The Walking Dead has revealed numerous names for zombies over the years, but Daryl Dixon just introduced one of its most interesting labels yet. Zombies have been an iconic part of the franchise ever since it began in 2010, but while walkers have become the most renowned title for the undead in AMC’s flagship series, it’s not the only one that’s been mentioned. Biters, roamers, and the infected are just some of the names used since The Walking Dead‘s zombie outbreak started, but Daryl Dixon‘s Tupilaq reference is the latest to hit the franchise, and it works perfectly.

During Carol and Ash’s visit to Greenland, the duo faced an unexpected zombie attack and were rescued by two Greenland natives. As the group began chatting, one of the new additions explained why their landing spot was so poor, claiming “The field is full of Tupilaq.” Given Daryl Dixon has heavily explored zombie variants, it would be fair to assume Tupilaq is the name of another type; however, this isn’t the case. Instead, the Greenland natives revealed it’s the name commonly used in Greenland for the undead, and the real-life origin of Tupilaq makes the title extremely fitting.

The Real-Life Myth Of The Tupilaq Explained

Tupiqlaq Were Supposedly Monsters Summoned To Destroy Enemies

Custom Image by Ana Nieves

While The Walking Dead has all different types of zombies, Greenland’s Tupilaq didn’t seem to be a new variant despite their new name. Instead, their origin comes from the real myth surrounding the Tupilaq, which stems from the Inuit religion. Tupilaq are believed to be creatures that are given life with the purpose of seeking out and destroying their maker’s enemy. However, summoning a Tupilaq was seen as a great risk, as if they were unable to successfully hunt the enemy in question, the Tupliaq instead returned to kill their maker, highlighting how dangerous these mythical creatures are.

They are supposedly made of animal parts and sometimes the corpses of children, giving them an unsettling appearance. The Tupilaq are also synonymous with the people of Greenland, hence why The Walking Dead uses the word while featuring the remote country. Although it is a pretty obscure reference, using real-life religion and culture helps make Greenland stand out as a location the same way France has in Daryl Dixon, and with the spinoff moving to Spain for season 3, the show will hopefully continue to explore this direction in order to keep things fresh.

Why The Greenland Survivors Call Zombies “Tupilaq” (& Why It’s A Fitting Name)

The Walking Dead’s Zombies Kill Their Maker, Just Like A Tupilaq

Daryl Dixon‘s Greenland survivors fittingly refer to zombies as Tupilaq since they have also technically turned on their makers, just like the mythical creatures. The Walking Dead World Beyond‘s post-credits scene heavily hinted at the zombie virus being made by humans in France, which Daryl Dixon has further supported. While it’s not certain whether the people of Greenland know this or not, humans coming back to life to kill other humans still seem to fit the behavior of the Tupilaq. The survivors even reference the origins of Tupilaq, claiming they were flesh-eating beasts, making the connection even more obvious.

Whether humans are supposed to be the enemy or the makers of the zombie is up for debate, but they’re arguably both, making the Tupilaq title extremely fitting. Given how deadly zombies are supposed to be in The Walking Dead, tying them into this Inuit myth feels like one of the most layered and inspired names for the undead in the entire franchise, adding to how interesting Carol and Ash’s Greenland detour was in Daryl Dixon season 2.