Get Ready for the Ultimate Thrill Ride in The Walking Dead Universe: 10 Missing Arcs from the Comics That the TV Series Ignored!

The Walking Dead, both in its comic book form and television incarnation, has captivated audiences for over a decade thanks to its post-apocalyptic narrative and compelling characters. That being said, as with any adaptation, not all storylines from the source material made their way to the screen. Multiple arcs from the pages of The Walking Dead were ultimately absent from the television series.

Sometimes the show altered key story elements that greatly diverged from the source material. In other cases, they skipped entire sequences altogether. These missing pieces depicted gripping tales of survival, betrayal, and redemption that fans of the comic series have come to appreciate and that fans of the TV adaptation have sadly missed out on.

The Prison Arc Ended in True Horror and Tragedy

One of the earliest and most significant divergences between The Walling Dead comics and TV series occurred during the prison arc.

In the show, this facility served as a central setting for several seasons. There, Rick and his group found relative safety within its well-secured walls. However, in the comics, the prison arc ended on a far darker note. Much like in the TV series, the Governor's assault on the prison led to devastating consequences, including the death of several major characters, such as Lori and Judith. While Judith Grimes plays a much more significant role in the AMC series, her young life came to a tragic end in the comic book when she and her mother were shot from behind.

This brutal conclusion to TWD's prison arc showcased the comic's willingness to take bold risks, a strength that often diverged from its televised counterpart.

Heath Played a Far More Prominent Role

In The Walking Dead comic series, Heath emerged as a character with depth and longevity, a rarity for a series that was never afraid to kill off its more popular creations at the drop of a hat. Heath's original role also starkly contrasts his portrayal in the TV show, where his presence was decidedly short-lived.

In the TWD comic, Heath was a steadying figure throughout, often appearing to offer a nuanced perspective while contributing to the dynamics of the Alexandria community until the series' end. However, in the television adaptation, actor Corey Hawkins' sudden departure led to an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion to Heath's arc in which he essentially disappeared.

Carl Became the Hero Alexandria Needed

In one of its most significant departures, The Walking Dead TV show left fans shaken to their core when it abruptly ended the life of one of its central characters, Carl Grimes.

Carl's tragic fate, brought on by a walker bite in Season 8, left viewers reeling, especially for those who had read the comics. In the pages of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead, Carl served as a central figure who survived until the series' conclusion, becoming the hero his father always knew the world needed. Unfortunately, Chandler Riggs never witnessed his version of Carl reach such lofty heights. Instead, Carl died so that the emotional fallout Rick experienced from his son's death would provide the context for Andrew Lincoln's departure the following season.

Rick Lost a Key Part of Himself

Rick Grimes endured one harrowing ordeal after another throughout 192 issues of The Walking Dead. One of the most memorable involved Rick losing his hand after the villainous Governor severed it as a brutal form of punishment. This traumatic experience defined Rick's character from that point forward, both physically and mentally, as he grappled with the loss and where it left him as a leader in the aftermath.

On the other hand, the TV adaptation for The Walking Dead ignored this pivotal moment, opting not to include the amputation. Instead, recognizing fans' expectations, it often alluded to this event but never brought it to life, probably due to the budget constraints inherent in having to remove Rick's hand from that point forward. The absence of this arc altered the trajectory of Rick's character from his comic book counterpart, which is only now getting rectified as the TWD franchise moves forward with The Ones Who Live.

Tyreese and Michonne Had a Fulfilling Relationship

In The Walking Dead TV series, fans were treated to the evolution of Rick and Michonne's relationship, culminating in a powerful romantic connection. This coupling deviated wildly from her comic book counterpart's romantic entanglement, where she shared a significant romance with Tyreese. Michonne and Tyreese's bond served as a pivotal moment in the former's journey, encouraging her to lower her defenses and finally explore her vulnerabilities in this frightening new world of the undead.

The TWD TV overlooked this critical aspect of Michonne's development, leaving behind some of her depth and complexity from the comics.

The Farm Arc Was Substantially Shorter But More Impactful

Season 2 of The Walking Dead spent considerable time on Hershel's farm, a notable departure from its source material. In the comics, the group's stay on the farm was brief and ended after Hershel discovered Glenn and Maggie in bed with one another.

Unlike in the TV series, Carol's daughter, Sophia, survived in the comics and ultimately formed close relationships with Maggie, Glenn, and Carl. Moreover, the comic also introduced three additional Greene family members: Billy, Rachel, and Susie — who all survived until the prison arc. Instead of lingering on the events, the comic version of the farm arc made more out of less.

Negan Departed for a Life of Solitude to Atone for his Sins

In the concluding chapters of The Walking Dead comic series, Negan voluntarily retreated to live alone in Springhaven.

In this abandoned area, he sought solitude as a penance for his past misdeeds. There, he spends his days in isolation, holding conversations with flowers and mourning at the grave of his beloved Lucille. The only person who ever visited Negan was Carl Grimes, but whenever Carl stopped by, Negan remained elusive, choosing instead to shun human interaction. This fate starkly contrasted Negan's endgame in the TV series. Instead, the antihero's story continued thanks to The Walking Dead: Dead City, which stars Negan as a central character.

Andrea's Arc Shaped Much of the Original Comics

One of the earliest and most notable departures between the comic and TV versions of The Walking Dead was Andrea's death in Season 3. Andrea's portrayal in the TV adaptation drew criticism early on due to her involvement with antagonistic characters like Shane and The Governor. This made her irredeemable in most fans' eyes. Andrea was quite the opposite in The Walking Dead comic series, eventually becoming Rick's primary love interest.

Their enduring relationship, marked by mutual respect and affection, became a testament to Andrea's impact and formed a cornerstone of the narrative. Moreover, Andrea's role as a mother figure to Carl solidified their bond and helped Carl fulfill his eventual potential. When this version of Andrea died towards the end of the comic series, fans truly felt the loss.

The Mystery of the Infection Remained a Mystery

While writing The Walking comic book series, Robert Kirkman deliberately kept the origins and nature of the infection vague to heighten tension and suspense throughout the story.

It might sound counter-intuitive since audiences love answers, but Kirkman amplified the series' sense of dread and uncertainty by doing so. In comparison, the end of Season 1 of The Walking Dead gave its audience a glimpse at possible answers when the characters found themselves in the Center for Disease Control. While the virus' origins were not explicit in this episode, Rick learned every human was already infected and would turn into a walker no matter how they died.

More recently, The Walking Dead: The World Beyond tackled this subject directly, a decision that, for some fans, has removed some of the magic and mystery from the franchise.

Rick's Death Came as a Massive Shock

Actor Andrew Lincoln departed AMC's The Walking Dead after Season 9 to pursue other artistic endeavors. Rather than kill Rick, the writers of the TV series simply wrote him off so that they could return to finish his story another day.

This fate was a major departure from the comics, where Rick never disappeared from the narrative until the series' penultimate issue. One issue short of the end, The Walking Dead #192 depicted Rick Grimes' shocking death. The beloved character was shot and killed by Sebastian Milton, the spoiled son of the leader of the Commonwealth. Afterward, Rick's son, Carl, stepped in to fill the void his father had left behind as leader. Of course, in the TV series, Carl dies, and Rick goes missing.

Now that the franchise has shifted gears to focus on several spin-off series, the end of Rick's story is finally unfolding. Considering all the comic book arcs the show has already ignored or abandoned, it seems unlikely Rick's fate will end in a similar place as his comic counterpart.