Karen is a character from the TV series The Walking Dead. Nothing about her life before the apocalypse is known, but she first appears in Season 3 as a resident of Woodbury living under The Governor. Karen later leaves Woodbury after the Governor's failed attempt to take the West Georgia Prison, joining Rick Grimes' group inside the prison. She is portrayed by Melissa Ponzio.
History[]
Season 3[]
Karen first appears in Season 3 as a resident of Woodbury, a small but sturdy community managing to cope well amidst the zombie apocalypse. During her time in Woodbury, she contributed to the community's welfare as a guard, standing on the main gate and eliminating any zombies that venture too close.
Karen's faith in Woodbury is tested following encounters with Rick Grimes and his group of survivors from West Georgia Correctional Facility. At first, it seems that Rick and his lot are the aggressors, but over time it becomes increasingly clear that the Governor is unstable and out for blood.
In the Season 3 finale "Welcome to the Tombs", the Governor organises an attack on the prison which Karen participates in. The raid fails miserably as Rick's group have lured several walkers onto the prison grounds, disrupting the Governor's original plan of attack. After this debacle, Karen joins the surviving raiders in protest against the Governor's plan. Enraged, the Governor starts gunning down the protesters. Karen manages to survive the Governor's outburst and hides under the corpse of one of her slain friends until the Governor and his loyalists leave.
Alone, Karen locks herself inside one of the Governor's abandoned trucks. She is later found by Rick Grimes and tells him how the Governor massacred the raiding party when they spoke out against him. She then takes Rick and his party back to Woodbury where their companion Andrea is supposedly being held. They find Andrea, but she has been bitten and she bids farewell to her friends before committing suicide. Afterwards, Karen and the remaining Woodbury residents are allowed to join Rick's community at the prison.
Season 4[]
Several months after joining the prison group, Karen is helping the community with security as she joins others in thinning out the growing masses of walkers building up at the prison fences. During this time, she has also established a romantic relationship with Tyreese Williams.
In the episode "Infected", disaster strikes when walkers appear within Cell Block D. It is revealed that Patrick, one of the younger residents, had died during the night because of a flu-like virus. After death, Patrick reanimated and started feeding on the other cell block residents while they slept. While Karen survives the panic in the cell block, she contracts the flu as she is later seen coughing and sent to another cell block where the sick are being isolated.
Death[]
At the end of "Infected", Tyreese goes to visit Karen in the isolation block. He is horrified to discover a trail of blood and follows it out into the courtyard where finds the blackened bodies of Karen and David which had been set on fire by an unknown party.
In the following episode "Isolation", it is revealed that Karen was killed by Carol Peletier. Carol had killed David and Karen in order to stop the disease from spreading further as they were the only people showing symptoms at the time. While Carol's intentions were noble, her actions turn out to be for naught as the flu continues spreading regardless. It is unclear as to how Carol killed David, but she mentions to Rick that she "made it quick", so it is most likely she stabbed Karen and David and then burned the bodies.