Themes: Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a recurring theme in The Walking Dead. It is when a character or group chooses to move past grievances they might have with another person or group because of their previous actions.

Occurrences

Comic Series

• Rick forgives Lori for sleeping with Shane. _{(Issue 7)}
• Patricia forgives Otis for yelling at her. _{(Issue 25)}
• Dale forgives Rick for the deaths of other members of the group and the choices he had made in the past, before he dies, and thanks him for keeping the group alive as long as he did. _{(Issue 66)}
• Jesus forgives Rick and company for attacking him and keeping him hostage. _{(Issue 92)}
• Kal asks for forgiveness from Paul after nearly telling The Saviors of the planned attack. _{(Issue 110)}
• Maggie forgives the Rose parents for their involvement in her poisoning. _{(Issue 140)}
• Rick forgives Vincent for beating him up. _{(Issue 150)}
• Rick forgives Paul for shooting Marco after he mistakes him for a Whisperer. _{(Issue 153)}
• Alpha forgives Beta for almost questioning her leadership. _{(Issue 156)}
• Elodie forgives Michonne for abandoning her and Colette. _{(Issue 178)}
• Laura forgives Dwight for being hung up on Sherry. _{(Issue 180)}
• Dwight forgives Rick for killing Sherry. _{(Issue 182)}
• Rick forgives Dwight for threatening to overthrow him. _{(Issue 182)}
• Rick forgives Pamela for leading an army against him. _{(Issue 191)}

TV Series

• Daryl forgives T-Dog for cuffing his brother on the roof, albeit it took awhile to forgive him. _(Vatos)
• Daryl forgives Andrea for accidentally shooting him. _(Chupacabra)
• Rick forgives Lori for cheating on him with Shane. _(Secrets)
• Hershel appears to forgive Merle for capturing Glenn and Maggie and taking them to Woodbury. _{(I Ain't a Judas)}
• Rick asks for Morgan's forgiveness for not being there. _(Clear)
• Carl apologizes to Morgan for shooting him to which Morgan replies "Never be sorry." _(Clear)
• Milton asks for forgiveness to Andrea for stopping her from killing The Governor after being fatally stabbed in the stomach, to which she obliges. _{(Welcome to the Tombs)}
• Tyreese Williams forgives Carol for killing Karen and David to try to stop the flu at the Prison from spreading, but he states that he'll never forget what Carol did. _{(The Grove)}
• Carol accepts Rick's previous decision to kick her out of the Prison group and travels with them. _(Strangers)
• Rick and Maggie Greene both forgive Tara for her involvement in the prison attack that led to Hershel's death. _(Strangers)
• Sasha Williams forgives Bob Stookey for not informing her that he got bit. _{(Four Walls and a Roof)}
• Maggie, Sasha, Rick and Carl all forgive Gabriel Stokes to some extent for betraying the group to Deanna Monroe. _{(Season 5 and Season 6)}
• Glenn Rhee forgives Nicholas for trying to kill him and for causing Noah's death. _{(Season 6)}
• Eugene Porter forgives Abraham Ford for attempting to kill him and Abraham forgives Eugene for lying about being a scientist. _(Conquer)
• Rick forgives Carter for conspiring to kill him. _{(First Time Again)}
• Jessie Anderson forgives Rick for executing her abusive husband, Pete. _{(Season 6)}
• Eugene forgives Abraham for insulting his survival skills. _{(Twice as Far)}
• Maggie absolves Daryl of his guilt towards Glenn's death, forgiving him. _{(The Other Side)}
• Tara chooses to let go of her anger and vengeance towards Dwight over Denise's death after recognizing how many times he saved her life, though its unclear if she completely forgives him or not. Similarly, Daryl chooses to exile Dwight instead of killing him as he had always promised once the war is over and even encourages Dwight to go find his wife. _{(Still Gotta Mean Something, Wrath)}
• After learning that Eugene was responsible for the Saviors' malfunctioning weapons, Rosita forgives him for his actions as do the other survivors ultimately. However, Rosita first punches Eugene in the face in retaliation for him purposefully vomiting on her which he accepts. _(Wrath)
• The Alexandrians forgive D.J. for joining Jed's rebellion, allowing him to fully integrate into the community. They also forgive Laura for her previous transgressions, including partaking in the attack that nearly destroyed Alexandria and allow her to join as well. _{(Who Are You Now?)}
• Though urged to by Siddiq, Michonne refuses to make amends with her friends and the other communities for isolating Alexandria. _(Evolution)
• Despite the Highwaymen ambushing Jerry and a team from the Kingdom, Carol is willing to forgive them and make a deal instead of fighting. However, Jerry does not appear to be quite so forgiving towards the Highwayman who stole his sword. _(Chokepoint)
• Michonne was willing to forgive Jocelyn's children for kidnapping the kids of Alexandria. _(Scars)
• At the Kingdom's fair, Michonne and Tara make amends for past hurts before finally signing Michonne's charter. _{(The Calm Before)}
• Rachel Ward jokingly reminds Tara of how Rachel wanted to kill her when they first met, something that Tara has long since forgiven her for. _{(The Calm Before)}
• Carol forgives Lydia for Henry's death. _{(The Storm)}
• Michonne appears to reach a degree of forgiveness towards Negan Smith after he selflessly risks his life to save Judith during a massive blizzard. _{(The Storm)}
• Michonne forgives, to a degree, Virgil for locking her up and drugging her food, causing her to hallucinate. _{(What We Become)}
• After Negan apologizes for killing Glenn, Maggie tells Negan that she can't forgive him for what he did, but she's trying to move on as she doesn't want to let hate consume her anymore. _{(Rest in Peace)}

