Princess (The Walking Dead)

Juanita "Princess" Sanchez is a major supporting character in AMC’s , and a minor supporting character in the original comic book series . She’s a lone survivor who claims to have not interacted with other survivors for over a year at the time of her initial debut, which explains, in part, her social awkwardness and lack of people skills. 
She eventually joins forces with Eugene, Ezekiel, and Yumiko as they make their way to the Commonwealth. After they’re apprehended by the Commonwealth and forced to go through “reprocessing”, she helps to expose the Milton Family’s corruption and clear their names of any wrongdoing. 
She was portrayed by Paola Lázaro.
==Biography==
===Pre-Apocalypse===
Juanita Sanchez was born in 1992 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and her father left the family in 2001 when she was 9 years old, for unknown reasons. Her mother remarried a man named Dougie, who she prioritized over Juanita, leading to abuse and neglect. Juanita was socially awkward and lonely, never having any real friends. In high school, she met a cool girl who taught her how to dye her hair, which helped her self-esteem. At 14, she was locked in a closet by her stepfather, who caused her to get a splinter and a serious infection. Juanita's stepfather retaliated, and her mother did not notice. Juanita worked as a waitress at Missy Moose's Pizzeria and later at a music record store. At 15, she gained independence and started working independently. At some point, she was arrested for an unknown reason and claims that someone else committed the crime.
===Post-Apocalypse===
Juanita, during the apocalypse, settled in an abandoned mid-Atlantic city, mostly cleared of undead people. She found entertainment in posing walkers in unusual positions with exaggerated clothing. Her last encounter with another survivor was over a year ago.
==Comics==
===Lines We Cross (Vol. 29)===
Juanita meets the scavenge team in Pittsburgh and is excited to see other survivors again after a year of no human interaction. Despite Michonne's initial reluctance, Juanita invites them to her house, where she proudly displays a giant spear. The group decides to let Juanita tag along, but Michonne declines. As they travel through Pittsburgh, they encounter a group of walkers who have gained on them. Juanita joins them in taking out the walkers, and Yumiko and Magna reveal they’re both gay and in love. Michonne congratulates Yumiko and Magna, while Eugene and Siddiq already know. Juanita beams with approval and shares her past experiences with lesbian friends. The group is found by the Commonwealth upon their arrival in Ohio.
===New World Order (Vol. 30)===
Juanita and her group encounter the Commonwealth, where they are questioned by Lance Hornsby. They meet Sebastian Milton, who offers to take Yumiko on a private tour, but Yumiko resists. Sebastian gets rough with Yumiko, shoving Magna. Juanita defends her new friends, but Mercer intervenes and threatens to banish them if they don't know their place. The group discusses the Commonwealth's system, and Juanita likens it to a video game, which angers Magna. Juanita joins Eugene, Siddiq, and Stephanie for a football game and then accompanies them to Alexandria. Juanita expresses excitement to meet Rick and see The Hilltop, but warns Eugene she might miss it. Upon arrival, Juanita greets Rick and leaves to talk with Pamela and him.
===The Rotten Core (Vol. 31)===
Juanita and Rick are seen conversing outside DC before a herd of walkers ambush them on their way to the Sanctuary. Rick seems neutral, claiming Eugene trusts her. Juanita helps fend off the walkers and kisses Mercer, who appears speechless. Two days later, Juanita and Mercer are seen in bed together after a sexual encounter, with Princess claiming it was the best sex she had ever had, and that her time with Mercer was better than being alone in Pittsburgh. Mercer smiles and takes this as a compliment.
===Rest In Peace (Vol. 32)===
Juanita is attempting to leave The Commonwealth, but is spotted by Mercer and she reveals her abusive childhood to him. She fears the outbreak will worsen and prefers solitude. Mercer offers to convince her to stay, but Juanita refuses. Later, she is encountered by Jesus, Siddiq, Aaron, and Carl. Juanita explains that she left of desperation and fear, believing that people are still too dangerous for a newly-reformed society to work. Carl convinces her to return, and she agrees. She aids others in killing walkers in The Commonwealth before the showdown between Pamela and Rick. 
After Rick's death, Juanita participates in his funeral in Alexandria. In Issue 193, Juanita is seen taking a walk with an aged Mercer and a dog, indicating her happy ending.
