The Walking Dead: Why [SPOILER]'s Death Was A Mistake

The Walking Dead's most under-appreciated character deserved better.

By Stephen Patterson /

AMC

Contains major spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 9 Episode 8.

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The Walking Dead has been the subject of much discussion since star Andrew Lincoln departed the show. In spite of this, the hit AMC series has gone from strength-to-strength, delivering some of the finest material we've seen on the show in years, as showrunner Angela Kang heralds in a new era for the post-apocalyptic drama.

As much as fans feared for the show's survival without its protagonist, Rick's absence has indirectly allowed for previously under-developed characters to take centre stage, with Jesus having a rare opportunity to demonstrate his skills as a leader. And that's not all, as last week's instalment revealed a friendship between Jesus and Aaron - one that many viewers were hoping would become romantic, as was the case in the graphic novels.

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With Jesus finally having the opportunity to showcase his potential, fans were ready to see him become the iconic badass we know and love from the comics. Unfortunately, this opportunity was utterly wasted.

Evolution finds the character accompanying Daryl and Aaron on a mission to locate Eugene, and in doing so, he finds himself fending off The Whisperers. Despite showing off his unique fighting skills, Jesus falls victim to one of the talking creatures, becoming nothing more than a plot device for the show's annual mid-season cliffhanger, which is a huge mistake on the showrunner's part.

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