Elijah is a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead. He is a member of the Wardens who joined Alexandria after their previous village was destroyed by the Reapers.
Overview
At first, Elijah seems to be a mysterious, quiet, and aloof person. Due to wearing a mask, he is initially hard to read. However, after taking it off for the first time, he is revealed to not be as stoic as he may seem, and is visibly scared of the Reapers. He is shown to be a reliable friend of Maggie, who he is extremely loyal to. During their attack on Meridian, Elijah becomes extremely vengeful against the Reapers, specifically Brandon Carver, who murdered his sister. When the Reapers are allowed to walk away, he is visibly enraged. He reminds Maggie of her promise to take revenge, which is the main factor in Maggie's decision to kill the remaining Reapers. Six months after the Reaper attack, he seems to have recovered and appears to be more open and easy-going. After the arrival of the Commonwealth, he chooses to remain in Hilltop, where he forms a crush on Lydia.
Pre-Apocalypse
Location Unknown
Nothing is known about Elijah's life prior to or as the outbreak began, except that his sister was born prior to the outbreak.
Post-Apocalypse
Location Unknown
Several years into the outbreak, a teenage Elijah and his sister, Josephine joined a community called Meridian. There, he met Maggie Rhee who often looked after him and his sister and quickly became a maternal figure to him due to his biological mother's absence.[1] A few years later, Meridian was attacked and Elijah's sister, whom he shared a close bond with, was killed by an assailant part of a hostile group of raiders. At some point during the outbreak, Elijah either made himself or had someone else make him a steel mask that he is rarely seen without.
Season 10
"A Certain Doom"
In the woods, Elijah comes to the rescue of Aaron and Alden as they fight off the remaining Whisperers.
Back at the tower, he arrives alongside Maggie and kills several Whisperers in an effort to save Gabriel. As one Whisperer comes up behind him unnoticed, Maggie kills the Whisperer with an arrow. Afterwards, Maggie clarifies the masked man is with her.
At the rendezvous, Elijah stands by and nods at Aaron as he arrives with the others and as Maggie reunites with her former companions.
"Home Sweet Home"
Elijah accompanies Cole when going to meet Daryl and Carol with Maggie, and is introduced to the two by the latter as her companions. Elijah joins the four when Carol shows Maggie the remains of Hilltop, and explains how Negan was both there when The Whisperers attacked and the reason Alpha died. As Carol leaves to head back to Alexandria, Kelly joins them, hoping to find her missing sister. Maggie, Cole, and Elijah begin to lead them to where the rest of their group is camped.
After walking for hours, the five find an abandoned storage yard filled with the undead, which they efficiently start to clear out. After Maggie and Daryl struggle to shut a steel shipment container with walkers in it, Elijah steps in and helps force it closed, crushing a walker's head between the doors in the process. The survivors set up camp in the secured yard for the night, deciding to continue the rest of the way to the rendezvous point in the morning.
At sunrise, Elijah kills a walker that has wandered into the storage yard, prompting Cole to point out that Kelly was supposed to be on guard duty. Realizing she has headed off in desperate search of Connie, they go after her.
Finding Kelly trying to scale an abandoned truck in the woods with signs of recent survivor activity on the roof of the vehicle, Maggie angrily chastises her for leaving her post and putting them in danger. Daryl explains she's looking for her sister, which elicits sympathy from both Maggie and Elijah, the latter of which had lost his sister recently. After scaling the truck and searching through the contents on top of it, Elijah is unable to find anything useful in determining if Connie was there or not.
As they near the house where the rest of Maggie's group is, a smoke plume rising from its location causes Maggie to panic and rush towards it. Finding the house burned along with two of their people, Jen and Billy, Maggie and Cole conclude it's the same group that attacked their village. With no sign of the others or Hershel, the group splits up to cover more ground, with Elijah going with Cole and Kelly.
