It may be saying something about society when half of the reason people watch a show is to see who's going to die, but a real feeling of vulnerability and peril is one of the reasons The Walking Dead is as engrossing as it is. There's a chance that any character could die at any moment - that's how it works in real life, after all - and who's to say the same wouldn't happen during the zombie apocalypse?
With the fifth season's return this Sunday, it's time to take a look at what everyone's chances are: who is more likely to survive until the end of season five, and who's doomed? The show went on hiatus following a monumental death, and there's a good chance the fifth season will end on something similar - so, let's take a look and see who's primed to bite the big one.
Rick Grimes
Chance of Death: 0%
AMC isn't likely about to kill off one of the show's most popular characters - not to mention its leading man. Rick has pulled through some tough times before, and is easily the most combat-ready of the group. Of course, those emotional issues aren't going away anytime soon, either...
Carl Grimes
Chance of Death: 5%
Carl has come a long way since being the helpless little kid during the show's early seasons: he's actually able to take care of himself, as well as keep most of the other survivors in check. His chances of dying are pretty slim...however, the show is known for huge, sweeping deaths that come out of nowhere. Rick has already lost Lori, so could he possibly survive losing Carl on top of that?
Daryl Dixon
Chance of Death: 0%
As the show's most popular character (by far), there's no way Daryl is going anywhere. While the idea of AMC throwing a huge curveball and axing Daryl is technically a possibility, the chances are so slim they're not worth mentioning. Plus, would the show still be worth watching without its signature, crossbow-wielding redneck? Probably not.
Carol Peletier
Chance of Death: 50%
Let's be honest: everyone expected Carol to die in the second season. In fact, she was supposed to - her comic book counterpart died relatively early on in the story. However, Carol has grown into one of the strongest characters in the show, acting as Daryl's anchor for reason and surrogate mother to the younger survivors. Her life was tragic before, and strangely enough, it's better now that everyone's dead - but how long is it going to last? It's a tough call, as she's one of the best female characters on the show...but how huge would it be if Carol was suddenly killed off?
Glenn Rhee
Chance of Death: 70%
As one of the few remaining Atlanta survivors, Glenn has proven that he can hold his own, even from the very beginning. That being said, it feels as if Glenn's been living on borrowed time ever since he and Maggie became a couple. After the pregnancy scares, the torture and watching his friends die off, there's this strange sensation that Glenn just doesn't have much time left on this Earth. Plus, he's already eaten it in the comics.
Maggie Greene
Chance of Death: 80%
There's a good chance that Maggie's death will be directly tied to Glenn: it's hard to tell if one or both of them will meet their end, but as with her boyfriend, it feels like Maggie is constantly staring up at the Sword of Damocles. She's one of the most emotionally sensitive members of the group, and such overly powerful emotions could end up spelling her doom in the long run. The mid-season finale's death hit her hard, too...who knows what effect it had on her?
Michonne
Chance of Death: 25%
Despite making a huge debut, it feels as if AMC has put Michonne on the backburner for now. There's still a chance that the sword-swinging killer will go down fighting, but the strong, silent Michonne hasn't seen much in terms of character development lately. If she does go, it'll be big - but for now, it feels like Michonne is relatively safe.
Tyreese
Chance of Death: 35%
As the 'big man' of the group, Tyreese holds a unique spot among the survivors: he's far stronger and larger than anyone else in the group. Yes, that same size could be his undoing, but when it comes down to hand-to-hand combat against the undead horde, there's a good chance Tyreese is coming out on top. That being said, he's certainly not invincible...especially when he's got his sister to look out for.
Sasha
Chance of Death: 40%
Following her boyfriend's death, Sasha turned from a 'when will she die'-type character to someone who could actually make it through a fight in one piece. True, she's not as hardened as many of the other survivors, making her a bit more vulnerable - but with Tyreese watching over her, Sasha has a good chance of surviving the season finale.
The Walking Dead obviously isn't afraid of big deaths, as evidenced by the mid-season finale's roller coaster of an ending. Season five could be capped off in a similar manner, and many of the survivors could go at any moment...only time will tell what AMC has up its sleeves.
The Walking Dead returns to AMC tonight, February 8. Rick Grimes, himself, Andrew Lincoln told EW that the rest of The Walking Dead season 5 is 'f---ing nuts'!
Watch Andrew Lincoln, showrunner Scott Gimple, Michael Cudlitz and Lauren Cohan on this TWD Hangout to get you ready for the Mid-season premiere.