==TV Series==
===Season 10===
Upon arriving in an abandoned city, Eugene, Ezekiel, and Yumiko encounter strangely posed walkers, including two having a tea party and a police uniformed walker giving a ticket. Juanita, excited by the sight of other survivors, confronts the group, causing Ezekiel to laugh. Juanita meets Eugene's group. She explains that they are the first people she's seen in over a year and that she thought they needed help. Ezekiel asserts they don’t, claiming they were just admiring her displays. Juanita reveals that she tied up walkers to make the city feel more alive and is excited to talk to potentially real people again.
Ezekiel introduces himself and his friends, and Juanita offers to show them around the city. However, Eugene informs her that they can't stay due to an important mission. Juanita protests and shows her ability to help by mowing down walkers with her machine gun. However, the gunfire startles the group's two remaining horses, and they run away.
The group discusses what to do next, with Ezekiel suggesting they enlist Princess' help, but Yumiko opposes the idea. Eugene suggests that Princess might know where to find transportation, but Yumiko is skeptical. Eugene sides with Ezekiel, summoning Juanita, who confirms that she knows where to find transportation. Yumiko insists that Princess surrender her gun, but she doesn't fully trust the survivors. She eventually relents and hands the machine gun over to Eugene. They begin their journey, with Yumiko reminding Ezekiel that Juanita is selfish and crazy.
In the abandoned city, Princess leads the survivors to an empty field and warns them to stay close to her. Yumiko expresses her doubts about Princess, and Ezekiel shares her feelings. They stumble upon the remains of an escaped horse, which Princess reveals is likely stepped on a mine. Princess reassures them that she can lead them out safely, but loses count of the mines.
Juanita tries to orient herself, while Yumiko complains that they never should have followed her. Eugene warns them of time running out and a cascade, which could lead to a chain reaction. Ezekiel suggests Juanita can help, and she agrees to lead them to safety. She chooses a route based on a game of eenie-meenie-miney-mo and risks her life by taking a few steps on it. She invites the survivors to follow her. Yumiko berates Juanita for putting their lives in danger, but she admits that she wanted to take the scenic route to keep the fun going. Juanita pleads that she never thought it would be a problem and that she wanted more time to befriend the survivors. She also recounts her feelings of loneliness before the apocalypse and how she felt lonely as the months went by.
Juanita admits to a past self-destructive behavior and apologizes to the survivors. Yumiko and Eugene comfort her, revealing that they made poor decisions and lied to avoid being left alone. They discover that Juanita's "wheels" were bicycles, not bicycles. Eugene and Ezekiel observe that Juanita was not lying about the garage. Yumiko confronts Juanita, who admits to being a bad person and apologizes for causing her trouble. Yumiko reveals she was asking if Juanita wanted to join them, and Princess accepts. The story highlights the challenges of trusting people and the importance of honesty in relationships.
Juanita, Eugene, Yumiko, and Ezekiel are traveling together when Eugene crashes his bike. The group tries to fix it, but Eugene warns them not to turn back as it will take a long time to meet Stephanie. Yumiko reassures him, but he insists that the time is set in stone. Ezekiel reassures Eugene that they will not turn back and will continue the journey for everyone's sake. Eugene also wants to end the journey, but Stephanie won't be there after sunset. The group arrives at the intended meeting spot but finds no response. Eugene informs the group they will not turn back and will track down unknown armed people around the trainyard. As they share a laugh, searchlights flash and unknown armed people run out, warning everyone to put down their weapons.
Princess, Eugene, Ezekiel, and Yumiko surrender to soldiers at a rendezvous point arranged by Eugene with Stephanie. Yumiko is beaten and thrown into a train car, and Princess hears soldiers putting her friends into other train cars. She has flashbacks to Yumiko's violent clash with the soldiers and tries to calm herself by counting in Spanish and reciting state capitals.
In the morning, Princess calls Yumiko's name but gets no answer. She finds a hole in the wall and sneaks out to find Eugene in the adjacent car. Eugene urges her to return to her car and guesses that the soldiers are treating Yumiko's wounds. Princess is summoned to come with him, but she refuses to answer their questions.
A soldier interrogates Princess about her group, but she refuses to answer. The interrogation ends, and Princess is brought back to her holding cell. She wakes up with a sore jaw and tells Yumiko that she did as she was told and did not reveal anything about their group to the soldiers.
Ezekiel, who is a grunt, ambushes a soldier and knocks him unconscious. Ezekiel chokes the soldier and punches his face, and Princess realizes that Ezekiel, Eugene, and Yumiko were all in her head. Princess flees the train yard, but changes her mind and hallucinates Ezekiel hanging out with a couple of walkers. Ezekiel assumes the character of her stepfather and tries to convince her to flee, but Princess ignores his advice and goes back to help her friends.