Throughout the search, Elijah is visibly troubled at the idea of The Reapers having followed them. He's eventually comforted and reassured by Kelly, whom he shows his unmasked face to as a sign of trust.
Later, as Maggie and Daryl are struggling to fight against a highly tactical and well-adapted survivalist Reaper, Kelly manages to shoot the man with Daryl's dropped crossbow, incapacitating him as Cole and Elijah join up with her and surround him. As Maggie tries to get the man to tell them who he is and what his group wants, he merely responds with "Pope marked you" before pulling the pin on a grenade in his satchel. Maggie, Daryl, Kelly, Cole, and Elijah all duck down and away from the ensuing blast, with blows the man into a red mist.
Maggie later manages to find Hershel hiding in a tree, and the group heads back to Alexandria. They stop at the same storage yard from before for the night, Elijah gives Kelly an apple, and Maggie thanks her for being a friend to him when he needed it, having apparently talked to him at some point about her.
As they finally reach Alexandria, they find it in near ruins, with many of the walls destroyed and knocked down, buildings burnt, and crops trampled by The Whisperers during their initial assault on the safe zone. Elijah subsequently joins the community with his comrades, as Maggie glares at a watching Negan.
Season 11
"Acheron: Part I"
Elijah is part of a group consisting of Daryl, Gage, Maggie, Carol, Alden, Rosita, Lydia, Gabriel, Jerry, Roy, Kelly, and Magna who raid the abandoned Fort Connors military base for food supplies. He remains on watch on the roof as the women make their way into a hangar by rope to collect supplies. After the mission, Elijah returns to Alexandria with his fellow survivors. He is happy to see that fellow Wardens Frost, Agatha, and Duncan, are alive and well. Later during a meeting, Elijah listens as Maggie explains that Frost, Agatha, and Duncan were separated and believed to have been killed after Reapers attacked their village. Elijah and his fellow Wardens agree to accompany Maggie and a group of Alexandrians to Meridian to take out the Reapers and secure the food and water supplies to feed everyone in Alexandria.
Part of a group consisting of Maggie, Daryl, Alden, Cole, Frost, Gage, Negan, Agatha, Duncan, Roy, and Gabriel, the survivors utilize Negan's familiarity with the DC area to travel to Meridian. Due to the heavy rain storm, the survivors are forced to head into the subway tunnels to complete the journey. While in the tunnels, they come across hundreds of body bags, many containing walkers in them. At some point while dispatching the body bag walkers, Gage and Roy go missing, along with the group's ammo and supplies. Shortly after this realization, a large group of walkers appear, forcing the other survivors to move forward in the tunnel without being able to search for Gage or Roy. He is able to make it into a subway car before the walkers are able to catch up with his group.
"Acheron: Part II"
Elijah and the rest of the Meridian mission survivors make their way through the subway tunnels and successfully fight their way through the undead to safety, despite losing Gage, who was killed after running away from the group and becoming separated. With the storm subsided, Elijah and the rest of the group traverse down a road when suddenly Roy is shot and killed and a flying knife severs Cole's hand clean. The Reapers have launched an ambush on the survivors.
"Hunted"
After the Reapers attack his group, Elijah attempts to defend himself and avoid getting killed. When Maggie is lassoed by a Reaper, Elijah rushes in to free her only to be captured himself and hauled away.
"Out of the Ashes"
After somehow escaping the Reapers, Elijah reunites with Gabriel and they both find Maggie and Negan. Maggie tells Elijah that Cole, Duncan and Agatha are dead and Daryl and Frost are nowhere to be found. Gabriel suggests they wait for Daryl and Frost. Maggie smiles in agreement.
"On the Inside"
Elijah, Maggie, Negan and Gabriel hide from the Reapers, who are searching for them and they listen from the basement. Daryl finds them and manages to distract Carver long enough for Maggie's group to escape. Elijah and the group quietly sneaks out of the basement and escapes.
