Themes: Cliffhangers



Cliffhangers are a recurring theme in The Walking Dead. It is a common way to end an episode, issue, chapter, or anything else in The Walking Dead that leaves the reader/viewer in suspense.

Comic Series

 * It is revealed that Jim was bitten on the arm during the zombie attack on the camp. (Issue 5)
 * Rick Grimes threatens to kill Otis after he accidentally shot Carl Grimes. (Issue 9)
 * Hershel reveals to Rick that he's keeping zombies in the barn. (Issue 10)
 * Upon bursting in to the cafeteria, Rick and Tyreese find it occupied by four living inmates. (Issue 13)
 * Hershel finds the decapitated heads of his twin daughters, Susie and Rachel. (Issue 15)
 * Andrea is attacked by Thomas. (Issue 16)
 * Dexter holds Rick at gunpoint attempting to force the group to leave the prison. (Issue 18)
 * Tyreese punches Rick after the latter accuses him of being responsible for Carol's suicide attempt. (Issue 22)
 * Rick and Glenn spot a helicopter in the sky. (Issue 25)
 * The Governor tells Rick they feed strangers to zombies. (Issue 27)
 * Michonne confronts The Governor in his apartment. (Issue 32)
 * Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Martinez and Alice arrive at the prison only to find it seemingly overrun. (Issue 34)
 * Rick realizes Martinez went back to Woodbury to inform The Governor of the prison's location. (Issue 35)
 * Andrea, Tyreese, Glenn and Maggie are ambushed by Bruce and several other Woodbury soldiers at a local Wal-Mart. (Issue 38)
 * Carol commits suicide by letting a zombie bite her neck. (Issue 41)
 * The Governor and his army assemble at the prison gates, and he yells "Kill them all!", referring to Rick's group. (Issue 42, Issue 43)
 * Rick collapses after having been shot in the abdomen. (Issue 44)
 * Gabe claims to have killed Michonne. (Issue 45)
 * Michonne points a gun to The Governor's head. (Issue 46)
 * Rick finds Lori inside the prison, but she appears to be held at gunpoint. (Issue 47)
 * Carl tells Rick he misses his mother, but finds his father unresponsive, with his eyes glazed over. (Issue 49)
 * Eugene claims to be a scientist and to know exactly what caused the zombie outbreak. (Issue 53)
 * Maggie is revealed to have hung herself in a tree. (Issue 55)
 * Rick, Carl, Abraham Ford, and Morgan Jones flee from a massive herd of zombies. (Issue 59)
 * Two survivors observe Rick's group from a distance. (Issue 61)
 * Dale discovers that his other leg has been amputated and is being eaten by The Hunters (Issue 63)
 * Aaron walks into Rick's camp and asks to speak to the leader. (Issue 67)
 * Gabriel tells Douglas that Rick's group are bad people and don't belong in Alexandria. (Issue 74)
 * When Rick executes Peter Anderson, the Scavengers hear the gunshot and start heading towards Alexandria. (Issue 77)
 * Morgan is bit as he and Rick are surrounded by zombies. (Issue 81)
 * Carl is accidentally shot in the eye by Douglas. (Issue 83)
 * Carl wakes up from his coma. (Issue 85)
 * An unknown survivor spies on Alexandria with a pair of binoculars. (Issue 91)
 * Abraham and Eugene Porter leave Alexandria and are unknowingly being followed by the Saviors. (Issue 97)
 * Negan leaves Rick, Maggie Greene, Carl, Michonne, Heath, and Sophia with the corpse of Glenn. (Issue 100)
 * Negan tells Rick he can't wait to show him what he's done to Carl. (Issue 106)
 * Jesus realizes that Kal went out to warn the Saviors of their impending attack. (Issue 109)
 * The ambush on Negan fails as Rick's group is quickly surrounded by Negan's backup team. (Issue 112)
 * As Rick's army approaches Negan and his Saviors, prepared for war, Negan reveals his "wildcard": Gregory, who pledges the Hilltop's allegiance to the Saviors. (Issue 115)
 * Negan and a large group of Saviors assemble at the Alexandria Safe-Zone gates, and he yells "Attack!" after releasing Holly back to Alexandria to get Rick's attention. (Issue 119)
 * Dwight shoots Rick in the abdomen with his crossbow (with a possibly infected bolt) (Issue 123)
 * Negan's throat is slit by Rick while surrounded by a large group of Saviors. (Issue 125)
 * Magna and her group discover Negan in the Alexandria Safe-Zone jail, and he attempts to convince them of his innocence. (Issue 129)
 * Magna's group subdue Andrea and demand she tells them everything they want to know. (Issue 131)
 * Dante is held at gunpoint by one of the Whisperers. (Issue 132)
 * The door of Negan's cell swings open after not being locked properly. (Issue 140)
 * Alpha is revealed to have infiltrated the fair. (Issue 142)
 * Rick discovers the decapitated heads of Olivia, Josh, Carson, Tammy, Luke, Erin, Ken, Amber, Larry, Oscar, Rosita and Ezekiel placed on pikes by Alpha. (Issue 144)
 * Rick goes to Negan for help. (Issue 148)
 * Eugene gets a response on the radio. (Issue 151)
 * Negan kills Brandon after learning of his plan to warn the Whisperers of the Militia's impending attack (Issue 153)
 * Negan decapitates Alpha. (Issue 156)
 * The Whisperers' herd charges towards Alexandria. (Issue 162)
 * Andrea is seemingly bit on the neck. (Issue 165)
 * Andrea falls to the ground, weak from her wound. (Issue 166)
 * Beta stands over Jesus with knives in hand. (Issue 172)
 * Siddiq walks in on Mercer and George talking about overthrowing Governor Milton. (Issue 177)
 * Rick and Pamela arrive to the Commonwealth only to find it in chaos. (Issue 183)

