Luke (Season 9)

"Do you... Do you know what this is? This is ... This is an original Stradivarius... Circa 1725 [...] It's art [...] Look, for a very long time, historians and archeologists have wondered how did ancient humans survive the Neanderthals? Okay? How did we defeat them when they were bigger and they were smarter and they were stronger, faster? They had better tyools than us. So why are we still here and they're not? And then they found a cave. Okay? And in that cave, they found a 40,000 year old flute [...] Yes. A flute. Yeah. And then they realized that maybe ancient humans didn't defeat Neanderthal. Not in the way that we think of the word "defeat," okay? They came together as an answer to defeat. They sat around a campfire. They shared their stories with each other in the form of music. And paintings. And they created a a common identity. And then they, you know, they built communities, and they grew. And then, as they grew, Neanderthal retreated, and then, after a while, they just died out. So this, yeah. This. This. This is the one thing that separates us from the animals. For better or for worse, it brings us together. And if we're trying to rebuild something, you can't ignore that [...] Yeah. It's survival of the fittest... sharing with each other. That's part of what makes us stronger."

- Luke explaining to Michonne why he believes art differentiates humans from animals.

Luke is a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead. He is a member of Magna's group.

Overview
Luke is a fatigued survivor who understands there is safety in numbers. He values what is beautiful and hopeful and makes people uniquely human. He’s more on the artist’s spectrum of personality, preaching the love of music as a necessity to maintain humanity during chaotic times.

Location Unknown
Nothing is known about Luke's life prior to or as the outbreak began, except that he was a music teacher and had some culinary experience.

Post-Apocalypse
At some point after the outbreak, Luke met girlfriends Magna and Yumiko, siblings Connie and Kelly, Bernie among other survivors. The group survived for several years, eventually becoming closer and seeing each other as family. However, as the years went by, several members of the group died.

The group resided in different communities, such as Jones Springs and Coalport, both which eventually fell causing the group's distrust in rejoining any other similar settlements.

"What Comes After"
In the woods, Magna's group take on a herd of walkers. They quickly get overwhelmed but they get saved when the walkers around them get shot from the trees.

Luke and the group escape into the woods to find a 9 year old girl who asks for their names. They introduce themselves and ask what her name is. The girl picks up her hat and introduces herself as Judith Grimes.

"Who Are You Now?"
In the woods, Luke and the group follow Judith as she leads them to Rosita, Eugene, Laura and Aaron. Luke jokingly comments to Eugene that he can help him cook the rabbit. Wanting to take them in, Judith declares she won't return to Alexandria until they accept them. The others reluctantly agree.

Later, Luke and the group arrive at Alexandria's gates and Judith assures them they'll be safe. They get escorted inside, where Gracie runs over to Aaron. Rosita updates Siddiq on Yumiko's condition and he escorts her to the infirmary. Magna tries to tag along but is stopped by D.J.

Michonne arrives on horseback and doesn't look pleased to see the new arrivals. She frisks Magna and asks Eugene why they're here. Aaron claims it was his call but Michonne reminds him it's not his call to make. "I decided," Judith tells her. Michonne scolds her but Aaron says they're here now and they should decide their fate together, while Gabriel suggests they vote tomorrow. Michonne agrees and instructs her people to put them in holding.

The next day, Luke and the group stand before the Alexandria council for questioning. They ask who their leader is and Magna claims they're a team, while Luke explains their group used to be bigger and that they just lost their friend, Bernie. Gabriel asks about their former professions. Luke was a music teacher, Magna was a truck stop waitress, Connie was a journalist and Kelly was a high school student. Luke says they should trust them, but Michonne isn't done with questions. She stands up and asks Magna to see her left hand, which has a prison tattoo. Michonne then calls her out for the hidden knife on her belt, which she puts on the table. Michonne storms out, saying she'll second any of their motions. Magna tries to question her but is shut off.

Later, in the infirmary, Siddiq updates Luke and the rest on Yumiko's condition. He asks him if he has been there since the start but Siddiq confesses that he was also found in the woods, but things were different in the past.

