Shane Walsh

Shane Walsh is the character in the TV series, The Walking Dead.

He is a sheriff’s deputy in a small Georgia town, and is Rick’s partner in the sheriff’s department, and best friend since high school. Shane took it badly when Rick was gunned down and wounded in the line of duty, and stuck in a coma, and so visited him with the others close to him. When the zombie apocalypse occurred and cities descended into chaos, Shane tried to rescue his friend from the hospital (while trying to evade military personnel who were killing doctors and patients in the hallways, as well as walkers), only to run out of time and believe Rick died when his life support failed, though before he escaped the hospital he blocked the door to Rick's room, inadvertently saving Rick to recover alone. Shane then helped save Lori and Carl by getting them out of their small town and heading for Atlanta. He was the last to see Rick in the hospital and is tortured by his responsibility in leaving him there, but also knows he never would have been able to save Lori and Carl if he hadn't left Rick. He made an impossible decision that he'll never be able to fully justify, to himself or to Lori. Shane harbors feelings for Lori, and the two began a passionate sexual relationship after Shane tells Lori that Rick was dead (without Carl’s knowledge).

Among the group of survivors, Shane has become the de facto leader, a position he enjoys. He always lived in Rick's shadow and while he never consciously resented it, he's relishing his newfound position of authority. However, Shane was shocked to the core when he found Rick alive and well among the returning scavenger group, and Lori, blaming Shane and feeling he lied to her about her husband’s supposed “death” in order to seduce and have sex with her, ends their affair, and Shane found his leadership within the group challenged by Rick – this gradually pushes him over the edge, and he begins losing his temper and his control with increasing regularity, making him reckless, erratic and dangerous to everyone around him. This is demonstrated as Shane momentarily appeared poised to shoot Rick in the back (witnessed secretly by Dale) and later, at the CDC, gets drunk and nearly rapes Lori, believing she secretly loves him. In Season 2, Lori and Shane have a short discussion over what has happened, both at the CDC and before during the crisis. Shane reveals to Lori that he plans to leave the group. Lori is later revealed to be pregnant, with what may be Shane's baby. Shane later learns of this from Rick, and later confronted Lori about it, believing the baby is his - Lori, ultimately, admits this is almost certainly true, but, Lori makes it clear that while the baby would biologically be his, it would be raised by Lori and Rick, without Shane.

Shane arguably has become the primary antagonist as of the middle of Season 2, reduced to being a highly unpredictable and short-tempered loose cannon. Shane bears responsibility for the death of Otis, shows life-threatening behavior towards Dale, and is focused on discrediting Rick during his manipulative interactions with Lori. He is hinting at fatally back-stabbing Rick when the time is right, presumably with the hope of reigniting a relationship with Lori and to resume dominant leadership over the group.