 10 finale stars Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Josh McDermitt, Christian Serratos, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton and Cooper Andrews.

Andrew Lincoln Promises More Levity When Walking Dead Returns

The star of AMC's hit zombie drama promises a different tone when the series returns for the second half of Season 7.

Fans who fall into the camp that found the last half-season of "The Walking Dead" to be too dire may be heartened to hear that when the series returns in February, it will feature a somewhat less dreary tone. Of course, we are talking about a world where being eaten alive by zombies is a constant threat, and that danger that pales in comparison to what happens when you roll up on an armed militia of survivors like Negan's Saviors, so "less dreary" is relative.

RELATED: AMC’s The Walking Dead Needs to Die… Eventually

The second half of Season 7 is "probably the opposite of what you just witnessed," Andrew Lincoln recently told Entertainment Weekly. "There’s a lot more levity, if you can believe that, than you’ve ever seen before in Mr. Grimes. There’s sort of a freedom in him, a feeling that comes from losing everything, and also the thrill of the fight. It’s the thrill of the fight again. He’s back in. All I’m saying is that the band is back together."

"[I]t certainly feels very much more like a show that I knew and recognized in the back eight," he added, teasing that the season's final episode contains a scene that will have fans cheering as they head into the summer break.

RELATED: Despite Ratings Slip, The Walking Dead is Still No. 1

"It’s 'The Magnificent Seven' in the back half. Rather, the magnificent eight episodes. Wait till [episode] 16. I promise you, there is one beat in 16, I dropped my script and started punching the air and did a little jig."

Returning Sunday, February 12 at 9 pm ET/PT on AMC, “The Walking Dead” stars Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Melissa McBride as Carol Peleteir, Lauren Cohan as Maggie Green, Danai Gurira as Michonne and more.

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How Walking Deads Latest TV Death Compares to the Comics

CBR looks at how the devastating loss on this week's episode of The Walking Dead compares to the way the death was depicted in the comics.

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for this week's episode of The Walking Dead, "Some Guy," which premiered Sunday on AMC.

In eight seasons of The Walking Dead, a lot of character have met their ends by a lot of different means, sometimes involving being devoured by walkers but also gunshots, stabbings, decapitations, a mysterious flu and, yes, bashing by Lucille. However, Season 8's fourth episode "Some Guy" brought tears to diehard fans with one of the AMC drama's more comic-faithful deaths, and it wasn't even that of a human.

RELATED: Watch That Devastating Scene From This Week’s Episode of The Walking Dead

Ezekiel's tiger, Shiva, sacrificed herself protecting him from a swarm of walkers, just as writer Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard depicted in 2013 in The Walking Dead #118. But just how similar was Shiva's TV death to the one from the source material?

Well, in the comics, during the explosive and blood-spattered "All Out War" arc, Ezekiel led the Kingdom, as part of the alliance with Alexandria, on an assault against Negan's partners the Saviors. As a result, Ezekiel's crew decided to attack one of the Saviors' compounds to exact revenge for the lives they took in a shootout at Alexandria. This was the catalyst for the Kingdom also uniting with Maggie's Hilltop faction, leading to a full-scale rebellion.

However, Ezekiel was as arrogant as ever, especially under the belief this new partnership made them somewhat invincible, and he marched into war underestimating his enemies, only for his men to be quickly overrun. He lost almost all of his posse, including his general Richard, and when the king himself tried to escape, he ended up surrounded in the woods by walkers. But just when he thought he was doomed, Shiva leaped in to save the day. She snapped and tore at the zombies, only to be devoured, allowing Ezekiel to escape. It was an emotional issue that ended with Ezekiel admitting to Michonne that his actions cost him the most important entity in his life, and that he wished he had been the one to make that heroic sacrifice.

RELATED: Walking Dead: All Out War Claims Its First Major Character

This week episode of The Walking Dead follows much in the same vein, with the river Ezekiel became stranded in running red from the tiger's blood. However, there are some minor changes. Richard isn't in this scene, as he died earlier the season at the hands of Morgan for trying to incite war with Negan's men. As for Ezekiel's company, the television writers switched things up a bit, with Carol and Jerry alongside the king when he faces the walkers. Shiva leaps in, only to end up being mauled herself. As Shiva dies, Ezekiel, Carol and Jerry flee for the Kingdom, battered and broken. The episode ends with Ezekiel, at a loss for words, limping off to his quarters as his townspeople look on, clearly realizing he's in mourning.

