Summary
- Gregory, Dawn Lerner, Pamela Milton, Pope, Joe, Gareth, Simon, Alpha, Negan, and The Governor are among the most detestable characters in The Walking Dead.
- These characters exemplify traits like cowardice, betrayal, manipulation, sadism, and a ruthless pursuit of power, causing immense suffering to the survivors.
- From cannibalism and psychological torture to cold-blooded murder and manipulation, these villains added layers of horror to the already terrifying post-apocalyptic world.
The Walking Dead has given the audience some of TV's most unforgettable characters, but not all of them are worth rooting for. While the survivors face off against the undead, it’s often the living who prove to be the true monsters.
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From Simon, whose bloodlust went beyond even Negan's tolerance, to the Governor, a charismatic leader with a heart as cold as ice, and Gareth, the ruthless cannibal who made Terminus his personal hell, The Walking Dead is loaded with villains who put walkers to shame. So, let’s dive into the most hateable characters who made life even more brutal for Rick and the gang.
Warning! To accurately explain why these characters are so despicable, there will be spoilers!
10 Gregory
Cowardly Leader Who Betrayed His People
Gregory was the leader of the Hilltop Colony, but he was a coward who constantly put his survival above the well-being of his people. More concerned with pleasing the Saviors than protecting his community, Gregory’s cowardice and subservience nearly led to the downfall of Hilltop. His leadership was weak, and his arrogance made him seem disconnected from reality.
In fact, Gregory’s selfishness knew no bounds, and when faced with danger, he abandoned Rick’s group to protect himself. He never once showed the courage to fight for his people, nor did he ever risk his life to protect them from the Saviors’ cruel demands. Plus, Gregory’s betrayal of Maggie, in a desperate attempt to reclaim leadership, showed just how far he was willing to go to maintain his position of comfort.
9 Dawn Lerner
Led With Fear, Lies, And Manipulation
Dawn Lerner ran Grady Memorial Hospital like a dictatorship wrapped in a kind smile. On the surface, she acted like a reasonable leader trying to preserve order in chaos, but her version of “order” was built on manipulation, abuse, and control. While she claimed to care about saving lives, she turned a blind eye to the assaults committed by her officers and punished dissent with violence.
Her most infamous move was emotionally stringing along Beth Greene, using kindness as currency to keep her loyal and submissive. Even when Beth saved her life, Dawn’s response was a slap to the face—literally. Her need to maintain dominance culminated in a power play during a hostage exchange, where she demanded the return of Noah just to assert control. The standoff ended with Beth’s tragic death, caused by Dawn herself, sealing her legacy as one of the show’ s most detested characters.
8 Pamela Milton
Power-Hungry Politician Who Lets Innocents Die
Pamela Milton was once the poised, picture-perfect Governor of the Commonwealth, the seemingly civilized society introduced in the final stretch of The Walking Dead. At first glance, she ran things with class and care, but that glossy leadership masked a rot. Behind closed doors, she upheld a system that rewarded the pre-apocalypse elite and oppressed everyone else, propping up a twisted caste system with police brutality, corruption, and forced labor camps.
But Pamela’s cold, calculated side emerged fully after the death of her son Sebastian. From ordering public kidnappings to lying under oath to get Eugene executed, Pamela stopped at nothing to maintain power. She even had a man killed and fed to her zombified son. Worst of all, she lured massive walker herds into the city twice just to tighten control, then left thousands to die while protecting only the elite.
7 Pope
Fanatic With Delusions Of Divinity
Pope, the ruthless leader of the Reapers, was a former soldier twisted by trauma and war. His brutal survivalist group operated like a militant cult, forged in blood and fire after the world fell apart. Scarred by the past and warped by his faith, Pope convinced himself and his followers that they were chosen by God, untouchable and superior. That belief fueled his sadistic behavior, as he burned victims alive, tortured captives for fun, and viewed slaughter as divine will.
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He delighted in cruelty, growing more unhinged as Maggie’s resistance pushed back. But it was his hypocrisy that was perhaps the worst part, preaching divine purpose while hiding behind others, never dirtying his own hands. He manipulated loyalty with fear, berated his closest ally, Leah, and even casually confessed to strangling his dog just to prove a point.
6 Joe
Vicious Claimer Who Led With Savagery
Joe was the cold-blooded leader of the Claimers, a group of ruthless survivors who descended into brutality after the outbreak. He believed in maintaining strict control over his group, enforcing a code of honesty and loyalty, but soon turned his gang into a marauding band of killers. Joe was responsible for numerous heinous actions, including the rape, murder, and sadistic hunting of innocent survivors.
Joe’s cruelty knew no bounds, as he even threatened to allow his group to molest and kill Rick’s son, Carl, before killing Rick himself. He had no problem with murder, psychological torture, or exploiting others for sadistic pleasure. And then there’s his unwavering adherence to a brutal set of rules that made him even more dangerous, as anyone who disobeyed him faced lethal punishment. Luckily, his reign of terror ended when he met his violent end at the hands of Rick's group, but not before causing unimaginable psychological harm.