Fear the Walking Dead

• After learning the truth behind June joining the Vultures, Victor Strand expressed forgiveness for her actions, stating that June did what she had to do under the circumstances. _{(No One's Gone)}
• Alicia Clark forgives Charlie for killing her brother. _{(Close Your Eyes)}
• Originally angry that Victor Strand's lies cost him the chance to see his daughter again while she was still alive, Daniel Salazar appeared to forgive him after Strand saved his life from a herd, stating that he would no longer shoot him in the face. _(Skidmark)
• John Dorie Sr. and June Dorie forgive Dakota for murdering their son and husband respectively. Despite her claims of having no remorse, Dakota appears to be relieved to have their forgiveness. _{(The Beginning)}
• After Madison learns the truth about Nick's murder, Strand tells her that the group had eventually come to forgive Charlie with Alicia being the first. _{(Iron Tiger)}
• Although Madison at first refuses to forgive Charlie for Nick's murder, going so far as to spitefully send her on a suicide mission to assassinate Troy Otto, she finally relents after discovering that Charlie had had Nick's body dug up and cremated so that he would get a more fitting resting place. Madison tries to call Charlie back, telling Charlie that she knows that Charlie was just a scared kid, and she doesn't have to make up for what she did. _{(Iron Tiger)}
• Tracy forgives Madison for killing Troy while Madison forgives Tracy for shooting her. _{(The Road Ahead)}

World Beyond

• Elton forgives Silas for accidentally hurting him while in a blind rage. _{(The Wrong End of a Telescope)}
• Before telling Elton the truth about having accidentally killed his mother, Hope expresses hope that Elton can one day forgive her for her actions. _{(The Sky Is a Graveyard)}
• After seeing Hope for the first time since her confession, Elton nearly has a panic attack due to his conflicted feelings on the matter and avoids her. _{(Family Is a Four Letter Word)} When they reunite after the Rebellion at the Research Facility, Elton appears to have forgiven her, immediately giving Hope a warm hug _{(Death and the Dead)} and risking his life to save hers. _{(The Last Light)}

Telltale Series

• Lee Everett forgives Andre Mitchell for shooting at them. (Determinant) _{(A New Day)}
• If Lee attempts to save Shawn, Hershel forgives him for failing to save his son. _{(A New Day)}
• Doug/Carley forgives Lee for leaving the one behind and saving the other. _{(A New Day)}
• Lilly may forgive Lee for past altercations after attempting to save her dad. _{(Starved For Help)}
• Kenny forgives Lee for past altercations (based on choices) as they approach Savannah. _{(Long Road Ahead)}
• Kenny forgives Katjaa for committing suicide. _{(Long Road Ahead)}
• Kenny forgives Lee for arguing with him. _{(No Time Left)}
• Kenny forgives Ben for his past mistakes. (Determinant) _{(No Time Left)}
• Lee forgives Clementine for talking with the Stranger. _{(No Time Left)}
• Most of the cabin group forgive Clementine for stealing their supplies because they realize she needed it to stay alive. _{(All That Remains)}
• Clementine forgives Nick for his previously hostile behavior. (Determinant) _{(All That Remains)}
• Clementine forgives Rebecca for her previously hostile behavior. _{(A House Divided)}
• Clementine forgives Jane for failing to save Sarah. (Determinant) _{(Amid The Ruins)}
• Clementine forgives Kenny for being hostile towards her. (Determinant) _{(No Going Back)}
• Clementine forgives Jane for forcing her to kill Kenny as well as hiding Alvin Jr.. (Determinant) _{(No Going Back)}
• Javier forgives Eleanor for her betrayal of the group. (Determinant) _{(From The Gallows)}
• Tripp forgives Javier for killing Conrad and for choosing him to die. (Determinant) _{(From The Gallows)}
• Clementine forgives David for giving AJ away to protect him. _{(From The Gallows)}
• Marlon forgives Clementine for attacking Tenn. (Determinant) _{(Done Running)}
• Ruby forgives Alvin Jr. for biting her. _{(Done Running)}
• Marlon forgives AJ for elbowing him. _{(Done Running)}
• Tenn forgives Marlon for betraying him and his sisters. _{(Done Running)}
• Clementine can forgive Marlon for betraying the group. _{(Done Running)}
• Alvin Jr. can forgive Tenn for indirectly killing Violet/Louis (Determinant) _{(Take Us Back)}
• Violet/Louis can forgive Alvin Jr. for killing Tenn. (Determinant) _{(Take Us Back)}

Dead Reckoning

• Gary Taylor forgives Shane for putting him in a jail cell. (Determinant) _{(Dead Reckoning)}

Social Game

TBA

Novel Series

• Joshua Hamilton forgives Lilly Caul for abandoning him.
• Brian Blake forgives Lilly Caul and Caesar Martínez for trying to overthrow him.