Overview
Andrea is one of the few survivors of the zombie apocalypse. She is a member of the surviving group that Rick Grimes discovered in Atlanta.
Background
Before the outbreak, Andrea was a successful civil rights lawyer. Born 12 years before her sister Amy, Andrea always felt that their parents gave them two different upbringings. During the years she spent studying law, she grew distant with her family, often missing many of Amy's birthday. Before the zombie apocalypse, Andrea's father gave her a gun to protect herself and her sister during the road trip. The outbreak occurs during their trip. Luckily, Andrea and her sister were saved by Dale Horvath. The two sisters live on Dale's RV until they finally join up with a group headed by Shane Walsh.
Major Plots
Season 1
Andrea goes on a supply run with a part of the group to the city of Atlanta. In the city, she meets a sheriff named Rick Grimes. Andrea is at first hostile with Rick, but later warms up him after he shows her how to use a gun. After escaping a department store surrounded by walkers, Andrea returns to the camp. One night, the camp is invaded by walkers who kill several dozens of people. Andrea is shocked when he finds out that Amy was one of the victims. Not willing to let Amy go, Andrea holds her until Amy turns into a walker. Then she puts Amy out herself. The group is forced to seek shelter elsewhere since their camp was run over. They go to the CDC because they heard a cure was being developed there. Once at the CDC, they are let in the building by a Dr. Jenner.
There, the group finds a possible permanent haven from the walkers. However, this haven does not last as they had hoped. They learn that once the power goes off, the building will self destruct. Andrea chooses to stay behind because she does not cannot find the strength to go on. Dale intervenes by choosing to stay if she stays. Not wanting blood on her hands, Andrea leaves with the group. Rick and his group leave the building and go on the road once more.
Season 2
The group finds themselves in a traffic jam on an abandoned highway. When a horde of walkers approaches them, the group is forced to seek shelter under the cars. In the chaos, Sophia is chased away by two walkers. Rick goes after them and kills the two walkers. However, he loses Sophia. The group organizes a search to find the missing girl. During that search, Carl is accidentally shot by a hunter. The hunter brings Carl to his farm where Carl's wounds are treated by a man named Hershel. Andrea and the other are then brought over to the farm while Carl recovers. While on the farm, Andrea is annoyed that Dale withholds her gun because he is afraid she might attempt suicide again. Eventually, Dale gives Andrea her gun back when decides that Andrea has the right to her choices. Andrea then becomes very proficient with gun training that Shane gives her.
Noticing Andrea's natural talent with a gun, Shane decides to train her personally. He takes her with him to a suburb to check out a lead on Sophia. They become close during the mission and have sex after reaching safety. As Andrea grows to Shane, she distances herself from the others, but at the same time, she becomes more independent to a point where she considers leaving with Shane. Tensions rise between Rick and Shane. Eventrually, Shane tries to lure Rick into a forest where he attempts murder. Instead, Shane is killed by Rick. The gunfire from the fight attracts walkers to the farm. The walkers overrun the farm. Rick and the others evacuate the farm, but they leave Andrea behind in the confusion. Andrea almost killed by walkers, but she is saved by a mysterious woman named Michonne who has a katana and two chained walkers.
Season 3
Andrea spends the winter with Michonne holed up in a meat locker. Andrea contracts an illness during the season and the two are forced to leave their pocket of security. During their travels, they witness a helicopter crashing in the forest. When they to the crash site, they are found by another group led by Merle. The group takes Andrea and Michonne to a town called Woodbury. There, Andrea is introduced to the Governor and the town's way of living. Michonne distrusts the Governor and decides to leave Woodbury. Enticed with a stable life, Andrea elects to leave Michonne. Afterward, Andrea begins a close relationship with the Governor that eventually leads to a romance. Sometime later, the town is invaded by Rick's group.
Andrea walks into the Governor's home and finds Michonne about to kill the Governor. Pulling out her gun, she stops Michonne, but lets her go. The town captures Daryl and accuses Merle of treason. In the town arena, Andrea is forced to watch Merle and Daryl fight to the death. The fight is interrupted when Rick's group return to rescue Daryl. More fighting ensues and Rick's group disappears. After the attack, Andrea heads to the prison to broker a peace between the two groups. Through her efforts, she is able to set up a meeting between the two leaders. The leaders talk among themselves while Andrea waits outside. Later, Milton tells Andrea to that the meeting did not go well and that the Governor plans to attack the prison once more.
Andrera decides to go to the prison to warn the prison group. She is followed personally by the Governor himself. After a long chase, she is captured and brought back to the Governor's torture chamber. The Governor, who realizes that Milton had betrayed him, stabs Milton and leaves his body inside the room so he will attack Andrea when he turns into a walker. Andrea is able to break free from her restraints, but it is too late. Milton bites Andrea, but he is put down by her. After the Governor's attack fails, Rick's group find their way back to Woodbury where they witness Andrea's final moments. Andrea asks for Rick's gun and she uses it to commit suicide.
Personality and Traits
Andrea is a stubborn person who is not afraid to share what she is thinking even when it isolates her from the group. Andrea has a strong bond with her sister and those she cares about. She is willing to do anything to protect those she loves. When her sister dies, Andrea tries to commit suicide because she did not believe there was anything left for her in the world. Andrea is a strong believer that everybody should have the right to choose whether they want to live or die. She resents anyone who takes away another person's choice to live or die. This can be seen when she begins to resent Dale because he took her choice to commit suicide in the CDC. Andrea also has great skills in the use of firearms. When the group was being trained in the use of guns during season 2, Andrea showed that she had the most proficiency with the guns and was selected by Shane for special training.
Trivia
Differences from the Source Material
- In the comics, Andrea does not have a close relationship with either Shane nor the Governor. However, she does have sex with Dale when the group is camping in the gated community of Wilshire Estates.