Shiva's death will resonate this season because of the weight it holds. The likes of Carol and Daryl found the tiger, just like her owner, to be a kindred spirit and a symbol of righteousness. Plus, let's face it, the outlandish concept of an animal fighting back against the zombie apocalypse is just too much fun to not enjoy. In a series where we're overrun by humans dying and reanimating, this is a bittersweet killing because as much as it writes off a key player in Rick's alliance, it does feel like a breath of fresh air. At the end of the day, Shiva is a name usually affiliated with Hindu lore as a god -- a destroyer of evil, a protector and a transformer of the universe for the better -- and AMC ensured she lived up to this title in a most-fitting finale.

Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC, The Walking Dead stars Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier, Lennie James as Morgan Jones, Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler, Josh McDermitt as Eugene Porter, Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan.

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The Walking Dead Carl Might Not Die Teases Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman teases that Carl Grimes might not die in the season 8 midseason premiere of AMC's hit show.

Talking about toying with audiences' emotions, The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman is teasing that Carl Grimes survival. He might not actually die.

As one of the original characters in both The Walking Dead's comic book and television worlds, fans were shocked to learn that Carl suffered a fatal walker bite at one point in the first-half of season 8 of AMC's hit zombie drama. However, with Carl very much alive in the comics (currently on Issue #175), there are major questions over who will take over Carl's storylines in The Walking Dead comics. AMC's top brass have already promised that someone else will carry on Carl's comic legacy, but Kirkman himself has a different option: What if he doesn't die at all?

Related: Everyone Who Died (So Far) in The Walking Dead Season 8

Appearing at the Walker Stalker Cruise Q&A panel (via Comic Book), Kirkman toyed with the notion that Carl's bite might not be as life-threatening as it looks:

"He's not dead yet. He might not die. You never know. But I think if, were that to happen, I think that it would have some interesting ramifications on Rick, that I think would energize and really kind of set things in motion in a really interesting way leading to the resolution of All Out War in a way that will make for a very exciting back half to season 8, so I think it's going to be really cool."

With the show currently on hiatus, fans are eagerly waiting for the return of the midseason premiere and to see Carl possibly shuffle off to an early grave in "The Last Stand." And Chandler Riggs' swansong is sure to induce lots of emotions. After all, Walking Dead's midseason premiere made its own director cry. But no matter what Kirkman is teasing, audiences will eventually need to cope with the fact that, no, Carl is not going to survive.

It simply wouldn't make sense to retcon Carl's impending death. Plus, Kirkman himself defended the decision to kill off Carl. That being said, Carl's infection is possibly the most divisive choice the series has ever made. From Riggs' father to hordes of angry fans, many have been outraged at showrunner Scott Gimple's choice to ax the popular character. Some have even called for him to be fired (Gimple is being replaced for TWD season 9 anyway), but viewers would feel a little cheated if Carl lived to fight another day.

There were promises that Walking Dead's season 8 would thin the herd, but the shock departure of Rick's only son was a major twist. Theorists had pitched Baby Judith as the one to say her goodbyes in the midseason finale, but it was all the more poignant that it was actually Carl. For years, people have been guessing that Riggs would carry on the show after the eventual time that Andrew Lincoln departs as Rick Grimes, but we'll have to pin our hopes on someone new. While many would love to see Carl carry on wearing his signature sheriff's hat and fight the good fight against the Saviors, we're just going to have to get used to the fact that he may have only one episode left.

More: The Walking Dead: How THAT Death Compares To The Comics

The Walking Dead returns on Sunday, February 25, at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

Source: Robert Kirkman (via Comic Book)

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Governor vs Negan Who Walking Deads Most Powerful Villain Is

Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and the Governor (David Morrissey) are Walking Dead's two most memorable villains, but which one was the most powerful?

Being The Walking Dead’s two most memorable villains, there’s some debate over which one is more powerful or superior to the other: the Governor (David Morrissey) or Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Both were characters who kept Rick’s group busy for more than a single season.

The Governor antagonized Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and his people throughout season 3 and through part of season 4. After being pushed over the edge by an incident with Michonne (Danai Gurira) and his zombified daughter, a bitter conflict erupted between Woodbury and those at the prison. Even after Woodbury fell, the Governor remained a threat until his death in season 4. Rick’s people didn’t meet a character who could even compare to him until they crossed paths with Negan in the season 6 finale, who callously murdered both Glenn (Steven Yuen) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz). After spending the bulk of the following season in servitude to Negan, a war broke out and raged across season 8 until Negan was ultimately defeated and incarcerated.

