When does Beth die in The Walking Dead?

AMC’s zombie series never shied away from ripping hearts — and guts — out, but few moments hurt quite as much as when Beth died.

Beth Greene was Maggie’s younger sister and one of The Walking Dead‘s most sensitive figures. Defined by her kind nature and naivety in the first couple of seasons, she soon fought tooth and nail for her survival with Rick Grimes and the rest of the group.

Her more trusting nature and desire to prove herself often landed her in hot water, which is one of the reasons she eventually got killed in one of the most gut-wrenching losses in the entire series. And for a show with what feels like a million seasons and just as many The Walking Dead spinoffs, that’s saying a lot.

Spoilers below, as we dig into the exact episode and circumstances of how and when Beth dies in The Walking Dead.

When does Beth die in The Walking Dead?

Beth dies in The Walking Dead Season 5, Episode 8, ‘Coda’. She was shot and killed by Officer Dawn Lerner during a hostage exchange.

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In the Season 5 Episode ‘Coda’, Rick’s core group (including Maggie, ouch) arrived at a hospital where Beth and Carol Peletier were being held by another group, led by Dawn.

Because Rick’s group had two hostages from Dawn’s group, a trade was attempted to get everyone back with their community: Carol and Beth in exchange for Dawn’s people.

How does Beth die?

Beth was shot and killed by Officer Dawn Lerner during a hostage exchange.

It all goes to plan until Dawn demands Noah stay at the hospital — the young man had decided to leave her group and join Rick’s, which didn’t go down well.

Beth, who had a strong connection with Noah, impulsively lashed out at Dawn with a pair of scissors, and Dawn reactively pulled the trigger on her gun, killing Beth immediately.

Beth was then carried out the hospital by Daryl Dixon, who had become her closest companion in the group. Maggie and the others who had stayed outside the building are heartbroken when they realize what happened.

Beth’s demise, caused by trigger-happy behavior on both ends, is one of the reasons The Walking Dead was still a watercooler show at the time; it was shocking and cynical, encapsulating the brutal atmosphere. Beth’s loss would only rarely be matched in future seasons, with the likes of Glenn’s death echoing it later.

It’s hard to talk about it without falling to the floor in the fetal position.

How did Beth’s death affect Daryl?

Since Beth and Daryl had spend close time together during the end of Season 4, he was devastated by her death, with actor Norman Reedus suggesting that it “puts him into a depression.”

“Beth’s death is like Sophia’s; she sings songs and was always hopeful,” he explained [via The Hollywood Reporter].

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“Of course she tried to kill herself at one point, but besides that, for the most part, she was this sweet songbird, and that represents a part of humanity that you don’t see anymore. So when you put that candle out, it goes dark for everyone.”

When the two became separated from the rest of the group after the prison massacre, Daryl and Beth grew to be close companions, drinking moonshine together and even finding a dog. Beth addresses Daryl head-on, not tip-toeing around his reservations and hidden emotions. He, on the other hand, teaches her how to use a crossbow.

So, naturally, when she’s initially taken by Dawn’s group and later killed, Daryl is shattered.

Instead of a harrowing rewatch, why not dig into how to watch Fear the Walking Dead, find out who’s in The Ones Who Live cast, or see our guide to the CRM in The Walking Dead explained?