Lydia (Comic Series)

"There are no children anymore. Childhood was always a myth brought out by the illusion of safety... It was a luxury we could never really afford."

- Lydia to Jesus

Lydia is a character first encountered in Issue 133 of Image Comics' The Walking Dead. She is one of The Whisperers who attacked Paul Monroe and his group. After losing the fight and being taken prisoner, she meets and strikes up a friendship with Hilltop resident Carl Grimes.

Location Unknown
Nothing is known about Lydia's life before or as the outbreak began, other than that she's the daughter of Alpha. She may have lived in or near Washington, D.C.

Whispers Into Screams
Lydia is one of The Whisperers to attack Jesus and his group. She shouted out to another whisperer, Joshua, when he was killed by Jesus. After going after Jesus, she stands behind him with a knife and taunts him saying he can't fight forever, however before she can stab him, Darius shouts out to Jesus, and he elbows Lydia causing her to stab herself in the shoulder. She looks at her wound, surprised by the blood, and begs Jesus not to kill her. She is later tied up and brought back to the Hilltop Colony.

At the Hilltop, she is questioned by Jesus and starts to reveal things about herself and the Whisperers. She tells Jesus that she's 16, and that there are "no children anymore". She reveals that her group tries to cooperate with zombies and that they do not kill them. Lydia tells Jesus that they have to work with The Whisperers or they will be killed. When Maggie Greene takes Jesus off to talk to him privately she's left alone and starts a conversation with Carl Grimes over the wall of her cell.

Lydia asks Carl why he has been put in the holding cells. Carl tells her about his fight with the Hilltop bullies and she is surprised that he would be punished for protecting the leader's daughter. He goes on to tell her about their community's philosophy regarding killing and their desire to return to civilization, leaving her relieved to know that she won't be executed. Lydia explains that she was on her first "outing" when her group encountered Jesus' group. Her people had encountered dangerous people before and made a preemptive strike.

Soon after, Carl is released from the holding cells and convinces Maggie to untie Lydia. Later, he visits Lydia and finds her crying in her cell. She confesses that she's scared and feels alone. She misses the dead, saying that having them around made her feel safe. To make her feel better, Carl gives her his cowboy hat, telling her that it had made him feel safe and secure through everything he had been through.

She then says that the hat isn't exactly helping her to feel better, and in fact, it's Carl himself who is making her feel better, and that she enjoys talking to him. She is then interrogated by Maggie and Paul afterwards, but refuses to say anything. Later, Carl vouches for her and she is released and left under his watch. During the tour, they sit alone on a hill overlooking the town, where she tells him that it's cold, and they cuddle.

After a while, she asks to see his eye, and after some resistance, he agrees to let her take off his glasses. Much to his surprise, she tells him that "it is sexy" and suddenly climbs on top of him, asking if he ever had sex. Speechless, he doesn't know how to react and she just asks him if she can show him, to which he replies "Okay."

After they're done, she remarks on how nice it was, comparing it to her past experiences. Carl is somewhat alarmed to know that on certain occasions she was forced to do it, saying that what her people forced her to do is wrong, whether they see it as a rape or not. She then tells him she doesn't want to go back.

After Alpha, her mom, and the rest of The Whisperers arrive, Carl argues with Maggie on whether or not to return Lydia to her people, but is shut down, being forced to let Lydia go, but not before kissing him.

Life and Death
Away from the Hilltop, Alpha realizes Carl is following them, and after a brief discussion, he is allowed to travel with them to their camp. She and Carl, not wearing any skin, are forced to walk in the middle of the group to avoid being detected by true roamers. Later on, she and Carl watch the skinning of a lurker. Carl's father Rick comes to speak with the Whisperers and retrieve Carl. Carl reveals that Alpha, Lydia's mother, lets people rape her and treats her horribly, Lydia breaks down, and Alpha hits her for her show of emotion, which is considered weak. She disowns her, and secretly tells Rick that he can provide her daughter with safety more than she can, and tells him to take her. After disowning Lydia, the girl travels with Rick and Carl back to the communities, a new deal negotiated between the two leaders.

Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Lydia has killed.
 * Hilltop Colony Guard
 * Louie (Zombified)
 * Ken (Zombified)
 * Olivia (Zombified, along with her fellow survivors)
 * Carson (Zombified, along with her fellow survivors)
 * Erin (Zombified, along with her fellow survivors)
 * Luke (Zombified, along with her fellow survivors)
 * Tammy Rose (Zombified, along with her fellow survivors)
 * Numerous counts of zombies and unnamed people

Alpha
Alpha attempts to strengthen her daughter by letting her be raped and abusing her. She believes showing emotion is a sign of weakness, and strictly enforces this. She refuses to allow her daughter to call her any other name but Alpha. However, this may all be a farce, as she requests Rick to take her back to his community and keep her safer than she would be here. She disowns Lydia, and sends her on her way with Rick and Carl.

Maggie Greene
"You know I can't do that Carl. She's dangerous."

- Maggie to Carl, about setting Lydia free

Maggie has Lydia locked in Hilltop's jail after the Whisperers attacked some member of the community. Maggie and Jesus tried to get Lydia to tell them who her leader was but she told them "I don't wanna speak to you anymore", so Maggie let Lydia out of the cell (on Carl's watch) because she and Jesus thought that the longer she stays in the cell the worse it gets and she won't talk to them about her leader.

Carl Grimes
"I'm responsible for you. Do you understand? If you do anything wrong... if you hurt anybody... that's my fault. I'm really taking a risk here, doing this. I'm doing it... because I believe in you, that you're nice. Am I right?"

- Carl to Lydia

Lydia and Carl first met in the Hilltop's jail, bonding with each other during their stay. Eventually, Carl vouches for her and she is released, left under his watch. During the tour, Lydia privately asks him to see his (missing eye), after some reluctance, she is allowed to take off his sunglasses. Much to his surprise, she says it's sexy, and suddenly climbs on top of him, asking whether or not he ever had sex. Not receiving an answer, she simply asks him if she can show him, to which he replies "Okay," as they both hold hands on top of Carl's hat.

Joshua
While talking to Carl through her cell, she confesses that she cared deeply for Joshua. She says that he was always nice to her and took care of her at times.

Appearances
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 * content =

Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams

 * Issue 133 (No Lines)
 * Issue 134
 * Issue 135
 * Issue 136
 * Issue 137
 * Issue 138

Volume 24: Life And Death

 * Issue 140
 * Issue 142
 * Issue 143
 * Issue 144

Volume 25

 * Issue 145
 * Issue 147 (Cover)}}