Both villains created long, violent arcs that brought numerous challenges to the main characters. The Governor, for instance, brought their way of life to an end when he unleashed a tank and brought down the prison walls. The prison, which seemed like the perfect shelter in a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies, couldn’t keep Rick and the others safe from the Governor. It was because of him that they were forced to leave. But despite all the destruction and chaos the Governor caused, Negan was arguably the most dangerous and most powerful of the two.

The Governor showed that he’s cold-blooded enough to gun down dozens of people at once, but then, there’s no reason to think that Negan wouldn’t do the same. He may not have been willing to slaughter his own people as thoughtlessly as the Governor did, but he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate an enemy. Negan was confident, brutal, calculating, and notably less reckless than the Governor. But the most important element of his character that puts him above the Governor is of course his numbers and resources.

To properly compare the two, it's important to take into consideration what would have happened if Rick’s group had encountered Negan and the Saviors in the place of Woodbury in season 3. Rick’s small group would have been wiped out with relative ease. The Governor was the leader of a community populated by ordinary people who had survived the apocalypse, whereas Negan was in charge of several outposts occupied by ruthless killers, thieves, and scavengers. Negan held a tremendous amount of power, and it was so much more than what the Governor had. After all, he was able to simultaneously go to war with Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom. That’s why it seems fitting in the chronology of events for the Governor to be The Walking Dead's first big villain, and for Negan to come in years later. Rick’s group had to evolve and grow in numbers before they could have had the strength to match up with the Saviors.

Why Anna Left The Walking Dead In Season 8 (& How She Died)

Alexandria Safe-Zone resident Anna was only in a few episodes of The Walking Dead before she was killed off. Here’s why she left and how she died.

Alexandria Safe-Zone resident Anna was a minor character in the sixth and seventh seasons of The Walking Dead and lasted until her presumed death in season 8 – here’s why the character left the show. The term “redshirt” may have been coined for Star Trek to describe disposable background characters who are swiftly killed off, but it’s certainly applicable to many characters on The Walking Dead, especially those that make up the Alexandria Safe-Zone community. Of course, some Alexandrians on The Walking Dead have lasted longer and played a bigger part in the plot than a typical redshirt – like Aaron, for example, or Enid and Olivia before their demises.

But for every more prominent member of the Alexandria community, there’s been at least a handful of characters who are introduced only to hover largely in the background before they meet a sticky end. People like Carter (Ethan Embry), who would’ve launched a coup against Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) had he not got chomped on by a zombie shortly after his introduction. There was also Shelly Neudermeyer (Susie Spear Purcell) whose only wish was to acquire a pasta maker before she was killed by the Wolves in The Walking Dead season 6.

Case in point: Anna, who was on The Walking Dead for just four episodes before her season 8 death. Played by Vanessa Cloke, Anna’s first appearance was in the season 6 episode “Now” which took place in the aftermath of the Wolves' attack on Alexandria as a horde of zombies were about to breach the community’s walls. In “No Way Out”, Anna was one of several residents who took shelter in the church with Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) as the horde invaded Alexandria and was later seen in “Not Tomorrow Yet” at a meeting Rick called to coordinate the community’s attack on the Saviors.

Anna’s last Walking Dead appearance was in the season 7 episode “Service” which saw Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and a group of Saviors pillage Alexandria of most of its resources. Anna hasn’t been seen on The Walking Dead since then and it’s presumed she was one of several Alexandrians who died when the Saviors launched a grenade attack on the community in the season 8 episode “How It’s Gotta Be”.

According to The Walking Dead Fandom wiki, the reason why Anna left and became another Alexandria redshirt is that actress Vanessa Cloke relocated and was no longer readily available to shoot in Georgia where the series is filmed. Cloke was apparently supposed to appear in The Walking Dead season 8 episodes “Mercy” and “How It’s Gotta Be” (her presumed death episode), but unfortunately her scenes ended up cut.

Marvel Just Turned a Major Crossover Into Earth X’s The Walking Dead

Marvel's Earth X prequel kicks off by making what happened in a forgotten crossover the most important event in the history of the Marvel Universe.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Marvels X #1, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, Well-Bee and VC’s Cory Petit, on sale now.

The ever-growing Marvel Multiverse contains well over 2,300 iterations of the Marvel Universe, but few of them are as wild as the world of Earth X. In that dark alternate timeline, everyone in the world developed superpowers, and Marvel’s remaining heroes evolved into bizarre reflections of their former selves as they faced the threats of a strange new world.

