Rick Grimes led his band of survivors through several settlements over The Walking Dead's eleven seasons, all in search of a permanent place to settle down and build some semblance of a life. From the cannibalism-driven Terminus to the misguided Woodbury, all the way to the dictatorial Sanctuary, many apparent havens soon proved to be riddled with deception and violence. While Rick's group tried to make the best of each of these communities, making them into an honest and functioning home, they were continuously driven out by combinations of internal dissension and the constant pressures of injuries and walkers.

However, opportunity for civilization began to feel more attainable as Rick and his group ventured beyond Atlanta and Georgia as a whole. In Alexandria, Virginia and its surrounding areas, Rick and company discovered not only a fortified community, but a network of communities that worked to supply and protect one another. The group became a prominent presence in the Alexandra Safe-Zone (simply referred to as Alexandria), where they found the strongest community yet. Of course, threats persisted, and maintaining Alexandria's resources and safety was a constant struggle right up to the very end of The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead: What Happens to the Governor?

The Governor was The Walking Dead's first formidable villain, causing the death of multiple survivors in Rick's group. What happened to him?

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By Casey Duby

When Did Alexandria First Appear in The Walking Dead?

Alexandria is a central part of The Walking Dead for the entire second half of the series. The safe-zone first appears in season 5, episode 11, "The Distance", when Maggie and Sasha bring Alexandria scout Aaron to the group's current camp in a barn. Rick and his crew are, after everything they've been through, understandably suspicious of this stranger. They tie him up and hold him at gunpoint, but Aaron is consistently honest and forthcoming. He admits that there is only one other person in the wilderness with him, and volunteers pictures of Alexandria to prove its safety and existence. Aaron explains that he functions as a recruiter, observing nearby survivors and approaching them only if he feels they would strengthen the Alexandria community.

Rick's skepticism outweighs his hope for salvation, and he at first chooses not to accompany Aaron back to Alexandria. However, the rest of his group makes the bold choice to go with Aaron, with or without Rick- so he changes his mind and leads his group on the treacherous journey to Alexandria. The group has no idea what to expect when they arrive, especially as they realize none of Aaron's photographs feature any people. However, when they finally reach Alexandria's gates, Rick is reassured by the sound of happy children on the other side. He tells Michonne that he's ready to go in.

Some time tonight, we'll be outside his camp's walls. And without seeing inside, I'm gonna have to decide whether to bring my family in. He asked me before what it would take for me to believe it was real. Truth is... I'm not sure if anything could convince me to go in there. But I'm gonna see. I'm gonna see.

What Happens to Alexandria?

Alexandria proved to be exactly what Aaron described, though it wasn't without its problems. Rick and the other strong-willed members of his group quickly get brought up to speed on Alexandria's situation and become key decision makers. At the time of their arrival, Alexandria was run by former Congresswoman Deanna Monroe. While not deceptive like the Governor or secretly violent like the leaders of Terminus, Rick's group began to clash with the people of Alexandria as they felt the relative safety of the community had led residents to grow soft and unprepared for emergencies. A walker infiltration proves Rick correct, and the people of Alexandria, under Deanna's leadership, agree that Rick and his people should stay. Rick leads Alexandria that point on, until his disappearance towards the end of the series.

Alexandria is fortified with strong walls and supplied with a functioning garden and the resources found by scouts like Aaron. Nonetheless, Alexandria faces constant threats throughout the rest of The Walking Dead series, and the community is attacked and subsequently rebuilt several times over the course of the show. The first of which comes from a group called the Wolves, who discovered Alexandria after finding Aaron's photos of the community that he left in the wilderness. The people of Alexandria fight off the Wolves, though the assault takes a significant toll on Alexandria's population and resources. In their efforts to rebuild, the group discovers the Hilltop, a friendly nearby community. Maggie is dispatched to the Hilltop to function as a leader and liaison to Alexandria.

