The Walking Dead: 50 Greatest Deaths So Far

After a journey that's taken viewers from the unsettling confines of Terminus to the new shelter of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, the wait has now begun for the sixth season of The Walking Dead. Over the course of five seasons, the ever-popular juggernaut has amassed a staggering body count. Rick Grimes' hardened group of survivors has seen the loss of friends, family, foes and random souls time and again, with each new death bringing with it the potential to bring fans to tears, get them to cheer or even leave them in shock over the brutality they've witnessed. With the inevitability of more death looming on the horizon upon the show's return later this year, what better chance than now to look back at 50 of the best deaths the show has pulled off since launching in 2010? From emotional send-offs of beloved characters to visually memorable ends for minor characters, the whole spectrum of The Walking Dead's list of casualties is represented, with the exception of deaths that were relayed exclusively in dialogue, such as Duane, Lilly and several others. With that said, be warned that extreme spoilers lay ahead...

By the show's fourth season, Hershel had become an intrinsic piece of the show and the lives of its characters.

His beheading at the hands of The Governor after risking his own life to keep hope alive during the illness that ravaged the prison was easily the most heartbreaking and affecting deaths the show has had yet, with the beloved character's absence still being felt today.