Tyreese

Tyreese
The Walking Dead character
File:Tyreese (Comics).jpg Tyreese, as depicted in the comic book series. Art by Charlie Adlard.
Portrayed by	Chad Coleman
First appearance	Issue #7 (comics) "Made to Suffer" (TV series)
Last appearance	Issue #75 (flashback) (comics)
Created by	Robert Kirkman Tony Moore Charlie Adlard
In-universe information Occupation NFL linebacker Car salesman Bouncer

Tyreese is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and is portrayed by Chad Coleman in the third season of American television series of the same name. In the comics, he is shown to be a devoted father as well as an able-bodied fighter and leadership figure to those around him. However, he is also a very flawed individual, suffering from emotional fragility.

Character background

Tyreese is described as having failed his brief stint in the NFL as a linebacker. Throughout the following years he went through a variety of unsatisfying jobs, such as being a bouncer and (up until the outbreak) a car salesman. He was a divorcé with a teenage daughter named Julie, over whom he had always remained fiercely protective. His relationship with Julie, however, was often strained because of the tension between him and Julie's boyfriend Chris.

Tyreese's stance on humanity is: one should live life to the fullest and appreciate all they have. Ever since losing his ex-girlfriend in high school to suicide, he has remained disgusted at the concept of suicide and looks down upon those who commit it.

He has a severe difficulty in aiming a gun and struggles to hit even close-range targets. Due to this, he uses a hammer as his primary weapon.

Appearances

Comic book series

Tyreese, Julie, and Chris meet up with Rick's group on the highway as winter begins to approach. He quickly becomes an essential asset to the group, providing them with muscle, as well as leadership qualities, which earned Rick's trust in him. Within a matter of days, he and Carol engaged in a subtle romantic relationship, with him often acting as her emotional and physical protector. He continually struggled putting up with Julie and Chris's sexual antics, and failed with his attempt to establish ground rules for the two of them. Shortly following their arrival at Wiltshire Estates, his relationship with Carol escalated and resulted in the two of them having sex.

After ditching Wiltshire and settling into an abandoned prison, Tyreese had the misfortune of seeing Julie and Chris in a failed suicide pact, with Julie having been shot dead and Chris initially still alive. In a fit of hysterics, Tyreese strangled the boy to death and mutilated his corpse. Surprisingly, he got over what had transpired rather quickly, much to Rick's confusion and concern. The two continued to have a strong relationship, with Tyreese often giving Rick guidance and assisting him with various physical things.

Upon the arrival of Michonne, Tyreese found himself seduced by her in the gym, and initially attempted to keep it hidden from Carol, unbeknowst to the fact that Carol had witnessed the event happen first-hand. After a few woeful attempts to compete with Michonne, Carol ended their relationship and forced him to move to another cell block, where he continued to see Michonne, albeit in vain because of his regret over losing Carol. Carol ultimately attempted to commit suicide by slashing her wrists, which soon after led to a violent altercation between him and Rick. This event marked the point where their close friendship was severed.

When the rest of the group decided Rick was unfit to lead following the fight, Tyreese was later was made part of the decision committee, along with Hershel and Dale. His relationship with Rick continued to be strained; however, the two still managed to cooperate and work with each other at various times. Within the time Rick was gone from the prison with Glenn and Michonne, Tyreese and Carl developed a close bond, with Carl looking at Tyreese almost as a surrogate father. In return, Tyreese was extremely protective over him, often reassuring Carl when he doubted Rick's leadership.

As the group prepared for war against Woodbury, Tyreese led a handful of people to a nearby National Guard station where Woodbury retrieved many of its supplies. They were nearly ambushed by The Governor's men.

Tyreese was devastated upon witnessing Carol kill herself in front of the group; however, his grief quickly turned to anger and pity because of how he saw suicide as a pathetic act. Nevertheless, her death drove him deeper into the arms of Michonne. During the attack on the prison, he and Michonne attempted guerilla warfare, only to be ambushed in their attempt and Tyreese captured and taken as a hostage. The Governor planned to use him as leverage so as to gain access into the prison, however when this fails, Tyreese is slowly and brutally decapitated in front of the group. In the aftermath of the assault, Michonne kills his re-animated head.

His role as a strong defender of the group and generally righteous man had an lasting impression on the survivors of the assault. 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. Glenn recalled the story of his miraculous survival in the prison gym to several Alexandria citizens at the group's welcome party.

Television series

Tyreese is introduced as being from Jacksonville Florida, along with his sister Sasha (who is exclusive to the show). He and Sasha hid in a neighbor's underground bunker as the outbreak occured, and then for a few months after that. Upon leaving the bunker and heading out on their own, they came across another group of survivors. Their camp was eventually overrun and the group gradually became smaller until it narrowed down to him, Sasha, and a family of three (Allen, Donna, and their teenage son Ben).

While surviving out in the woods, Tyrese and his group discover the prison and proceed to sneak in, through the exposed back side of one of the buildings. They are no sooner locked in a cell block by Carl, while Rick and others are away at Woodbury. Donna, having been bit in the woods, succumbs to her infection and dies, and Tyreese takes it upon himself to prevent reanimation by destroying her skull with his hammer. While in the process of burying Donna outside, Allen proposes ambushing the group and taking over, however Tyreese refutes the idea, acknowledging that despite the circumstances, they're 'good' people.

Once Rick arrives back, his mental instability forces Tyreese and his group to clear out. They stay nearby the prison in the woods and are eventually discovered by Andrea and Milton, the latter of whom takes them to Woodbury. The Governor welcomes them with open arms, and they settle into the town quickly, all four of them taking on active roles within the community. Tyreese and Sasha serve as the community's primary wall-guards, while Allen and Ben are recruited as part of The Governor's army for the war against Rick's group.

The Governor attempts to recruit Tyreese and Sasha as well, however they want no involvement in the bloodshed and opt to stay behind with the women and children while the rest of the able-bodied go off to fight. One major loss happens during a mission to ambush Rick's group, with Ben's life being taken. While the others are off to raid the prison, he and Sasha look over the mothers and children. Allen, as well as most other Woodbury citizens who went off to fight, are gunned down by The Governor after their raid fails. The lone survivor of the massacre, Karen, guides Rick's group to Woodbury, where Tyreese is keeping watch. He lets them all in, guides them to a bitten Andrea, and stands vigil outside the door while Michonne shoots her. Awakened to The Governor's maliciousness and concerned for everyones well-being, he and Rick agree on moving everyone to the prison.

Casting

Chad Coleman was seen in Senoia on set by fans and supposedly autographed photos with his character's name. On November 20, 2012, his role as Tyreese was officially confirmed