Aaron (TV Series)

"I know you’re feeling like an outsider. It’s not your fault, you know. Eric and I, we’re still looked at as outsiders in a lot of ways. We’ve heard our fair share of well meaning but hilariously offensive things from some otherwise really nice men and women. People are people. The more afraid they get, the more stupid they get. Fear shrinks the brain."

- Aaron to Daryl.

Aaron is a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead. He's a recruiter for the community of Alexandria, along with his boyfriend Eric.

Personality
Aaron is described as "an affable, good-natured, adventurous guy. Despite feeling like a bit of an outsider for most of his life, he's passionate about people and the good they can do. He doesn't think twice about putting himself in danger if he believes something positive can come from it."

Aaron had been mistreated and ostracized most of his life, mostly due to him being openly gay and people's homophobia. Despite this, Aaron consistently saw the good in these people even though they were being offensive. He has a good judge of character and sees the best in everyone. Aaron is very altruistic and always wanted to help people.

Aaron also has a sense of humor and optimism. He aims to keep people at ease and peaceful, wanting them to be happy. Aaron also is an avid collector. His hobbies include photography and collecting memorabilia from the places he had visited. After the apocalypse, he began collecting license plates from each state to collect and put on a wall in his house.

Aaron extremely cares for and loves Eric, his boyfriend. Both had been outsiders and seem to be the few people in the world who understood each other. Aaron is willing to tolerate many things, but one thing he can't tolerate is Eric being threatened or harmed in any way. Aaron even would result to violence, something he is usually against, if it means defending Eric.

Washington D.C.
Little is known about Aaron's life before or after the outbreak began. Aaron is openly gay and, as a child, was forced to eat food he did not like by his mother to 'make him more manly'. He had worked for a non-government organization as an adult where he was tasked with giving supplies and food to people in need, and often encountered dangerous people in the process.

Aaron lived in Washington D.C. and through his NGO he met Eric. Soon after, he and Eric fell in love and lived together. Both he and Eric were victims of homophobia when they were together. When the outbreak occurred, Aaron and Eric were among the original survivors of the Alexandria Safe-Zone. However, even in the safe-zone were they treated as outsiders and still were victims of the ignorant.

"Them"
As Sasha and Maggie watch the sunrise, Aaron appears from the woods and carefully approaches the women. He comes off as friendly and cautious, greeting the pair and asking to speak with their leader before informing them that he has good news.

"The Distance"
Maggie and Sasha bring Aaron to the barn where the rest of the group is. They have taken all his possessions away beforehand. Aaron wants them to come back to his community with him. Rick chooses not to believe him, and tells the group that Aaron has another agenda. Aaron shows them a small set of photographs of his community which he taken as evidence of its existence. As Aaron is explaining what his community is about and emphasizing on its security, Rick punches him in the face, knocking him out. After he wakes up, Aaron remains positive towards the group.

Rick asks Aaron about the number of people waiting for his group. Aaron responds saying how it does not matter whether he informed him of how many, as it would not affect whether or not he would trust him any more than he does then informs him that there is only one. Aaron also reveals that he and his accomplice have vehicles that they had tried to bring closer to the barn, but had been blocked by the trees. Rick orders Abraham, Rosita, Glenn, Maggie, and Michonne go to check out the vehicles, whilst everyone but Rick and Judith stand guard. As the groups leave, Rick warns Aaron that if his people do not return in one hour, he would kill him. When Judith starts crying, Aaron offers Rick some of the apple sauce in his bag. Rick forcefeedss it to Aaron before Judith to ensure it is not poisoned. When everyone returns with the food from Aaron's vehicles, Aaron again tries to persuade them to leave for his community, which Michonne persuades the others to do. He gives them instructions on a clear route, but Rick decides to take an uncleared at night.

Aaron rides in a car with Michonne, Glenn and Rick to his community. When showing Michonne the pictures from his community, she wonders where the pictures of his people are and grows concerns. She asks him Rick's three questions which reveals hess killed a lot of walkers and two people who tried to kill him first. After the group runs into numerous walkers, the car eventually crashes and stalls due to walker parts in the engine. When a lit flare is seen from afar, Aaron starts to panic, concerned it might be one of his own. He frantically requests for his freedom, but after the group denies him, he starts to become violent, kicking the door open and knocking Michonne over, running off into the forest. The others follow him, with Glenn saving his life when a walker attacks him. They then save Rick and Michonne from a group of walkers attacking them. When they arrive at where the flare was fired, they reunite with the group. Aaron shares an emotional reunion with his boyfriend, Eric, who has twisted his ankle. Aaron then thanks the rest of the group for saving Eric and tells them they'll leave in the morning. Rick tries to keep him from sleeping next to Eric but Aaron is determined, saying he'd rather be shot. In the morning, Aaron is in the RV watching over Eric. He tells Noah that at his community there is a doctor who could fix his leg. He is then seen exiting the RV when they reach the safe zone.

"Remember"
Aaron leads the group in Alexandria while carrying Eric inside. After letting Eric go off to the infirmary, he stays at the gate with Nicholas as the group enters. Aaron asks that group comply with Nicholas' orders to turn over their weapons, and that they will need to speak to the leader, Deanna. After she spoke with Rick, Aaron guided Rick and Carl to the two vacant houses in the Safe-Zone, and that he and Eric will be four houses down if Rick or anyone else needs anything.

"Forget"
Aaron went out of the safe-zone as Daryl was and followed him, under the guise of hunting rabbits. When Daryl spotted Aaron, he questioned Daryl if he could really tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy. Aaron then joins Daryl on the hunt. During which, they come across Buttons, a wild horse Aaron and Eric have been trying to wrangle for months. When Daryl attempts to get Buttons, they are attacked by Walkers and flee the area.