Originally, this dystopian parallel reality was envisioned by Alex Ross in a series of sketches meant to serve as Marvel’s answer to DC’s Kingdom Come. In 1999, Marvel explored this world further through Jim Krueger and John Paul Leon’s Earth X miniseries, which spawned two more cosmic, psychedelic sequels, Universe X and Paradise X.

While those stories saw Green Goblin become President of the United States, Thanos obliterate the concept of death and J. Jonah Jameson transform into a donkey, it was never totally clear how a relatively normal Marvel Universe descended into such chaos.

Now, Marvels X is starting to fill in some of the gaps in Earth X history. This prequel series kicks off by following the young David as he watches his familiar world crumble into a grim anarchy reminiscent of The Walking Dead.

When Marvels X #1 begins, David is playing with cardboard cutouts of the Avengers as his family watches news reports about a viral outbreak that traps people in cocoons and gives them superpowers. Although mutants are initially blamed for the outbreak, those symptoms are the unmistakable hallmarks of Terrigenesis, the process that turns humans into frequently freakish Inhumans.

As the original Earth X established, Black Bolt, the Inhumans’ king, released the Terrigen Mists around the world to help the Inhumans better blend in with a superpowered society. Like several aspects of Earth X, that idea became unintentionally predictive in the following years.

In the 2013 crossover Infinity, Thanos launched a massive attack on Earth while most of the Avengers and Earth’s other heroes were in deep space. At the end of the crossover, Black Bolt activated a Terrigen Bomb that spread the Terrigen Mists around the world.

In the subsequent storyline Inhumanity, the Terrigen Cloud activated the latent powers of Inhumans all over the world. While this Terrigen Cloud ushered in a new generation of heroes like Ms. Marvel, and proved to be lethal to Marvel’s mutants, life largely continued on as normal for most of the Marvel Universe. As the Inhumans receded into the background in the wake of Inhumans vs. X-Men, the importance of Inhumanity faded into memory as subsequent crises consumed the Marvel Universe.

However, Marvels X essentially reimagines Inhumanity as the most important event in the Marvel Universe.

As this issue reveals, society largely collapses shortly after Terrigenesis starts turning people into Inhuman “mutants.” While most of Marvel’s classic heroes are around in at least some capacity, they weren’t able to stop humanity from turning on itself as it evolved into something that no one completely understood.

While the fates of David’s parents are never revealed, the transformation process is seemingly at least partially responsible for the death of David’s grandmother and drives his sister away to parts unknown.

Much like the survivors of The Walking Dead, David is forced to scavenge for basic supplies and relies on the kindness of strangers for food and transportation. Despite the Green Goblin mask he wears to disguise himself, the still-human David must evade a roving band of marauders who want to eat him. While the last-minute intervention of a friendly truck driver saves him, David sets his sights on New York, where he’s placed all of his remaining hope in finding a hero who can set things right.

Given the desperation and the near-total societal collapse that Marvels X depicts, it’s not hard to imagine how fringe groups and unlikely leaders could come to power by offering any semblance of order.

When it debuted, the world of Earth X initially seemed impossibly removed from the traditional Marvel Universe. But by showing how quickly the world can descend into chaos, Marvels X has already done a lot to prove that Marvel’s strangest future is a lot closer than it seems.

Fear the Walking Dead Parodies Captain Marvel Poster

Fear the Walking Dead parodies Captain Marvel's poster in a new piece of promotional material for the show.

If recent promotional material for Fear the Walking Dead looks familiar, that's because it's spoofing the newly released Captain Marvel poster.

The image tweeted out on the show's official Twitter features Season 4 villain Martha (AKA Filthy Woman), played by Tonya Pinkins, between two barn doors holding a staff. The caption above her reads "FILTHIER... FARTHER!!! (with "FURTHER" crossed out)... MEANER." The words "FILTHY WOMAN" are written beneath her in the red font of the Captain Marvel logo.

RELATED: The Walking Dead Teases Tense New Beginnings in Season 9 Promo

She's going FARTHER than any villain has on #FearTWD... pic.twitter.com/zwJv6DKyNe

By contrast, on the Captain Marvel poster, star Brie Larson stands between airplane hangar doors in costume and the caption above her reads, "HIGHER... FURTHER... FASTER." There's also a cat in the lower-left corner of that poster.

Martha's real name wasn't revealed until Sunday's episode, which went into her backstory. Embittered no one helped her injured husband, she now uses Walkers to murder survivors, whom she grew to despise.