TV Series

 * Rick Grimes hears a voice over the radio moments after attempting suicide. (Days Gone Bye)
 * The doors of the CDC open seconds before the group decides to depart, and a bright light shines as the group looks on in shock. (Wildfire)
 * Carl Grimes is shot in the woods by an unknown person. (What Lies Ahead)
 * The bolt sealing a barricade shut that Otis and Shane Walsh hide behind begins to loosen as walkers pull on the barricade. (Bloodletting)
 * The Atlanta gang is left with the body of Sophia Peletier after discovering her zombified. (Pretty Much Dead Already)
 * Lori tells her husband Rick her worries about Shane, while the episode ends with the camera panning in on Rick's disgusted and angered face. (Triggerfinger)
 * Zombies hear Carl killing zombified Shane and start heading towards the sound. (Better Angels)
 * Daryl Dixon aims his crossbow at five walkers who in reality turn out to be five living inmates. (Seed)
 * Michonne stands outside the prison fence disguised as a walker as Rick looks on, puzzled. (Hounded)
 * Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and Oscar wait outside Woodbury, preparing to infiltrate and rescue Glenn Rhee and Maggie Greene. (When the Dead Come Knocking)
 * Daryl and Merle Dixon are surrounded by an angry mob chanting "Kill them!" after being asked by the Governor what they think they should do with them. (Made to Suffer)
 * Patrick dies and turns into a walker inside the prison while everyone is sleeping. (30 Days Without An Accident)
 * The bodies of David and Karen are discovered. (Infected)
 * The Governor is seen watching the prison from afar. (Internment)
 * The Governor aims a gun at Michonne and Hershel Greene. (Dead Weight)
 * Rick and Carl stumble away from the destroyed prison. The fate of the rest of the group remains unknown. (Too Far Gone)
 * The group is trapped in the train cart. (A)
 * Bob Stookey is in the Terminus residents' hands, who plan to attack Rick's group. (Strangers)
 * Daryl returns back to the church, finding Michonne, who asks where Carol Peletier is, to which Daryl responds by telling an unseen person to come out. (Four Walls and a Roof)
 * As Beth Greene approaches Steven Edwards to kill him, Carol is brought in on a stretcher. (Slabtown)
 * Bob Lamson knocks Sasha Williams out as he runs away. (Crossed)
 * As Maggie and Sasha laugh together, Aaron appears with "good news". (Them)
 * A horn sounds and it draws the quarry herd towards Alexandria. (First Time Again)
 * Rick is trapped inside of an RV as a herd of walkers begin to surround him. (Thank You)
 * Morgan Jones rushes to Rick screaming for someone to open the front gates to Alexandria after departing from the holding cell containing the Wolves' Leader. (Here's Not Here)
 * Daryl, Abraham and Sasha hear someone calling for help on the walkie-talkie as Daryl tries to reach out to Rick. (Always Accountable)
 * Alexandria's watchtower falls over due to the weakened truck. (Heads Up)
 * Walking into the herd, Sam repeatedly says "Mom." The screen cuts to black with the walkers getting louder. (Start to Finish)
 * An unnamed Savior reveals she has captured Carol and Maggie. (Not Tomorrow Yet)
 * Dwight shoots Daryl in the shoulder before the screen fades to black. (East)
 * Negan chooses someone out of a line-up of Rick Grimes, Carl Grimes, Sasha Williams, Abraham Ford, Eugene Porter, Maggie Greene, Glenn Rhee, Daryl Dixon, Rosita Espinosa, Aaron and Michonne to bludgeon to death with Lucille in front of the other survivors as punishment for the deaths of multiple Saviors. (Last Day on Earth)
 * Rick and his group become surrounded by the Scavengers while looking for Gabriel Stokes. (Rock in the Road)
 * Rosita Espinosa notices a silhouette watching her outside the Sanctuary. (The Other Side)
 * The season ends with Negan officially declaring war on Rick and the communities. (The First Day of the Rest of Your Life)
 * Gabriel is trapped inside of a trailer at the Sanctuary with Negan while a herd of walkers surround the outside. (Mercy)
 * Morales cocks his gun while holding Rick at gunpoint, preparing for the impending arrival of the Saviors. (The Damned)
 * Ezekiel and the Kingdom soldiers are ambushed and shot at by an unseen group of Saviors just as Ezekiel revels in victory and the fact there have been no casualties on the Kingdom's side. (Monsters)
 * Rick discovers to his horror that the Saviors have escaped the Sanctuary. (Time for After)
 * Carl reveals that he was bitten when trying to help Siddiq come to Alexandria. (How It's Gotta Be)
 * Jadis manages to kidnap Negan after he escapes from Rick's ambush. (The Key)