5 Gareth
Cunning Cannibal Who Deceived Survivors
Gareth was the leader of Terminus, a supposed sanctuary for survivors. However, this place was nothing more than a trap where he and his followers lured people in for one gruesome purpose: to feast on them. He showed no remorse, even allowing his own brother’s body to be butchered for food, embodying the horrors of a world without humanity. His philosophy was clear: survival meant any means necessary, including cannibalism.
What makes Gareth truly despicable is his hypocrisy; after torturing Rick’s group, he begged for mercy when his own life was at risk. His cowardice was on full display when he surrendered after losing fingers in a confrontation with Rick, highlighting his complete inability to face the consequences of his actions. Ultimately, Gareth’s reign ended when his horrific cannibalism was exposed, but not before he had left a trail of victims behind.
4 Simon
Bloodthirsty Savior Who Was Too Violent Even For Negan
Simon was a sadistic enforcer in the Saviors, feared for his extreme violence and unpredictability. His pitiless nature led to his gruesome death, but not before he left a legacy of fear and bloodshed in his wake. Even Negan, usually a brutal figure himself, found Simon’s actions too excessive. Unlike his leader, Simon had no interest in bargaining with opponents; he simply wanted them dead, regardless of age or status, such as when he slaughtered the Scavengers.
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Plus, his massacre of all the males in Oceanside, even young adolescents, showed the depth of his cruelty and lack of humanity. Simon's thirst for power led to his failed attempt to take control after believing Negan was dead, but his grip was as unstable as his mind.
3 Alpha
Psychopathic Leader Who Manipulated The Walker Horde
Alpha epitomizes cruelty in its most primal form. A master manipulator, she instilled fear and maintained control through ruthless tactics. Known for wearing the skin of walkers, she would infiltrate her enemies’ territory undetected, using her army of the dead to terrorize communities. Alpha’s leadership was marked by a chilling indifference to human life. She had no qualms about killing her own people to preserve strength and loyalty within her group, even abandoning a helpless baby in the wild because it posed a threat.
One of her most notorious acts was the gruesome execution of Tara, Enid, and Henry, whose decapitated heads were left on stakes as a grotesque warning. Alpha's reign ended when her daughter defected, but even her eventual downfall couldn’t erase the horrifying legacy she left behind.
2 Negan
Ruthless Former Leader Of The Saviors
Negan's entrance in The Walking Dead marked the rise of one of the most feared villains in the series, and perhaps in the entire pop culture realm. As the leader of the Saviors, he controlled several communities with iron-fisted brutality. He ruled through fear, using his iconic bat, Lucille, to deliver public, heart-wrenching punishment. His most notorious acts include the murders of Glenn and Abraham, which sent shockwaves through fans.
Negan's rules were simple: follow them, or face deadly consequences. He wasn’t shy about using violence to maintain control, but his level of sadism was often overshadowed by his charisma. He seemed to take pleasure in torturing both physically and mentally, reveling in the pain and suffering of his victims. While it’s true that Negan showed a remarkable shift in character later on, his reign remains one of the most despicable in The Walking Dead universe.
1 The Governor
Sadistic Villain Who Killed Without Remorse
Phillip Blake, better known as the Governor, was the leader of Woodbury and one of the show’s most chilling antagonists. His cruelty, warped sense of control, and sadistic tendencies made him one of the most despised characters on the show. At first, the Governor seemed like a messiah, offering refuge to survivors, but his true nature was far darker. His descent into madness began after the death of his daughter, whom he refused to put down, even when she turned into a walker. As the Governor, he led with manipulative charm but lacked any real empathy, particularly evident when he kept his zombified daughter locked away.
His violent actions ranged from threatening Maggie with assault to executing many of his own people without hesitation. The most heinous moment came when he beheaded Hershel Greene, a man seen as a moral anchor, in front of his family and group.
- Release Date
- 2010 - 2022
- Network
- AMC
- Showrunner
- Frank Darabont, Angela Kang, Scott M. Gimple, Glen Mazzara
- Directors
- David Boyd, Ernest R. Dickerson, Billy Gierhart, Guy Ferland, Laura Belsey, Jeffrey F. January, Michael Cudlitz, Sharat Raju, Alrick Riley, Michael Slovis, Michelle MacLaren, Rosemary Rodriguez, Seith Mann, Tricia Brock, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Daniel Sackheim, Fred Toye, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Jon Amiel, Kari Skogland, Kevin Dowling, Tawnia McKiernan, Larry Teng, Julius Ramsay
- Writers
- Channing Powell, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Glen Mazzara, Jim Barnes, Vivian Tse, Robert Kirkman, Erik Mountain, Evan Reilly, Kevin Deiboldt, Julia Ruchman, Nicole Mirante-Matthews, Nichole Beattie, Eddie Guzelian, Geraldine Inoa, Magali Lozano, Curtis Gwinn, LaToya Morgan, Eli Jorne, Adam Fierro, Frank Renzulli, Ryan Coleman, Jack LoGiudice, Charles H. Eglee
- Franchise(s)
- The Walking Dead
Cast
-
Norman ReedusDaryl Dixon -
Melissa McBrideCarol Peletier
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 11
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix, AMC+