Fear the Walking Dead airs Sunday nights at 9pm on AMC. The show's fourth season will wrap up on Sunday, Sept. 30 on AMC. Fear The Walking Dead was recently renewed for a fifth season.

KEEP READING: The Walking Dead Season 9 Key Art Has Rick Seeing Red

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Darabont Blasts AMC Execs in Walking Dead Testimony Network Responds

Strongly worded testimony from the former "Walking Dead" showrunner has been released, conducted as part of his ongoing litigation against AMC.

Frank Darabont didn't mince words in a deposition conducted as part of his ongoing litigation against AMC. The former showrunner of the network's massively popular comic book adaptation "The Walking Dead" said he had a "tremendous lack of respect" for AMC executives, in testimony reported by THR.

"When they did rarely show up on the [Georgia-based set of 'The Walking Dead]', [they] would ... drive in from the airport in their air conditioned car, race into the air conditioned tent we had there so the actors could have a break and not pass out from the heat, poke their heads out on occasion, and half an hour later jump back in their car and fly back to their air conditioned office in New York," Darabont said. "I had a tremendous lack of respect for them."

Darabont also stated that, in a key allegation in his case against the network, budget issues lingered despite the show's major success in its first season, with the former showrunner relaying that he was told by AMC president Joel Stillerman "the success of the show has no bearing" on a disputed budget issue.

The Hollywood Reporter reached AMC for a response to Darabont's comments, with the network stating: "Frank Darabont has made it clear that he has strong opinions about AMC and the events that led to his departure from 'The Walking Dead.' The reality is that he has been paid millions of dollars under the terms of his contract, which we honored, and we will continue to vigorously defend against this lawsuit."

Glen Mazzara, who took over showrunner duties from Darabont and left after the show's third season, said in his testimony that a "personal rift" between Darabont and "Walking Dead" comic book creator Robert Kirkman and Darabont and AMC helped lead to the split.

"When the material for the finale came in and Frank said I need some time to figure out a plan of how to pursue this and what we're going to re-shoot and what it will take to do this, AMC was unwilling to give him that time to solve the issue," Mazzara said in his deposition.

The dispute between Darabont and AMC dates back to December 2013, when Darabont and CAA first filed suit against the network for wrongful termination and alleged profits owed to the writer/director/producer, who was fired from the massively successful show after its first season.

"The Walking Dead," based on the Image Comics series created by Kirkman and illustrated originally by Tony Moore and currently by Charlie Adlard, debuted on Halloween 2010 as an instant ratings hit. Darabont served as showrunner of the first season and developed the comic for television, before being fired in July 2011. The show has steadily grown in popularity, spawning a vast multimedia franchise.

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Albert Ching is Managing Editor of CBR, and has been with the Eisner Award-winning site since 2013. He's written about comic books professionally for more than a decade, and has been a dedicated fan of the medium since learning to read via his older siblings' Archie digests left lying around the house. His bylines have appeared on The Atlantic, OC Weekly, Yahoo! and more, and he's discussed pop culture with The New York Times, The Guardian and NPR. Follow him on Twitter at @albertxii and feel free to reach out for any press inquiries or comments on the site (though polite ones are always preferred), or to simply tell him you agree that Spider-Man 3 was tragically misunderstood.

The Best Way Maggie Can Return To The Walking Dead In Season 10

Season 10 of The Walking Dead could bring back Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and introduce a new community, like the Commonwealth, at the same time.

The potential return of Maggie (Lauren Cohan) in season 10 of The Walking Dead could introduce a new community to the AMC series. Cohan exited the series in the first half of season 9 to star in ABC's Whiskey Cavalier, but the door was left open for her character to return in the future.

In the first five episodes of season 9, Maggie's story revolved around her issues with Rick and his handling of Negan and the Saviors. There were concerns that the conflict between Rick and Maggie would erupt into a civil war. In Maggie's final episode, she went to Alexandra to take revenge on Negan for the murder of Glenn. After seeing that Negan was already a broken man, she determined that killing him was no longer necessary. After the six-year time jump, it was revealed that Maggie and her child left the Hilltop to help build a "new community" with Georgie.

Related: The Walking Dead Wrote Maggie Out So Badly You Didn't Even Notice

Maggie's connection with Georgie could provide the perfect entry point for The Walking Dead's next community. Introduced during season 8, Georgie was a mysterious survivor from an unknown community who made Maggie an offer that was too good to pass up. In exchange for old vinyl records, Georgie gave Maggie books that would them rebuild civilizations. It was Georgie's books that served as the foundation for the developments that were made during the break between seasons 8 and 9.

