Alpha (real name in the TV series universe: Dee) is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, where she was portrayed by Samantha Morton. In both universes, Alpha is the leader of a group of survivors called the Whisperers, a mysterious group that wears the skins of walkers (zombies) to mask their presence. In the television series, she first appeared in the ninth mid-season premiere.

Appearances Comic book series Alpha is the leader of the Whisperers, a mysterious group of survivors who disguise themselves with zombie skin to blend in with them and not get noticed, and Lydia's mother. She and several of her people approach the gates of the Hilltop Colony, where Lydia has been taken prisoner, and demands her daughter back. When Carl Grimes chases the Whisperers, he is taken prisoner. Alpha decides to infiltrate the Alexandria Safe-Zone and buys a sword at the fair. After meeting with Rick Grimes, she allows Carl and Lydia to leave on the condition that nobody will cross the new border she marked. On their way back, Rick and the group discover that Alpha has decapitated 12 residents of Alexandria, the Hilltop, the Kingdom and the Sanctuary, and that she used their heads placed on pikes to mark the border. After Negan appears to have joined her group, he fatally slashes Alpha across the neck and decapitates her.The Walking Dead #156

Television series Alpha is the leader of the Whisperers, a mysterious group of hostile survivors who disguise themselves with the skin of the walkers in order to blend in with them and not get noticed, and the mother of Lydia (Cassady McClincy). She also served as the primary antagonist of the second half of season nine and whole of season ten. Alpha's dark past is shown in flashbacks; it is revealed that she killed her husband Frank (Steve Kazee) and their group of survivors during the initial stages of the outbreak, believing them to be "weak". In the present, she shows up at the Hilltop Colony with some members of her group, demanding that the community return her daughter Lydia, whom the community is holding as their prisoner; Lydia is eventually returned. The Whisperers murder and behead several key members from each community to warn the communities not to cross into Whisperer territory. The beheaded members' heads are placed on spikes, marking the boundary of the new border. Alpha is eventually murdered and beheaded herself by Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who had formed an intimate relationship with her. He subsequently delivers her head to Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), with whom he had been working the whole time. Her reanimated head is placed on the pike border by Carol, but it is retrieved and eventually put down by Beta who uses a piece of Alpha's face to fix his own broken walker mask.

Tales of the Walking Dead

The episode "Dee," taking place between the flashback events of "Omega" and "We Are the End of the World", focuses on Alpha (known at this time by her real name of Dee) and Lydia. Throughout the episode, Alpha is shown narrating the events to a severed head, revealing details of her life such as killing her father at a young age, although Alpha states that he deserved it. In the present of the episode, Dee and Lydia live on a steamboat with a community of other survivors. The community is led by exercise instructor Brooke and enjoys living as if the world has continued on as normal, something that puts Dee at odds with Brooke due to Dee's more realistic view of the world. Lydia is also shown to be terrified of her mother due to Dee's murder of her husband Frank. Dee's growing suspicions of the steamboat's bartender Billy prove to be correct when Billy and his gang attempt to seize the vessel for themselves. Dee saves Brooke and escapes with Lydia, sparking a fight that kills everyone else aside from Brooke. Dee scars Brooke's face in retaliation and, after an encounter with a herd, Dee and Lydia are found by the Whisperers, at this point led by a woman named Hera.

It is then revealed that Dee later murdered Hera and has been narrating to her severed head. Dee turns Hera's face into her walker mask and becomes Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers.

Season 9

In the mid-season premiere, "Adaptation", Alpha leads a group of Whisperers who captured Alden (Callan McAuliffe) and Luke (Dan Fogler), luring them into a trap by setting up a trail of arrows for them to follow. She brandishes a sawed-off shotgun at them and proclaims: "Trail ends here." In the episode "Omega", Lydia, who has been captured and held in a cell at the Hilltop Colony, tells her story (shown through flashbacks) to Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Henry (Matthew Lintz), bonding with the latter in the process. At the end of the episode, at the Hilltop's front gate, Alpha appears unmasked and demands that the Hilltop residents turn over her daughter.

