Rose

A woman who becomes separated from her daughter, Anna, during a chaotic emergency evacuation due to her husband's injury, marking the start of her ordeal. Initially, she is frustratingly emotional; she can only flee when her zombified husband corners her, and she prevents James from shooting a group of children at a school simply because they are kids. She often breaks down in tears and clings to James whenever he rescues her.

Anna

A young girl and Rose's daughter. She was separated from her mother after being placed on an evacuation truck first.

Spears

A man who joins the story after being captured by soldiers. While being transported to a detention center, he kills the soldier guarding him, steals his uniform and pistol, and escapes. He eventually rescues Rose as she flees from her zombified husband. He is the only truly capable combatant in the group.

Ryan

A young man who is deaf and communicates through sign language. He appears to have an intellectual disability as well, shown by his childlike curiosity when seeing a drum. He is a pure-hearted and kind soul who consistently tries to help others.

Lance

A man who seems physically fit but is the most cowardly and dim-witted member of the group, with combat skills effectively at zero. He instinctively flees the moment a zombie appears, often resulting in him getting separated from the group. However, his ability to run away and his sheer luck are top-tier, allowing him to survive almost any situation and reunite with the others.

Woo Kyungsun

A female survivor and a master of endurance who crossed the Tumen River alone and eventually made her way to the United States. Despite her background as a North Korean defector, she speaks in a standard South Korean dialect. She is the most virtuous character among the leads, trusting others and seeking solidarity through small acts of kindness. She is driven by the hope of reuniting with her mother. Her primary source of conflict is the 'communication barrier'; excluding singing and a very basic self-introduction, she speaks fewer than five English words—including 'Thank you,' 'Why,' and 'No'—while the rest of her speech is entirely in Korean.

William

A man who lived and worked near the town, giving him a good grasp of the local geography and the route to the Stadium. Although he has a hot temper, he is incredibly loyal and the most humane character, flatly refusing Phil's suggestion to sacrifice Kyungsun to the zombies to escape a building. He stands alone against three others to protect her. Despite the language barrier with Kyungsun, they eventually reach a level of mutual understanding where they communicate effectively despite speaking different languages. He remains a deeply human character until his departure from the series.

Sophie

A woman who is quick to assess situations. Despite her gentle appearance, she can be surprisingly selfish, largely driven by her intense fear. She has short black hair, dark skin, and deep-set eyes, and is typically seen wearing a dark purple zip-up hoodie and a scarf.

Mance

The leader of a group of survivors consisting mostly of people of color (Asian, Indigenous, and Black) who are in conflict with Nazeri's group. Eventually, he travels with Natalie and Jace. Jace is a woman wearing a crimson knit jacket over a pinkish-red T-shirt. Natalie is a woman wearing a light blue jacket; her attire is a thick, voluminous padded coat suitable for the cold weather.