The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang hopes to be able to continue Maggie's story in season 10, but it will all depend on Cohan's schedule. If Maggie does indeed come back in season 10, the best way for that to occur is to have her act as a bridge between the show's current communities and Georgie's community, who is clearly more advanced than the others. If and when Maggie comes back in season 10, she could introduce the Hilltop, the Kingdom, and Alexandria to Georgie's people, and perhaps explain exactly what she was doing in her long absence.

A popular fan theory is that Georgie represents the Commonwealth, an organization which debuted in a recent story arc of The Walking Dead comic books. The Commonwealth is a large network of communities that consists of 50,000 survivors.

Since the characters currently have their hands full with the Whisperers, it's unlikely that the Commonwealth will appear again anytime soon. However, the Whisperer War could wrap up at some point in season 10, allowing the show to segue into its next major arc, which could be set into motion with Maggie's return.

More: The Walking Dead Needs To Let Go Of Rick Grimes If It's Going To Survive

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Nicholas Raymond is a staff movies & TV features writer for Screen Rant. He has a degree in journalism from the University of Montevallo, and is the author of the psychological thriller and time travel novel, "A Man Against the World." Nicholas' love for telling stories is inspired by his love for film noir, westerns, superhero movies, classic films, and ancient history. His favorite actors are Tyrone Power and Eleanor Parker. He can be reached by email at cnrmail@bellsouth.net and on Twitter at @cnraymond91.

Walking Dead Reveals 7 Details About The Civic Republic & Their Plan

The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2 pulls back the curtain on the Civic Republic with an episode that reveals new details about their plans.

Warning! SPOILERS ahead for The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2 episode 2.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2 pulls back the curtain on the Civic Republic's plans, with an episode revealing new details. The Civic Republic and its military wing, Civic Republic Military (CRM), have been cropping up since The Walking Dead season 8. The CRM also appears in a few episodes of Fear the Walking Dead, but it's not until World Beyond that the mysterious organization becomes a larger focus.

In The Walking Dead: World Beyond, the Civic Republic is mainly viewed as an antagonist through the eyes of Iris and Hope Bennett, two teens who believe their father, Dr. Leo Bennett, is a captive of the CRM and leave their community to go in search of him. Though they're wrong about their father, they aren't necessarily wrong about the CRM as it's revealed in World Beyond season 2 that they are responsible for the massacres at Omaha, Campus Colony, and possibly other communities like Portland.

While the actions of the CRM at Campus Colony and elsewhere are reprehensible, the ultimate goal of the Civic Republic is a good one - rebuilding civilization. The surest way of achieving this is to develop a cure and rid the world of the zombies who already exist. Now, in The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2, episode 2 "Foothold," Hope is learning first hand while at the Civic Republic's research center how they're trying to achieve their goal. Meanwhile, Silas is also learning how the CRM plans to eradicate the walkers currently roaming across the country.

The CRM Has Decontamination Centers

Having surrendered to the CRM in World Beyond's season 1 finale, Silas finds himself taken to a CRM facility where walkers are collected and destroyed. These facilities are referred to as decontamination centers. Their purpose is to lure walkers in with noise and lights, then dispose of them in a mass culling. They'll initially use explosive devices to destroy the majority of the walkers, but afterwards a team of workers will work through the piles of bodies and put down any that are still moving. The destroyed dead are then loaded up on trucks a shipped somewhere offsite to be disposed of.

The CRM runs six additional decontamination centers across the state of New York, primarily using stadiums and arenas since they're larger in size than the facility Silas has been stationed at. The purpose of these centers is to kill all the zombies in New York, and once they've been eradicated, the CRM can secure the state. This would allow the Civic Republic to begin developing energy, agriculture, and commerce on a much larger scale. In effect, a whole state clear of walkers would be a foothold for civilization and a chance to start over.

The Civic Republic Is Researching Why People Become Walkers

World Beyond season 2, episode 2 "Foothold" also sees Hope given a tour of the Civic Republic's research facility by Dr. Lyla Belshaw. On her tour she learns a great deal about their research and it opens Hope's eyes to what the Civic Republic is actually trying to achieve: a cure. In order to develop a cure, however, they first need to learn what causes the change to zombies in the first place. The Walking Dead has already established that anyone who dies, be it by a walker bite or not, will turn into a zombie soon after death, but exactly why that is remains unknown. It's clearly a pathogen of some kind and one that has infected all human beings, but the Civic Republic is trying to discover whether it's fungal, bacterial, viral, or something else entirely. After all, pinpointing why people turn is key to preventing them from turning in the first place.

