Airing from 2010 to 2022, AMC's The Walking Dead featured a lot of characters deaths. Season 10 saw the Coalition -- a series of allied communities that included Alexandria, Oceanside and the Hilltop Colony -- face off against the Whisperers, a group of humans using zombies to hide their attacks. While the war came to an end in Season 10, Episode 16, "A Certain Doom," a lot of people didn't make it out of the season alive.
Season 10, unfortunately, also saw the departure of Danai Gurira as Michonne, who set off to find Rick Grimes in their future spinoff series. As heartbreaking as her exit was, nothing could compare to the bloody and treacherous deaths Season 10 had in store. Here are all the major deaths in The Walking Dead Season 10, as well as some of minor ones.
Dante Murdered Siddiq in Episode 7, 'Open Your Eyes'
Unknown to Siddiq, his medical assistant, Dante, was the one who held his eyes open and forced him to watch Alpha behead his friends. However, Dante later gave himself away by making a clicking noise that Siddiq recalled from his nightmares. Siddiq’s murder in Episode 7, "Open Your Eyes," confirmed Dante was acting on behalf of the Whisperers’ leader, deviating from his comic book storyline as Maggie's potential love interest after Glenn.
Father Gabriel Killed Dante in Episode 8, 'The World Before'
During the midseason finale, Father Gabriel -- who was sidelined for most of the season -- meted out justice for Siddiq's murder, and brutally stabbed Dante in his cell rather than allow his fate to be decided by others. Father Gabriel then put down the reanimated Dante. Despite nominally being a man of peace, Father Gabriel’s surprise release of rage was a long time coming, as he was suffering from guilt about what happened at Alexandria.
Beta Murdered Gamma/Mary in Episode 12, 'Walk with Us'
While former Whisperer Gamma/Mary eventually chose to instead side with the Alexandrians, her redemption was short-lived. After helping Alden (who met his demise in Season 11), Kelly and a crying Adam escape from walkers, Mary relaxed for a moment, and was ambushed by Beta, who stabbed her in the stomach. Beta then disemboweled her for refusing to rejoin the Whisperers. Although Beta waited for Mary to turn to bring her back to the Whisperer army, Alden put her down with an arrow to the head once she turned.
Earl Killed Himself in Episode 12, 'Walk with Us'
After receiving a walker bite while escorting children to safety with Judith, Earl killed himself to avoid endangering others. Knowing the older man's intentions, Judith then exited the room, and Earl slammed his head against a spike. When Judith returned, she discovered the now-dead Earl had failed at impaling himself and left his brain still intact. Judith quickly killed the reanimated Earl with her katana, allowing him to join his deceased wife and son.
Negan Surprised Alpha in Episode 12, 'Walk with Us'
After seemingly escaping the Coalition, Negan formed an intimate relationship with Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers, who reprised her role in a standout Tales of the Walking Dead episode. However, Negan soon lured Alpha to a shed with the promise of reuniting her with her daughter, Lydia, who was not actually present. Negan then decapitated Alpha and brought her zombified head to Carol, with whom he'd secretly been working. In an act of vengeance for those whom Alpha had killed, Carol put the leader's head on a pike, echoing what happened to her victims.
Daryl Took Down Beta in Episode 16, 'A Certain Doom'
In the bloody Season 10B finale, the brutal Beta (portrayed by Sons of Anarchy and God of War: Ragnarok's Ryan Hurst) led the Whisperers against the Coalition, hoping to get revenge for her death. Daryl, who covered himself in walker blood to blend in, surprised Beta by gouging his eye sockets with knives to blind him. Beta’s fresh blood caused the walkers to devour his flesh, though in true Whisperer fashion Beta embraced his death and found freedom in it. Following Beta's death, Lydia and Carol lead the remaining Whisperer horde that didn't die in the attack off a cliff, permanently eliminating them as a threat.
Many Minor Deaths in The Walking Dead Season 10
While they weren't major characters for the series as the whole, Lucille, Margo, Brandon, Cheryl, Beatrice and Laura were important characters who died in Season 10. Negan accidentally killed Margo in Episode 4, “Silence the Whisperers," and then purposefully murdered Brandon in Episode 5, “What It Always Is,” after he murdered a mother and her son. Cheryl, for her part, died of an infection in Episode 7, “Open Your Eyes,” after Mary poisoned Alexandria's water, while Laura broke her neck trying to save Mary from Beta in Episode 10, “Stalker.”
Additionally, Oceanside resident Beatrice was devoured by a walker horde after Carol abandoned her to not attract attention in "A Certain Doom." Season 10C, which comprised standalone episodes during the COVID-19 pandemic, also saw a flashback death of Negan's wife Lucille in the Season 10 finale. After battling cancer like a champion, Negan found Lucille had killed herself, hoping Negan wouldn't have to make the hard decision himself.
All 11 seasons of The Walking Dead are available to stream on Netflix and AMC+.