At night, Luke and the rest scold Magna for ruining their chance to stay. Luke asks Magna to hand over her necklace, which also doubles as a knife, but she's reluctant. Magna says they should fight their way through Alexandria to take their supplies before heading out, but Connie tells her to leave Michonne and Judith out of it. Luke says they save the fighting for people who deserve it, and Magna finally surrenders the necklace.

The next day, Luke and the group prepares to leave by thanking everyone for their hospitality. Michonne rides up and says she's going to instead escort them to Hilltop with Siddiq.

"Stradivarius"
On the road to Hilltop, Siddiq tells Michonne she should have let Magna's group stay in Alexandria, but she says she still doesn't trust them and is only doing this for her daughter. In the cart, Magna complains to her group that Michonne has her knives and she wants them back. Yumiko tells Michonne she's just upset about their lost friend, Bernie.

A while later, Michonne and the others arrive at Magna's giant crate of supplies, which have been displaced and destroyed by walkers. Magna's upset at the sight of Bernie's things while Michonne instructs D.J. to gather more of their weapons. This angers them, and Michonne also announces she's returning to Alexandria in the morning while Siddiq and D.J. help them finish the journey. Magna and Luke start to get riled up, but Yumiko calms them down and reluctantly agrees to her terms. They decide to find shelter for the night.

At night, inside a factory, Michonne hears a noise and finds Luke holding something. She thinks it's a weapon and tells him to drop it and turn around. Luke turns only for Michonne to slice his Stradivarius in half, waking up the rest of the group.

Luke gawks at his broken Stradivarius in disbelief and explains to Michonne how old and rare it was. Yumiko lays her head on Magna's leg and playfully recalls the mansion they found it in. Luke says the Stradivarius is the one thing that separates them from the animals and how it brought humans together in the past, leaving Michonne in thought.

In the morning, Siddiq tries again to convince Michonne to come with them but she says she can't take the risk with Maggie. Siddiq reveals to her that Maggie and Hershel left last fall, shocking her. Before he can explain, D.J. arrives to let them know that there are walkers outside. The group gets out to find several walkers blocking the path to their horses.

Michonne kills several walkers as Magna demands they get back their weapons. Michonne finally relents and orders D.J. to return them their weapons. As Magna's group splits up and take out several walkers, an undead Bernie appears, deeply upsetting them. A heartbroken Magna can't put him down, so Michonne does it for her. The group opens a clear path and leave.

On the road, Michonne empathizes with Yumiko and Magna, saying that she understands their pain of losing a friend considered family. Suddenly, two Hilltop soldiers ride up to them to inform that Rosita's injured and being cared for at Hilltop. Michonne instructs them to tell Hilltop they're on their way. Connie notices something nearby, confusing the group, but tells them it's nothing. As they leave, someone watches them from the bushes.

"Evolution"
At Hilltop, everyone runs inside as Michonne and Siddiq arrive with Magna and her group. From the guard post, Dianne makes them all surrender their weapons before entering.

Inside, Tara coldly greets Michonne and updates her on Eugene, Aaron, Daryl and Rosita's situations. She then informs Luke and the rest of the group that they'll have to wait for Jesus to return before deciding on their future, but they can stay until he gets back. Connie thanks her for everyone.

"Adaptation"
In Hilltop, Luke comteplates the community and then goes over to talk with Tara and others who are organizing a search party to look for the rest since they haven't come back. Luke offers his help and goes out with Alden.

In the woods, Luke and Alden bond over music until they discover one of Yumiko's arrows on a tree. They kill some walkers and Luke suggests they follow the arrows to find their friends. They spot a herd nearby and ponder their new moves.

Later, Luke and Alden spot a walker staring at them motionless. Suddenly, they get surrounded by several Whisperers and the leader tosses them one of the arrows they've been following, points a shotgun at them, and says, "Trail ends here."

"Bounty"
At Hilltop, Alpha orders a couple of whisperers to bring up a tied up Luke and Alden. Alpha offers to Daryl to trade both of them for her daughter or she will kill them.

