Carl Grimes

Carl Grimes
The Walking Dead character
Carl Grimes as portrayed by Chandler Riggs in the television series (left) and in the comic book series (right).
First appearance	Comic: "Issue #2" (2003) Television: "Days Gone Bye" (1.01) (2010)
Created by	Robert Kirkman Tony Moore Charlie Adlard
Portrayed by	Chandler Riggs
Information
Occupation	Comic: Blacksmith apprentice
Family	Rick Grimes (father) Lori Grimes (mother) Judith Grimes (half-sister) Comic: Jeffrey Grimes (uncle) Andrea (adoptive mother)
Significant other(s)	Comic: Sophia Lydia

Carl Grimes is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and is portrayed by Chandler Riggs in the American television series of the same name, which airs on AMC in the United States. The character was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, and debuted in The Walking Dead #2 in 2003. In both forms of media, Carl is the son of primary protagonist Rick Grimes and is one of the longest-surviving characters and one of the few original Atlanta survivors still alive.

In the comic book series, Carl begins as a normal and innocent child, but, as the events of the new world order force him to grow up, he becomes colder, and competently makes sometimes brash decisions for the good of his group of friends. The character's development is similar in the television series, where he adopts a callous personality as a survival mechanism. This behaviour puts him into conflict with his father, who idealistically wishes to maintain Carl's childhood morality and innocence. Over time, and with reflection, Carl becomes alarmed and disturbed at his cold ways and, to some degree, regains his sense of morality while still keeping his survival edge. At the same time, his father begins to lose his morality, which eventually puts Carl at odds with him for various reasons, particularly in regards to helping people in need, whom the group meet in their travels. Carl begins to face more evil and violence in the new world as the group progress; this causes Carl to be faced with choices and scenarios upon which his and others' lives depend.

For his performance as Carl, Riggs won the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series in 2014 and 2016. He was also nominated for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series – Leading Young Actor in 2012, 2013, and won in 2014.

Carl is the only son of deputy sheriff Rick Grimes and his wife, Lori Grimes. When the dead rise, Lori takes Carl to a purported safe zone in Atlanta, Georgia, along with Rick's partner, Shane Walsh. Lori and Carl join a group of survivors on the outskirts of Atlanta, formed and led by Shane. There, they are eventually reunited with Rick. Despite being only seven years old, Carl is taught to shoot a pistol. This comes in handy when he saves his mother from an attacking walker. Later, he is forced to kill an unstable Shane in order to protect his father.