Andrea Grimes (Comic Series)

Andrea is a civilian who has survived the mysterious undead apocalypse that has swept the planet. Andrea is a younger member of the survivor group, and a central character within The Walking Dead series. She is a prominent figure within the survivors; other than Rick and Glenn, she is one of the only adult survivors of the original group.

Pre-Apocalypse
Andrea's origins have been explored more throroughly than other characters within the series. Andrea is the older sister of Amy and thus had a few years more experience on her. Having previously graduated from college, Andrea found herself as a clerk at a law firm.

Atlanta
She was driving her little sister Amy to her own college in time to return for the new school year before the undead epidemic swept the United States. They subsequently joined the survivor group existing on the outer limits of the overrun city of Atlanta. Andrea and her sister's role within the camp was primarily caring for the group's children. Andrea was initially more closed off and shy than her sister, which furthered when Amy was killed in a zombie attack on the exposed camp. This caused Andrea to sink into a deep depression (increased by the fact Andrea was forced to shoot her sister in the head to prevent her from reanimating). To cope with her grief, Andrea became involved with the much-older Dale, and the two eventually became lovers after their brief overnight shelter in Wiltshire Estates. She much later conformed in Rick that their relationship began as exclusively beneficial, as Amy and Andrea somewhat charmed the old man in order to remain in the RV. However, it turned into genuine love after Amy's death.

Hershel's Farm
Her involvement within the group shifted significantly when the survivors reached Hershel's Farm. She already displayed her first instances of proficiency with firearms back at the Atlanta campsite, and when the zombie hordes nearly overran Hershel when he opened his barn, Andrea helped stop the wave of undead pouring out with her acquired skills. She also attempted to emotionally comfort the devastated Allen at this time, but was ultimately rejected for speaking too soon.

The Prison
Eager to re-establish her usefulness and shed her comatose state, Andrea actively volunteered to help Rick secure The Prison. She, Tyreese and Rick were responsible for the initial clearing of zombies and greatly helped the pair hold the line. Her assistance was acknowledged by Rick and he specifically requested her to aid in their securing thereafter. In between her role in defense, Andrea took the initiative to sow the clothes of the survivors and take care of the twins while Allen took some time to recover.

In between the problems involving Dexter and the suspicious deaths of Susie and Rachel, Andrea was nearly caught off-guard by the dangerous and psychopathic Thomas, the real culprit, who attempted to decapitate her she washed the laundry. She managed to escape his clutches but at the cost of a long knife wound across her face and part of her earlobe cutt off. She fled out into the grounds of the Penitentiary, and led the insane Thomas to Rick who in a fit of absolute rage proceeded to beat him to death. While Lori attempted to stop the far-gone Rick, Andrea showed no mercy for her would-be killer. Dale patched her up soon after.

In between the time it took for Rick to re-establish the confidence in his leadership, Andrea was shown discussing with Dale the possibility of taking the R.V. and trying to make it on their own. Although she was against leaving everyone else behind, she still, at the encouragement of Dale, would consider it as a viable option.

Andrea's responsibilities increased when Allen personally asked her on his deathbed to look after Billy and Ben. She and Dale fulfilled that wish.

Andrea was a important participant within the battle against Woodbury. Her uncanny aim at this point was widely recognized by the group, and while Rick, Glenn and Michonne were missing, she and Dale guarded their home from atop The Prison towers. When Tyreese arrived back and their panicked state allowed the gathered undead at the walls to overrun the Penitentiary once more, Andrea and Dale hid in the parked R.V. Once Rick and his group arrived back, Andrea significantly helped clear the hordes.

Much later, Rick took the entire group out onto the grounds of The Prison and trained them in fire-arm usage in case The Governor and the Woodbury psychopaths would attack. Rick displayed further confidence in Andrea when he assigned her to take the best half of the group and train them outside the walls for live-practice. Unknown to her at this time, Gabe and a Woodbury henchman observed them from the forest.

While Rick recovered from his wounds, Andrea and Tyreese took unofficial but obvious leadership of the small group heading out to find the Army Center the Woodbury hostiles were using to fuel their vehicles and load their weaponry. She attempted to train Tyreese in accuracy but ultimately failed as the latter could not adjust. Once the two lead the group to scavenge everything useful and were confronted by Bruce and three armed men outside Wal-Mart, Andrea without hesitation shot Bruce in the neck and killed another goon who wouldn't stand down. Though she showed shock immediately after, she acknowledged she needed to kill them. This showed a development within Andrea's character of adaption and rationality, but she still managed to keep her humanity unlike some of her companions.

After they arrived back and witnessed Dale's bite wounds, Andrea sunk back into extreme grief. However, the intervention of Rick, who cut off Dale's leg to stop the infection saved Dale's life, and Andrea took care of the further disadvantaged older survivor.

In the time of their relative peace and quiet, Andrea developed significant friendships with Tyreese and Alice. While Dale recovered, her close relationship and time with Tyreese nearly caused a relationship rift due to Dale's suspicion and jealousy. As it turned out she and Tyreese snuck off together to make Dale's crutches, she convinced him there would be no-one she could love than Dale.

Once the surprise attack of The Governor and his Army occurred, Andrea played a pivotal role in holding them back. She, along with Glenn made the two gate towers their sniping perch and supressed the Woodbury group. She killed many of them, causing fear and demoralizing the group. Even though she wore the prison riot suit, she was nearly killed when The Governor recognized her threat and ordered his remaining group to focus fire on her. A barrage of gunfire richocheted all over the tower and overwhelmed her aim; one unlucky bullet grazed her face and knocked her unconscious.

