Karen

—Karen after sharing some of her back story with Finn**Karen** is a main character in The Walking Dead: Haven. A contrast to her irritable travelling companion, Finn, Karen is a hopeful survivor and deserter of the Cedarbrook settlement.

## Personality

Karen is an optimistic young woman, to the point where her attempts at positivity grate on the more realistic Finn. It's implied she can be a bit scatterbrained when it comes to high-pressure situations and relies on "vibes" instead of logical reasoning to guide her. While her partner, Finn, acts aggressively toward others, she tries to maintain peace and diplomacy.

She possesses a sentimental side as well, keeping a journal as well as a photograph of a woman presumed to be her mother.

## Pre-Outbreak

While little is known about Karen's life pre-outbreak, she does tell Finn a brief story that sheds some light on the relationship she had with her parents as an adolescent. Every year for her birthday her father would take her to the Griffith Observatory planetarium in Los Angeles, California, suggesting she lived in the south west of the USA. On her fifteenth birthday - the last birthday she would experience before the outbreak - her mother fell ill and Karen chose to stay by her side.

It appears there are some things Karen chooses to keep secret, however.

## Post-Outbreak

#### Pursuit of Happiness

Karen has made a travelling companion out of Finn, a man she'd come into contact with at a previous settlement where she'd lived called Cedarbrook. While in Nebraska, they are attacked by walkers which they manage to fend off, though Karen's ammo has suffered for it. While camped for the evening, Karen takes inventory of their dwindling supplies and shares a story with Finn about her life before the outbreak that involves her parents. Later, she and Finn come across an abandoned interstate crowded with deserted vehicles. Karen decides to investigate a promising looking truck, but is quickly stopped by a young girl holding her at spear point. She attempts to plead with the assumed bandits, explaining that she and Finn did not intend to harm them, but her words go ignored as she's knocked out by the butt of the girl's spear.

Karen wakes up inside the truck, and is approached by the male bandit as she sits up. The man explains that Finn is unharmed, and Karen questions what he wants from them - saying she tried to back off. The man chastises them for walking into his 'territory' before admitting they got off on the wrong foot. He explains he had Karen and Finn knocked out so he could think about what to do next and that he has no intention of killing either of them, but states he will 'tax' them for the inconvenience. When Karen asks what he wants, the stranger refers to how Finn described Nebraska as a wasteland and says he's going to take their supplies. In response Karen asks the man how he knows they won't come back once they're armed up to retrieve what was taken, and the man says they're not the time. When Karen questions this, he holds up her diary and says he's read through the most recent pages.

Eventually the bandit's young companion calls to him that Finn is waking up. When the bandit groans, remembering his previous interaction with Finn, Karen suggests cooperating to find more supplies for both duos as it means everyone wins - showing concern for the child who is with the bandit. The bandit considers her request and says he is inclined to agree if they do things his way. Karen says it's better than any other option, and the two shake hands. As the bandit gets up to speak to his friend about the new agreement, Karen asks for his name. The man says he is called Mal, and his companion is Annie.

The two groups discuss the new alliance - the bandits speak outside the truck, while Karen and Finn remain inside. Finn reluctantly agrees to hear Karen out and work with the bandits. Karen unties his binds and the man stands up as she knocks on the door to let Mal know they are done. Mal opens the door and says it's best for all of them if they get going right away. He unsheathes his knife and gives it to Karen as a symbol of trust, and Annie tells Finn he doesn't get anything because he's 'annoying'. Finn says the feeling is mutual, and Annie sticks her middle finger up at him.

Mal tells Annie to keep an eye on Karen and Finn outside while he gets the rest of his things.

The group walk through a forest during their search for supplies. Finn once again chastises Karen for involving them with the bandits, but Karen finally says his attitude is getting annoying. Mal intervenes and attempts to silence the two. When they back-sass him, Annie speaks up which catches Finn's attention. When Mal explains she is trying to listen for walkers, Karen agrees that they should perhaps be quiet. Finn jabs at Karen by saying he thought she did not want to be laboured with a kid, but Karen merely scowls at him which prompts Finn to reluctantly do as she says.

Despite this Mal still separates the two, pushing Finn forwards and leaving Karen with Annie. She attempts to break the ice with the girl by asking if she is okay, and Annie apologises for hitting her the night before, and tries to excuse herself by saying it was to make sure Karen and Finn couldn't hurt her and Mal. Karen is understanding and recognises that everyone is just trying to protect themselves.

Annie tries to convince Karen that she isn't a bad person, and says she does not think Karen is either - as she is being nice after everything. However, she admits she is unsure about Finn, as he is 'weird' and 'angry' all the time. Karen suspects Finn was not always that way, and his attitude is possibly the result of a traumatic experience. She asks if Annie understands that, and the girl merely looks away guiltily.

Mal calls out and says they've found something. When Finn approaches him, the scavenger pushes him downhill. Karen calls Mal out for his unnecessary aggression, but the man ignores her and tells Annie to keep an eye on her.

Mal and Finn look up at the building ahead of them. Finn says it doesn't look like much, but Mal tells him he is wrong and asks Annie to explain. The girl tries to think of a reason, initially deciding that it's because people might walk past it at night due to it being off to the side of the road, and later pointing out that there are old tents, suggesting previous occupants. Karen questions this, thinking that the tents must mean the place is already looted. Mal explains there are no signs of people but they left the tents, so the group is likely dead and they hopefully left all their supplies. As they enter, he tells the others to keep an eye out for threats.

Mal puts his backpack down inside, and heads through a doorway with Annie to scope the place out. While he is gone, Karen eyes his bag and asks Finn if he thinks it's a test. Finn agrees but has little respect for Mal and decides to raid the bag to get his supplies back. He finds his hatchet inside, and is surprised to find a radio as well.

Finn smugly shoves the radio in Karen's face. When he states his suspicion that Mal has been reporting to someone Karen immediately jumps to the conclusion that it's a trap set by Cedarbrook, their previous group, but Finn tells her that they do not post guards over state lines so it must be someone nearby. The two quickly debate on whether or not to put it back until the radio crackles and a voice is heard. Finn asks if he should answer the transmission but Karen tells him just to listen.

The voice on the radio asks if someone - presumably Mal - is 'there', and Finn draws the conclusion that he has a contact. Karen is in denial of this, however, and snatches the radio so she can put it back  - explaining that she's going to avoid conflict.

Mal returns and says the building is clear, and Karen asks what happened to the people. Mal explains it looks like they left but they should keep their guard up as they search the place. Finn uses this as an excuse to jump in and ask if Mal is actually going to help them search instead of telling them what to do while giving them no reason to trust him. Karen warns him, but Mal retorts by saying that Finn should draw his trust from the fact that he has not killed them. Finn says this is a poor reason, and recalls how Mal tried to kill him and would have done had he possessed the bullets, but Mal responds that Finn actively told him to do it. Finn then asks why Mal should be trusted when he has a radio and didn't tell them about it.

Karen turns on her ally as he shoves Mal against the wall and yells in his face, demanding answers. Annie prepares to defend Mal with her spear but Karen blocks her defensively, but when she tries to calm Finn down he takes it as her being on Mal's side. While he is distracted Mal takes the opportunity to punch him in the face and knock him to the ground, stating that Finn should learn to keep his hands to himself. Karen says he shouldn't leave his stuff in the open and Mal admits that it was in fact a test. Annie begins to ask everyone to be quiet, and reluctantly finishes her sentence as the trio are alerted to the sound of a pack of walkers.

Heading outside, Mal approaches one of the walkers and reaches for his knife – then realises he previously gave it to Karen. Unarmed, he trips the walker and stamps on its head, then turns and asks if the others expect him to deal with it by himself.

When Karen asks Finn to help, he asks why they should but quickly takes off when Karen raises her voice at him. Annie asks if Karen is armed and the woman shows her Mal's knife. Annie advances, impaling a walker through the head with her spear, and Karen follows up by tackling a second walker and stabbing it in the head. Annie gives Karen a thumbs up but is taken by surprise when a crawling walker grabs her leg and pulls her to the ground, causing her to drop her spear.

A corpse pushes Mal up against a tree as he desperately tries to keep its face away from him. Karen begs Finn to help the man as he is closer, and is forced to yell when he does not instantly react.

Once the walkers are dealt with Karen and Annie approach Mal and Finn. Karen says that she and Finn are worth keeping around, otherwise Mal and Annie could have died.

Later, Mal drops a duffel bag in front of Karen and Annie as they sit by a campfire – explaining he found it behind a radiator. He reveals a bottle of rum and a juice box, the latter of which he gives to Annie. After taking a sip himself, he passes the rum to Karen, then restrains himself and asks if she's twenty-one. She tells him she can hold her liquor, but begins coughing once she takes a sip and Mal retrieves the bottle, claiming he had plenty of practise before the outbreak. This causes Karen to ask what he did as a job, but he brushes it off. When she pursues the question he tells her it isn't interesting but Annie claims he's embarrassed because it ruins his 'image' and also tells him to reveal his secret.

When it seems like they'll never give in, Mal tells Karen he was a 'cubicle slave' – working in the advertising department of a toothpaste company. Karen thinks he's joking and double checks with Annie, who is already laughing at what Mal has said. Karen then asks if Mal had to wear a tie and he responds that he did every day except for “business casual Friday”, which makes Annie break out in hysterics before asking what business casual actually is. Karen explains and the two share a laugh as Mal grumbles to himself about how he spent four years at the University of Washington getting a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. As Karen teases him further, the two share an ambiguous glance before Karen looks away and changes the subject – saying that someone should switch out with Finn who is on watch.

Karen wakes Finn the following day, telling him that they'll cover more ground if they leave earlier. They meet with Mal outside, who tells them to keep an eye out as there may be more walkers around. The trio unite with Annie who is keeping watch. As the girl says she hasn't seen anything, the group's attention is drawn by rustling behind them. Finn grips his hatchet and Mal stands defensively in front of Annie as a one-handed man approaches them, telling them not to panic and asking them for their help.

### Safety in Numbers

Mal, Annie, Finn and Karen face the stranger as he tells them he just wants to talk. Annie interrupts, asking if he is bit – as he is missing an arm – but the man tells her not to worry and introduces himself as Sergeant Raymond Kemp. Mal orders the man to leave, but the latter tells the group he scoped them out and has supplies he's willing to share with them if they help him with something.

Karen asks for proof of the supplies before hearing him out, and Ray acknowledges he thought they might ask that. He looks over his shoulder and calls to someone out of sight. As he admits that he hopes they feel the same way about travelling with children as he does, he is approached by two boys – one a teenager, the other under ten – whom he quickly introduces as his sons. The elder son backs his father up by saying he is not lying as he puts a duffel bag filled with supplies on the ground. Ray tells the group there are only enough to last a day, but the group can have more if they help him. Mal explains Nebraska is running on empty in terms of free supplies an admits they don't really have a choice, so he asks what Ray wants from them. Ray tells them he needs help rescuing his daughter.

Karen asks what happened to Ray's daughter, and the man tells them 'bad people' are holding her hostage – adding that if they agree to help him he'll take them to a place where they can discuss everything in full. He emphasises how he has supplies and his elder son begs for their help, which secures Karen's sympathy. Finn criticises her decision heavily, but Karen explains that he of all people should understand why she wants to help.

When asked,Finn says he has no choice but to come as Mal has his gun and Karen has the remainder of his supplies, expressing extreme distaste towards being capitulated and going as far as to call Ray's daughter a brat he has no reason to care about. As Finn turns away, Ray's eldest son offers a handshake to Mal, introducing himself as Austin and his brother as Noah, but the gesture is rejected. Karen swoops in and accepts the handshake in Mal's stead, introducing her own group, but is concerned when Austin keeps hold of her hand for slightly too long and she has to tell him to let go.

Ray beckons the group to follow him and Austin and Noah swiftly trail after their father, picking up the duffel bag of supplies as they go. Mal and Karen linger back for a moment as the former asks the latter if she still has his knife, then notes it's good she does.

The group arrives at a small house situated in the woods around sunset. Mal approaches Karen again, and attempts to apologise for “testing” her and Finn the day prior. Karen notes it was a dumb idea but he isn't the only one who has had them recently – noting her plan to make a deal with Mal himself was somewhat ridiculous. Mal tries to explain something further but halts himself, saying that he'll tell her when they're done with Ray. He says he wants to make sure that she'll side with him and Annie over the Kemps if it comes to it, and Karen says she will.

Inside the house, Ray tells Karen and Mal to take a seat, then sends Austin to the kitchen to fix some food. Austin returns and passes food out to the group as Karen notices Noah is missing. Ray explains the boy has probably run upstairs as he does not like strangers – then tells Austin to take Noah some food as he can handle the situation on his own.

Mal says Ray does not seem very concerned about his daughter, which he takes as an insult. Finn interjects by asking Ray what his daughter's name is in an attempt to catch him out, but Ray quickly provides a very detailed history of his daughter, Phoebe, then tells them he wouldn't be risking his neck – or his sons' - with strangers if his child wasn't in danger. Karen tells Finn not to jump to conclusions. When Ray thanks her she states it is more for her own benefit – noting that while Finn is harsh, he has a point that anyone can make up a sob story.

Ray explains that he joined a large group to keep his kids safe, but realised they were dangerous – explaining they had harsh punishments for the smallest of offences. They planned an escape, but in a resulting struggle Phoebe was captured. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Ray decided he could not risk Austin and Noah as well lest any or all of his children wind up dead. Karen asks how he knows the group has not already hurt Phoebe, and Ray says he doesn't but has to try to get her back. He proposes the group aid him in rescuing the girl and in return they can have a fair share of what he stole from the enemy group during his escape, but Finn notes that they are terribly unequipped for such a venture – prompting Ray to look at his AK-47 and ask if they really thought he only stole food.

In the kitchen, Ray chats to Karen about his past. He reveals that he lost his lower left arm during the Gulf War in the early nineties after being caught off-guard by a landmine. Afterwards he was sent home to find his wife had given birth to Austin. Karen asks when Noah was born, and Ray tells her his youngest son was born in 2001 – making him only two during the initial outbreak of the zombie virus – and admits belief that he failed to raise the boy right. Karen tries to cheer him up by saying he's done better than others could and that Noah just seems a little shy, a compliment which Ray accepts wholeheartedly before asking what Karen got up to before the outbreak.

Karen says she was in the Tenth Grade and that her parents didn't make it, but she survived with her sister. The two were later separated and haven't seen each other in three years, so Karen took to linking up with groups to survive as it is more trustworthy – a sentiment which Ray agrees with.

Ray then asks which of the two 'jackasses', Finn or Mal, Karen is dating, which she is taken off-guard by. She tells Ray that she only met Mal recently and she isn't Finn's type – Ray agrees with the latter point, then looks over the woman's shoulder as Mal arrives in the kitchen and asks Karen to round up the kids. Karen initially protests but is halted by Ray who says they need all hands on deck, which makes her leave.

When everyone gathers in the living room, Finn tells Karen he thought they were done with large groups. Karen tries to alleviate his concerns by saying they're basically all working towards the same goal, but Finn notes that Mal said a similar thing to him earlier. Looking at Mal, Karen asks Finn not to cause trouble, and Finn says once they're done they can leave. Karen agrees half-heartedly, which makes Finn glare at her with irritation.

Ray asks Karen if everything is prepared, which the woman confirms. The man says they'd better get moving, then says their enemies won't know what hit them.

Later, Karen, Finn and Noah wait in a treeline. Finn pushes Noah for information on Ray, but Noah insists that Phoebe is real. They are interrupted by Austin, who claims to have been doing something important (and also taking a toilet break due to nerves). Karen explains to him that Mal, Ray and Annie are scouting out the community allegedly holding Phoebe hostage.

## Killed Victims

* Potentially numerous counts of zombies.

## Relationships

### Finn

Karen and Finn share a strained relationship despite being travelling companions. Their personalities often clash and they do not hesitate to make snide remarks to one another, but it can be assumed they gain some sort of benefit or have a form of mutual trust, or they would likely go their separate ways. Karen is more open to Finn and does make attempts to win him over, but Finn does not give in.

### Mal

Despite being a captive of Mal, Karen attempts to make peaceful resolutions with the bandit. Thanks to this, the man trusts her far more than Finn, going as far as to give her a knife to defend herself with when they agree to search for supplies together. Following their encounter with a pack of walkers, Karen and Mal find themselves on almost friendly terms, sharing a casual conversation along with Annie.

### Annie

Despite a tense situation, Karen attempts to calm the Annie down but does not succeed. Annie later apologises for her actions and the two reconcile slightly. They later bond when they share a conversation with Mal around a campfire, but this bonding comes at the expense of Mal's dignity when his past as an office worker comes to light.

## Appearances

### Volume 1: Pursuit of Happiness

* Issue 1
* Issue 2
* Issue 3
* Issue 4

### Volume 2: Safety in Numbers

* Issue 5
* Issue 6
* Issue 7