‘The Walking Dead’ Character Catch-Up Ahead of Season 8

Kim Taylor-Foster
TV The Walking Dead
TV The Walking Dead

We’ve already looked at where Season 7 of The Walking Dead left off here, focusing on both the key and most discussed characters from last season, and how they played into the season’s narrative. But what of the rest? Here’s our character catch-up to remind you where the other major players are and what we last saw them doing before Season 8 kicks off.

Michonne

Michonne saw out the season in a bad state in the infirmary at Alexandria. Thankfully, though, everybody’s favourite katana-wielding badass is alive to fight another day.

How’d she get in this predicament though? If you remember, she was involved in a fight with a turncoat Scavenger on her balcony post as Rick’s carefully laid plan went awry. As Michonne handed Farron a rifle after briefing her, the Scavenger turned the gun on Michonne, telling her: “We win.”

They fought, with Michonne seeming to come off worse, brutally beaten by her opponent. Farron pushed her towards the edge of the balcony.

Rick and Carl, seeing a body plummet, thought the worst — but on investigating they discovered Farron’s body, not Michonne. Finding a battered Michonne inside, they transferred her to the infirmary. Rick was seen holding her hand.

Carol

The Walking Dead-Carol-Morgan
Carol and Morgan have a deep understanding.

Carol spent much of the season in self-imposed exile from the group, holing up on the outskirts of Ezekiel’s camp. But in a tearful reunion with Daryl, she came to realise she needs them as much as they need her.

Carol’s season ended in the final episode when she joined Morgan and the Kingdom to fight the Saviors alongside Rick and co. And she arrived in timely fashion, pitching up just as it appeared that Negan had the upper hand. About to kill Carl, in jumped Shiva the tiger to maul one of Negan’s men, in turn frightening the bejeesus out of the barbed baseball-bat swinging bad guy.

Following the battle, Carol was seen at Sasha’s funeral, then sitting next to Morgan on the steps of a house. The pair looked at one another, seemingly putting any previous differences behind them.

Finally, she was present as Maggie, Rick and Ezekiel addressed the united communities.

Tara

The Walking Dead Tara
Natania holds a gun to Tara's head, while Cyndie looks on.

Tara signed off from Season 7 after having discovered a new community – the Oceansiders – that proved crucial to Rick’s plans to attack the Saviors. Though leader Natania refused to allow her people to join the fight, she did give up their weapons so that Rick and his allies were fully tooled up. During the season, Tara also forged a relationship with Cyndie from the Oceanside community. It’s a friendship that may yet give more next season.

Tara was last seen in the season finale. We first saw her confronting Dwight, who had been locked in a cell in Alexandria. Dwight, of course, killed Tara’s girlfriend Denise. She urged Daryl to kill him, but he refrained because of Dwight’s protests that Denise wasn’t the intended target, and because he seemed ready to double-cross Negan.

The climactic shootout with the Saviors saw Rosita getting shot. Tara took on the responsibility of transferring her to the infirmary, where she was later seen sitting by her bedside. She was present at Sasha’s funeral and was last seen at the address to the communities by Rick, Ezekiel and Maggie.

Carl

Carl was targeted once again by Negan in the season finale. The charming brute threatened to kill him, and then Shiva showed up and threw a spanner in the works. This followed the savage season opener, in which Negan tried to make Rick chop his own son’s arm off. Carl must be getting pretty peeved by now.

Season 7 has in part been about developing Carl’s character, and in the final episode, he showed his mettle. He took the initiative and led the attack against the Saviors and Scavengers during the affray when zombie Sasha emerged from the coffin.

After seeing a body fall from the balcony at which Michonne was posted, he accompanied Rick, prepared for the worst, only to see the Scavenger’s body on the ground. They found Michonne inside, badly beaten.

Enid

The Walking Dead-Carl-Enid
Young love.

Enid spent much of Season 7 with Maggie at the Hilltop, after a touching journey there with Carl involving the two wearing roller skates. They shared a kiss then Carl took off to hunt down Negan.

She joined the fight at Alexandria against the Saviors and Scavengers as part of the Hilltop faction, and then joined the hunt for zombie Sasha after the fighting had dissipated. She then attended Sasha’s funeral.

Morgan

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Morgan is basically a badass.

Morgan has had an eventful season. In it, he has saved Carol and introduced her to Ezekiel and the Kingdom. Having come to the realisation that sometimes you have to kill, relinquishing his pacifist ideals, he also strangled Richard to death in Season 7.

After initially vowing to go after the Saviors alone, Morgan allowed Ezekiel to convince him to fight together in the season finale. He joined the fight alongside the Kingdom regiment at just the right moment, saving Carl’s life. During the battle, he used both a gun and his sharpened staff.

