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With the last ever episode of The Walking Dead airing on November 20th, 2022, fans are preparing to see Daryl, Maggie, and co., engage in one more climactic battle against Pamela Milton and the rest of Commonwealth. While the Commonwealth has proven to be just as calculated and horrific as the other groups, some fans may argue that they aren't as memorable.

From a group that lives in a garbage dump to one that took over a hospital; another that resorted to cannibalism, and one that functioned like a mafia, Rick and his friends have seen it all. Each group was led by a single individual (with help, of course) but some were better at leading than others.

15 Owen (The Wolves)

Owen wasn’t exactly intelligent: he and his group simply acted in a feral, animalistic manner that worked for the purposes of survival (but was not tactical or clever). He lost all his humanity, resorting to cold-blooded murder to get what he wanted.

That complete lack of fear and remorse is a dangerous quality for a leader, making them a brutal adversary. But it also makes him too reactionary and predictable, which meant he was no match for those in Alexandria once they figured out his M.O.

14 Jadis (The Scavengers)

Jadis was great at the art of clever negotiation, taking every deal thrown at her but only honoring the ones that suited her best in the end. This was a strategy, however, that could only work for so long. It meant she’d make a lot of enemies and could not be trusted (especially since she showed little loyalty).

Although Jadis had one of the best character entrances on The Walking Dead, the living conditions she kept her group in were less than ideal. While the setting was wonderful for an artist like herself who could make beauty from trash, it could not have been pleasant for anyone to deal with the pungent odors and decomposing waste. If she were more effective, she would have negotiated for a better home.

13 Gregory (Hilltop Colony)

There’s no question that Gregory was one of the worst leaders due to his cowardly nature. He did whatever Negan told him to do, taking the equivalent of kickbacks for himself in the form of things like whiskey and purported safety. He didn’t always do what was best for Hilltop, but rather what would avoid conflict and give him something on the side.

With that said, it was working for Gregory for a time. His community was thriving, people were happy and blissfully ignorant about what he was doing on the sidelines, and there were roofs over heads and food in stomachs. So, in of providing a safer existence for survivors, he achieved that, albeit with no integrity.

12 Dawn Lerner (Grady Memorial Hospital)

Dawn had a twisted concept of how to treat people, rescuing injured people, having her team nurse them back to health, then effectively enslaving them into a life of servitude. The system was corrupt, made more awful once fans discovered she was the leader, and a former police officer who was initially tasked to serve and protect citizens.

Nonetheless, convincing so many people to follow her lead, recruiting so many , and finding a way to keep the hospital running smoothly in the wake of an apocalypse deserves some credit. But fans can’t forget that she had a flawed leadership style and was clearly starting to lose the respect of others right before she was killed.

11 Philip Blake/The Governor (Woodbury)

The perfect example of how an extreme situation can turn someone into a shell of their former self was Philip Blake. He might have been a good leader, assuming he wouldn't have witnessed the death of his daughter or demonstrated sadistic tendencies, or a power hungry ambition (as seen prior to the apocalypse).

His rule could be likened to that of a cult leader. He was charming, charismatic, and confident, easily manipulating others into believing he was someone worth following. He succeeded, time and time again. But his groups were short-lived. Followers soon began to realize he could not live up to promises or would resort to methods they weren’t comfortable with to achieve that. He remains a fan favorite character on The Walking Dead despite a few fans believing he overstayed his welcome.

10 Rick (The Group)

Although he is one of the main characters, fans are aware that Rick wasn’t always a perfect leader. Following the death of Lori, he effectively checked out mentally and didn’t do much leading for a while. After that, he went back and forth from wanting to be the honest, forgiving leader who welcomed others to the jaded, violent one who was not to be trifled with.

This range of styles was expected given how the group kept encountering different types of enemies. Rick soured on people whenever he was manipulated, damaging his ability to trust. But Rick needed more consistency. Sure, he led a lot of the group to safety time and time again. But he also lost many people along the way and many times, others, like Carol, Maggie, Abraham, and Glenn, had to pick up the slack for him.

9 Alpha (The Whisperers)

Alpha was successful in getting many people to not only follow but also worship her. These people, however, were lost and vulnerable individuals who were simply looking for something – anything – to believe in. So much so that they would walk around wearing the teared off facial skin of walkers.

While followers feared her, few respected her, but none questioned her. That shows she had a hold on them. She accomplished a lot through her run, and the fact they all managed to survive with no real home for so long speaks volumes about her skills as a leader (even if the loyalty was built on threats and intimidation).

8 Gareth (Terminus)

As disgusting as his methods were, fans have to give it to Gareth: he resorted to the one obvious way to stay alive when food resources are scarce; turning to cannibalism. Whether it was his idea or not, the signs promising Terminus as a place for sanctuary, was a genius recruiting tactic.

The fact, however, that Gareth could not figure out other ways to find food like every other surviving group did, shows weakness. But he was successful in convincing his people that there was no good left in the world anyway, so it might as well literally become a dog-eat-dog one.

7 Cyndie/Rachel (Oceanside)

Aside from the fact that Rachel, followed by Cyndie, managed to successfully lead a survivor group entirely of women being seriously impressive, her group was an important resource during the fight against the Saviors. Following Simon obliterating all the men of Oceanside, these ladies stepped up and did what they had to do.

They built a fortress around themselves such that no one managed to sneak in, ever. In fact, many people didn’t even know they existed at all. They lived off the land, in the shadows. They step up when needed for the greater good and lay low when they aren’t. Given how long the community has lasted (though the coin flip moment with Lance was not yet resolved), the group, and leadership from Cyndie once she took over, deserve major kudos.

6 Maggie (Hilltop)

After Gregory’s death, one of the events that changed Maggie’s character on The Walking Dead, she took over Alexandria. She realized how greedy, selfish, and bad he was for the community, and took matters into her own hands. Later succeeded by Tara, both women did a great job of building a community on trust. They made tough decisions but were always open about them.

Maggie did not back down from a fight and never bent to anyone. She led the Hilltop in a much different way from Gregory, also enlisting help from others, like Jesus. It was more like a democracy, making the community a place that was not only successful (for a time), but people were happy to be there as well.