Although viewership forThe Walking Deaddeclined in later seasons, the show’s final five seasons actually delivered some pretty incredible episodes. Centering on Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and an ever-changing group of survivors,The Walking Deadwas one of the most-watched shows on television at the height of its popularity.
AsThe Walking Deadprogressed,it fell into the same patterns and wrestled with many of the same moral questionsover and over again. Despite some storylines that may have lasted too long,The Walking Deadintroduced several compelling new charactersin its final seasons and delivered some standout episodes.
Viewers who gave up on the show early may want to consider diving back in, asThe Walking Deadultimately came to a satisfying conclusionat the end of its eleven seasons. With some fun new characters and plenty of zombie carnage, these laterepisodes ofThe Walking Deadproved the show (mostly) stayed strong until the end.
8"The Key"
Season 8, Episode 12
Like season 7,The Walking Dead’seighth season received mixed reviews, but “The Key” was one of the season’s best episodes, delivering some fun action and interesting storylines.Rick and Negan finally battle it out in an epic fightthat sees Rick lightNegan’s bat Lucilleon fire and wield it against the Savior leader.
Of course, we knew neither Rick nor Negan were going to die, but"The Key" still offered some great action sequencesand teased future storylines. With tension brewing between Negan and the other Saviors, and an enigmatic, but helpful new survivor in Georgie (Jayne Atkinson), “The Key” remains one of the highlights of season 8.
7"Hearts Still Beating"
Season 7, Episode 8
The Walking Dead’sseventh season is often regarded as one of the show’s weakest, but the mid-season finale offers hope for the season’s second half.Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) pays an unexpected visit to Alexandria,meeting withCarl (Chandler Riggs)and Judith while Rick is out on a supply run.
These scenes make Negan more interesting, andJeffrey Dean Morgan makes him increasingly difficult to dislike,despite the horrific things he has done. While this episode feels a bit overstuffed, it resolves several of the season’s earlier storylines, and sees Rick and his group finally ready for all-out war with the Saviors.
6"What Comes After"
Season 9, Episode 5
InAndrew Lincoln’s last regular appearance onThe Walking Dead,Rick Grimes drifts in and out of consciousnessas he fights to lead a horde of walkers away from the surviving settlements. Along the way, Rick sees visions of many of the friends he has lost along the way, before he is seemingly killed in an explosion on a bridge.
In reality, Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) picks up Rick in a helicopter and takes him to the Civic Republic of Philadelphia, a story that will continue inThe Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
After Rick’s departure, the final scene of “What Comes After” jumps ahead six years to check in with the remaining survivors. With cameos from many beloved long-dead characters,“What Comes After” is a fitting and emotional send-off for Rick Grimes.
5"The Calm Before"
Season 9, Episode 15
In the penultimate episode of season 9,Alpha (Samantha Morton) and the Whisperers strike out against the survivorsin retaliation for their refusal to return her daughter, Lydia (Cassady McClincy). In a series of creepy scenes that are clearly building to something worse, Alpha attacks a caravan and infiltrates a fair taking place at the Kingdom.
“The Calm Before” celebrates the bonds that have formed among the communities before revealing thatthe Whisperers have killed ten of the survivorsand displayed their reanimated heads on pikes. Enid (Katelyn Nacon), Tara (Alanna Masterson), and Henry (Matt Lintz) are the only major characters among the dead, but it’s still a devastating blow.
4"Rest in Peace"
Season 11, Episode 24
In the series finale ofThe Walking Dead,walkers invade the Commonwealth, and our heroes overthrow Governor Pamela Milton (Laila Robins), although their victory costs several lives, including that of Rosita (Christian Serratos).The episode checks in with the new Commonwealth a year later,revealing that all of the communities now work together.
Scenes from every season ofThe Walking Deadare featured at the end of the episode, accompanied by a voiceover of cast members saying,“We’re the ones who live.”
“Rest in Peace” sets up several spin-offs, which makes it feel less like a definitive conclusion, but the episode still wraps up the main storylines andserves as a fitting send-off for the show’s main characters.Plus, it’s nice to seeRick and Michonne (Danai Gurira)one last time before they lead their own series.
3"On The Inside"
Season 11, Episode 6
The main storyline in this episode followsConnie (Lauren Ridloff) and Virgil (Kevin Carroll)as they take shelter in a house of horrors full of feral humans.“On The Inside” feels like a horror movie in the best way,as Connie sees eyes looking at her through the walls and later covers herself in walker guts to hide from more walkers.
Meanwhile, Daryl (Norman Reedus) appears to work with the Reapers, but covertly signalsMaggie (Lauren Cohan)and the other survivors to give them time to escape.“On The Inside” is agenuinely scary episode with plenty of tension,expertly directed byWalking Deadfavorite Greg Nicotero.
2"Walk With Us"
Season 10, Episode 12
In one of the best episodes ofThe Walking Dead’slater seasons,the Whisperers wage a battle against Hilltop,which proves devastating for the community. When Negan later leads Alpha to the cabin where he supposedly hid her daughter, Lydia, he turns on her, killing the Whisperer leader.
The episode ends asNegan delivers Alpha’s severed head to Carol(Melissa McBride), revealing that he had been working with her the entire time. It’s a great reveal that comes at the end of a solid episode full of plenty of action and drama, elevated by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Samantha Morton’s strong performances.
1"Here’s Negan"
Season 10, Episode 22
Negan plays a huge role inThe Walking Dead’sfinal five seasons, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan makes the character incredibly fun to watch. In “Here’s Negan,” Carol takes Negan out of Alexandria, andhe reminisces about his life at the beginning of the apocalypseand the death of his wife, Lucille (portrayed by Morgan’s real-life wife, Hilarie Burton-Morgan).
The episode depicts the great tragedy of Negan’s life, as he returns with life-saving medicine for Lucille, only to discover that she has already taken her own life. With strong performances and plenty of emotion, “Here’s Negan” stands out not only as one of the best episodes of season 10 but one of the best ofThe Walking Dead,period.
