The Walking Dead Why Sasha Was Killed Off In Season 7

Sasha Williams was killed off in The Walking Dead season 7 finale, but the decision didn't stem from Sonequa Martin-Green's growing career.

Sasha Williams was killed off in The Walking Dead season 7 finale, but the decision didn't stem from Sonequa Martin-Green's growing career. Martin-Green portrayed the female figure for five seasons of the AMC apocalyptic drama after joining the series in its third installment. While Sasha was introduced alongside a few other characters in season 3, Martin-Green received the most prominent character arc. Unlike the majority of characters featured in the show, Sasha wasn't inspired by a figure featured in Robert Kirkman's comic book series in which serves as the basis of the TV program.

Sasha officially made her Walking Dead debut in the season 3 episode titled "Made to Suffer." Along with her brother Tyreese, and a few members of their original group, Sasha snuck into the prison which housed Rick's group. Carl found the newcomers, forcing them to remain locked up in the common area before deciding if they will be allowed to stay. Sasha and her group were later accepted by Woodbury, but after the Governor revealed his sadistic tendencies, they returned to the prison to join Rick. In time, Sasha and Tyreese emerged as key figures among the survivors. After Tyreese perished, Sasha remained as a strong leader within the group, turning to figures like Bob and Abraham for support that eventually turned romantic.

When Abraham fell victim to Negan at the start of The Walking Dead season 7, Sasha spiraled a bit. Despite spending some time at Hilltop, Sasha eventually teamed up with Rosita to kill Negan once and for all. When their original plan failed, Sasha took matters into her own hands by infiltrating the Saviors' compound alone. She was captured and held hostage at the Sanctuary, where Negan offered her a deal to join his side. With the help of Eugene, Sasha acquired a poison capsule pill that she used to kill herself. Since she was being used as a bargaining chip, Sasha hoped that she would transform into a walker to kill Negan before he could hurt any more of her friends. While Sasha's plan didn't fully work in the season 7 finale, her death provided a distraction that allowed Rick's group to fight back against the Saviors. At the time, viewers believed Sasha's demise was due to Martin-Green's casting on Star Trek: Discovery, but that was never the case.

There Was Always A Plan To Kill Of Sasha In The Walking Dead

While it was true that Martin-Green was cast as Michael Burnham Jr. in Star Trek: Discovery, the gig came about well after The Walking Dead planned to kill off Sasha. Based on the timing of the events, some avid fans figured Martin-Green requested to exit from the AMC series for a role on the forthcoming Star Trek series. Martin-Green, however, was well aware of Sasha's fate throughout the production of season 7. The decision to have Sasha die was purely based on the character's arc. While the writers didn't want to say goodbye to Sasha, they needed to make the tough creative decision to kill her off as a way to honor a significant message.

Before Abraham was killed by Negan, he reiterated to Sasha how important it was to fight for the future. Following his death, Sasha lost sight of that notion for a time. When the opportunity arose to kill Negan, Sasha decided to make the ultimate sacrifice, transforming herself into a weapon to take out the figure threatening fellow survivors. Even though she died in the process, Sasha wasn't presented as a victim when her journey on The Walking Dead came to an end. By killing her off, it not only gave Martin-Green a heroic sendoff, but it also connected the motivations behind her character's actions to Abraham's legacy.