| This article is about the Season 5 character. You may be looking for the Survival Instinct character, the Woodbury resident, the actor, or the other actor. |
| “ | They think I’m scrawny. They think I’m weak. But they don’t know shit about me, about what I am, about what you are.
―Noah to Beth Greene[src]
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Noah is a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead. He is first encountered as a hospital ward in Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, by Beth Greene, with whom he forms a good friendship. Eventually, he becomes a member of Rick Grimes's group whilst on the road to Richmond, Virginia, from Atlanta on a quest for safe-haven. However, when they arrive and find his family dead and his residence destroyed, he solidifies himself as a prominent member of the group, becoming the comedian of the group. He is a supply runner and aspiring architect and historian for Alexandria.
Pre-Apocalypse
Richmond, Virginia
Nothing is known about Noah's life prior to or after the outbreak except that he and his family had lived in Shirewilt Estates, a walled-in neighborhood within Richmond, Virginia.
Post-Apocalypse
Noah's uncle had ventured outside of their community at some point and never returned, which led Noah and his father to go out on a search mission for him. Their mission eventually led them to Atlanta, where they were ambushed by Dawn Lerner and her officers. Noah was taken by the group while his father was left behind to die. For about a year, Noah worked within Grady Memorial as Dawn's personal assistant, ironing her clothes among other things, while at the same time plotting his escape.
Season 5
"Four Walls and a Roof"
Even though Noah isn't seen on-screen, he is the one who Daryl summons from behind the bushes when Michonne asks about Carol's whereabouts.
"Slabtown"
Upon meeting Beth Greene for the first time, Noah told her that Dawn helped him, but left his father to die because his father would have been more trouble. Noah is one of only a couple of people at the hospital who are friendly to Beth, he gives Beth a lollipop and clean clothes and tells her about his father and his plans to escape. Later they escape together, climbing down an elevator shaft into the basement and then fighting their way out of the basement. Noah manages to escape but Beth is recaptured by one of the officers.
"Consumed"
Noah appears in this episode after escaping the hospital, having changed his ward clothes and constantly avoiding the officers who are searching for him. He encounters Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier as they are scouting a building. He takes Carol's rifle and points it at them. He orders Daryl to drop his crossbow, as he doesn't want to hurt them and he needs the guns.
After taking the crossbow and the rifle, he rips off some tents full of walkers to make distance between him and Daryl and Carol. As he runs from them, Carol tries to shoot his leg, but Daryl moves the gun, making her miss the shot and allowing Noah to escape. He later encounters them at another building and as he tries to move a bookshelf that is blocking a door, but gets tackled by Daryl, who pins him down using the shelf. Daryl takes the guns and begins to walk away, as a walker passes through the door and tries to get to Noah. Daryl refuses to save him, but as the walker gets hold of Noah, Daryl has a change of heart and shoots the walker in the head. They free Noah and the boy reveals that he was held at the hospital and that Beth is also there after they ask him about a blonde girl.
As they see a wagon from the hospital, they try to exit the building but Carol is hit and taken by the cops. Noah and Daryl hide, and Noah says that they can rescue both Carol and Beth but that they need guns and people, with Daryl stating that they do have both things. They escape the city in a truck, heading back to the church where the rest of Daryl's group is stationed.
"Crossed"
Noah is shown with Rick's group at the church, and then they head back to Altanta. Meanwhile, Shepherd and Lamson investigate the gunshots and find Noah in an alleyway. As they grab him, Rick's group ambushes and holds them at gunpoint. But a hospital car with another officer, Licari, screeches onto the scene and rescues Shepherd and Lamson. Rick's group opens fire and chases the officers, eventually catching all three.
"Coda"
Noah joins the group during the prisoner exchange. However, after Beth and Carol are returned, Dawn tells Rick that Noah must be returned to replace Beth. Noah willingly goes, but Rick and Daryl stop him and tell Dawn it's not part of the deal. Noah insists and goes to Dawn. Beth gives him a hug, then turns and stabs Dawn, who shoots and kills Beth. Daryl kills Dawn, and the remaining officers let Noah leave with Rick's group.
"What Happened and What's Going On"
Noah is still devastated by the unexpected death of Beth. He tells Rick of his walled community of twenty and is accompanied by Rick, Tyreese Williams, Michonne, and Glenn Rhee, to make sure it can become a sanctuary for the group. On the way there Noah and Tyreese talk about Noah's experiences at the hospital and killing. Tyreese also tells Noah of his and Sasha's father, who listened to the stories on the radio about what happened a thousand miles away or down the block. Noah reveals he lost his father in Atlanta, but his mother and twin brothers are still alive in the community.
