| This article is about the TV Series character. For other pages with the same name, see: Toby |
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Toby Carlson is an antagonist and a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead. He is a resident of the Commonwealth, serving as the head recruiter. He served as the primary antagonist of the episodes "Warlords" and "The Rotten Core".
Overview[]
Toby initially seems to be a friendly and jovial individual, if not somewhat eccentric. Though at first he appears to be quite foolish, with his plan to recruit the people of Riverbend seeming to be unsafe, it is revealed to be ruse to take out the people from the inside and find the missing weapons. Toby reveals himself to be a brutal, violent, ruthless, and sadistic psychopath. After brutally interrogating Ian, he mercilessly kills him and begins mocking his corpse before violently kicking it. He is shown somewhat lacking self-awareness, calling Ian a "damn animal," right after his unhinged behavior. He proceeds to push many Riverbend residents off the building and orders anyone who won't talk about the missing weapons to be killed, all while having a disturbingly casual and smug attitude, as well as never showing any remorse for his actions.
As a CIA Agent, Toby is an extremely skilled and dangerous individual. He is very deceitful and manipulative, shown while being held at gunpoint by Ian, he is able to come off as timid and afraid, only to strike right when Ian's guard is down. He has no qualms with betraying his own allies, such as ordering Jesse to be shot despite them seemingly having a friendly relationship before, along with Aaron and Gabriel. Toby is also rarely ever intimidated, seen when after he tries to shoot Aaron only to find his gun is empty, he merely smiles and seemed more than ready to fight him one-on-one before Aaron was forced to flee. He has a proneness to angry outbursts when things do not go his way, with him often yelling in a rather childish manner.
Despite his brutality, it seemed that prior to the mission to Riverbend, Toby appeared to be living peacefully within the Commonwealth as the head recruiter. According to him, he enjoyed meditating and helping people. However, due to being a former CIA agent, he is recruited by Lance Hornsby to go to Riverbend to retrieve some missing weapons. He initially refuses but eventually caves in after Lance threatens to take away his happy life, along with hearing how young troopers in their 20s were being killed. Toby was most likely hesitant to go on the mission due to knowing that he will revert back to his brutal ways, which eventually happened.
After being surrounded by the group, Toby reveals himself to be a coward, pleading for mercy despite preparing to kill Aaron and Gabriel seconds prior. Toby would meet a karmic death, falling off the building which he pushed many Riverbend residents off of and proceed to be devoured by said reanimated residents. In the end, while Toby tried to become a good person, he was forced back to his ruthless self by the corrupt Lance, causing him to die a brutal and disgraced man.
Pre-Apocalypse[]
Location Unknown[]
Nothing is known about Toby's life prior to or as the outbreak began, except that he worked for the CIA for an unknown period of time.
Post-Apocalypse[]
Ohio[]
At some point during the outbreak, Toby joined the Commonwealth in Ohio and became head recruiter for the community.
Season 11[]
"Warlords"[]
Toby recruits Aaron and Gabriel to take point on an outreach mission with a community in an apartment complex to offer them membership with the Commonwealth. Toby scopes out the complex through binoculars. Aaron remarks that the building doesn't look as friendly as he'd been told but reassures Gabriel that they'll have Commonwealth troopers with them. Toby informs them that the troopers are hanging back to avoid spooking the settlers. Gabriel and Aaron refuse to go in, but Toby says it's not up for discussion.
Aaron announces himself at the building entrance and says they have MREs to offer. A woman steps out and collects their weapons before allowing them inside. She directs the group to a room down a dark hallway. Inside the room, the leader, Ian, orders them to sit. Aaron describes the Commonwealth and invites Ian's group to join them. Ian shows them a collection of skulls from raiders who came to kill his group. He shoots his gun and orders them to kneel, worried they've come to eat his people. Aaron and Gabriel insist they aren't cannibals and offers to leave if Ian lets them go. Ian agrees, but Toby grabs his gun and shoots him and guns down his bodyguards. His whole demeanor has changed.
In a flashback to one week ago, Lance Hornsby summons Toby to his office. Lance explains that a convoy full of guns and cargo was en route to the three communities when it was hijacked by a religious group. Lance orders Toby to lead a surgical operation to retrieve the goods. Toby tells Lance that he's no longer an assassin, but Lance threatens to upend Toby's life if he refuses. He suggests Toby take Gabriel and Aaron.
In the present day, Toby interrogates Ian and demands to know where the guns and cargo are located. Ian says he has no idea what Toby is talking about. Toby beats him up. Gabriel punches Toby, prompting troopers to handcuff him. Toby shoots Ian dead, leading to a shocked Aaron telling him that they were supposed to help people, which Toby states that they are, by killing the threats and this is how to make the world safe. He then runs outside when he hears Jesse flee on horseback. Toby orders the trooper to kill Jesse, as the trooper shoots Jesse, but Aaron smashes him in the face before he can shoot again. Aaron escapes as more troopers arrive. Back inside, Toby discovers that Gabriel has escaped and his guard is dead.
Toby tells the residents of the complex that they are enemies of the Commonwealth because they stole from his community. Toby interrogates two hostages on the building roof and pushes them off the edge after they insist they know nothing about the stolen goods. One by one, he shoves more hostages off the roof. Toby orders his troopers to kill anyone in the building who won't talk.