"Promises Broken"
Elijah and the group try to think of a way to get inside Meridian while Negan insists that the mission isn't worth it and that they should go home. Maggie pressures the group to move forward, and Gabriel refuses to go home having failed their mission. Negan promises to stay on the condition that he and Maggie would be even from then on, and Maggie reluctantly agrees. Maggie hits on the idea of gathering a horde of walkers to attack Meridian with, and Negan teaches the group how to blend in with the walkers with face masks and control herds, remembering his time as a Whisperer, though Maggie initially has trouble. Later, Maggie admits to Elijah that Negan is useful, but doesn't know if she can keep her promise.
Elijah, Maggie and Negan wear walker masks and lead a herd toward a building. They open the doors to the building and release a massive herd of walkers. The walkers join the other herd on the road. Elijah, Maggie and Negan lead the horde toward Meridian.
"For Blood"
Elijah and Negan maintain the horde. An explosion sends shrapnel into their limbs. Elijah and Negan lead the horde toward the wall. Elijah, Negan and Maggie fight Reapers and walkers in the courtyard with Daryl joining to help them. Leah radios the Reapers with orders to pull back. After the courtyard is cleared of Reapers, she launches rockets at Maggie's group below.
"No Other Way"
Elijah and Negan manage to escape from the hwacha and meet up with Maggie who treats Elijah's injuries.
Elijah and Negan later join Maggie in ambushing Brandon Carver who Elijah recognizes as the Reaper who had murdered his sister Josephine. Brandon's nonchalant attitude and lack of remorse infuriates Elijah who attacks Brandon, but proves to be no match for him. During the fight, Brandon kicks Elijah in his injured leg, sending him to the ground where he creates a distraction, allowing Negan to subdue Brandon. Elijah signals Maggie to kill Brandon for him, but she is stopped by Daryl who wants to trade Brandon to Leah for the supplies that they need.
Supported by Maggie and a crutch, Elijah makes his way to the meeting spot, insisting that even if he has to be left behind, Maggie needs to take revenge for Josephine. When Leah manages to turn the situation in her favor and Brandon mockingly blows kisses at him, Elijah advances on Brandon to take his revenge despite Leah's warnings. However, Elijah exhausts what remains of his strength and collapses before Brandon who prepares to kill him. Elijah is saved by Gabriel who wounds Brandon with a sniper rifle and forces Leah to take Daryl's deal. As Leah, Boone and Washington leave, Elijah, too weak to move, reminds Maggie of her promise to take revenge upon all of the Reapers for everyone that they've lost, prompting her to kill Boone and Washington and wound Leah who gets away. Grabbing one of Elijah's kamas, Maggie drives it into Brandon's chest, killing him and getting Elijah his revenge. Elijah later sits on a porch looking at his weapon as the others collect the food.
Elijah returns to Alexandria with the others where the other Wardens support him. Seemingly traumatized by his experiences, Elijah just shakes his head at their questions.
Six months later, a recovered Elijah is a part of Maggie's community at the Hilltop when they enter into a standoff with Commonwealth soldiers led by Daryl.
"The Lucky Ones"
Elijah, Maggie, Lydia and other Hilltop residents fight against walkers when they breach the Hilltop perimeter. Mercer joins them with his troopers, who swiftly gun down all the walkers.
"Warlords"
Elijah is on guard duty at the Hilltop gate with Marco. Lydia tells them that she's decided to join the Commonwealth. Elijah remarks that a lot of people have been leaving. A stranger soaked in blood approaches on horseback, then falls off his horse. He gives Lydia a map and says that a slaughter is taking place, before succumbing to his wounds. Maggie studies the stranger's map but says they lack the resources to help whoever sent the stranger. Elijah, Marco, and Lydia decide to head out on their own to help the stranger's group. Maggie changes her mind and accompanies Elijah and Lydia on their mission while Marco stays behind. Elijah, Lydia, and Maggie go to the complex to fight the Commonwealth troops after reuniting with Aaron.
