In The Walking Dead universe, there are several characters who could be considered badasses. When a big conflict with other humans happens, they’re there. Some of the group are trapped and death certain? Here they come. There’s some dirty work that others don’t want to do? This badass will do it standing on one leg. Here is my list of the five baddest characters in The Walking Dead franchise.
Carol (The Walking Dead Season 1-present)
This is one of the characters who had the best development. In the show since the first season, Carol went from a meek, battered wife to probably the coldest person in the show. Actually, yeah, she holds two honors: cold as hell and a true badass.
There were moments when I was like “Ehh, I don’t know about this Carol…” but she has always come through when Rick’s crew needed her. Karen’s finest moment was saving the crew at Terminus in season five. Also when she put this nosy kid in his place.
Daryl (TWD Season 1-present)
An obvious pick, Daryl is your go-to for roughly anything. Dude can fight, track, lead if needed, scout. Daryl is tough as nails. If the team was simply Carol and Daryl or any combination of those on this list, they would survive easily. My favorite Daryl moment is when he and Beth are trying to survive away from the group. He’s another character who had incredible growth over the series.
Michonne (TWD Season 2-Season 10)
Having been familiar with Michonne from the Walking Dead comic, I was anticipating her debut in the series. I knew it would be somewhat different but how could they mess this up? Sure enough, I wasn’t disappointed.
Michonne came into The Walking Dead as this effective fighter with a katana and who knew how to get through hordes. She did open up more as the series went on. Her finest parts in the show were the whole thing Woodbury and the Governor as well as her bonding with Carl. Michonne made Carl likable.
Morgan (TWD Season 1, Season 3, Season 5-8; Fear the Walking Dead Season 4-present)
Morgan went through some stages after the walkers arrived. He was cautious but helpful to Rick, paranoid after he lost his wife and child, and found inner peace through martial arts. Like who has time for martial arts in the apocalypse? Morgan Jones did.
There are gaps in his history and some of that was filled in but Morgan is a guy who can survive on his own. Group dynamics, conflicts—all of that seems to potentially shorted old Morgan’s lifespan.
Rick (TWD Season 1-9)
The main reason that Rick is at the bottom of the list is that he’s had moments when the group really needed him but he just couldn’t get himself together. It happens but that whole thing with Lori dying really messed him that one season. While he quickly developed into a strong leader and eventually became somewhat hardened towards their situation, he would often let his guard down.
Rick is someone who feels and he gets hit in the heart hard. Since you grew with the series and the character, Rick is someone you could end up feeling bad for easily. That said, when he gets angry or it’s straight-up survival mode, he comes through.