Shane Walsh

The character of Shane Walsh differs slightly from the television show and the graphic novel. Shane was Rick's partner in the sheriff's department and best friend since high school. When the apocalypse occurs while Rick is in a coma, Shane helps save Lori and Carl by fleeing with them toward Atlanta.

Shortly after the evacuation, Shane and Lori start an affair, something that Shane has long wanted. In the television show, Shane also is shown attempting to be a father figure to Carl. When Rick meets up with the group in Atlanta, Shane is initially happy, but increasingly became jealous of Rick and Lori getting back together.

Eventually, Lori brushes off Shane's advances using a violent scratch to firmly establish her mindset. Sent into an emotional meltdown by Lori siding with Rick.

Shane’s frustrations over Rick’s position bubble to the surface and create incredible tension between the partners, even despite the fact they are in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. After one disagreement, Shane aims his rifle on Rick in the woods, but stops short of firing, but not before Dale witnesses the act.

Shane's relationship with Lori also quickly disintegrates and fuels his decent. “I have a few mistakes under my belt,” he tells her, explaining his plan to leave the group. Before he can go through with leaving, Carl is shot, and Shane sacrifices Otis to escape a walker attack.  Returning to the group with medication that save Carl’s life he is a hero, but the guilt over the murder makes him symbolically shave his head.

At the same time Shane then learns that Lori is pregnant and his decision to replace Rick as the group's leader, Lori's mate and father to Carl and the baby is solidified.

Believing himself to be the father, Shane pursues Lori again, telling her that he – not Rick – is the only one capable of protecting her and Carl, and arguing that “What we had, it was real.”

Shane tells Rick as much when the two are deciding what to do with a dangerous prisoner, Randall, which leads to a brutal fist-fight. “If you wanna kill me, you’re gonna have to do better,” Rick warns his partner afterward.

Shane gets his chance a few days later when he leads Rick into the forest to track down Randall, who’s apparently escaped. (Shane has in fact killed Randall and staged the escape.) Raising his gun at Rick, Shane asserts that “Lori and Carl, they’ll get over you.”

Rick slowly hands over his gun. As Shane momentarily looks down Rick stabs his partner in the heart. "Damn you for making me do this," Rick yells as Shane collapses to the ground. "This was you! Not me! You did this to us!"

Moments later, Shane rises as a walker and lumbers toward Rick. Carl, gun drawn, shoots Shane in the head.

In the comic, Shane attempts to lure him into the nearby woods to kill him in secrecy. However, Carl happens upon the scene and shoots Shane through the neck, causing him to die seconds later from choking on his own blood. Shane's body is buried in a makeshift grave, marked by a cross of twigs. Rick later returns to the grave site and finds that Shane has reanimated as a walker, and shoots him in the head in order to finally put him to rest.

Jon Bernthal brilliantly portrayed Shane in the television series, marking the actor's most high-profile role to date. It makes Shanes line from the first episode, "Would be kind of cool to get on one of them shows." very appropriate.  Bernthal and Andrew Lincoln, who was eventually cast as protagonist Rick Grimes, auditioned for the show together and were the first to be chosen for the regular cast. 

Series creator Frank Darabont originally had all actors audition for the role of Rick, including Bernthal, and then brought back the actors under close consideration to audition for Shane and other roles. Bernthal, however, wanted to play the part of Shane from early on and fought for the part, despite knowing that the character would die early in the series.

In Season 3, Shane makes a