The Walking Dead season eight premiere and 100th episode will be here soon.  Each week GGA will feature a different list of what makes this show so good!  Last week it was the seven most shocking deaths. This week, we want to pay tribute to the seven strongest women of The Walking Dead.

There are some women who were made for this world. That doesn’t mean they didn’t lose anything or can’t feel anything.  These women feel everything…they are just better at knowing when to feel and when to get the job done.

These ladies have all experienced great loss and have used those experiences to become leaders in their communities. Some of them are stronger than others on this list, but they all have great intuition, quick thinking, and put their own touch on the situation at hand that gives them so much power in TWD.  And the wonderful thing is…the gentlemen of TWD fully recognize it.

RELATED: THE WALKING DEAD MOST SHOCKING DEATHS FROM EACH SEASON

Katelyn Nacon as Enid – The Walking Dead – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Enid

Enid (Katelyn Nacon) was in Alexandria when Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Co. arrived. She was quiet and untrusting.  It took a while, but Enid finally opened up to Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) and the two became friends. Like Carl, Enid was almost on the outside for too long. She has been on her own for so long, it took a while for her to trust anyone.  

She’s not your typical teenage girl. If anything, she is wise beyond her years because of what’s she’s been through.  She watched both her parents get eaten alive by walkers. She was able to make her way to Alexandria alone and unscathed.  And…she’s still alive.

Enid’s mentor is Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohen). She is already learning what leadership looks like.  Enid has the potential to be a great leader if she can learn to survive both walkers and humans alike.  She has a purpose and has joined the fight against the Saviors.

Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler – The Walking Dead – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Tara Chambler

We first met Tara Chambler (Alanna Masterson) in Season 4. She was living with her sister, niece and dying father in an apartment building.  They met the Governor (David Morrissey) there and after her father died, they left with him.  The Governor presented himself as a victim of Rick Grimes. 

The Governor convinced Tara and others to invade the prison and take it over.  The invasion didn’t end well and Tara was left all alone. 

Tara felt guilty about being aligned with the Governor.  Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun) convinced her that she deserved to live and the others forgave her for being misled. She quickly found her place among Rick’s group and followed them to Alexandria.  

Tara found love in Alexandria, though her girlfriend did not survive the Saviors.  Tara still fights for Alexiandria.  It is her home. She has friends, family and a home to fight for.  

Tara is goofy. She always seems to find something positive in every situation.  Her optimism and inner strength have inspired others.  Tara also knows when to turn on the seriousness and get down to business.  She still has self discovery to do. There’s no doubt that Tara could become a great leader.

Sonequa Martin-Green as Sasha Williams – The Walking Dead – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Sasha Williams

Sasha, Sasha, Sasha.  When I think of Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), it reminds me of Will Ferrell in Anchorman in his glass case of emotion.  

I liked Sasha when we first saw her. She was vocal, fearless, and level-headed.  It’s too bad Rick wasn’t. Rick turned her and brother Tyreese (Chad Coleman) away when they arrived at the prison in Season 3.

Soon after, Sasha and Tyreese joined the Woodbury community.  When the Governor attacked the prison the first time, Sasha realized they chose the wrong side and asked Rick for another chance.  Sasha has experienced a lot of loss.  First her boyfriend Bob Stuckey (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.), and shortly after, her brother Tyreese.  Sasha was on an emotional roller coaster before the group arrived in Alexandria.  

Sasha did not adjust well to Alexandria.  She was uncomfortable within the walls of the community.  She was cold to the residents. Sasha was angry with how nothing had changed inside Alexandria. The residents had no idea what the world was like outside of their walls. 

Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz) saw her struggle and reached out to her.  He stayed by her side on dangerous missions and saw her strength and stubbornness. Abraham fell in love her.  Sasha found some peace in Abraham, but death took him as well.  She dealt with Abraham’s death differently.  Unlike Bob and Tyreese, Sasha had someone to blame for Abraham’s death. Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) killed Abraham.  And Sasha wanted revenge.

