Glenn Rhee was introduced in The Walking Dead #2 (2003) as a 22-year-old raised in Macon, Georgia who led an unassuming life. He worked as a pizza delivery boy dealing with financial difficulties of car and rent payments and an estranged relationship with his parents.

After the zombie apocalypse, he proved time again to be a very resourceful member of the group. Using the knowledge he gained about Atlanta while delivering pizza, Glenn put himself in danger to go on supply runs in the city. He also showed himself as a jack of all trades, able to hotwire cars and siphon fuel for their vehicles. Glenn was loyal to Rick Grimes as the leader of their group, serving as an ally and confidante. He had an optimistic attitude and humorous outlook, doing whatever was needed to keep people in the group safe.

Once the group left Atlanta they encountered the Greene family, and Glenn met the love of his life, Maggie Greene. The two eventually got married, adopted Sophia after her mother died, and later they had a son, Hershel, who was named after her father.

His two flaws were lack of physical strength and impulsivity that led to reckless decisions. Sometimes he panicked under pressure, which was seen when the Governor kidnapped him, Rick, and Michonne. Glenn was paralyzed by fear and didn’t regain control of himself until he was rescued. Though he had killed innumerable walkers, he tended to shy away from violent confrontations with other people, such as killing the Hunters and Scavengers. He never killed a living person.

Glenn had one of the most shocking and brutal deaths in The Walking Dead. The group had skirmishes with the Saviors, a well organized group that was led by the vicious and calculating Negan. A small number of Rick’s group was camping on the road between their home of Alexandria and the Hilltop Colony, when the Saviors caught up to them. Once the Saviors rounded up Rick’s group, Negan decided to kill one of them for opposing him. He chose Glenn at random then bludgeoned him to death with a baseball bat wrapped in razor wire.

When Glenn died in The Walking Dead #100 (July 2012), artist Charlie Adlard illustrated two of the most memorable panels from the series: Glenn’s terrified face when Negan pointed the bat at him and Glenn yelling for Maggie with the front of his head partially caved in after the first blow. Not only did Glenn’s death surprise longtime readers, it set the stage for the group’s most difficult challenge in defeating Negan, who is widely considered the comic’s greatest villain.