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This article is about the Novel Series character. For other pages with the same name, see: Barbara

Funny thing was, it turned out to be one of the best times of our lives. We were in such a different environment, and all we had to rely on was each other, but that was... it was... nice.
―Barbara about her trip with David to Argentina.[src]

Barbara Stern (née Erickson) is a main character that first appears in The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor. She is described as having the wild, sliver tendrils of an aging earth mother.

Pre-Apocalypse[]

Georgia[]

Hardly anything is known about Barbara Stern's life prior to or as the outbreak began, except that she married her husband, David, and that during their honeymoon, a trip to Iguazu, Argentina, they had all their money stolen. They ended up working at a local restaurant and sleeping on the floor for 6 months.

Post-Apocalypse[]

Woodbury, Georgia[]

Despite their old age, the Sterns become Woodbury fighters, they show genuine caring for fellow Woodbury residents, frequently risk their own lives making supply run, they are well respected and liked by others. Barbara is first encountered going on a supply run along with her husband, Martinez, Gus, Lilly and Austin. Barbara remarks that Lilly and Austin make a good pair. During their travels on the supply run Lilly asks Barbara to tell them one of her stories. Her and David tell her about their trip to Iguazu, Argentina. When they reach a warehouse behind a supermarket and they search it for supplies. Barbara and the rest find locked up untouched supplies and the reanimated workers of the store and helps clear them out. Barbara searches the warehouse with David taking the supplies they need. When they hear a helicopter go down in the forest they go and investigate it but is asked by Martinez to stay in the truck.

Before leaving Woodbury for the prison assault, the Governor ordered Barbara and her husband David to stay in the town to protect these left behind mostly old men, women and children with virtually no ammunition, later walkers attacked and broke into Woodbury. Led by David and Barbara, the townspeople made a desperate fight, they managed to hold off the walkers just long enough for Lilly and other Woodbury soldiers who survived the prison attack to save the town.

Search and Destroy[]

A year later, Barbara still lives in Woodbury untill she and six children are kidnapped. Barbara serves as Lilly's caretaker inside Atlanta Medical Center during her coma.

Death[]

Killed By

Barbara gets trapped inside the infested Medical Center, later on turning into a walker. Lilly draws her .38, presses the barrel against the window glass in between her and Barbara, and starts to squeeze off a shot. The impact of the bullet sends the being that once was a vital, matronly, loving wife whiplashing backward in a mist of pink matter.

Relationships[]

Austin Ballard[]

Trying to teach Junior here something. It's like pulling teeth.
―Barbara to David.[src]

Although they were not seen together much, it is shown that Barbara cares for Austin and treats him like a son. Barbara would often mother him and tells him what to do.

Appearances[]

Novel Series

The Fall of the Governor - Part One

  • "The Gathering"
    • "Chapter Three"
    • "Chapter Four"
    • "Chapter Five"
    • "Chapter Six"
    • "Chapter Twelve"

The Fall of the Governor - Part Two

Descent

  • "Lake of Fire"
    • "Chapter Three"
    • "Chapter Six"
  • "The Labyrinth"
    • "Chapter Ten"
    • "Chapter Eleven"
    • "Chapter Fifteen"
    • "Chapter Sixteen"
    • "Chapter Eighteen"
  • "Last Rites"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Two"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Four"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Five"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Six"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Seven"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Eight"
    • "Chapter Twenty-Nine"

Invasion

Search and Destroy

Novels 1 2 3 4 5
Rise of the Governor
The Road to Woodbury
The Fall of the Governor
Descent
Invasion
Search and Destroy
Return to Woodbury
Appears Voice is heard
👁 Appears with no lines Appears in a flashback
Appears as a walker 🖼 Appears in a photograph/video
Appears as a corpse Appears in a hallucination/dream

Trivia[]

  • Barbara is the first character in The Walking Dead franchise to have their maiden name revealed (if not counting Rose Blake, who has never been actually seen.)

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