Video Game

 * Immediately after the group finds shelter at the Motor Inn, the electricity is suddenly shut off, leaving them in darkness. (A New Day)
 * After taking supplies from an abandoned car, Lee Everett and Doug/Carley watch footage from Jolene's camcorder, revealing that the bandits know where they are and might come after them now that the dairy is overrun. (Starved For Help)
 * When the train approaches Savannah, a man's voice is heard on Clementine's walkie-talkie, who tells her that he's glad she's coming and that he has her parents. (Long Road Ahead)
 * The person who kidnapped Clementine is on the walkie-talkie and says, "If I were you, I'd choose my next words very carefully." The player then chooses Lee's next words and the episode ends. (Around Every Corner)
 * Clementine looks off in the distance and spots two moving figures as the screen cuts to black. (No Time Left)
 * The trailer for "A House Divided" ends with Clementine saying "I thought you were dead!" but doesn't reveal who she is referring to. (All That Remains)
 * The episode, "A House Divided", ends with Clementine's group being captured by William Carver and taken away one by one. Their fate would not be explained until the next episode. (A House Divided)
 * The episode, "In Harm's Way", ends with Sarita getting bitten by a walker and Clementine had a chance to either cut Sarita's arm or bashing the skull of the walker. However, Sarita's fate is not revealed in this episode. (In Harm's Way)
 * The episode, "Amid The Ruins", ends with Clementine's group being surrounded by a hostile Russian group. Rebecca, whom is now a walker, is shot, triggering the Russian group to start firing. The episode ends with several gunshots being heard in the background, leaving the player clueless to who was shot. (Amid The Ruins)
 * "No Going Back" can end in multiple cliffhangers. The episode can end with: (No Going Back)
 * Clementine slowly walking with Alvin Jr. into a herd of walkers, leaving what happens next a mystery.
 * Clementine and Jane returning to Howe's Hardware and welcoming or turning away another group of survivors, either option resulting in an abrupt end.
 * "Ties That Bind - Part 1", ends with multiple cliffhangers. The episode can end with either: (Ties That Bind - Part 1)
 * Kate falling unconscious following her injury.
 * A grenade being thrown at Javier and Clementine, causing Javier or Clementine to throw the grenade back or Javier covers Clementine from the blast. (Determinant)
 * "Above The Law" ends with a shootout at Richmond. (Determinant) (Above The Law)

Dead Reckoning

 * As Shane Walsh leaves to find Lori and Carl Grimes and check on Rick Grimes, an undead Don comes up from behind and lunges at Leon right when the scene ends. (Dead Reckoning)

Social Game

 * The Hero Player, Ed, Greg, and Kara quickly leave the Atlanta Highway Camp after it is overrun.
 * The Hero Player, Max, Nathan, Ed, Kara, Marla Wilkinson, and Bill leave Atlanta after it is realized that it is no longer safe. (Social Game)
 * Bill, Kara, Mauricio and his family fly off to Ossabaw Sound, leaving the Hero Player, Ed, and Max. It is then revealed that Marla had just died from her infection. (Social Game)
 * Sky reveals that he is from Woodbury and takes Harlan into custody, leaving the group to decide whether they join the town or not. (Social Game)

Novel Series

 * Brian Blake proclaims that his name is Philip Blake. (Rise of the Governor)
 * The Governor orders the plotters to chop up bodies and Lilly murmurs under her breath "Some day, this will be you" (The Road to Woodbury)
 * Bob reveals that Woodbury is gone and the underground tunnels are their new home. (Descent)
 * Woodbury is getting rebuilt and maybe, just maybe, this time it'll work... (Return to Woodbury)