Glenn Rhee is the incredible and fan-loved character in the popular AMC apocalyptic series Walking Dead. The fictional character faced one of the most famous and brutal deaths ever aired on cable television and had tremendous impact. Glenn, as portrayed by Steven Yeun, garnered critical acclaim and an emotional impact that became more apparent after his gory demise on the series.
As one of Walking Dead’s first and few longtime characters, Glenn Rhee’s death and departure from the show was quite unsettling for his fans, as most people are still not over it. What’s more, the Walking Dead showrunners faced serious backlash after Glenn’s violent and gory death.
How Glenn Rhee died in the TV series “Walking Dead”.
Based on the comic series, the AMC series is an intense story that chronicles the lives of a group of people trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. A main character on the series for over half a decade, Glenn had a noticeable presence and soon became a fan favorite. From the former pizza delivery boy to a married man to a fierce warrior, fans hung on the character.
Though known for the destruction of the main characters in Glenn’s death, it still came as a shock to many. Similar to the events in the comic book series, there were also periodic references to Glenn’s death, some of which were spoofed in some episodes. But Glenn’s death on the show finally came at the end of season six, where he was brutally murdered by Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).
Fans were confused and had no idea what to expect after Negan killed a member of the core survival group at the end of season 6. Originally believed to be Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) who Negan killed while Glenn was safe. It wasn’t until the next season that they shockingly realized that Glenn was the real victim and his stint on the show was finally over.
Why Glenn died
As part of their strategy to keep fans of the comic from predicting too much, the showrunners change frequently, making unexpected twists and The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman has no regrets about his decision to kill off Glenn’s character on the series. Unfortunately, according to the comic writer, Glenn had to die as his exit was very important for other characters in the story to move forward.
Will he return to the walking dead?
In several interviews, Steven Yeun has spoken about the death of his character. According to the actor, he didn’t think fans ever really appreciated Glenn. Glenn Rhee’s role was always a supporting one, and while he might not have been the most colorful or exciting star on the show, Yeun hinted that the character deserved better than the tepid reaction he received while he was alive.
To him, Glenn was a character that people liked, had no problems with, but didn’t know what to do with him. According to Yeun, it took Glenn’s death for people to acknowledge her connection to the character. Given his character’s popularity, actor Yeun, who never felt his fair was due for him, also wondered why the Walking Dead showrunners didn’t make Glenn a commodity.
Regardless of how the character of The Walking Dead was repeatedly hit on the head by Negan, some fans who haven’t yet gotten over Glenn’s death are expressing hope that their favorite character will still return to the show, especially when it’s his last addressed words to his wife Maggie.
Luckily, the AMC series is known to portray flashbacks or dream sequences and has brought several characters back from the dead. So many die-hard fans are desperately hoping that this time they’ll get lucky and see Glenn on the show again.
Interestingly, when asked about the possibility, actor Steven Yeun revealed that he loved being on the show and is dropping out for his return to the series.