Across its 11 seasons, the series features several major narrative turning points and twists:
- Season 1: Dr. Edwin Jenner reveals at the CDC that everyone is infected; the virus is latent in all living humans, meaning anyone who dies from any cause will reanimate as a walker.
- Season 2: Sophia is found reanimated inside Hershel's barn. Rick kills Shane in self-defense, and Carl shoots the reanimated Shane, confirming Jenner's CDC secret to the group.
- Season 3: Lori dies during an emergency C-section, causing Rick's mental breakdown. The Governor turns on his own citizens, executing them after a failed siege.
- Season 4: The Governor executes Hershel and destroys the prison safe zone. Carol executes Lizzie after Lizzie kills her sister Mika. The scattered survivors reunite at Terminus, where they are captured by cannibals.
- Season 5: The group escapes Terminus and slaughters its surviving leaders. Beth Greene is shot dead during a hospital prisoner exchange. The group arrives at Alexandria.
- Season 6: A massive herd floods Alexandria, and Carl loses his eye. The season ends with Negan beating an unseen group member to death.
- Season 7: Negan's victims are revealed to be Abraham and Glenn. Alexandria, Hilltop, and the Kingdom form a secret alliance against the Saviors.
- Season 8: Carl Grimes dies after being bitten by a walker. Rick slits Negan's throat but spares his life to honor Carl's dream of peace, choosing to imprison him instead.
- Season 9: Rick detonates a bridge to stop a herd and is secretly whisked away in a CRM helicopter. A six-year time jump introduces the Whisperers, who execute 10 allied community members and place their severed heads on pikes.
- Season 10: Negan infiltrates the Whisperers and decapitates Alpha. Beta is killed, and Eugene makes radio contact with the Commonwealth.
- Season 11 Finale: The Commonwealth's corrupt leader Pamela Milton is overthrown and imprisoned. Rosita dies peacefully after being bitten. Ezekiel becomes the elected Governor of the Commonwealth, and Rick and Michonne are shown separately searching for each other, setting up The Ones Who Live.