Two miles away, the group parks in the woods to approach Noah's community on foot, off the road, despite Noah assuring Rick that his community is a safe place. Rick declines "Just in case". Noah also reveals that they don't have spotters or snipers, just a perch built on a truck parked sometimes upfront. Once he sees the entrance, Noah rushes to the gates and tries to open it, but its locked. After hearing some noises inside, Noah panics and climbs the gates, followed by the rest, only to find that walkers have overran Shirewilt.
Noah breaks down in tears, with Tyreese and Rick trying to comfort him. While Rick, Michonne, and Glenn go to gather whatever supply may remain, Tyreese stays with Noah, telling him that he wanted to die after he lost Karen. Noah notices his house and runs towards it, followed by Tyreese. He tries to stop Noah from entering but Noah insists. Inside, they find Noah's mother's dead body. Noah covers her body with a sheet and whispers to her that he tried to get back. Minutes later, Noah finds Tyreese after the latter has been been bitten by the walker who used to be one of his younger twin brothers, whom Noah puts down, stabbing him in the eye with a toy. Noah instructs Tyreese to stay there and goes for the others. He helps them cut off Tyreese's arm and then carrying him back to the car.
"Them"
Noah and the others wait for Daryl, Maggie, and Sasha to come back from the woods. When they run out of gas the group continues to walk all the way to D.C. hoping to find some place that's safe. While they were still walking the group sits and wait for Daryl to come back from the woods, then they all spotted dogs then Sasha kills them then Noah tells Sasha that Tyreese tried to help him he doesn't know that were gonna make it. Then they found water on the road then it began to rain then they all head to the barn for shelter.
"The Distance"
Noah is first seen pointing a gun at Aaron when he is brought back into the barn. After the cars are brought back to the barn, he is assumed to be riding in the RV when they leave. While the RV is on its way to the Alexandria Safe-Zone, Noah gives Aaron medicine for Aaron's boyfriend Eric Raleigh. Aaron asks Noah when he sprained his ankle, to which he answers "During all this...". Aaron than tells Noah that they have a skilled surgeon, Pete Anderson, back in Alexandria who could fix his leg. Noah thanks him for telling and leaves the room. At the end of the episode, Noah is seen with the rest of the group waiting at Alexandria's gates.
"Remember"
He arrives in Alexandria and is assigned to be a runner. He goes on a dry run with Glenn, Tara Chambler, Nicholas, and Aiden Monroe. He is shocked by how they string up walkers and attempts to kill one who they want alive. He witnesses the fight between Glenn and Aiden.
"Forget"
Noah appears at Deanna Monroe's party feeling uncomfortable and wanting to leave, but Maggie and Glenn assure him that he is with family now.
"Spend"
Noah is seen with Reg, Deanna's husband, discussing how he wants to learn architecture from him. Pleased by his approach, Reg gives Noah his notebook for him to write notes. Noah assures Reg that is the beginning and he wants to help build Alexandria in the "long run".
Noah joins Glenn, Tara, Eugene, Aiden and Nicholas on a run for micro-inverters, suggested by Eugene to repair the power grid, at a nearby supply store. During the drive there, Tara bothers Noah to tell her what he and Reg were talking about, but Noah resents. The group arrive at the supply store and is impressed with Noah's accuracy as he headshots a walker from quite a distance.
As the group enters the store, Noah assists in looking for walkers with Glenn, Nicholas and Aiden as Eugene and Tara search for the micro-inverter. Aiden spots a walker full-fledged in a military uniform, trying to put it down but accidentally shoots a grenade and the group is caught in the blast. Fortunately, no one is killed but Aiden and Tara suffer major injuries. Noah provides cover fire as Nicholas and Glenn try and rescue Aiden from the bars impaled in him. Failing to do so, Aiden is devoured by walkers as Glenn and Noah run after Nicholas.
Stuck in a revolving door, Glenn, Noah and Nicholas are surrounded by walkers. Nicholas being on one side, while Glenn and Noah are on the other. Nicholas causes the revolving door to turn as he selfishly tries to escape, allowing for the other side to open and the walkers to grab Noah by the leg. Nicholas escapes as Glenn desperately tries to save Noah. Noah tells Glenn to not let him go of his conscience before being dragged out of the door. Glenn is horrified and devastated as he watches Noah get torn apart by walkers.