"The Rotten Core"
Elijah holds one of his kamas to Annie's throat during a brief standoff at Riverbend before Negan defuses the situation. Elijah subsequently joins Aaron and Gabriel in searching the building for more survivors.
Later, as a part of Maggie's plan, a masked Elijah hides on the rooftop as Aaron and Gabriel lure Toby Carlson and two of his men up there. As the Commonwealth soldiers are distracted by the other two men, Elijah sneaks up on them and attacks, killing Green and the other soldier with his kamas while Maggie and Annie take out Toby's other men. Elijah watches as Aaron shoots Toby, causing him to fall off of the roof where Toby is devoured by his own reanimated victims below.
In the aftermath of the fight, Elijah helps Maggie and Lydia to put down Toby and his victims and to dispose of the bodies of the Commonwealth soldiers.
"Trust"
Elijah is on the Hilltop's walls when Lance Hornsby arrives with the Commonwealth Army, demanding access for an inspection looking for the Riverbend survivors and the Commonwealth's missing weapons. After Maggie reluctantly gives it to them, Elijah silently steps off of the wall.
Later, discovering Lance intimidating Hershel, Elijah slams Lance up against a wall, leading to a standoff. After Daryl backs Maggie up, Lance agrees to leave and Elijah releases him with a glare.
"Acts of God"
Elijah goes with Maggie, Marco, and Hershel and meet with Lydia at the Riverbend resident's hideout. When Lydia struggles with the trapdoor, Marco gestures for Elijah to help. Later, he returns to the Hilltop with Maggie, Marco, and Lydia and plant bombs in the house. The bombs blow up and kill the Commonwealth soldiers inside. Maggie tells the group to follow the trail back to Lance's camp and end this. Suddenly Marco is shot by Leah, who survived the explosion which Elijah becomes distraught over. Elijah and the group retreats as Leah goes after them. The group splits up into the woods. Later, Elijah and Lydia return to the Riverbend hideout to inform them the fight is over. He watches the residents climb out of the hideout.
Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Elijah has killed:
- Boone (Caused)
- Ira Washington (Caused)
- Brandon Carver (Caused)
- Jesse (Before Reanimation, alongside Lydia and Marco)
- Hodges (Alongside Maggie and Lydia)
- Green
- Toby Carlson (Before Reanimation, alongside Maggie and Lydia)
- At least 3 unnamed Whisperers (2 Direct, 1 Caused)
- 3 unnamed Reapers (Alongside Daryl, Maggie, Gabriel and Negan)
- 6 unnamed Commonwealth soldiers (1 Direct, 1 Zombified, 1 alongside Maggie and Lydia, 3 alongside Maggie, Lydia and Marco, 1 Alive)
- 6 unnamed Riverbend residents (Zombified, alongside Maggie and Lydia)
- Numerous counts of zombies and possibly unnamed people
Relationships
Maggie Rhee
Maggie and Elijah have a good relationship. They are shown to be very loyal to each other. During the Reapers' attack in "Hunted", Elijah manages to save Maggie after she is lassoed but ends up being captured in the process which Maggie is shown to be distraught about. She is shown to be relieved when Elijah escapes. During the attack on Meridian, after Elijah is injured Maggie treats his injuries. After a brutal fight with Carver, Elijah silently asks Maggie to finish Carver off. Elijah is greatly angered when Daryl spares him, and Maggie promises that the Reapers will get what's coming to them. After the Reapers are allowed to leave, Elijah reminds Maggie of her promise. Elijah's influence is what prompts Maggie to finish the Reapers off, signifying their friendship. When Elijah sees Lance manipulating Maggie's son, Elijah springs into action and pins Lance to the wall.
