12 Darkest Moments In The Walking Dead

12. The Downfall Of Shane Walsh

Back in the early days of the show, the primary plot revolved around the love triangle of Rick, Shane and Lori. During Rick's days in the coma, Shane and Lori had started an affair, believing Rick was dead. When Officer Friendly returned, though, Shane was cast aside and Rick was able to get his family back.

Throughout the first two seasons, Shane began to crack. First, he became violent, beating Carol's abusive husband to a bloody pulp, then he became desperate, assaulting Lori during the group's stint at the CDC. Later, Rick learned about the affair and Lori's pregnancy, and Shane struggled to maintain a hold of his sanity.

In his final plunge to the dark side, Shane killed innocent farmhand Otis in order to escape a walker horde, murdered the group's prisoner Randall, and set-up a trap for Rick. The plan failed, and Rick was forced to put his friend down. The whole storyline was incredibly dark, escalating with every passing episode until Shane was too far gone, and his death signalled a new era of the show.