The 5 Most Important Settlements on The Walking Dead Right Now

Alexandria began as a housing development just outside of Washington DC. It had originally been built as an upscale neighborhood with benefits such as its own solar panel grid. Once the outbreak began, it became a place of refuge for people evacuating DC. One of the groups temporarily relocated there was Congresswoman Deanna Monroe and her family. As more people began seeking refuge, Monroe filled the role of the group's leader. The citizens of Alexandria developed a system where they would send recon groups out to look for potential survivors that could fit in and benefit their community.

Rick's group is observed for multiple days before being brought into the community, and once they are admitted, there is a clear divide between their battle-hardened demeanor in comparison to that of Alexandria's residents, most of whom are naïve to how brutal the world had become outside their walls.

Eventually, Monroe comes to respect Rick's way of doing things as the town begins to encounter a group of vicious scavengers, known as the Wolves. During the Wolves' largest attack, Alexandria's church tower is damaged badly. The tower collapses, taking out another large section of walls, and Alexandria is overrun with walkers. During the invasion, many of Alexandria’s citizens were killed, including Deanna. After the attack, the remaining citizens are able to repair the damaged sections of the wall, but morale is never the same.

Nothing is known about the lives of any of the Wolves before the outbreak. Their group appears to have formed just outside the Washington DC area, and they frequently attack any other survivors that they come across. The group often set traps, hoping to catch unsuspecting people and their supplies in them. The Wolves mark their foreheads with a "W," and while some would do this with pens, dirt, or even blood, others take it much further, carving the shape permanently into their skin.

The Hilltop colony was originally an old mansion, barn, and blacksmith shop deep within the Virginia woods, outside of Washington DC. The site had become a museum, and after the outbreak, the Federal Emergency Management Agency used the location as a staging ground to help combat the infection. It brought in several trailers and supplies but eventually abandoned the area. Some survivors remained, and a man named Gregory took over as the group's leader. Using the surrounding trees, they began to put up a wall around their structures and were protected from walkers.

Eventually, the Saviors came across Hilltop and demanded that they give them half of all of the Hilltop supplies. They agreed, but to make their point perfectly clear, the Saviors killed a teenage boy. They would continue to show up regularly, demanding half of everything Hilltop had.

While out scavenging, a Hilltop resident named Jesus comes across Rick and Daryl, who had just acquired a large truck full of supplies. He attempts to steal it from them, but his plan eventually fails and he is captured and taken to Alexandria. After observing Rick and his group, Jesus decides to lead Rick and company to Hilltop, believing that the two colonies could work together. Once they spend time in Hilltop, the groups become allies in the fight against the Saviors.

A ruthless collective of individuals, the Saviors are one of the largest forces that Rick's group has ever encountered. Any other survivors they encounter are forced to give up half of their supplies or else face death. They show no remorse and oftentimes treat their violent encounters as humorous. It is common for members of the Saviors to shoot a member of any groups they encounter before even giving them an opportunity to comply with their demands to get their point across. The Saviors are spread out into several smaller groups and outposts, but they all answer to Negan. Wielding a barbed-wire wrapped baseball bat, Negan commands the respect of his followers through his disturbing charisma and intensity.

The Kingdom is a new colony that we will be seeing more of in season seven. In the comics, The Kingdom's residents also pay tribute to the Saviors, much like Hilltop. They inhabit what used to be a school that they have fortified with buses and sheet metal. They have scouts who ride on horseback, wear light armor, and generally carry spears. They are led by a man named Ezekiel who has a pet tiger named Shiva. This group becomes a strong ally in the impending fight between Negan and his Saviors.