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This article is about the Novel Series character. For other pages with the same name, see: Matthew

They were blazing like walking torches, but Lilly... the thing is... they didn't stop... they kept on... kept on trudging along like they didn't even have a fucking clue they were burning.
―Matthew to Lilly over the radio about setting the herd on fire.[src]

Matthew Hennesey is a main character first encountered in The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor. He is a Woodbury survivor who was involved in the Governor's assault on Rick Grimes and his group. He survives the brutal attack with a few other fellow citizens and returns to Woodbury to continue his life without Brian's tyranny. He is described as being "a lanky laborer from Valdosta, with an anchor tattoo on his sinewy forearm, wears the garb of a bricklayer - sweat-stained wife-beater T-shirt, gray work pants, clodhopper boots pasty with mortar dust."

Pre-Apocalypse[]

Blue Ridge, Kentucky[]

Matthew comes from the coal country of Blue Ridge, where his daddy was a lifelong miner, along with his grandfather. He hated to inherit the family's occupation, and because of that, he was so antsy to get out of it. His tradesman's license was his ticket to leaving.

Lexington, Kentucky[]

He moved to Lexington, where the real estate bubble gave him enough work as a tuck pointer and brickman. He started a pretty decent life before the bubble burst.

Valdosta, Georgia[]

After the bubble burst, he proceeded to Valdosta, continuing his work as a bricklayer and laborer.

Post-Apocalypse[]

Woodbury, Georgia[]

At some point after the outbreak began, Matthew started living in Woodbury. He goes on a supply run for fuel, along with Gus, Sam, Rudy and Raymond. He was involved in the prison assault.

The Fall of the Governor - Part Two[]

"The Fall"[]

After the fall of the prison, Matthew and a small group of surviving soldiers hole up in the prison to regroup, Matthew along with Lilly and Ben barricade the door. As they count their ammo Matthew has a couple dozen 7.62mm slugs in his cargo pocket and seven more in the AK's magazine. Later on during the night, Matthew comes out half asleep when Gloria sees the bite on Austin's wrist. Matthew goes with his AK along with Lilly and Ben to search the corridor. The next day when Lilly leads the survivors out of the prison, Matthew and Speed stay at the front as they are the strongest of the six and wields the largest knife. They are led safely back to Woodbury by Lilly Caul, who becomes the new leader of the town.

Descent[]

"Lake of Fire"[]

Speed and Matthew are sent by Bob to look for more fuel on the road, but instead found a field of tobacco protected by a fence. After Speed gets high and drifts off, Matthew ventures off, and after Matthew finds Speed again, Matthew tells Speed to duck as a walker is behind him, and after killing the walker they run back to the highway to Bob's pickup, after getting it to start they leave, with walkers on their trail. Matthew drives them to the area where the Governor rallied all the vehicles before attacking the prison, and Matthew points Speed towards the horde of over a thousand walkers gathering, telling him that they have to get back to Woodbury and do something ASAP.

TBA

Death[]

Killed By

Matthew is fatally shot in the midsection while firing at the Church group. Matthew tries telling Lilly that she needs to put him down, but Lilly already understands his request and tells Matthew to close his eyes as Lilly shoots him, preventing his reanimation.

Killed Victims[]

This list shows the victims Matthew has killed:

  • Numerous counts of zombies and possibly unnamed people

Relationships[]

Lilly Caul[]

Ssshhhh, close your eyes, Matthew. Just close your eyes and go to sleep.
―Lilly before shooting Matthew.[src]

Although not seen interacting much, Lilly cares deeply for Matthew. As Woodbury gets overrun, and Matthew is shot, Lilly is shown to be shock as Matthew apologizes to her. Lilly cares for him as he is dying, and comforts him as she shoots him in the head out of mercy.

Speed Wilkins[]

Speed and Matthew had a stable relationship, being two of the youngest and strongest in Woodbury. They would often go on runs together, and Speed was grateful when Matthew saved his life a walker that was about to attack him. The two would also often smoke weed behind the courthouse together.

Appearances[]

Novel Series

The Fall of the Governor - Part Two

  • "The Fall"
    • "Chapter Seventeen"
    • "Chapter Eighteen"
    • "Chapter Nineteen"
    • "Chapter Twenty"
    • "Chapter Twenty-One"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Three"

Descent

  • "Lake of Fire"
    • "Chapter Two"
    • "Chapter Three"
    • "Chapter Four"
    • "Chapter Five"
    • "Chapter Six"
  • "The Labyrinth"
    • "Chapter Eight"
    • "Chapter Nine"
    • "Chapter Ten"
    • "Chapter Eleven"
    • "Chapter Twelve"
    • "Chapter Thirteen"
    • "Chapter Fourteen"
    • "Chapter Fifteen"
    • "Chapter Sixteen"
    • "Chapter Seventeen"
  • "Last Rites"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Four"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Five"

Novels 1 2 3 4 5
Rise of the Governor
The Road to Woodbury
The Fall of the Governor
Descent
Invasion
Search and Destroy
Return to Woodbury
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[]

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