Aaron reveals that he knows how Daryl feels, like an outsider. Aaron went on to explain how before and even now back at the safe-zone, him and Eric are seen as outsiders because of people's homophobia. Aaron goes on to mention that people fear what they don't understand and that Daryl should join the safe-zone's welcoming party. Soon after, Aaron is attacked and Daryl rescues him. They come to find Buttons being devoured by walkers, so both Aaron and Daryl kill the walkers, with Aaron shooting Buttons out of its misery. Aaron went back to the safe-zone but didn't attend the party so that he could help mend Eric's broken ankle. When Daryl arrives to the Monroe House but declines to go inside, Aaron invites Daryl over for spaghetti. Aaron and Eric then surprise Daryl with a motorcycle and reveal that Eric is retiring and Daryl is to take his place. Daryl is grateful and forms a friendship with Aaron and Eric.

"Spend"
Aaron can be seen in his car, behind Daryl. The two of them are going on a mission to find new recruits.

"Try"
Aaron and Daryl are out in the night and they saw something and they go check it out. When they were still out in the woods they found a body ripped apart then they found a walker tied up and she had a W on her forehead then Daryl kills it then they keep moving.

"Conquer"
Aaron will appear in this episode.

Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Aaron has killed:
 * Buttons (Out of Mercy)
 * Numerous counts of zombies.
 * Two unnamed hostile survivors.

Eric
"This is your fault, you know?... Because I love you."

- Eric to Aaron after the two reunite

Eric is Aaron's boyfriend, the two of them always working side by side as the recruiters for their community. Before the apocalypse they met each other by working in the same NGO based in D.C. and fell in love. The two care for each other deeply, as evidenced by Aaron visually sterned when Rick threatened to kill them both, and again when the chaos starts within the group. Aaron became extremely worried and upset by the flare being shot by Eric, signaling that he was in danger. Aaron was willing to let himself be in danger just try to get to where Eric was. And again, when the two reunite, the two kiss passionately, as Eric said it's Aaron's fault he got injured, because he loves him. Aaron is also shown to be very protective towards his boyfriend, as shown when Rick didn't allow Aaron to be with Eric since he doesn't trust either of them. Aaron warned Rick that nothing can stop him from being with Eric other than shooting him. Because of Eric's near-death experience, Aaron became to worried for Eric's sake and had him retire with Daryl replacing him.

Rick Grimes
"Does it matter?... I mean, of course it--it matters how many people are actually out there, but does it matter how many people I tell you are out there? Because I'm pretty sure no matter what number I say--Eight. Thirty-two. Four hundred forty-four. Zero.--No matter what I say, you're not going to trust me."

- Aaron to Rick.

Rick is initially highly suspicious of Aaron, to the point of tying him up and interrogating him. Rick also threatens to kill him even though Aaron has given evidence of his community and how his community is. Nevertheless, Aaron still has a soft spot for Rick and the rest of his group, as shown how he willingly risks his life to talk with Rick and his boyfriend's life to follow Rick several weeks back before the two eventually decide to confront the group.

Glenn Rhee
"We can make it together, but we can only make it together. You said that. I was listening."

- Aaron to Glenn

Aaron and Glenn have a fair relationship. Glenn appears to be distrustful along with his group towards Aaron and what he offers. Glenn does not appear to be in shock when Rick punches him in the face, knocking him out. The distrust that Glenn has towards Aaron elevates when he and some of his members go to where Aaron says where his car is. Glenn tells the group to shoot anyone whom they come across. However, despite the distrust Glenn has, the two reconcile, as shown by when Glenn finds Aaron, still tied up, and puts down by a walker attacking him. Glenn sets him loose and tells him to run off while there's still a chance. Aaron disagrees, saying that they need to stay together, no matter what, because that's the only way they can survive.

Daryl Dixon
"I know you’re feeling like an outsider. It’s not your fault, you know."

- Aaron to Daryl

Aaron and Daryl have formed a close-bond with each other and have become good friends. When Aaron and Daryl first met, Daryl treated him as dangerous and had no patience with him. After Aaron brought the group into the Alexandria Safe-Zone, he had Deanna hold out a position for Daryl in the community. Since Eric was almost killed in the last recruitment, Aaron had Eric retire too keep him safe. He followed Daryl out of the safe-zone and revealed that Daryl knows better than Rick when it comes to deciding whether or not people are good. Aaron explained that he understands Daryl because he knows that Daryl's an outsider. Aaron said that he and Eric have been seen as outsiders their whole lives, and even still back at the safe-zone, because of people's homophobia. Aaron invited Daryl to the welcome party being held by Deanna. That night, Daryl arrived but instead declined to join. Aaron stayed at home with Eric and invited Daryl to have dinner with them. Aaron surprised Daryl with his own motorcycle and gave him the position as a fellow recruiter. Aaron and Daryl thus began their friendship.

Season 5

 * "Them"
 * "The Distance"
 * "Remember"
 * "Forget"
 * "Spend" (No Lines)
 * "Try"
 * "Conquer"

Trivia

 * Robert Kirkman hinted on a Talking Dead special in November 2014 that the second half of Season 5, "will contain a very prominent gay character from the comics", likely referring to Aaron. Ross Marquand was later confirmed in January 2015 by TVLine to be playing the character.
 * Before Ross Marquand received the role of Aaron, he auditioned for the role of Gareth.
 * The codename for the casting-call of Aaron was Logan.
 * Ross Maquand confirmed that Aaron and Eric were in a relationship before the apocalypse. That they met through work in NGO and lived together in D.C., becoming one of the original members of the Safe-Zone.
 * Aaron is the first openly male homesexual in the series and the third openly homosexual character, the first being Tara Chambler, followed by Alisha.