"The Rotten Core"[]
Toby looks at the dead hostages that he pushed off the roof of the apartment complex. The bodies start to reanimate. Toby radios Lance to let him know the location is secure and that they're searching for the hijacked goods. Toby leads a team through the complex, gunning down residents.
Toby leads troopers through the building. He orders his troopers to kill anyone who doesn't talk; if they don't find the guns, they burn Riverbend to the ground. Toby's team storms an apartment and finds nothing. Toby notices shoe prints leading to the secret room. Before he can investigate, he hears gunfire. Toby's team chases Gabriel and Aaron onto the roof and corners them. Elijah sneaks up and kills the troopers with his kamas.
With his troopers dead and surrounded by Aaron's group, Toby attempts to plead for his life, but Aaron shoots Toby, who falls off of the roof and lands near the bodies of the dead hostages. They reanimate and eat Toby alive as Aaron and Gabriel watch. Toby is later put down by Maggie, Lydia, and Elijah along with his reanimated victims.
"Trust"[]
Lance visits Riverbend with Daryl and a detachment of Commonwealth soldiers to investigate the events that had occurred there. Toby's partially devoured corpse, surrounded by the now dead Riverbend residents who had devoured him and his own soldiers, is marked off. Lance expresses doubt about Aaron and Gabriel's version of the events, but Daryl backs his friends up. Lance accuses Aaron and Gabriel of knowing the "crazed, violent strangers" responsible, but Gabriel tells him that Toby had lost control of the situation, they had barely survived and they won't take the fall for this.
Death[]
- Killed By
- Aaron (Caused)
After having his soldiers killed and a failed attempt at appealing to him, Toby is shot in the chest four times by Aaron and falls off Riverbend's roof. The fall causes him to have his legs and back broken.
- Himself (Caused)
- 6 unnamed Riverbend residents (Infected, Alive)
While writhing in pain, the Riverbend residents he had previously thrown off the building wake up after reanimation and devour him.
- Maggie Rhee, Elijah, or Lydia (Before Reanimation)
Either Maggie, Elijah, or Lydia prevented Toby from reanimating while they were dealing with the bodies of the Commonwealth soldiers.
Killed Victims[]
This list shows the victims Toby has killed:
- Hart (Caused or Direct)
- Ian
- Jesse (Caused)
- Numerous counts of enemy combatants (Pre-Apocalypse)
- At least 13 unnamed Riverbend residents (8 Alive, 5 Caused or Direct)
- 1 unnamed Commonwealth soldier (Before Reanimation)
- Numerous counts of zombies and unnamed people
Relationships[]
For a more in-depth look at Toby's relationships, read here; Toby Carlson (TV Series)/Relationships
Allies[]
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Enemies[]
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Quotes[]
The following is a list of some of Toby's most memorable quotes.
Season 11"You feel that? That mix of dopamine and adrenaline just- (excited noises) It's just that anticipation. You, and you, and even you too, Jesse. Today, we're gonna make the world just a little better than it was yesterday. (…) You don't think so? (…) Okay, but what if they are? If they're angry, that just means they're afraid, but when they meet you, they won't be. I cannot wait to watch you two do your thing." "I don't want to be on the shelf and I don't think you're stupid!" "Oh man, I don't do that anymore, Lance. (…) I like being retired. I get up, I meditate, and I find people who need help and give 'em a second chance. It's Zen. It feels great." "You um... you tired of living, Lance?" "Okay, okay, so we go in like we're making first contact and since they're religious... (…) And what about then things turn and I have to feel them what's what?" "The guns in the cargo you hijacked. The ones that you massacred my soldiers to get too. Where are they? (…) You just lied to me." "Ready the shelf warlord. Top shelf, dead center, how does that sound? Right above Billy. Hey! Hey, where'd you go huh? All that talk and you died so quick." "Don't look at me like that. He's a damn animal." "We are. This is the other side of it. Snuffing out threats. This is how we make the world safe." "I turn my back for one goddamn minute!" "Residents of the Complex. You have been deemed enemies of the Commonwealth. One of you has stolen from us. That cannot be stand. Bad news is, your warlord is dead. The good news is, you can still make things right. Give us what's ours and we'll leave! That'll be that!" "Location secured brother. (…) We're searching floor by floor, the residents haven't been very cooperative. (…) Yeah well, small taste of some law and order will help them remember." "Anyone you find, they refuse to give you something useful you just pop them in the head and move on. We find our guns in the next hour or we burn this place to the ground." "Just enough of this shit! What are you even thinking? Huh? Just turning on me, on the Commonwealth, for what? Some tenement warlord and all these thieving followers? I just- I really thought you were smarter than all that!" "All troopers up to the roof now! Commander needs assistance! (…) Oh ho, okay, okay. Woo. That's good. Wisdom to know the difference right?" "Look, things just got a little out of hand. We all just need to... take a breath, all right? Listen... listen, we just need to talk things- "Oh God! Oh God! No! Help! NO! |
Appearances[]
| Episodes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
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| Season 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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[]
International Dubbers[]
| Language | Dubber | Other Characters Voiced |
|---|---|---|
| Czech | N/A | N/A |
| French | Yann Guillemot | Bud R.J. |
| German | N/A | N/A |
| Hungarian | N/A | N/A |
| Italian | Roberto Pedicini | Philip Blake |
| Japanese | N/A | N/A |
| Portuguese | N/A | N/A |
| Spanish (Latin America) | N/A | N/A |
| Spanish (Spain) | Alejandro "Peyo" García | Morgan Jones Mitch Dolgen |