How Walkers In TWD Can Survive For So Long

But that's not all the Civic Republic scientists are studying. They're also looking into what is keeping the dead animated, what slows down their decay, and what is feeding their appetite. For all intents and purposes, walkers are dead bodies, but something about them has changed because of this unknown zombie pathogen. If the Civic Republic's scientists can learn what is enabling these functions to continue after death, they could potentially turn off those triggers and eliminate the dead from being a threat at all.

Monitoring Walker Reactions By Using A Biorecorder

One way they're studying walkers is by affixing them with a biorecorder. These devices are fused to a walker's brain stem and it allows the Civic Republic's scientists to record the biological responses walkers have to different environmental stimuli. It also allows the walkers to be tracked, similar to the tagging of wild animals. As Leo explains in the video presentation, these biorecorders are allowing them to study a walker's brain chemistry, their speed and pursuit behavior, as well as the effects different weather has on them.

It's unclear how many of these tagged walkers the Civic Republic currently has, but one can be seen at the decontamination facility. This walker is referred to by a code name, B-04, and its biorecorder has a dead battery. It was collected during their most recent culling, and it's soon loaded up and taken back to the research facility. Whether the "B" designation is at all related to the CRM's "A" and "B" labeling is unclear, but as other test subjects are labeled "A," it isn't impossible that becoming these biorecorder walkers is what happens to those labeled "B."

TWD's Potential Zombie Eradication (& Cure?)

Along with the biorecorder, Leo also reveals he's been studying the effect fungi that grows on necrotic flesh can have on walkers. The thinking here is that with the right modifications, the dead could be infected with a fungus that will speed up the rate of decay. If this were to happen, then the zombies would be a less dangerous problem, essentially neutralized as a mobile threat. Were this to happen, those that exist already could be quickly eradicated, while the newly dead wouldn't even have a chance to become walkers in the first place. It's also mentioned earlier on by Lyla that the very pathogen which is turning deceased humans into zombies could be fungal in origin, so the very cure itself could also be found in Leo's research.

TWD's Civic Republic Is Studying Humans Turning Into Zombies

While Leo is working with fungi, Lyla has a pet project of her own: studying humans as they turn into zombies. It was revealed in World Beyond season 1 that Lyla's research involves the recently turned when she's seen studying her former colleague, Dr. Samuel Abbot of Portland. It isn't said how he died, but since Leo is still concerned over his disappearance, his death is at the very least suspicious. Now, however, there's more evidence his death was deliberate for the sake of Lyla's study.

In a discussion with Kublek that is very much for their ears only, Lyla asks when she will receive her next "premortem." This terminology, "premortem," refers to someone who is not yet deceased but is likely near death. That implies Lyla's research isn't just about studying zombies, but studying people as they turn into zombies. It's again not clear what is the eventual cause of death for her test subjects, but given the secrecy over Dr. Abbot's death and the fact Lyla is receiving living test subjects, it isn't out of the question to think part of her research also involves a person being bitten. After all, this would allow her to study the effects of the infection as it sets in as well as the changes a human body goes through as it dies and becomes reanimated.

The CRM is Recruiting the Smartest Survivors

Given all the research currently taking place at the Civic Republic's facility, it's pretty obvious that one of the CRM's goals is to recruit the smartest survivors they encounter to come and work there. That's why Leo is there and it's why they went to great lengths to bring Hope there. What's unclear is if the CRM used the same level of manipulation to bring in anyone else, or if the Bennett family is a special case. Leo, for instance, did crack the biorecorder in just two months when the other scientists had been working at it for years, and they believe Hope is a prodigy-level genius.

Regardless, the Civic Republic research facility is host to many bright people, like the young man on his way to study group who Hope meets while she's attempting to sneak around. Lyla mentions to Hope that, in addition to conducting her own research, she will teach others what she's learned, passing on her knowledge. In this way, the Civi Republic research facility in The Walking Dead: World Beyond is kind of like a school where everyone is either teaching or studying what they think might lead to a cure.

EXCLUSIVE Fear the Walking Dead Clip Sets Up a New Quest for Vengeance

An exclusive clip from Fear the Walking Dead's upcoming episode, "Breath with Me," rehashes an old storyline and puts Morgan in danger.