She returned by the end of the fight to drive the demoralized and strategically disadvantaged Woodbury Army back.

By this point, the overwhelmed survivor group split in their decisions of what to do next. While Tyreese and Michonne organzied their small strike team to attack back first, Dale convinced Andrea the best option for all of them was to leave in the R.V. with whoever wanted to go. The pair took the twins, and Sophia with them; at the last minute Glenn and Maggie decided to go with them, leaving the already demoralized survivors with less numbers. However, this decision by Dale ultimately spared Andrea and the rest from the destruction of The Prison and almost everyone who stayed.

The Road to Washington
However, when the Woodbury Army attacked the remaining survivors at The Prison again, Andrea came back by herself with the R.V. and assisted her friends in holding them back. She sniped many of the attackers and successfully killed Gabe, making The Governor rely on his own influence to lead the scattered Army. However, she was again pushed back by a barrage of gunfire and ended up having to flee when The Governor had their tank ram the R.V. to its side. She survived and under unexplored cirumstances made it back to Hershel's Farm.

In between the time it took for the surviving trio of Rick, Michonne and Carl to re-group, Andrea and the rest stayed at the abandoned Hershel's Farm, using the walls to keep the wondering roamers back. By this time she showed remorse for the lack of survivors left, and her experiences of the Woodbury Army evidently made her more weary of outsiders. This cultivated when Eugene, Rosita and Abraham encountered the group the following night. She was hostile to their requests for calm and was physically disabled by Abraham, who showed the group the danger of utilizing fire-arms.

Back on the road to travel to Washington D.C., Andrea was forced back into the role of an active defender. She and Michonne guarded the stationary camp at the petrol station while Rick and Abraham went to gather supplies at his old home-town. Dale found a farm house for the two to stay, as he was increasingly encouraging Andrea to remain behind with him. Unfortunately their plans were ruined by the zombie horde following the re-grouping Rick, Abraham, Morgan and Carl.

Andrea's relationship with Dale became more strained as his wounds continued to slow him down. A conflict regarding Dale's disagreement with Rick's leadership made him more distant from everyone, including her. During this difficult time, Andrea was the person who discovered the shocking sight of Ben standing above Billy's corpse. She was just as horrified and distraught as everyone else, but was less outspoken of keeping the obviously psychotic Ben alive than Dale.

When Ben was killed the following morning by Carl (who was undiscovered), Andrea broke down. Her emotional stability was further challenged when Dale, who was bitten in a small skirmish the following night, snuck away much later to die alone in the forest. When she went to find him, and the group found no clues of his depature, her blame shifted to the newly arrived Gabriel, who lead them to their church. After Rick interrogated the reverend and convinced Andrea it wasn't him, the group turned their attention to the shadowly figures who watched Andrea in the forest the nights before. After Dale's body turned up at the church's porch the next day and they realized the threat they were facing was human, Andrea along with Michonne, Rick and Abraham went to confront The Hunters head on. She showed no remorse for the slaughter.

She was shown having a last talk with Dale by his bed-side when they arrived back. The two fully expressed their love for each other before his death, and she was extremely distraught at his following burial.

Alexandria Safe-Zone
As with the rest of the survivors, Andrea successfully traveled and made it to the Alexandria Safe-Zone. Douglas did admit to Rick, that he's having trouble thinking of a job for her because she, like Michonne is known more for her strength. Upon, Rick's advice, he decides to make Andrea a look out. She seems to be adapting well to living in the Safe-Zone, she's more than uneasy towards Douglas. An example is during her interview with him, he asked if she was single to which she was deeply offended.

Andrea admits that like Rick, she's suspcious of the Douglas and the others, feeling the whole thing is rehersed. She's become the unrequited target of Douglas' attentions as seen in issue #72 when he tries to make advances on her, even goes to say he's lonely in his loveless marriage. She gently rebuffs his advances and tells Rick she doesn't believe a word he told her. As they laugh a little about being hit-on, she begins to be depressed as she's still grieving over losing Dale. Rick tries comforting her by saying she had to let go of the past and it was alright for her to be happy for a little now and then.

She also attends the dinner party for welcoming them into the community, she's seen talking to Spencer in a some what pleasant conversation. He admits he's impressed about how she's a good shooter, though she modestly admits she's not that good. However their conversation is briefly interrupted by Douglas, who still clearly has his eyes set on her, much to her personal discomfort.

Guts
When Glenn and Rick Grimes enter the department store, Andrea greets Rick with a handgun, angry at his recklessness, which has riled up the zombies who now surround the building.

Characteristics and Role
Andrea's importance within the group was quickly established through her participation and necessity to be present in the face of danger for the group due to her skills with guns. Her effective utilization of firearms has been displayed several times over the long-running series; some instances include her training the group in accuracy, killing many of the groups antagonists such as Bruce, Gabe and several other Woodbury enemies, and her marksmanship on the road. Her humanity is challenged once more when Dale is captured and partially cannibalized by The Hunters. In an out of character display of fury, Andrea willingly participates in the slaughter of the six cannibals with little remorse, before immediately after grieving the death of Dale, appearing extremely distraught.

As the series progressed, Andrea suffered increased facial injuries, beginning when Thomas Richards, a deranged psychopath, sliced her earlobe off and left a long scar across her face with his knife. Several more scars from bullet-grazing wounds came from the attack of Woodbury Army

Despite these several emotional and physical ordeals, Andrea's continued survival against all odds has displayed an extreme importance to the group. She has adapted well to the new world,and has not only proved to be the group's best shot with any firearm, but the most sane defender, adopting a logical survival attitude while managing to retain the better part of her morality and humanity.