Season 7
"The Day Will Come When You Won't Be"
Noah appears briefly in a flashback when Rick reflects on memories with all of his friends while panicking over the possibility that his other friends could be killed by the Saviors.
Death
Killed By
While trying to escape from the store, Noah gets trapped alongside Glenn and Nicholas in the rotating doors. When Nicholas panics and forces the doors open to escape, he allows the walkers on the other side to grab Noah's leg. The walkers pull him out and force him against the glass doors, devouring him in front of a traumatized Glenn.
Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Noah has killed:
Relationships
Dawn Lerner
| “ | Noah's smart, probably my best worker. That story he told about the ventilator, boy's not much of a liar.
―Dawn to Beth.[src]
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Dawn and Noah are shown to have a stable relationship, with Dawn saying that Noah is one of her best workers in the hospital. Dawn, upon finding Noah in the outbreak left his father injured, but saved Noah taking him back to the hospital. It is shown that Dawn feels guilty for punishing Noah, after he takes the blame for accidentally killing Gavin Trevitt, knowing that he lied to protect Beth.
Bob Lamson
Noah and Bob appear to have a friendly relationship. After Noah flees the hospital, Bob and Shepherd are required to take him back. After finding him, Bob makes sure that Noah's wrists are not too uncomfortable when he uses a zip-tie to bind them. Later, Noah reveals to Rick that Bob was one of the "good ones" at the hospital.
Beth Greene
| “ | You okay? I'm Noah, from the Lollipop Guild. Figured you could use a pick me up.
―Noah to Beth.[src]
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Noah and Beth immediately formed a close relationship upon meeting. After Beth looked down, Noah snuck a lollipop into her newly-washed laundry. After Gavin Trevitt is accidentally killed by Beth, Noah takes the fall for Beth, and is punished by Dawn Lerner. After the two exit the hospital, Beth sacrifices herself to let Noah escape alive. As Noah slips through the gates, he looks back in disappointment as Beth is taken down by the officers.
Noah is extremely grateful to Beth and is determined to get her out of the hospital, even going as far as robbing two strangers (who turned out to also be looking for Beth) in the hopes of getting enough firepower to rescue her.[2]
After Beth is killed by Dawn, he is shown to be saddened and quite shocked by it.
Carol Peletier
Noah and Carol don't interact much, especially due to the fact that Carol spends most of her time in a coma, but they seem to be in good terms with each other during the small time they are together.
Daryl Dixon
Noah and Daryl are thrown together by circumstance after Carol is taken by the hospital group, but neither of them seemed to like the other to begin with, due to Noah having forced their weapons off of them earlier. However, after Noah helps the group to recover both Carol and Beth, Daryl's view on Noah seems to have changed for the better, as when Dawn demands Noah back during the trade-off, Daryl stands up for him.
Rick Grimes
| “ | The boy wants to go home, so you have no claim on him.
―Rick to Dawn about Noah[src]
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” |
Rick seems to like Noah, as shown when he refused to return him to Grady Memorial, saying that Dawn has no claim on him. Noah is later seen talking to Rick about how Beth was going to take him to Shirewilt Estates, showing that Noah trusts Rick with this information. After learning of the estate's destruction, Rick allows him to stay with the group. When Glenn tells Rick about Noah's death he is greatly saddened and holds it as an example of how Alexandria's inexperience, at the time, would get them killed.
Tyreese Williams
| “ | It's not over. This isn't the end.
―Tyreese to Noah.[src]
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” |
Tyreese and Noah presumably had not spoken to one another very much, until during the events of "What Happened and What's Going On", where Tyreese attempted to encourage Noah after finding the Shirewilt Estates in ruins and overrun by walkers. After Tyreese is attacked by walkers in Noah's home, Noah saves Tyreese, and runs for help. However, help comes too late and they are unable to save him from the infection in time. Noah is present for Tyreese's funeral and is shown to be distraught by his death.
Glenn Rhee
| “ | Don't let go.
―Noah to Glenn, moments before his death.[src]
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” |
The two do not interact much until the group arrives at the Alexandria Safe-Zone. The two are put in the supply run team under Aiden and Nicholas, in which they start a brotherly bond. During the party in "Forget", Glenn reassures Noah that he is part of their "family".