Before seeing him at the speech uniting the communities that closed the episode, he was seen sitting alone on the steps of a house. Carol joined him – both seemingly now at peace with each other.

Father Gabriel

Gabriel was intrinsic to Season 7, solidifying his relationship with Rick and proving himself a vital member of the group. He’s come a long way from the scaredy-cat priest who betrayed his flock. He’s now fighting with the best of them, and playing Negan to boot, leading their ruthless enemy to believe — quick as a flash — that Maggie is dead early on in the season. He also told Spencer he was a “tremendous s–t”, which was surely one of his finest moments.

After having been captured by the Scavengers, Gabriel was critical to negotiations with Jadis and her group. And after the betrayal, he joined the battle in Alexandria.

We last saw him running Sasha’s funeral service, and then listening to the speech uniting the communities.

Ezekiel

The Walking Dead-Ezekiel
We've learned a lot about Ezekiel, but is there more to come?

We’ve learned a lot about Ezekiel in a short space of time. He’s only been in the show for a season, but already he’s established himself as an important ally to Rick and the gang. He’s forged tight bonds with both Carol and Morgan, and we already know some of his background — he used to be a zookeeper. Hence his friendship with Shiva, a tiger he nursed back to health.

Ezekiel and Shiva were crucial in the fight against the Saviors and Scavengers at Alexandria in the season finale. They arrived, with Carol and Morgan and the rest of the Kingdom people, at just the right moment. As Negan readied himself to execute Carl, Shiva leapt in and took them all by surprise as she began mauling enemies. Ezekiel fought alongside Carol until their foes fled.

Finally, he delivered a speech to the communities united at Alexandria alongside Rick and Maggie.

Jadis

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Jadis betrays Rick's trust in Season 7.

Jadis came into Season 7 of The Walking Dead an unlikeable character; a tough negotiator who threw Rick into a fight arena with a spiked walker. She left the season even more detestable.

Having struck a deal off-camera with Negan and the Saviors, the leader of the Scavengers earned Rick’s trust only to betray him.

She also revealed she has her sights set on Rick romantically – something that made Michonne bristle.

After turning her gun on Rick and shooting him in the season finale, she pushed Rick off the platform they were both standing on. She coldly delivered Rick to Negan, making him kneel down beside Carl who Negan was gearing up to kill. Negan reneged on his deal with Jadis here – offering her ten of his men instead of their agreed twelve. Could this be the first sign that Jadis might switch allegiance next season?

Last seen escaping amid the haze from the smoke bombs she and her people set off.

Sherry

Dwight’s wife Sherry made an intriguing departure mid-way through Season 7. After freeing Daryl from the Sanctuary, she too fled.

Negan ordered Dwight to go and find her but instead, he found a note from her containing her confession to setting Daryl free, an apology and their wedding rings.

The incident led to Dwight approaching Rick’s contingent, telling them he was sorry for everything. Now that Sherry is no longer in Negan’s clutches, Dwight has nothing keeping him tied to his side.

Sherry hasn’t been seen since Episode 11, and could well return in Season 8.

Rosita

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Rosita is in a bad way, but she's recovering.

Season 7 saw Rosita team up with love rival Sasha to avenge Abraham’s death at the hands of Negan, and also to free Eugene. Their mission resulted in Sasha being captured.

She was also responsible for Eugene’s capture. She urged him to make the bullet she uses against Negan after he kills Spencer. Olivia lost her life because Rosita insisted it was she who made the bullet. After this, Eugene confessed and Negan took him, seeing his usefulness.

Rosita was shot during the finale showdown, and was last seen recovering in the infirmary with Tara at her side.

Gregory

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Xander Berkeley as Gregory in The Walking Dead Season 7, Episode 8 | Photo: Gene Page/AMC

Gregory was last seen in the penultimate episode of Season 7. After considering killing Maggie when her back was turned, he attempted to kill a walker but chickened out. When a second walker came at him, Maggie saved him, telling a watching group of Hillside residents it was his first time. This wasn’t what Gregory had led them to believe.

The previous episode saw him telling Negan’s right-hand man Simon that he might need Negan’s help at some point to quell insurgents. Simon gave him a note that will gain him access to the Sanctuary if he needs it.

Following the Maggie incident, Gregory took Simon’s note from his top pocket, then called for Hilltop guard Kal, telling him to pack a bag and prepare to drive him somewhere. This will doubtless have repercussions in Season 8.

The Walking Dead Season 8 premieres in the US on October 22 and a day later in the UK.

Kim Taylor-Foster
Kim Taylor-Foster is Entertainment Editor for Fandom in the UK. She was raised on an unsteady diet of video nasties and violent action flicks.