Princess (The Walking Dead)

Did You Know?

• In the comics, Princess is a lone survivor residing in Pittsburgh who claims to have not seen any survivors in around a year.
• She dyes her hair several different colors and wears brightly colored, flamboyant clothes such as riding pants, aviator goggles, and feather boas.
• Princess helps fellow survivors fight against zombies and other malevolent survivor factions.

Television series

In the episode "Look at the Flowers", Ezekiel, Eugene, and Yumiko encounter a young woman excited to see them after discovering a tableau of walkers arranged in humorous situations. In "The Tower", Princess introduces herself but is interrupted by walkers; she puts them down with a machine gun, frightening their horses away. She apologizes and offers to lead them to transportation. Her directions prove erratic, leading the group through a live minefield where they find the remains of their horses.

Eugene later realizes a much quicker route was possible. Princess admits she has been alone for a long time and only wanted to endear herself. She takes them to a garage with bicycles. Yumiko, initially frustrated, allows Princess to join the group.

In "A Certain Doom", Eugene's group reaches the trainyard rendezvous point. After a bicycle crash, Eugene believes he missed his meeting with Stephanie but decides to continue. The group is accosted by heavily armed soldiers in white and red body armor, who order them to drop their weapons and kneel.

Development and reception

Paola Lázaro plays Juanita "Princess" Sanchez, a flamboyant and eccentric survivor shaped by past traumas. She first appears in the episode "Look at the Flowers," adapted from the comic series, where she has been living in total isolation and developed odd habits to cope with being alone. In the comics, her arrival kicks off the final major storyline: the introduction of the Commonwealth, a large network of communities that the Alexandria Safe-Zone residents later join, stirring up new conflicts.

This arc began in Volume 29, Issue 173 of Robert Kirkman's original comics. Princess also joins Eugene's mission to a far-off community. Critics responded positively to the character. Dustin Rowles of Uproxx praised her development, noting she is off-kilter but fundamentally good.

Paul Dailly of TV Fanatic highlighted the comedic relief she brings to the show's darker tone. Alyse Wax of Syfy Wire called her sassy and spunky. Aaron Neuwirth of We Live Entertainment commended Lázaro's performance. Matt Fowler of IGN said Princess shined in her debut.

Erik Kain of Forbes loved her wackiness. Alex McLevy of The A.V. Club gave the episode "Splinter" a B, calling it essentially a one-woman show focused on Princess.