| Saviors | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Saviors | |
| Aliases: | The Saviors |
| Continuity: | The Walking Dead |
| Type: | Survival group |
| Status: | Active |
| Leaders: | Negan |
| Members: | Negan; Simon; Dwight |
| Enemies: | Alexandria Safe-Zone; Hilltop Colony; The Kingdom |
| First appearance: | Issue #97 [1] "Always Accountable" [2] |
The Saviors are a fictional militia gang featured in the comic book survival horror series The Walking Dead, published by Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment. They first appeared in issue #97 in May, 2012, which was the first chapter in the "Something to Fear" storyline. The Saviors also appeared in The Walking Dead television series on AMC, with the first members of the group being introduced in the sixth episode of season six, "Always Accountable". A biker gang contingent of the Saviors were shown in "Start to Finish", which is the first chapter that really pushes the group into the forefront. They were shown again in "Not Tomorrow Yet", which showcased the first major conflict between the protagonists and the group. The season six finale, "Last Day on Earth" brought the entirety of the organization into the foreground with the introduction of the group's leader, Negan. In both the comic book series and the TV program, the Saviors are presented as central long-running antagonists to the main characters.
Overview[]
The Saviors were an immense gang of armed survivors that existed in the years following the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse. They were based out of the U.S. state of Virginia, somewhere along the Western bank of the Potomac River, south of Washington, D.C.. The Saviors were basically gangsters running a protection racket to neighboring communities. They would use their resources to kill all zombies, or "walkers" that might threaten an area, and in exchange, they demanded a percentage of a community's supplies. This service they provided was involuntary and non-negotiable. The Saviors extorted their muscle over several collectives including the people at the Alexandria Safe-Zone, the Hilltop Colony, The Kingdom, and the people that eventually fled to Oceanside. Failure to meet the Saviors demands always resulted in violence, and often death. Their faction numbered in the hundreds and they had access to a surplus of weaponry, equipment, and vehicles.
The Basics[]
The Saviors is a group encountered by Rick Grimes in Season 6, though members have appeared sporadically beforehand such as Dwight and the group of Saviors blown up by Daryl Dixon. Rick and his group learn that the Saviors have been doing trade with the Hilltop Colony, but have become more brutal and demanding with its' leader Negan, kidnapping one of the Colony residents and forcing the resident's brother to assassinate Gregory. The group ultimately agrees to be a new trade partner as well as take care of Negan and the Saviors once and for all.
After Negan kills Abraham Ford and Glenn Rhee, he bends the Alexandria group to his mercy, forcing them to work and provide for them, as well as taking away their guns to prevent a revolt. Negan breaks Rick for a while but he ultimately aligns himself with the Hilltop now commanded by Maggie Greene and Paul Rovia (mainly due to Gregory's alliance with the Saviors and cowardice) and the Kingdom led by Ezekiel. Eugene Porter is also abducted by Negan when Rosita Espinosa attempts to assassinate him in another move to hurt Rick's group due to Eugene's intellect and ability to create home-made bullets. Dwight, Negan's right-hand man who secretly despises him, also begins working as a double-agent and provides Rick's group with information.
At the beginning of Season 8, the groups forge metal to the driver's side of their vehicles and begin to attack various outposts and lookouts that the Saviors control in order to dwindle Negan's numbers. Negan attempts to decrease Rick's numbers by forcing Gregory to say he will kick anyone out of the Hilltop who doesn't side with Negan but this fails as members stand united with Maggie and Jesus. Rick learns surprisingly that a member of his old camp, Morales, has also joined the Saviors at some point but Morales is shot and killed by Daryl with a crossbow bolt, but not before attempting to show Rick he is a monster and their groups are no different than the Saviors in their actions. 39 Saviors are taken hostage by the Hilltop to use as a bargaining chip but later Maggie kills one of the hostages and uses him as a threat towards Simon. In an ambush, the Saviors do severely hurt the Kingdom by killing most of their fighters except for Ezekiel, Carol Peletier, Jerry and Morgan Jones (the latter three not present during the ambush.)
Simon begins to undermine Negan by first murdering the Scavengers (minus Jadis) as payback for siding with Rick and later deciding to attack Hilltop while Negan is missing. This attack causes several members of the Hilltop/Kingdom/Alexandria alliance to turn due to their walker-blood tainted weaponry. Some of the captured Saviors escape when Henry opens the gate to get revenge for his brother but some, such as Alden, stay behind to help the alliance after Simon shows that the captured Saviors mean nothing and are screw-ups for getting captured.
Negan and the Saviors go to war against Rick's group due to Simon's actions but are easily beaten when Eugene creates faulty ammunition that explodes in their hands and Rick takes down Negan by slashing his throat. Negan is taken prisoner while the remaining Saviors surrender and plan to rebuild their community without the fear of Negan's leadership. Dwight is exiled by Daryl who threatens to kill him if he ever returns.
In the time jump since Negan's capture, the Saviors have been trying to pitch in and help though Daryl notices concerning graffiti on the wall, showing some members are still loyal to Negan.
After the six year jump, all the Saviors who didn't reform and integrate themselves into the other communities (such as Jed and Regina) have become scavengers due to the fall of The Sanctuary. The group robs Carol and Henry while Jed also steals her wedding ring. Later that night, Carol returns and burns them alive to retrieve all of her belongings. After the deaths of Jed, Regina and their 20 fellow Saviors, the deaths of D.J. and Frankie at the hands of the Whisperers and Laura's death at the hands of Beta, Negan, Dwight and Alden are the only known living Saviors with the three no longer being antagonistic.
Members[]
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Notes & Trivia[]
- The Saviors were created by writer Robert Kirkman and artists Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn.
- "The Saviors" redirects to this page.
Appearances[]
Comic series[]
TV series[]
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