Key changes include race-swapping Amber Bennett from white to Black, making Debbie Grayson Asian (voiced by Sandra Oh), portraying Mark Grayson as biracial (voiced by Steven Yeun), and gender-swapping Green Ghost to female. Creator Robert Kirkman explicitly justified these alterations by criticizing his comic team's lack of diversity as 'dumb white guys' and emphasizing representation to allow broader audience identification, revealing an activist intent to embed DEI principles.

Amber is depicted as a social justice advocate who challenges Mark on priorities and responsibilities, with lines and traits evoking progressive lecturing that some viewers interpret as naggy wokeness, influencing his early character arc and relationship subplot. These elements extend to Season 2 but remain subplots amid the central narrative of familial betrayal, apocalyptic superhero threats, and personal growth, without forming the foundational premise or primary emotional drivers. Audience reception includes pockets of backlash labeling the show 'woke trash' over these changes and Amber's portrayal, though the series retains broad acclaim and success.