In the episode "Bounty", Alpha demands that the Hilltop residents turn over her daughter Lydia. She explains that she has removed her walker mask to show them that she comes in peace and that she is willing to overlook their trespassing on her lands. Daryl decides to walk outside to talk to Alpha face to face; the two meet. He is initially dismissive of Alpha's demands, as she and her human allies are few compared to the Hilltop forces. However, there are several more of Alpha's allies in wait beyond the tree line, as well as a horde of walkers. Daryl tells Alpha that she cannot have Lydia and informs her that he is ready to fight her people to keep the girl safe. Suddenly, a couple of Whisperers bring forward Alden and Luke. Alpha then offers to trade both of them for her daughter; Daryl reluctantly accepts. As the standoff continues, a baby belonging to one of the disguised women starts to cry, drawing the walkers. Alpha shrugs at the mother, indicating that she should leave the baby to die. Fearing for her life and not having any other choice, the baby's mother decides to abandon him as he continues to cry. Alden and Luke beg Alpha to spare the baby, but Alpha refuses; Connie (Lauren Ridloff) rushes to save the child. Lydia ultimately opts to leave on her own accord and is traded for Alden and Luke. Reunited, Lydia apologizes to her mother, but Alpha slaps her across the face, ordering her to address her as "Alpha" like everyone else. She then smiles at Daryl as they leave.

In the episode "Guardians", as Alpha leads her group back to camp, she questions Lydia about her time at the Hilltop and to reveal any intel she learned while being held captive, but Lydia claims that there was little of interest. Henry eventually catches up with Lydia and the Whisperers, and watches them from a close distance as they rest, but is found and grabbed by Beta (Ryan Hurst), Alpha's second-in-command. Beta brings Henry before Alpha, who questions the boy. Henry reveals that he came alone to get Lydia; Alpha decides that Henry is coming with them. On their way back to camp, Alpha asks Lydia why she did not mention Henry. Lydia explains that he was not worth mentioning, but Alpha reminds her that he just risked his life to save her, so she must be lying. The Whisperers soon arrive back at their camp. There, Alpha taunts a secured Henry and explains to him why they disguise themselves as walkers: "The strong adapt, the weak die." Two of Alpha's subordinates, Sean and Helen, question her about why they went to the Hilltop to give up two strangers up for her daughter. Alpha then reminds them that she did it to get information, but Sean issues a challenge for her leadership role. In response, Alpha confirms that he has the right to challenge her position, but that she also has the right to defend it. Knowing that it was Helen that has been sowing seeds of discontent within the group, Alpha grabs her and decapitates her with a piece of wire. She then hands the head over to a sobbing Sean before fatally stabbing him in the stomach, as Henry looks on in horror. Privately, Alpha tells Beta a story about Lydia when she was three years old. They both then agree that Henry can be useful and that they need to find out if Lydia truly has feelings for him. At night, Beta brings Henry to Alpha. Unmasked, Alpha drops her knife and makes Lydia pick it up, commanding her to prove her loyalty by killing Henry; Lydia picks up the knife and begins to cry. Alpha warns her that Beta will kill them both if she does not kill Henry. Suddenly, a small horde of walkers show up and begin eating the unmasked Whisperers, creating mass confusion. Alpha and the others quickly put on their masks so that they can try to lure the herd away. Moments later, Daryl and Connie arrive disguised as Whisperers to rescue Henry and Lydia.

In the episode "The Calm Before", as the fair at the Kingdom begins, Alpha leads an attack on one caravan from the Hilltop going to the Kingdom. Alpha sneaks into the fair, posing as one of the Alexandria fairgoers from the caravan, and gathers intel. That night, as most of the fairgoers gather to watch a movie, Lydia is saving a seat for Henry when Alpha quietly sits next to her and gestures for her to stay quiet. Outside the theater, Alpha tries to convince Lydia to come with her, but Lydia rejects her. Alpha condemns her as weak, excommunicates her from the Whisperers, and departs. Later, at the Whisperers' new camp, Alpha, now out of disguise, joins her people, and approaches Daryl, Carol, Michonne (Danai Gurira), and Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura), who were captured by Beta and are now tied to a tree. After announcing that her daughter is no longer a concern, Alpha takes out a shotgun and tells Daryl to come with her alone. At dawn, Alpha leads Daryl to the top of a cliff where a horde of walkers and Whisperers walk beneath them. She tells him that his friends at the camp are fine and that she has marked off a line which is the extent of their lands, but the next time his people cross into her land she will release the horde into theirs. Back in her camp, Alpha begins to tear up over the loss of her daughter. When a Whisperer accidentally witnesses her crying, Alpha kills him to make sure no one ever sees her being weak. Alpha and the Whisperers surprise a total of 12 residents from all three communities, including Henry, and kill them. Alpha leaves their decapitated, zombiefied heads on pikes at the border, meant to signify Alpha's territory boundary. Carol, Henry's adoptive mother, vows to kill Alpha to avenge him. In the season finale, "The Storm", in their camp, Alpha reminds Beta that she will need to be strong for what comes next, and Beta assures her she will be. Per Alpha's request, Beta flogs her arm with a branch to make her stronger, leaving several lashes on her arm, as she used to do to Lydia.

Season 10