Character Profiles: The Walking Dead: Glenn

In anticipation for Season 2 of The Walking Dead, each week I’ll be bringing you a special look at our beloved cast of characters. This week we’ll take a look at Glenn. Glenn is the first survivor in Atlanta that Rick encounters. Playing Glenn is Steven Yuen and he is spot on as Glenn!

Glenn is a survivor. Once a pizza delivery boy, he is very knowledgeable about the short cuts in town and this is of great use to the survivors as they try to scavenge to get by. Rick encounters Glenn’s voice while he is trapped inside of a tank when he arrives in Atlanta. Because Glenn knows his way around the town he manages to guide Rick to himself and to safety. Young and resourceful, Glenn thinks on his feet and is prone to showing great compassion and humanity. Despite all the horrible things he has seen he still retains a youthful enthusiasm for life and its unexpected pleasures. He is an important part of the surviving camp. When the group suffers devastating tragedy Glenn rises to the occasion and shows surprising depth and empathetic emotion.

In the comic Glenn was a pizza delivery boy in massive debt. He has a strained relationship with his parents. He started gaining questionable skills, such as hot-wiring cars, to make money to get out of debt. Glenn reveals that his financial situation got so bad that he almost lost everything. He was terrified of having to go back to his estranged parents and ask them for help. His hopes for anything to come along and rescue him from this came true when the dead began to rise, kind of.

In the comics, besides Rick, Glenn is featured in most of the story arcs.

Main Relationships

Rick Grimes: When Rick was stuck in a tank in Atlanta, Glenn helped direct him to safety. Rick feels indebted to Glenn for saving his life. Glenn at first is reluctant to being this savior. He becomes uneasy because Rick drew the walkers right to where Glenn and a host of other survivors where hiding out. Fortunately his knowledge of Atlanta and his ability to explore on his own helps the survivors escape.

Other survivors relationships vary. Glenn really isn’t too close to anyone in particular yet…until Season 2 perhaps? He acts like a comedic relief when necessary, always speaks his mind, and when tragedy hits the survivors he shows amazing resilience, depth and compassion. His ability to hold on to his youthful enthusiasm is his greatest asset. He is also very agile and thinks quickly.

If an apocalyptic situation were to occur how would you adapt? Would your knowledge of your town lead you to safety? During a situation of panic and fear most people abandon all logic and strategic planning. Would you be one of those people? Glenn has been able to adapt to his surroundings and has been able to help others without risking their lives.

Have I forgotten to mention anything else about Glenn? Who is your favorite character in the series or comic? Please sound off in the comments section and look out next week for the next Character Profile: The Walking Dead: Shane Walsh. Revisit the first season on DVD and Blu-ray and continue to read The Walking Dead comics. You’ll be glad that you did.

Sources: The Walking Dead Wiki (Glenn), ComicVine