The group soon learns that the Hilltop is regularly terrorized by Negan's group, the Saviors, who routinely show up and demand half of their current supply load in exchange for not killing them all. Rick quickly assesses the situation and insists that Alexandria go on the offensive; he believes that it's only a matter of time before the Saviors discover Alexandria, and they should eliminate the threat before it finds them. The group attempts to organize and execute Rick's plan, but they are brutally subdued by Negan's massive army and resources. For a time after, the people of Alexandria live a bleak and fearful existence, subservient to the Saviors who Rick no longer believes can be defeated. Eventually, however, many people gain renewed motivation to fight back, and with Michonne's influence, Rick once again orchestrates a plan to defeat the Saviors.

While planning their next move, Rick and the Alexandrians discover the powerful Scavengers, led by Jadis, and the peaceful Kingdom, led by Ezekiel. Ezekiel refuses to offer any aid in Alexandria's attack on the Saviors, not wanting to lose any of his people, but Jadis agrees to fight after Rick proves himself in their Junkyard encampment. At the moment of truth, however, the Scavengers double cross Alexandria, disarming their explosives and alerting Negan to the plan. When chaos breaks out, an outright crisis is averted by the unexpected arrival of the Kingdom, led by Carol, Ezekiel, and his pet tiger Shiva. The situation devolves into an all-out war with the Saviors waging attacks on Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom. The determined group manages to defeat the Saviors and imprison Negan, but at the cost of Carl's life and the near-total decimation of Alexandria.

The Alexandrians rebuild their community well and life greatly improves, though tension remains across the allied communities- particularly among the newly-discovered Oceanside, which was also terrorized by the Saviors and doesn't support Alexandria's keeping Negan alive. To foster collaboration, Rick leads the building of a bridge that will create easy passage to each community. However, the conflict with Oceanside leads the plan to go awry, resulting in Rick's apparent death at the hand of a horde of walkers. In his absence, Michonne steps up in Alexandria and forms a council that will serve as the community's decision-making group.

After enduring the betrayal of yet another group, Alexandria enacts an isolationist policy. The Walking Dead flashes forward to six years after Rick's disappearance, revealing an Alexandria that is thriving like never before. However, a mounting conflict with a new enemy group, the Whisperers, forces Alexandria to once again venture outside its walls. The war against the Whisperers results in the loss of the Hilltop and the Kingdom, with all survivors regrouping in either Alexandria or Oceanside. The Whisperers are defeated, but Alexandria itself is once again destroyed, with farms torn up and houses burned down, but the group rebuilds yet again. During this time, Michonne learns of the possibility that Rick is still alive, and leaves Alexandria.

In her absence, Aaron takes over the leadership of Alexandria. The community is visited by the Commonwealth Army, a post-outbreak militaristic arm of the Commonwealth, a Washington DC community. The Commonwealth offers to help rebuild Alexandria and the Hilltop, in addition to inviting anyone who would like to move to the Commonwealth to do so. This marks the beginning of the Coalition's (the allied Alexandria, Hilltop, Oceanside, and Kingdom) cooperation with the Commonwealth. All seems well for a time, but things take a turn when Commonwealth Army leader Lance enacts failed assassination attempts on the Coalition's leaders.

The Commonwealth takes over Alexandria and enslaves all of its former residents who have since moved to the Commonwealth. The prisoners are transported back to Alexandria, which has been renamed Outpost 22. All of the Coalition's survivors are now prisoners of the Commonwealth, leading Maggie to doubt that the Commonwealth's aid was ever genuine. Negan and Ezekiel orchestrate an uprising against the Commonwealth that is ultimately successful, and some Alexandrians venture to DC to confront the rest of the Commonwealth community.

The Commonwealth's having some semblance of law and order allows Pamela, the leader who turned Alexandria into Outpost 22, to be removed from power. The Commonwealth makes some key changes that turn it into a palatable ally for Alexandria, and the two communities continue to prosper and work together- though Alexandria maintains its independence from the Commonwealth or anyone else. The Walking Dead concludes with Alexandria alive and well under the leadership of Aaron and Gabriel.

First Appearance	Season 5, episode 11, "The Distance"
Final Appearance	Season 11, episode 24, "Rest in Peace"
Led by	Deanna Monroe Rick Grimes Michonne Grimes Aaron and Gabriel Stokes