Top 10 Most Emotional Moments on The Walking Dead

… While zombie stories typically go for the gore and action, “The Walking Dead” takes time to explore the emotional toll that being in a zombie apocalypse can have on a person; this toll is beautifully portrayed in this scene, which sees Carl trying to shoot a presumed zombified Rick. It’s a perfect example of the show simply standing back and letting the actors act, and whether you like Coral or not, there’s no denying that Chandler Riggs nails the sorrow and exhaustion that comes with living in a zombified world. But seriously Rick, how stupid are you!? All that just to say, “Don’t go outside?” Come on, now.

#9: Rick Goes on a Rampage “Say the Word”

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… And here we witness the pit of Rick’s despair. After losing his wife Lori, Rick goes on a zombie-killing rampage to let off a little steam. However, his sorrow is made that much worse when he comes across the room she died in and discovers the bloated zombie that ate her entire body. Sure, the concept of a zombie eating her entire skeleton is kind of goofy, but the scene still works due to Andrew Lincoln’s raw performance. And to think, this is the same episode which sees Daryl dubbing Judith “little ass kicker.” So basically, this episode just leaves you an emotional wreck.

#8: Morgan’s Story “Clear”

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… Morgan was an immediate fan favourite due to his role in the pilot episode, as we all were engrossed with his tragic story and Lennie James’ terrific acting. We hadn’t heard from him in two seasons, until he finally appeared toward the end of season three. Only, he wasn’t quite the same. This gut-wrenching scene details the events of Morgan’s life after the pilot, which included losing his son to his zombified wife. Lennie James amazes us again with his acting chops, and his performance in this scene is emotional, haunting, and depressingly realistic. We truly feel that this man has gone off the deep end, and it’s not a pleasant sight.

… Rick is a tough man who has been through it all. This is the guy who stuck a machete through an inmate’s head and bit a chunk out of another man’s neck. He does what he believes needs to be done, even if the means are not quite morally sound. And yet here he’s reduced to a blubbering, incoherent, doe-eyed mess who is under the complete control of a total psychopath. It’s very hard to watch our hero cry and sputter on his knees while the villain makes him his bitch, but here we are.

#6: Reunions “No Sanctuary”

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… Despite the preceding entries and the tone of the show as a whole, it’s not all doom and gloom on “The Walking Dead.” Sometimes it’s actually quite touching. After escaping from the horror that was Terminus, Rick and company are in desperate need of hope. It finally comes when Carol returns, spurring the otherwise rock-solid Daryl to break down and show his soft side. If that wasn’t all, Carol then takes the group back to Tyreese, where Rick and Carl are reunited with Judith. The music throughout the scene is beautiful, and the tearful expressions on everyone’s faces makes us feel all gooey inside, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes.

… There’s just something about seeing Daryl break down that really pulls on our heartstrings. When Rick and his group show up at the Hillside, they reunite with Maggie, Sasha, and Enid. This is all well and good, but the tears really start flowing when they catch a glimpse of Daryl and Jesus. Daryl initially conveys his tough guy persona, giving Rick nothing but a head nod, but finally breaks down in tears and embraces Rick. While the first half of Season 7 was admittedly a little rocky, this scene almost makes up for everything which came before it. It’s just that beautiful.

#4: Daryl Finds Carol “Hounded”

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… Daryl and Carol, or Caryl as we like to call them, really do make a great pair. Their aforementioned reunion was a thing of beauty, as was pretty much the (xref) entirety of Cherokee Rose, which is when we saw that there’s more to Daryl than just being a redneck. However, it was this scene that solidified their relationship. In it, Daryl is frustrated and upset after believing Carol to be dead. Then, after investigating a moving door, he finds her, looking exhausted but very much alive. It brought Daryl back from the edge, and it helped us fall in love with the two even more. If Caryl dies, we riot.

… While we may have grown tired of seven episodes’ worth of Daryl yelling “SOPHIA!!,” we still held out hope that she was alive and well. Only this is “The Walking Dead,” where hope usually hurts more than it helps. Sophia is finally found halfway through season two when her undead corpse stumbles out of Hershel’s zombie barn. While everyone stares in shock, Rick reluctantly steps up and puts her down. Hey, someone’s gotta do it. It’s a harrowing scene, and one that taught us not to expect happy endings from “The Walking Dead.”

… In such a hopeless and bleak show, Glenn and Maggie have remained a constant source of happiness and warmth. Almost. After being separated in the prison attack, Glenn and Maggie were all but inconsolable without each other. Luckily for them (and for our sanity), they are finally reunited when Maggie rescues Glenn and Tara from certain death. Their reunion was a long time coming, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. Never before has a simple “hi” melted our hearts so much. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. - The Governor and Penny “Say the Word” - Eugene and Abraham Say Goodbye “Last Day on Earth” - Grimes Family Reunion “Tell It to the Frogs” …

#1: Daryl Kills Zombie Merle “This Sorrowful Life”

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… Who knew that we would all grow to love a racist, sexist, and volatile pig? In the early episodes of the series, Merle seemed completely irredeemable. However, his character arc helped us grow to care for him (at least to some degree), and it made his heartbreaking death that much more painful. After discovering his zombified brother, Daryl breaks down and desperately tries to get out of doing what is necessary before reluctantly stabbing Merle in the face. This scene is just a stew of emotions: you’ve got your send-off of a beloved character, the beautiful music, and Daryl’s tortured crying. OK, we admit it, anything Daryl-related just makes us melt.