Lydia
Lydia and Elijah have a good relationship. It appears that Elijah has a crush on Lydia. When Lydia leaves to the Commonwealth, Elijah offers to escort her. Later when she struggles to open the Riverbend hideout, Elijah helps her.
Negan Smith
Initially, Elijah has a poor outlook on Negan due to killing Maggie's husband. Overtime, Negan proves to be trustworthy and not hostile. In "Promises Broken", Elijah asks Maggie if she thinks Negan has changed, to which she answers that he is useful. Later when Elijah is injured by shrapnel, Negan helps Elijah through the minefield. Later Elijah helps Negan take down Carver by distracting him, which Negan thanks him for. After the mission to Meridian, Elijah and Negan appear to be on at least neutral terms. When Negan reunites with the group at Riverbend, he slaps Elijah on the shoulder in a friendly manner.
Brandon Carver
- "He needs to pay for what he did!"
- —Elijah talking about Carver.[src]
Brandon and Elijah have a hostile relationship. Elijah despises Brandon for killing his sister, Josephine, and Brandon shows no remorse when confronted by him. Elijah, along with Maggie and Negan, fight Brandon but he bests all three of them, with Brandon breaking Elijah's leg. After Negan knocks Brandon out with a bell, Elijah signals for Maggie to kill Brandon but Daryl stops her, greatly angering Elijah. During the standoff, Elijah is enraged when Brandon is allowed to walk away. Brandon taunts Elijah by mockingly blowing him a kiss. Elijah's hatred of Brandon is so great that he tries to advance on Brandon with an injured leg despite the high chance of death due to there being a sniper. When Elijah falls on the ground, Brandon merely smiles at his pain and is about to kill him until Gabriel stops him by shooting him in the leg. The Reapers are allowed to walk away, however Elijah reminds Maggie of her promise to him to kill them all. This leads to Brandon's death when Maggie uses one of Elijah's kamas to kill him, avenging Elijah's sister's death.
Appearances
TV Series
Season 10
- "A Certain Doom" (No Lines)
- "Home Sweet Home" (No Lines)
Season 11
- "Acheron: Part I"
- "Acheron: Part II" (No Lines)
- "Hunted" (No Lines)
- "Out of the Ashes"
- "On the Inside" (No Lines)
- "Promises Broken"
- "For Blood" (No Lines)
- "No Other Way"
- "The Lucky Ones"
- "Warlords"
- "The Rotten Core" (No Lines)
- "Trust"
- "Acts of God"
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| Season 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Season 10 | 👁 | 👁 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season 11 | ✔ | 👁 | 👁 | ✔ | 👁 | ✔ | 👁 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 👁 | ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | Appears | ✔ | Voice is heard |
| 👁 | Appears with no lines | ✔ | Appears in a flashback |
| ✔ | Appears as a walker | 🖼 | Appears in a photograph/video |
| ✔ | Appears as a corpse | ✔ | Appears in a hallucination/dream |
Trivia
- In "A Certain Doom", Elijah was portrayed by stuntman Joshua Lamboy.
- The weapons that Elijah is seen carrying are two Japanese sickles called kama.
- According to Angela Kang in Talking Dead for "No Other Way", the role of Elijah was originally much smaller but after Okea Eme-Akwari's audition tape of him performing silent grief, they decided to expand his role and give him more story.
- Originally, Elijah was intended to have first encountered Maggie Rhee shortly after departing on her first expedition with Georgie, however, this was later scrapped, likely due to the expansion of Elijah's character upon the casting of Okea Eme-Akwari.[2]
International Dubbers
| Language | Dubber | Other Characters Voiced |
|---|---|---|
| Czech | N/A | N/A |
| French | Alex Fondja | N/A |
| German | N/A | N/A |
| Hungarian | N/A | N/A |
| Italian | N/A | N/A |
| Japanese | N/A | N/A |
| Portuguese | N/A | N/A |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Ricardo Eizykovicz | N/A |
| Spanish (Spain) | N/A | N/A |
