Tyreese Williams

TV Series
"The whole world is haunted now. We are who we are and we do what we do... And there's no getting out of that. Not until we're dead."

- Tyreese to Carol Peletier

Tyreese Williams, nicknamed Ty by many of his companions, is a main character and survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead. He is the older brother of Sasha and was also the leader of a small group of survivors. He became one of the first newcomers at the prison.During his time at the prison, he formed a relationship with fellow Woodbury survivor,Karen. After Karen's death and the downfall of the prison, he became the primary caretaker of Judith Grimes and also Lizzie and Mika Samuels temporarily. A strong yet compassionate individual, Tyreese struggles with his own morality while still managing to protect his group, often trying to prevent any bloodshed. His favored weapon is a hammer.

Trivia

 * In the list of action figures expected to be released, Tyreese's last name is mentioned to be "Williams".
 * Tyreese may be left handed or cross dominant, as he is shown aiming with his left eye and left hand throughout the series, but wields his trademark hammer in his right hand.
 * Tyreese is the first main character to die during a mid-season premiere, the second being Jessie Anderson.

Comparison to Comic Counterpart

 * In the Comic Series, Tyreese was killed in the volume "Made To Suffer", whereas in the TV Series he is introduced in the episode of the same name.
 * In the Comic Series, Tyreese was first seen traveling with his daughter Julie and her boyfriend Chris. Allen, Donna, and Ben (including the TV Series-omitted Billy) were a part of Rick's group prior to them meeting.
 * Tyreese's prefered weapon is a hammer in both TV and Comic Series.
 * Tyreese has outlived many characters that his comic counterpart did not.

Comic Series
Tyreese is a main character first encountered in Issue 7 of Image Comics' The Walking Dead. He is a prominent member of the survivors, and is additionally a central character within the series. Following the death of Shane, he fills the role of Rick's right-hand man. He is portrayed as a strong and charismatic survivor who often acts as a leader. When the group decides that the pressure of leading was too much for Rick alone, Tyreese became a member of the new committee along with Rick, Hershel and Dale and later a strong ally and good friend to Rick.

Characteristics and Role
Tyreese was a central figure within the survivor group. Shortly after his introduction, it was clear his traits and skills were on par with Rick. He was a physically strong, able-bodied man, able to hold his own against any zombie threats that the group encountered. His strength with his hammer and his stamina was recognized, and Rick often specifically requested his assistance in clearing out the undead. He was also a friendly, approachable man, genuinely caring about the well-being of the entire group, and he actively volunteered to help and defend them. He was shown as a stern but loving father, caring deeply for Julie's safety and wary of Chris's irresponsibility.

Although his weaknesses weren't as exposed as other characters, they were highlighted. While travelling on the road, he was revealed as a terrible shot with any firearm, which Andrea often mocked him for. He focused instead on being primarily a melee fighter. He also had trouble controlling his emotions, such as when he killed Chris, after he killed the undead Julie, despite Chris's actions clearly saving Tyreese's life. Another instance was when Rick later confronted him about Carol and he engaged in a bloody brawl with the former. He showed the most emotional vulnerability when tempted with the sexual advances of Michonne; this resulted in the first major conflict against Rick that affected the entire survivor group and their opinions.

His tragic death clearly had a significant impact on the survivors; not just emotionally, but practically. As Tyreese often took the initiative as a secondary leader and was one of the more physically strong defenders, the remaining members of the group who survived the attack of The Governor had more difficulty adapting to the dangers and obstacles when back on the road. It was only with the introduction of Abraham Ford that someone filled the power void Tyreese's death created.

His role as a strong defender of the group and generally righteous man has had an lasting impression. Glenn is seen much later in the Alexandria Safe-Zone re-telling the story of Tyreese's miraculous survival in The Prison gym to the community locals, and admiration and respect is evident in his reminiscing.

Much later after the destruction of the prison, Michonne sadly refers back to Tyreese when confiding in Rick about her loneliness, signifying he had more a lasting emotional impact upon the detached Michonne than she had previously led her fellow survivors to believe.