The Death: At the climax of his epic assault on the prison, The Governor was stabbed through the back by Michonne. He was then finished off by Lilly with a bullet to the head.. How It Changed Things: After hed spent so long terrorizing Rick, the threat of The Governor was finally ended, culminating a story arc that lasted a season and a half long. His death finally let the show move on. The Governors threat was often times underwhelming, and he probably should have died in the previous season finale, but with his death, it finally meant a new set of challenges to overcome. With so many unexpected deaths often leaving characters wishing theyd said things earlier, The Governors offered a surprising amount of closure. For the characters, many of whom had been personally harmed by him, they could rest somewhat. For the fans, there was a nice tight end to this chapter of the show and a clear opening for the series to start anew.