Meanwhile, a herd arrives and Alpha instructs her people to draw them away. Suddenly, a Whisperer's baby starts crying, which attracts the walkers over. Alpha shrugs at the mother, indicating she should leave the baby to die. Luke and Alden scream for them not to but Alpha explains it's natural selection. He then frantically signs Connie to grab the baby and watches as she runs out of the cornfield, sling-shots a walker, and grabs it.

Later, Daryl hands Lydia over to Alpha in exchange for Luke and Alden. Yumiko hugs Luke and gets him inside, where he is embraced by the rest of his group.

At night, Luke drinks and celebrates his safety alongside his companions.

"The Calm Before"
In the Kingdom, Luke and a group gear up to go look for Connie as the fair starts. Suddenly, Daryl, Michonne, and the convoy arrives. Luke and his group are happy to see Connie and hug her.

Later, Luke says goodbye to Yumiko and Magna as they prepare to leave the Kingdom to go to Hilltop and leave some soldiers in case of a possible attack.

In the fair, Luke tries convincing Alden to perform with him despite losing a bet. Enid accidentally calls Alden her boyfriend, but he decides that it’s ok and accepts to sing. Luke calls them a cute couple as they leave. Later, Luke sings along with Alden as he looks concerned at the crowd for Enid.

The next day, in the Kingdom, Luke listens from the crowd as Siddiq delivers the tragic news, tells them how brave everyone was in their final moments and how he was intentionally kept alive to tell this very story. He encourages everyone to remember the fallen.

"The Storm"
Luke will appear in this episode.

Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Luke has killed:
 * Numerous counts of zombies

Relationships
{{Scroll-1|

Magna
Having survived together for a while they have developed a good relationship, however, once they get to Alexandria, Magna is very hesitant to hand over all her weapons, which Luke becomes upset over.

Magna seems to respect Luke's survival skills, as she assures Enid that Alden is in good hands with him.

Yumiko
Luke and Yumiko, having survived together for a while, developed a good relationship. When Yumiko hit her head on a rock while fighting a walker, he helped her up and supported her as Judith saved them. He later visits Yumiko in the Alexandria hospital.

Connie
Having survived together for a while, Luke and Connie seemed to have developed a good relationship. While on route to the Hilltop, the group stops at their former camp, where Luke looks for the instruments he had saved. While searching, Siddiq questions why he looks for them, with Connie chiming in, playfully teasing him and calling his obsession with instruments a fetish.

Kelly
TBA

Bernie
Even though they did not interact on screen. Luke talks about him in "Who Are You Now?" And gets emotional talking about him and being dead suggesting they had a good relationship and Luke cared about him. When Luke encounters a zombified Bernie, he cries.

Judith Grimes
Luke was really grateful that Judith saved him and his friends and thanked her before leaving Alexandria. When Michonne told them that she would take them to Hilltop, Luke was once again grateful for Judith saving him.

Eugene Porter
TBA

Aaron
TBA

Michonne
Luke and Michonne's relationship got off to a bad start, with Michonne not trusting Luke or anyone in his group when they arrive in Alexandria. However overtime Michonne has began to trust Luke, seeing that he is not a treat to her or the community.

Gabriel Stokes
TBA

Siddiq
Siddiq seems to have a liking for Luke and the other members of his group.

D.J.
TBA

Dianne
Luke is shown to follow Dianne's rules about weapons at the Hilltop getting rid of them fast.

Tara Chambler
TBA

Alden
In a short time, Alden and Luke became friends very quickly. Bonding over their love of music and jokingly talk about making a two-man band performing at the festival.}}

Season 9

 * "What Comes After"
 * "Who Are You Now?"
 * "Stradivarius"
 * "Evolution"
 * "Adaptation"
 * "Bounty"
 * "The Calm Before"
 * "The Storm"

Trivia

 * Luke is the only male member of Magna's group seen alive on-screen because Kelly, unlike her comic counterpart, is a female and Bernie died off-screen and was only seen as a zombie.
 * Luke is one of six characters who know ASL, the others being his fellow group members Magna, Yumiko, Kelly, and Connie, as well as Carol Peletier.