Which season 1 characters are still alive in ‘The Walking Dead’ universe?

Several beloved and important characters from The Walking Dead were introduced during its first season on AMC in 2010. And whether it was on the show proper or in spin-offs, some of those zombie-slaying notables have somehow survived in this brutal universe for nearly 15 years. So, who from season 1 is still alive?

Season 1 introduced us to the likes of Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Carl (Chandler Riggs), and Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies), as well as Morgan (Lennie James), Shane (Jon Bernthal), Carol (Melissa McBride), Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker), Andrea (Laurie Holden), Glenn (Steven Yeun), and Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn). Those names made it through the CDC’s explosion and into season 2.

As the show progressed, the survivors were forced to move from location to location while traversing the walker-infested United States where the living became just as harrowing. And because of that, most of the original crew was picked off.

For example, Rick was forced to kill his best friend, Shane, while Glenn was savagely beaten to death by Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan. By the time The Walking Dead’s flagship show wrapped with season 11 in 2022, only four remained: Rick, Carol, Daryl, and Morgan.

At the time of this writing, three other spin-off shows have aired their first seasons, and they’re all still alive (assuming Morgan didn’t die off-screen).

Daryl and Carol are the only two characters featured in The Walking Dead from start to end. They play pivotal roles in the series’ final arc when they liberate The Commonwealth from Pamela Milton. Season 11 closes with Carol living in the community as a government official, while Daryl chooses the life of a nomad.

One of the three aforementioned spin-offs is The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and the first season follows the fan favorite across the pond to France. Carol was briefly involved in the first season but will be a mainstay in season 2.

Then, you have Morgan. Morgan’s time on The Walking Dead was sporadic. We only saw him for a short period in seasons 1, 3, and 5, and it wasn’t until season 6 that the mentally and emotionally encumbered Morgan joined the main cast. He ultimately left the group in season 8 after his psyche began to deteriorate again and he pursued healing in solitude. That was the last we saw of him on the flagship show. But, he jumped over to Fear the Walking Dead for seasons 4 through 8.

Fans speculated that they’d see Morgan return for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live — AMC’s newest iteration in the universe. But, he was nowhere to be seen.

Speaking of that spin-off, The Walking Dead’s main hero is still kicking.

Rick didn’t make it through The Walking Dead’s 11 seasons, but he starred in The Ones Who Live alongside Michonne (Danai Gurira) earlier this year. Season 9’s fifth episode was Rick’s swan song — he blew up a bridge to save his community.

Unbeknownst to his companions, Rick barely survived the explosion. He floated downriver and off the show. He was whisked away in a helicopter thanks to Jadis/Anne (PollyAnna McIntosh) and the Civic Republic Military. The Ones Who Live follows Rick and Michonne reconnecting around a decade later, and their battle to bring Rick back home.