Alpha (real name in the TV series universe: Dee) is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, where she was portrayed by Samantha Morton. In both universes, Alpha is the leader of a group of survivors called the Whisperers, a mysterious group that wears the skins of walkers (zombies) to mask their presence. In the television series, she first appeared in the ninth mid-season premiere.
Appearances
Comic book series
Alpha is the leader of the Whisperers, a mysterious group of survivors who disguise themselves with zombie skin to blend in with them and not get noticed, and Lydia's mother. She and several of her people approach the gates of the Hilltop Colony, where Lydia has been taken prisoner, and demands her daughter back. When Carl Grimes chases the Whisperers, he is taken prisoner. Alpha decides to infiltrate the Alexandria Safe-Zone and buys a sword at the fair. After meeting with Rick Grimes, she allows Carl and Lydia to leave on the condition that nobody will cross the new border she marked. On their way back, Rick and the group discover that Alpha has decapitated 12 residents of Alexandria, the Hilltop, the Kingdom and the Sanctuary, and that she used their heads placed on pikes to mark the border. After Negan appears to have joined her group, he fatally slashes Alpha across the neck and decapitates her.
Television series
Alpha is the leader of the Whisperers, a mysterious group of hostile survivors who disguise themselves with the skin of the undead in order to blend in with them and not get noticed, and the mother of Lydia (Cassady McClincy). She also served as the primary antagonist of the second half of season nine and whole of season ten. Alpha's dark past is shown in flashbacks; it is revealed that she killed her husband Frank (Steve Kazee) and their group of survivors during the initial stages of the outbreak, believing them to be "weak". In the present, she shows up at the Hilltop Colony with some members of her group, demanding that the community return her daughter Lydia, whom the community is holding as their prisoner; Lydia is eventually returned. The Whisperers murder and behead several key members from each community to warn the communities not to cross into Whisperer territory. The beheaded members' heads are placed on spikes, marking the boundary of the new border. Alpha is eventually murdered and beheaded herself by Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who had formed an intimate relationship with her. He subsequently delivers her head to Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), with whom he had been working the whole time. Her reanimated head is placed on the pike border by Carol, but it is retrieved and eventually put down by Beta who uses a piece of Alpha's face to fix his own broken walker mask.
Tales of the Walking Dead
The episode "Dee," taking place between the flashback events of "Omega" and "We Are the End of the World," focuses on Alpha, known at this time by her real name of Dee and Lydia. Throughout the episode, Alpha is shown narrating the events to a severed head, revealing details of her life such as killing her father at a young age, although Alpha states that he deserved it. In the present of the episode, Dee and Lydia live on a steamboat with a community of other survivors. The community is led by exercise instructor Brooke and enjoys living as if the world has continued on as normal, something that puts Dee at odds with Brooke due to Dee's more realistic view of the world. Lydia is also shown to be terrified of her mother due to Dee's murder of her husband Frank. Dee's growing suspicions of the steamboat's bartender Billy prove to be correct when Billy and his gang attempt to seize the vessel for themselves. Dee saves Brooke and escapes with Lydia, sparking a fight that kills everyone else aside from Brooke. Dee scars Brooke's face in retaliation and, after an encounter with a herd, Dee and Lydia are found by the Whisperers, at this point led by a woman named Hera.
It's then revealed that Dee later murdered Hera and has been narrating to her severed head. Dee turns Hera's face into her walker mask and becomes Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers.