Leon Basset

> Maybe we'll get on one of them video shows, you know? **Like "World's Craziest Police Chases."** What do you think?
>
> Leon to his fellow officers., Days Gone Bye

**Leon Basset** is a character in The Walking Dead. He is a sheriff deputy of Cynthiana Police Department.

## Pre-Apocalypse

### Season 1

#### "Days Gone Bye"

On a highway, Leon and Lambert Kendal meet up with fellow officers, Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh. As they all wait for the car, Leon muses about their chances of getting on a police chase reality show. Rick tells him to focus, and worry about having a round in his gun chamber and the safety off. Leon sheepishly checks his gun while Shane suggests that it would be *"kinda cool gettin' on one of them shows."*

At that moment, the car approaches, pursued by two more cruisers containing other officers. The car, with the suspects inside, speeds over the spike strip, shredding the tires. The driver loses control of the wheel and the vehicle flips off the road, rolling several times before coming to a rough stop upside down in a field. *"Holy shit,"* mutters Shane, cocking his shotgun as the officers descend on the vehicle.

Rick carefully approaches the overturned car. A man emerges from the vehicle and immediately starts shooting at the officers. Rick yells at him to drop his pistol, but the man shoots directly at Rick and hits him in the chest. Shane shoots the gunman, killing him as Rick falls to the ground.

A second man emerges from the vehicle brandishing a shotgun, but is also shot to death. *"I'm alright!"* Rick shouts, the gunman having shot his Kevlar bulletproof vest. Shane approaches Rick as he pulls himself off the ground.*"Shane, you do not tell Lori that happened! Ever!"* Rick commands Shane as he looks at his vest.

Meanwhile, a third gunman unnoticed by everyone crawls out of the car and through the grass. The man fires his gun and hits Rick in the side, where his vest does not protect him. He falls to the ground bleeding as Shane shoots and kills the third man before rushing to Rick's aid. He begs for Rick to stay with him, barking at Leon to call an ambulance, but Rick remains motionless.

## Post-Apocalypse

### Season 1

#### "Days Gone Bye"

Sometime later, a zombified Leon encounters Rick, Morgan Jones and Duane Jones as the trio is leaving the Cynthiana Police Department. He claws at the chain link fence separating them. Rick admits he didn't think much of him, but he won't leave him like this. Rick walks up to the fence and shoots him in the forehead with his revolver, putting him down.

## Death

Killed By
* Unknown Cause *(Alive)*

At some point during the outbreak, Leon died due to unknown causes and reanimated.

* Rick Grimes *(Zombified)*

A zombified Leon begins smashing up against the fence as Rick, Morgan, and Duane are about to leave the station. Rick comments he can't left him as a walker, so he shoots him in the head, putting him down.

## Killed Victims

This list shows the people Leon has killed:

* Possibly a few zombies

## Relationships

### Lambert Kendal

All that can be inferred about Lambert's relationship with Leon, is that the two of them were partners before the zombie apocalypse ensued.

### Rick Grimes

> Leon Basset?
>
> Rick's reaction after seeing Leon's undead form., Days Gone Bye

Rick and Leon interact briefly right before the encounter with the criminals, and its safe to assume that Rick didn't think much of Leon, due to Rick's reference toward him "careless and dumb". This is due to Leon's lack of concern at the task at hand, even forgetting to pull the slide on his Glock 17 because of his thoughts on getting a video on a show. However Rick still had enough respect for him to not want to leave him as a zombie and executed him to put him out of his misery.

### Shane Walsh

Not much is known of the two's relationship other than they were colleagues.

## Trivia

* Leon is the first character to be seen alive and later zombified in the same episode.
* He is also the first named character Rick Grimes puts down after becoming a zombie.