Sasha almost got her revenge on Negan. She chose to end her own life, turn into a walker, and attack Negan.  It didn’t work.  

Sasha was already a skilled fighter when she joined Rick’s family.  She suffered almost as much as Maggie. They dealt with their grief together, but looked at safety differently.  Sasha’s willingness to take risks paid off most of the time. She was great sniper and never afraid to step in harms way for others.  RIP Sasha.

Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa – The Walking Dead – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Rosita Espinosa

Rosita (Christian Serratos) is literally a jack of all trades. There is nothing she can’t do.  Rosita explained to Sasha that she learned something from every boyfriend she had. She knows how to fix a car, clean guns, filter water…just to name a few things….

Rosita is strong because of her attitude and her abilities. She teaches others to fight, passing on knowledge that she has obtained.  Rosita can be calm, cool and collected when she needs to be.  She can be irrational at times as well.  

When Negan came around, something triggered Rosita. She was willing to risk her life to kill Negan.  She was angry that he killed Glenn and Abraham. Rosita was even more angry that Negan had a hold over the entire Alexandria community. Something tells me that Rosita does not like authority. She doesn’t mind following a sensible leader. And she speaks up when she disagrees.  With Negan, she had no voice. She had no purpose. So she made one.

I personally like her tenacity, but shake my head at how she doesn’t consider the consequences of her actions. Her actions caused Negan to take Eugene.  

Rosita is slowing emerging into a leader of the group.  She knows how to fight, can make quick decisions, but can also be hot headed.  And that can bring nothing but trouble.  So far, she hasn’t gotten herself into that she can’t get out of.

Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee – The Walking Dead – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Maggie Rhee

Maggie is probably the strongest emotionally. We have watched her lose her home, her family, and now Glenn.  Not that everyone else didn’t lose the same things.  Maggie has emerged from all of her loss to be one of the strongest leaders on The Walking Dead.  Maybe stronger than Rick.

Maggie was already strong willed when we met her in season two.  She was level headed. She was able to keep everyone in line and did her best to protect her family.  When she fell in love with Glenn, that all changed.  She had someone who complemented her strength with his own. Someone who wanted to keep their humanity intact and be able to protect their family at the same time.  They made each other stronger.  Maggie and Glenn were always a voice of reason.  They didn’t always agree with Rick’s decisions, but they always at least tried to see things his way.  

Maggie’s road to leadership began at the farm and continued to Alexandria. Maggie really stepped up when the group met Jesus (Tom Payne) and the residents at Hilltop. She lead the negotiations with Gregory (Xander Berkley), who completely ignored her.  And even when she was captured by the Saviors, Maggie never faltered.

Maggie and Carol did not need the others to get out of their predicament.  Though it didn’t hurt for them to be reminded that they had Glenn, Rick,  and others to always look at for them.

After losing Glenn, Maggie could have completely shut down, but she didn’t. She became an even stronger leader. Maggie is the emerging leader of Hilltop.  The residents look to her for answers and stood with her when they assisted Alexandria against the Saviors.  They recognized her resiliency and her ability to think fast in intense situations.

Going into this war is scary for Maggie. Keep in mind that she’s pregnant and she’s had complications before.  If she can keep calm and rest, she can do a lot from behind the battle lines.

Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier – The Walking Dead – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Carol Peletier

Carol (Melissa McBride) probably should have died in Season 2.  In the comic books, she did.  In the television show, she took her pain and turned it into strength.  When the show started, Carol was an abused housewife.  She didn’t always stay with her husband, but she didn’t leave him for good.  Carol was very dependent upon him. After he died, she had to become dependent upon someone else.

When her daughter Sophia (Madison Lintz) went missing, she leaned on Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus).  Daryl was a child of abuse. So the two had something in common.  These two found strength in each other.  They lift each other up and have become a fan favorite couple…that’s not a romantic couple.  Through Daryl, Carol learned to speak up for herself and fight for her life.

