Warning: "Walking Dead" Spoilers Ahead!

Not long ago, back in season four, during an overnight stay in a cabin in the woods, in a relatively peaceful moment for the zombie apocalypse, Beth Greene dropped a bomb:

Beth's words proved prophetic with last night's "Walking Dead" midseason finale. After spending the past several episodes trying to rescue Beth from Grady Hospital, Daryl was forced to watch in helpless agony as Hershel Greene's youngest daughter died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Why did Beth have to die? There's no easy answer. The simplest, perhaps, is that the show's cast is just too big. With fifteen series regulars and counting, somebody had to go eventually. Beyond that cynical reason, it's even murkier; why did Beth attack Dawn? And how did Dawn's knee-jerk reaction result in such a precise shot to Beth's brain?

There are no satisfying answers — just sad feelings. Losing Beth puts an end to the Bethyl shippers, the fans who hoped against all hope that Beth and Daryl would find their way into each other's arms. Turns out, those fans got their wish…

…but not in the way they wanted.

If fans feel heartbroken, they're not alone. Emily Kinney, who played Beth for four seasons, is understandably emotional as well, evidenced by her tear soaked "Talking Dead" appearance:

Beth Greene is dead, but not forgotten. Before she left the zombie apocalypse, she made one thing plainly clear:

She was a fighter:

She had attitude:

And she had friends:

Rest in peace, Beth.

What do you think of Beth's death?