15 times The Walking Dead proved humans are more dangerous than zombies
6. When Nicholas shoots himself on the dumpster - and nearly kills Glenn
Volunteering to go out on a mission with Nicholas is basically the same as signing your own death warrant. This guy's the most selfish character on the show. So you've got to feel for Glenn when he winds up down a zombie-infested alley with this big girl's blouse as his companion, blubbering all over the shop and spoiling their chances of survival. They finally arrive on top of that now-iconic dumpster, only for Nicholas to decide he's spent. He can't make the jump onto a very nearby building, shooting himself in the head - and taking Glenn down with him. After much trolling, we now know he wasn't killed, but it wasn't as if he had easy escape from that alley. Nicholas' cowardice gave Glenn yet another brush with death.
5. Carl dicks around with a zombie, refuses to kill it... then it kills Dale
Oh Carl. This kid never learns does he? Over the course of six seasons he's got up to some seriously questionable stuff, yet this encounter he has with a walker in season 2 is one of the worst instances. He discovers one of the undead stuck in the mud. Instead of taking the high road and offing it, he chooses to taunt and goad the zombie. Rocks get thrown - just to really fire it up - and he gets really, really close to it just for fun. Why? Who the hell knows! At this point he's witnessed enough death within the group to know how easy it is to get blindsided by walkers, yet he's happy to toy with one. It eventually breaks free, follows his scent and arrives at the farm where it promptly locates a snack in the form of Dale. Nice one Carl.
4. Noah dies in a very, very gruesome way cause of the spineless one (aka Nicholas)
Nicholas' spinelessness really comes to the forefront during this mission. It was a simple enough raid. Glenn, Noah, Aiden, Tara, Eugene and Nicholas hike out to secure some parts needed to repair the solar power system at Alexandria, and are overrun by zombies. This is what happens on these outings, and whoever participates really needs to step up to the plate. But Nicholas refuses to take Glenn's advice when he and Noah get wedged in a revolving door. If Nicholas moves an inch, the walkers will get Noah, so he has to remain still while Glenn jimmies it from outside. Does he listen? Does he heck. This has to be one of the saddest, grimmest deaths on the show. As we watch Noah get torn apart, his screams are only matched by the look of horror and grief on Glenn's face. Seriously, Nicholas is just the worst.
3. The Governor storms the prison, loads of people perish
Prime real estate in The Walking Dead doesn't typically refer to a swanky house - it's the most secure piece of property. For that reason alone Rick's gang only had a temporary hold on the prison, it was too juicy a location for others to not try and steal. The Governor, being the reasonable and mature adult that he is, decides to negotiate with Rick by steam-rolling down the fences and barging his way in. Collateral damage is just something that happens to him. He kills as many people as he can - a lot were his former followers from Woodbury - including Hershel. He hacks at the old geezer's neck 'til his head comes clean off. So, just another day at the office for the Governor, eh?
2. The gang arrives at Terminus to discover it's an all-you-can-eat buffet - and they're on the menu
Everyone scatters after the Governor's attack on the prison. Luckily, the little clumps of survivors discover an old railtrack that's dotted along the way with signs for an apocalyptic mecca called Terminus. Promises of community, food, and sanctuary are a surefire way to ensure any stragglers will make their way there which they do in droves. The thing is, Terminus is none of those things. The maniacs in charge lure people to this supposedly safe place, which turns out to be really a massive slaughterhouse... with human flesh on the menu. They're cannibals. Great.
1. Rick and the gang murder TONS of Saviors in their sleep!
Maggie's season 6 supplies deal with Hilltop leader Gregory is only good if the gang kill Negan and the Saviors. Instead of politely declining this offer, gassing up the RV and getting the hell outta dodge, Rick's all 'Mmmmm, okay then, let's kill a load of strangers.' It's sort of understandable, because the Saviors aren't just misunderstood rogues, they're vicious killers who extort the good will of communities like Alexandria. They need to be taught a lesson! Under cover of darkness, Rick and co. bust into the Saviors' compound and systematically slay all of 'em. Most of them didn't even have time to wake up. It goes to show how far Rick's band of survivors have come: they murder people they've never met to secure regular food deliveries. Hey, Rick needs his cage-free eggs laid fresh every day.
Sign up to the SFX Newsletter
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Gem Seddon is GamesRadar+'s west coast Entertainment News Reporter, working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.