Her transformation took a dark turn at the prison.  A respiratory infection killed many who lived there. Carol killed the first two who were quarantined because she felt that she was protecting her family.  For this, Rick exiled her.  For the first time, Carol was on her own. She had to become independent and try to survive on her own. She learned that she needed people. Carol didn’t like being alone, so she went back. 

Carol continued to make tough decisions. One of the toughest being the decision to kill Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino).  Lizzie had become a danger to herself and others.  She killed her sister to show Carol that the dead come back and they are safe.  Carol killed Lizzie before she could hurt Judith Grimes. 

When Carol and Tyreese caught up with the others at Terminus.  Carol saw the danger immediately. She single-handedly destroyed Terminus and saved the group from slaughter. Her actions redeemed herself with Rick and the group trekked on to find a home. When they got to Alexandria,  Carol pretended to be Suzy-Homemaker to appear less threatening.   Her true intentions were to help Rick take control of the community.  Carol believed they were the only ones who could keep everyone safe.  

Carol and Maggie were captured by the Saviors.  They did what they had to do to escape.  Carol felt that she had gone too far.  She had killed so many people and felt that she had lost something.  She left the group, ended up in the Kingdom, and tried her best to remain hidden.

After hearing about Glenn and Abraham’s death, Carol has re-emerged.  She knows what the Saviors have done and will not let them get away with it.  Negan should be afraid of Carol Peletier

Danai Gurira as Michonne – The Walking Dead – Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC

Michonne

From the moment we met Michonne (Danai Guiria), we knew she’d be a great ally to have. She knew how to use a sword and walkers to walk the earth. Michonne is also highly intuitive. She recognized quickly how dangerous the Governor truly was.

Michonne helped Rick save Glenn, Maggie and Daryl from the Governor.  After that battle, Michonne was accepted by Carl, which led to Rick accepting her as well.  Her relationship with Carl is special. They bonded quickly. Perhaps it’s because Carl had just lost is mother and needed that maternal figure in his life.  With Carl, Michonne came to life. 

Michonne’s past wasn’t discussed much. We know she had  a son named Andre and she had been on her own for a while. This may explain why Michonne did not want to hold Judith.  Holding Judith reminded her of Andre.  Once she got past the sadness, Michonne developed a special bond with Judith as well.

Michonne quickly become one of Rick’s most trusted confidants and one of the few people who can put Rick in his place.  Michonne stays by Rick’s side through thick and thin.  She knows when he’s doing the right thing and when to speak up if she doesn’t agree.  

Michonne gets Rick. She sees when he’s being serious and when he’s being funny.  There has always been a little flirting going on between these two. The fandom burst with joy when Richonne finally happened.  TWD’s strongest power couple.  In season seven, we got to see how strong they are together.  And that they might also be each other’s weakness.  

Michonne has proven that she can survive on her own, so she no longer needs to prove herself to anyone.  With Rick, when they fight side by side, they are unstoppable. It’s when they are more concerned about the other’s safety instead of their own that things get intense.  

Michonne got hurt pretty bad during the first battle with the Saviors.  And the season ended with Rick and Carl by her side.  My question is…how long will it be before Carl and Judith call Michonne ‘Mom’?

The great things about these ladies is that they are leaders. They have to think quickly and act quicker. They really do look at the big picture and how their actions affect everyone in the community.  These ladies are protectors, warriors and can be maternal when they need to.  They are not soft spoken and will not hesitate to put others in their place.  They truly are role models for ladies everywhere.

I’m sad that Sasha is gone, but the others will carry on her legacy and her strength. There’s no doubt that these ladies inspire each other and do their best to uplift one another…as well as the guys.   I’m excited to see how these ladies will impact the coming war.  The Walking Dead returns to AMC on October 22.  Geek Girl Authority will have season 8 recaps and the latest TWD news!

 

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