In "Spend", it can be seen that the two had formed a very strong brotherly bond by this point in time; they scavenge the area together, defend each other, and support each other when they are trapped in the revolving door. After Nicholas pushes himself out of the door, he leaves Noah open to the walkers; the walkers pull him in and gruesomely devour and kill him right in front of Glenn's eyes, with only the glass door in between them; Glenn is clearly horrified and traumatized by this, and begins to cry at the sight of Noah being devoured. Knowing that Nicholas caused his demise, Glenn becomes so angry that he does not hesitate to beat him down, but still finds the strength not to kill him.
Following the events in "Spend", it can be seen that Glenn still cares greatly about what happened to Noah, shown when he confronts Nicholas as he is cleaning the bloodied van.
Maggie Greene
Though the two didn't know each other for long, Maggie quickly accepted him as part of their family. At the welcoming party, when Noah was sitting by himself, Maggie and Glenn tried to convince him to partake reminding him he was with them now. Maggie's reaction to Noah's death wasn't shown but she was shown to be saddened by it while talking to Tara about it;
Tara Chambler
Tara and Noah didn't interact much, but it is assumed they trust each other. Noah joins Glenn, Tara, Eugene, Aiden and Nicholas on a run for micro-inverters, suggested by Eugene to repair the power grid, at a nearby supply store. During the drive there, Tara bothers Noah to tell her what he and Reg were talking about, if it was about Holly, but Noah resents. The group arrive at the supply store and is impressed with Noah's accuracy as he headshots a walker from quite a distance. Tara did not initially learn of Noah's death, as she was unconscious from her injuries. When Tara did wake up she was horrified to learn what happened and became greatly resentful towards Nicholas.
Sasha Williams
Though the two weren't seen interacting much, Sasha believed Noah's claim of Beth's whereabouts and accepted him as a member of the group. However, when they were travelling to Washington D.C. and Noah says to her "I don't know if I can make it", she coldly replies "Then you won't". However, since Sasha was still grieving over Bob, Tyreese and Beth she may not have meant it as it sounded but it's unknown how personal Noah took this. Regardless, Sasha is distraught when she learns Noah was killed by walkers and feels guilty and disgusted with herself for telling him that he will die, implying she may have felt somewhat responsible for what happened.
Aiden Monroe
Noah and Aiden started well. They respected each other, and when Noah brought up that his father was once did the same job as Aiden did, Aiden asked him whether or not his father made it, to which Noah answered that he did not. Aiden appeared to be saddened as he sincerely says he is sorry about what happened to his father. Aiden then had Noah hold his fire when trying to ensnare a walker.
After Deanna's forced integration of Rick's group, Noah went on another supply run with Aiden. Aiden complimented Noah's accuracy after the latter killed a walker at moderate distance with a quick draw of his pistol. When Aiden accidentally triggered an explosion, Noah did not visibly grieve for the man he presumed dead due to Tara's life being in danger. Once he realized Aiden was still alive, he went to save him by keeping the walkers occupied while Glenn and Nicholas went to work on getting him off of a shelf. Once Nicholas abandoned the effort, Noah was forced to drag Glenn away just before the walkers arrived. It is unknown exactly how he felt about Aiden's passing, due to he and Glenn having to leave him in a rush, as well as his meeting his own untimely demise just mere minutes later.
Appearances
TV SeriesSeason 5
Season 7
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Trivia
- The casting call for this character used the name Burton.
- He was described as "young, but he's already suffered great tragedy when he lost his leg. Luckily Burton does not let his disability keep him down, and his positivity is infectious to everyone else around him".
- Noah was originally planned to only appear in three episodes.[3]
- A life-sized prop was used for Noah's death scene, as seen on Talking Dead.
- In order to make this prop, Tyler had to be put in a body cast and held in one posture for half an hour. This process is called "clay-facing".
- During Noah's death scene, a single thumb of one walker pierced the prop's forehead, which could mean Noah's brain had been destroyed. It is unknown if that was intentional, as the prop that appeared on Talking Dead had no puncture in its forehead.
- In the bonus commentary of the Season 5 DVD, Steven Yeun discusses Noah's death. He says that Noah had indeed let go of Glenn's hand and allowed himself to be devoured, and that Noah's departing words, "Don't let go", were meant to tell Glenn to not lose himself.
References
- ↑ The Season 5 bonus commentary indicates that Noah let go of Glenn's hand to sacrifice himself and save Glenn.
- ↑ Entertainment Weekly - Tyler James Williams previews the next 'Walking Dead': 'We're going back to get the squad' (November 21st, 2014)
- ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/walking-dead-noah-dies-tyler-781577