The Walking Dead Characters: Father Gabriel Stokes

The Walking Dead Characters:

Father Gabriel Stokes

"The Walking Dead" will enter its seventh season on October 23, and after leaving on a massive cliffhanger, excitement and anticipation are at all time highs. 

For the next few days I will be posting articles about the main characters you will see in the upcoming season, from faces we've seen since the first season to ones we'll be introduced to once season seven begins. 

**THERE WILL BE SHOW AND COMIC SPOILERS!**

You have been warned.  If you want to keep reading, do so in knowing that I will be divulging comic book and television show spoilers.  Information was derived from personal comic book readings, show watching, The Walking Dead wiki and imdb.com.

**SERIOUSLY, SPOILERS WILL ABOUND 

FROM HERE ON OUT**

Father Gabriel Stokes: The Comics

Gabriel was a preacher who found Rick's group one day while he was out scavenging, after hiding out in his church since the apocalypse began.  When it started, he locked the church doors out of fear so survivors couldn't get in, and they were devoured.  This haunts him daily, and because of this he has an aversion to violence, especially after Rick's group brutally kills the Hunters.  Still, without anyone else around, he chooses to go with them to Alexandria.

At Alexandria, he becomes the head priest of the church, and tries to get Rick's group exiled for their brutal ways, but Douglas - the leader of Alexandria - doesn't agree.  During the horde attack, he hides in the church, but when Eugene and Nicholas need entrance, he lets them in, redeeming himself from his past mistake.  They decide to fight, and Gabriel reluctantly agrees.

During the war with Negan, Gabriel is mostly invisible, not wanting to get involved and goes to the Hilltop.  Eventually, he starts to help out more and joins the Militia, killing Walkers with Dwight and Laura.  As the Whisperers start invading, Gabriel climbs a water tower to take patrol.  He sees a large group of Whisperers approaching, and he panics and falls off the ladder, snapping his ankle.  He's helplessly dangling from the ladder when Beta - the leader of the Whisperers - comes and guts him, leaving his upper half of his body to be devoured by Walkers to the bone.

Father Gabriel Stokes: The Television Series

Before the apocalypse, Gabriel served as the priest of St. Sarah's Episcopal Church.  He's deeply religious, generally well meaning but severely traumatized, finding it extremely difficult to adapt to the new world and retain his Christian faith.  Initially he's a coward who locked the doors of his church, keeping out his parishioners, leading to them being devoured outside his church.  This has a lasting effect on him when he meets Rick's group, because he feels God sent them to punish him.

He doesn't agree with violence, and is horrified when Rick's group brutally kills the Terminus cannibals in his church.  Still, he travels to Alexandria with Rick's group, where he becomes the head priest of the church.  He tries to get Rick's group exiled from Alexandria by telling Deanna about their deadly ways, but Deanna doesn't agree with him.

He eventually kills a Walker and puts down an injured man, and he becomes hardened but then feels remorse for what he did.  He then feels remorse for betraying Rick's group, and asks for forgiveness, which Rick is hesitant to give.  He becomes more confident and asks Carl to help train him in weapons, and during the horde attack he's with Rick, Michonne, Carl, Judith and the Andersons as they traverse the sea of Walkers.  When things get dicey he offers to take Judith to the church for safety, and Rick allows it.  While at the church, he sees everyone else fighting, and says that God answered their prayers by giving them the courage to save Alexandria themselves, and he goes out to fight with the rest of the town.

Now brave and fearless, and earning the respect of Rick, he has fully redeemed himself from his past.  He accompanies Rick and his group to a Savior outpost and personally executes one Savior himself, and then Rick places Gabriel in charge after he takes the group to Hilltop after Maggie suffers a medical crisis.

Father Gabriel Stokes: The Actor

Seth Gilliam was born November 5, 1968 in New York City.  He's appeared in movies such as "Still Alice," "Starship Troopers" and "Courage Under Fire," as well as the television series "Oz," "Teen Wolf," "Nurse Jackie," "Homeland," "Criminal Minds" and he's most famous for his role in "The Wire."