Princess agrees to unlock a beaten soldier's handcuffs and offers to answer his boss' questions in exchange for seeing her friends. The soldier thanks her and asks for the gun. Princess gives it back, and the soldier opens the door, revealing Yumiko, Eugene, and Ezekiel lined up outside with hoods. The soldier throws a hood over her head, revealing the situation.
===Season 11===
Princess, Eugene, Ezekiel, and Yumiko are taken into a compound guarded by paramilitary troopers. They are interrogated by a man and woman who introduce themselves as auditors for the Commonwealth. Ezekiel interrupts the interrogation and guesses the trooper in charge. Princess, Yumiko, and Ezekiel agree to escape, but Eugene argues that the Commonwealth might help Alexandria. They discuss an escape plan, revealing that two troopers routinely disappear for half an hour for sex. Yumiko and Eugene wear trooper uniforms and escort Princess and Ezekiel down a hallway. 
A trooper asks them where they are going, but Yumiko tells them they're taking the prisoners to reprocessing. They escape the building and pass by a wall with photos of prisoners. Yumiko recognizes Yumiko in one of the photos and sees a note from her brother asking if anyone has seen him.
Yumiko and Princess decide to talk to the person in charge of the Commonwealth interrogation center, based on the notice board they found. They are skeptical about the guards knowing they tried to escape, but Yumiko assures them it comes naturally. Eugene arrives and informs them that Ezekiel is gone, and they need to come clean about their true identities. Yumiko insists on not talking to the Commonwealth's law enforcement or sticking to the story if necessary.
Outside the interrogation room, Yumiko asks Eugene to stop fidgeting, but he insists she needs to pee. She asks for a bathroom in Spanish, and they have working toilets and toilet paper. Eugene is taken to a train car, where he is reunited with his friends. Ezekiel tells him he was taken to the infirmary for a syrup for his cough.
Mercer enters the room and admits them into the Commonwealth, sarcastically commenting that they'll be escorted by a "beat cop." He indignantly informs Ezekiel he went to West Point. Mercer knocks twice on the door, and Stephanie enters, introducing herself as Stephanie.
Eugene, Ezekiel, Princess, and Yumiko watch an introductory video on VHS and are given job assignments and housing information. They plan to gain authorization to use the radios secretly, but are arrested and threatened with deportation. In "Promises Broken," they clear walkers out of abandoned buildings with Stephanie as punishment. Princess pressures Ezekiel to go to the hospital.
Princess encourages Eugene to pursue a relationship with Stephanie. When she disappears, Eugene believes she has been kidnapped, but she tells him she broke up with him. They help follow Roman Calhoun, who is believed to have kidnapped Stephanie. They are arrested for breaking and entering, but Hornsby releases them. Stephanie reveals her true identity as Maxxine "Max" Mercer, General Mercer's sister and Commonwealth Governor Pamela Milton's secretary and spy.
Princess is revealed to be in a relationship with Mercer, but her men arrest her on Milton's order to draw out Eugene. In "Variant," Princess confronts Mercer, demanding justice within the Commonwealth. She leaves, but is arrested in "Acts of God." In "Faith," Princess helps Ezekiel and other prisoners save the Commonwealth from a zombie herd and overthrow Milton. A year later, she lives happily with Mercer, who governs the Commonwealth as Ezekiel's second-in-command.
==Personality==
Juanita is portrayed as talkative and easy-going, despite being outnumbered and facing gunpoint. She admits to being hesitant to trust people due to her appearance and dress. She admits to having a temper and initially angered Michonne for asking if she was alone. Juanita dyes her hair purple and wears a pink fur jacket and goggles for fun. She gives herself a nickname, "Princess," and announces herself as the Princess of Pittsburgh. She is able to take combat seriously and mow down walkers easily. However, it is later revealed that she has a dark past and displays a cheerful personality to keep it out. Juanita's actions and appearance may make people hesitant to trust her.
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
*Juanita is one of the many characters given a nickname. She prefers being called "Princess" because she does not like her actual name.
*Juanita mentions she hadn't seen a living person for almost a year before finding Eugene's group.
*Her Rick Grimes 2000 counterpart reveals she is pansexual.
**Coincidentally, Paola Lázaro, Juanita's actress for her TV Series counterpart is also pansexual.
*Juanita is one of the seven main characters of the Comic Series who did not kill a living person on-screen directly/caused on panel. The others being Morgan Jones, Glenn, Lori Grimes, Sophia Grimes, Dale and Mercer.
==External Links==
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