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11 times ‘The Walking Dead’ broke our hearts by killing our favorite characters

Warning: If you aren’t caught up, major spoilers ahead!

The season 7 premiere of The Walking Dead is one of the most anticipated in television history. For months, viewers have wondered which of the show’s beloved main character (or characters) would meet their end. It’s arguably the first time a major character death has been confirmed and teased for so long prior to the episode air (save for Glenn’s cliffhanger dumpster moment from season six.) But it most certainly won’t be the first time the AMC show has gutted us by heartbreakingly showing the death of a beloved member of the group.

Here are 11 of the most gut-wrenching deaths since the series began back in 2010.

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Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
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