The Walking Dead: How Did Carl Grimes Die? Who Killed Him?

The Walking Dead: What happened to Carl Grimes? (Image: AMc)

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As The Walking Dead approached its eighth season, optimism was high among viewers for what was in-store. There was an imminent battle with the Saviours and Began (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) on the horizon but no-one foresaw the death of series regular Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs). Now in its 10th season on AMC and Fox UK, Carl’s impact on the TWD community can still be felt years after his death. Here’s how he died.

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How did Carl Grimes die in The Walking Dead?

Carl’s death in The Walking Dead came halfway through season eight.

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He had been walking through the woods looking for a stranger he crossed paths with at a gas station earlier in the series.

The stranger was Siddiq (Avi Nash) and Carl decided to bring him back to Alexandria.

However, as revealed in a flashback scene in season eight, the pair came across a handful of Walkers.

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The Walking Dead: Carl and Siddiq (Image: AMC)

The Walking Dead: Carl's bitten by a Walker (Image: AMC)

Carl was bitten in his torso but kept the bite a secret as his father Rick (Andrew Lincoln) prepare for war against the Saviours.

Soon the effects of the bite took over Carl as he sought shelter from Negan in the sewers below Alexandria.

Rick and Michonne (Danai Guria) find Carl in his final moments and the realisation sets in that he needs to die in order to avoid reanimation.

With his father still reeling in horror, Carl told Michonne: “I have to do this, me.”

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The Walking Dead: Carl appeared in the very first season (Image: AMC)

Carl then told Michonne and Rick he loved them before they left him alone beneath Alexandria with a gun.

In a heartbreaking moment, Rick and Michonne are sown outside the sewer as a gunshot goes off, confirmed Carl had killed himself.

The cause of Carl’s death was, therefore, suicide although some TWD fans blame Siddiq for it.

So why did Carl die and Chandler Riggs leave the role?

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The Walking Dead: Carl in season 8 (Image: AMC)

According to Riggs’ father, the decision for Carl to die was down to the writers and not the actor.

In a lengthy now-deleted Facebook comment, Riggs’ dad said: “Just to clarify once and for all: Chandler didn’t want to leave the show,”

He also said how the actor was “devastated” to find out he would be leaving.

Riggs himself addressed his exit after his final scenes aired.

Speaking at San Jose Fan Fest, the TWD star said: “It wasn’t just Carl dying, it was also me leaving the show and kind of moving on to other things.

“So in many ways, it was pretty symbolic just for the cast and crew, just for me to be leaving the show in the first place, it was a pretty big deal for all of us.

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“Yeah, it sucked, and it was many long days, but I’m really happy with how it turned out and I’m really happy with my performances and I’m happy with how I left the show.”

The Walking Dead season 10 continues on AMC and Fox UK.

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