Simon (also known as Lead Savior in his first appearance) is a fictional character from The Walking Dead television series. He was played by Canadian actor Steven Ogg.
Simon is the second-in-command of the Saviors and the personal right-hand man of the Saviors' leader, Negan. Simon is instrumental in capturing Rick Grimes and his group as they head in an RV to get Maggie Greene to the Hilltop Colony. Much like Daryl Dixon, Simon is an original character not included in the comic book series of the same name.
Appearances
Background
While little else is known about Simon before his introduction, in "Worth", he is revealed to have been responsible for the massacre of all the males of the Oceanside community above the age of ten. Negan recognized that Simon's cruelty could be put to productive means but needed to be watched closely, and thus Negan made him a high-ranking Savior. In The Walking Dead: Dead City, it is revealed that Simon often clashed with the Croat over the Croat's methods which included, at one point, torturing a young girl for information. In turn, the Croat suspected Simon to be disloyal to Negan despite Simon apparently being one of Negan's most loyal and faithful followers. The Croat would later note that Simon never really listened to Negan while Simon is shown kissing up to Negan and trying to use the Croat's extreme actions to angle for more power for himself.
Season 6
Simon is introduced in the Season 6 finale, "Last Day on Earth", where he is one of Negan's lieutenants working to route Rick Grimes and his group towards a designated meeting point by creating roadblocks. Once Rick and his allies arrive, Simon and other Saviors force the group to their knees as they are first introduced to Negan and "Lucille", his baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire. Seeking to force the group into submission for their transgressions against the Saviors, Negan prepares to kill one of them.
Season 7
In the Season 7 premiere, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be", Negan first beats Abraham Ford's head to a pulp, and then kills Glenn Rhee as punishment when Daryl Dixon tries to stop Negan. Negan, Simon, and the other Saviors take Daryl as their captive as they depart back to their base, the Sanctuary.
Simon is assigned to be the Saviors' contact for the Hilltop community, assuring the cooperation of the cowardly Gregory to continue the Hilltop's offerings to the Saviors ("Go Getters"). When Daryl escapes the Sanctuary, Simon and the Saviors seek him out at the Alexandria Safe-Zone, ransacking the community, and warning Rick that retribution will come if they find him there ("Rock in the Road"). After Negan kills the Sanctuary's doctor, Simon recovers the doctor's brother who has been serving Hilltop. Simon becomes aware that Gregory is losing control of the community to Maggie Rhee, Glenn's wife, and Simon confides in Gregory to let him know if there is trouble. ("The Other Side") Eventually, Negan and the Saviors are forced to go to war with Rick and the Alexandria community, but Rick and his allies are able to repel the attack. Afterwards, Rick, Maggie, and King Ezekiel of the Kingdom community agree to launch an offensive against the Saviors, while Negan, Simon, and the other Saviors prepare for a new attack. ("The First Day of the Rest of Your Life")
Season 8
Gregory, now having lost all control of Hilltop to Maggie, comes to the Sanctuary to warn Simon, Negan, and the other lieutenants about this, but assures them that a bit of coercion can bring them back in line ("The Big Scary U", in flashback). Simon suggests they just wipe out the Hilltop community but Negan firmly dismisses that idea, as he sees the residents of these communities as resources. Just then, Rick's combined allies arrive at the Sanctuary, demanding they stop ("Mercy"). Negan refuses, and Simon tells Gregory to warn the Hilltop soldiers that they will be evicted from Hilltop if they ally with Rick; none of them defect and remain standing for Maggie, and Simon kicks Gregory off a set of stairs. Rick and his allies proceed to fire at the Sanctuary, forcing Negan to take cover within a box trailer, and the rest of the Saviors back inside as they purposely led a walker horde inside the Sanctuary fences as to contain the Saviors. As Rick and his allies leave, Gabriel Stokes sees Gregory struggling to protect himself, and helps rescue him, but Gregory panics and drives off alone, leaving Gabriel to end up taking shelter in the same box trailer as Negan.