Attention! Please be aware that spoilers are not allowed on the wiki and a violation of this policy may result in a ban. Information (character deaths/fates, screenshots, etc.) from episodes released early on AMC+ may not be added to the wiki until the episode officially airs at 9pm EST on the Sunday it is scheduled for. Thank you.
The Walking Dead: Cutting Room Floor is a behind-the-scenes look at Robert Kirkman's original, hand-written plot lines for the issues of The Walking Dead. The collection includes commentaries on Kirkman's original plots with never-before-seen material. Additions are included in the back of each issue of The Walking Dead: Deluxe.
On page 5, Donna originally talked to Lori instead of Allen.
Page 7 featured Shane wondering if the camp attack was his fault instead of having an argument with Rick over it.
Page 11 was supposed to feature a lengthy goodbye between Jim and the other characters.
In the final cut, two extra pages were added for the scene where Shane punches Rick.
Rick and Shane were originally going to have a much less heated argument while hunting, with Shane pointing a gun at Rick without the latter realizing it, while Rick was aiming at another animal.
Lori was originally still present in the prison yard for Rick's announcment that they would hang Thomas, and was going to respond with "Like hell you are!"
The scene right after when Rick goes to visit his family was going to be more heated, with Lori not wanting Rick to see Carl since the latter was too afraid of him.
There was going to be a scene explaining how Patricia got ahold of the key to Thomas' cell.
Thomas was originally going to be hanged like was shown on the cover.
The cliffhanger of the issue was going to be Lori telling Rick she wants a divorce.
Once this was scrapped, the issue was supposed to end with Dexter and Andrew voluntarily leaving the prison.
The first scene of the issue was going to be Glenn killing zombies.
After Andrea's meeting, Rick and Tyreese were going to talk.
There was going to be a scene featuring Lori and Carl.
Kirkman originally planned for the comic to adopt a Mad Max-like esthetic, with people forced to make their own clothes out of scraps, and thus had Andrea volunteer to do this during her meeting. However, he later realized that, with so few survivors, the characters would realistically never run out of fresh clothes, so they kept wearing regular clothes for the most part.
Kirkman considered having this issue introduce a whole new cast of characters and have them eventually run into Rick's Group, hence why the Volume 5 covers have all characters in riot gear.
Carl was originally going to have a big part in luring the zombies from the gate.
Originally, the plan to get gas was more frantic and action packed.
This issue was originally going to end with Lori saying she's bleeding.
The fight between Michonne and the Governor was going to be shorter.
Originally, after Michonne kicks him in the groin and grabs her sword, the Governor would ask "So, is this it?", to which Michonne would reply "Not even close." after knocking him out.
At the end of the issue, when Rick asks Michonne if she killed the Governor, she was originally going to reply "I hope not."
Dale was originally supposed to accompany Tyreese's group in the RV.
The group was supposed to eat breakfast after spending a night in the RV.
Glenn was to originally spot the sign pointing to the national guard station.
Axel was supposed to stay behind at the prison
There was a gag where someone was concerned about having the children around Axel, to which Axel would reply: "I was there for armed robbery, as long as your kids aren't a liquor store, they're safe."
There was a scene showing Andrea and Tyreese making Dale's prosthetic leg.
There was a scene with the group harvesting crops, which was cut in favor of the basketball scene.
The Woodbury soldiers were to originally line up in front of the prison in preparation for their attack, but Kirkman realized Rick's group would probably notice them.
The Governor was supposed to issue his "KILL THEM ALL!" order with a megaphone.
The Governor was not only originally going to win the battle for the prison, but occupy it while the Survivors were scattered around the prison. He was also supposed to disembowel someone, presumably Hershel.
There was to be a scene of Woodbury soldiers looking for Martínez.
There was originally a funeral for the Woodbury soldiers killed at the Wal-Mart.
Originally, Axel was going to be type O-negative and be the one to volunteer donating his blood to Rick instead of Patricia. Additionally, he would be offended when asked if he was "clean."
The blood transfusion was going to be shown.
The issue was going to end with the Governor pulling up to the prison in a pickup truck and decapitating Tyreese.
The scene where Rick needs Carl's help to open a can was originally more elaborate, with the pair having to heat up the can while utilizing a shirt and a pair of tongs. Additionally, the can was supposed to be leaking due to being shot.
Carl was supposed to lash out at Rick more, but this was pushed back an issue.
The pair was to encounter a stray dog.
Rick was possibly supposed to defeat the zombie at the convenience store by twisting its head off once his hatchet failed to penetrate the skull.
Rick and Carl were going to drink toilet water after boiling it.
Carl was originally going to climb upstairs and exit the house through a second-floor window to better fool the zombies.
Rick was going to throw up.
The issue had two scrapped endings. The first ending had Carl cooking for Rick when he wakes up, now completely self-sufficient. The second had Carl tell Rick "you always come back to me, dad--always."
Rick and Carl were supposed to get out of the car immediately after hitting a zombie.
Glenn and Maggie were supposed to take Rick, Carl, and Michonne back to the farm towards the middle of the issue, but this was pushed back to the following issue.
Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene were supposed to be introduced at the end of this issue.
There was going to be a scene of Ben killing Billy.
Carl sneaking out and killing Ben was originally going to happen off-panel.
In a future issue, Rick was going to kill Gabriel due to believing the latter to be working for the Hunters. In his final moments, Gabriel would forgive Rick, believing God sent him to punish Gabriel for the deaths he caused by locking people out of his church.