As one of the most heart-pounding post-apocalyptic dramas of all-time, it hardly comes as a major surprise that through 11 captivating seasons, AMC’s The Walking Dead has featured a string of gut-wrenching deaths which have remained in our hearts and minds over the years. But it’s certainly worth arguing that the most shocking and upsetting death belongs to Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun) — whose demise undoubtedly changed the seriousness and the entire landscape of the show as a whole.
As one of the earliest characters in the series, Glenn is introduced to audiences when he saves a stumbling, disoriented Rick Grimes after he awakens from his coma. Unbeknownst to Rick, he woke up to a buzzing apocalyptic world which had been overrun by zombies. Luckily, Glenn saves the day, and the two eventually form a close bond which turns into a larger group down the line.
But as much as Glenn was considered to be a fan favorite, in the vein of Game of Thrones, he was eventually killed off — a decision that definitely traumatized an entire collection of devoted fans. So, let’s dive in and explore exactly when Glenn died, and precisely how it happened.
What episode does Glenn die?
Much like his fate in the Walking Dead comics, Glenn tragically dies in the premiere episode of the seventh season, “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be.” During the episode’s opening minutes, over 17 million viewers watched in sheer panic as he suffered his long-anticipated fate — and for those that read the comics beforehand, Glenn’s death definitely wasn’t a shock.
How does Glenn die?
In a death as inevitable as they come (and you can deny it all you want), Glenn ultimately suffers his fate at the hands of series villain Negan. After feeling enraged by Rick’s group and because of a recent outburst from Daryl Dixon, Negan takes it upon himself to execute both Abraham and Glenn. One could argue that the latter takes the worst of the two beatings, with Negan smashing his head in until his brains were absolute mush and his eyeballs were dangling from its sockets.
In the aftermath of Glenn’s demise, the ever-present Walking Dead fanbase was collectively distraught — with a considerable portion of fans even threatening to stop watching the show. Interestingly, by the time the second episode of the seventh season rolled around, viewership had decreased by five million viewers. So, it’s worth entertaining the idea that many fans quit watching once Glenn died, and that would make perfect sense, seeing as Glenn truly was a beloved character.
But with Negan and Maggie’s upcoming Walking Dead spin-off on the horizon, perhaps we’ll be learning more about Glenn and hearing a few name drops in the process.