Fear the Walking Dead's seventh season has seen the protagonists navigating the fallout from Teddy's nuclear launch, and Season 7's fourth episode is no exception.

In a CBR-exclusive clip from "Breath with Me," Sarah unexpectedly finds Rufus the dog held up in a parked car. However, what's more surprising is a box emanating walker snarls and labeled "Morgan Jones." Upon opening it, she discovers the zombified head of Emile LaRoux, Season 6's bounty hunter.

Before Sarah can do anything about the discovery, a voice from behind her commands that she step away from his brother. Sarah turns to discover Josiah LaRoux -- Emile's twin brother -- aiming a gun at her and asks, "What's your brother's head doing in a box with my friend's name on it?" Unphased by her question, Josiah replies, "Your friend's head was supposed to be in that box, not my brother's."

Josiah also explains that Sarah is his key to tracking down Morgan. Despite Sarah claiming she doesn't know where Morgan is, Josiah confirms he heard Morgan's voice over the radio. However, Josiah's demands are cut short by an approaching walker, which forces him to turn his back on Sarah to deal with it. Sarah seizes the opportunity to grab Josiah's gun, but he pushes her down. She goes for it once more but fails again, and the clip ends with Josiah training the gun back on a fearful Sarah.

While Josiah never directly states his intentions with Morgan, Fear the Walking Dead fans know it most likely involves revenge. Virginia hired Emile LaRoux in Season 6 to kill Morgan and stick his zombified head in a box. Ironically, it was Morgan who killed Emile out of self-defense and put his head inside the very box intended for him. However, nothing more really came from the incident until Season 7's "Six Hours," which saw Josiah discover his twin brother's head. As such, Josiah's reappearance in "Breath with Me" shows that his quest for vengeance is only just beginning.

The official synopsis for Fear the Walking Dead's "Breath with Me" reads as follows:

Against the advice of the group, Sarah searches for Wendell, and in the process encounters a dangerous survivor who forces her to take part in a search of his own.

Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on AMC. All episodes will be available one week early on AMC+.

Walking Dead Reveals A Surprising New Way To Stop Zombie Bites

In Fear the Walking Dead season 7, episode 5, the characters found an effective new way to protect against zombie bites in the Walking Dead universe.

In Fear the Walking Dead, a new and effective way to protect against zombie bites was discovered in The Walking Dead universe. In fact, this secret technique developed by the newest addition to the cast appears to be an invaluable one. Strand’s efforts to learn it (and keep others from finding out about it) is what set in motion the story for Fear the Walking Dead season 7, episode 5, titled “Till Death”.

The episode saw Dwight (Austin Amelio) and Sherry (Christina Evangelista) cross paths with a new FTWD character: Mickey. Played by Aisha Tyler, an actress who already had a role in The Walking Dead universe as a director, Mickey was introduced as a member of a wrestling tag team and a highly sought-after target of Victor Strand (Colman Domingo). According to her, what makes her so important to Strand is the fact that she actually managed to escape from his tower, despite it being covered up by zombies. As pointed out by the characters, Mickey pulling this off felt next to impossible, which was essentially the point of having a massive zombie horde outside his base. Strand is concerned about the possibility of a person having the ability to pass through his defenses.

In a conversation with Dwight and Sherry, Mickey revealed the secret of her escape from Strand’s tower. Apparently, she achieved this feat with phone books. By strapping several of them to her body with duct tape, the zombies’ teeth couldn’t penetrate her skin. While it was certainly a gutsy move, it proved to be an efficient method of avoiding zombies. After all, she survived what was said to be thousands of zombies lurking outside Strand’s tower. Mickey making it through without sustaining a single zombie bite speaks volumes about its effectiveness.

Getting through all that in one piece is impressive enough on its own, but is made even more surprising by the notion that Mickey did it with such a simple, household item. Phone books being the Walking Dead universe’s secret trick to surviving zombie hordes is certainly an unexpected development, but it does make some degree of sense when taking into consideration the thickness of phone books. Of course, the technique isn’t foolproof, as evidenced by all the torn and chewed-up books seen on the bar in the place where Dwight and Sherry found Mickey. They can only hold up for so long.

Sherry and Mickey used similar ideas to help Mickey get into the gym to find her husband, and it nearly paid off. Using makeshift armor may not always save a character from infection, but FTWD season 7 has provided more reasons for characters to rely on this tactic more often in the future, as it definitely boosts their chances of not getting bitten. It’s possible that Morgan’s group will learn a thing or two from Mickey if she sticks around in Fear the Walking Dead season 7.