What were your main goals for this first full episode in the time-jumped version of the series, which we’re seeing largely through the eyes of Magna and her group? It’s a new beginning for The Walking Dead as we enter the post-Rick era. Ahead, showrunner Angela Kang speaks with The Hollywood Reporter about the vast amount of changes that have occurred thanks to the time jump, what to expect next as the highly anticipated Whisperer arc begins and much more. The answer, as it turns out, is this: The Walking Dead looks older, wiser, and somehow fresher. What’s the deal with those talking zombies? Let’s just say they aren’t exactly as they appear - or as they sound, more accurately.Įxiting his final episode, many Walking Dead fans wondered what the show would look like without Andrew Lincoln.
'Walking Dead' Showrunner Explains Where the Zombie Drama Goes Next Without Andrew Lincolnįinally, there’s the matter of two groups of newcomers: Magna and friends, all of whom are currently on their way to the Hilltop, as well as the deadly new enemies Eugene and Rosita encounter at the end of the episode. After wiping out Negan’s old disciples, Carol and Henry reconnect with Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), apparently living in exile, completely on his own save for his crossbow, some knives, a fishing spear, a tent and the occasional walker battle. In the episode, Carol takes her adopted son Henry (Matt Lintz, taking over the role from his younger brother, Macsen - and both related to Madison Lintz, who played Carl’s daughter Sophia) on a trip to the Hilltop where he can study to become a blacksmith (a storyline that originally belonged to the late Carl Grimes in the Walking Dead comic books), which leads to a fatal road encounter with the remnants of the Saviors. Outside of Alexandria, a litany of changes as well: the Hilltop’s current status is unknown (though it’s not likely to involve Maggie, as Lauren Cohan will not appear again in season nine), but the Kingdom is thriving under the leadership of married king and queen Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and Carol (Melissa McBride). (Antony Azor), her child with the supposedly late Rick Grimes and Judith has been building a secret friendship with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), still imprisoned, now clocking in at roughly eight years inside his jail cell. Within Alexandria, several other changes are afoot: Gabriel and Rosita (Christian Serratos) are now a pair, even as a newly courageous Eugene (Josh McDermitt) still harbors feelings for his old traveling companion Michonne is not only parenting a 10-year-old Judith Grimes (Cailey Fleming), but also an approximately 5-year-old son in R.J. Michonne’s role is the only one specified, as she’s in charge of security, a job she takes very seriously as seen in the way she confronts Magna (Nadia Hilker), leader of the new group of survivors first introduced at the end of Rick’s swan song, “What Comes After.” (In reality, Lincoln will continue the role in a trilogy of original films for AMC.) In his wake, Alexandria still stands, ruled by a council of elected officials including Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), Aaron (Ross Marquand), Siddiq (Avi Nash) and Michonne (Danai Gurira). The episode acts almost as a pilot for a new Walking Dead show featuring new and old characters alike - emphasis on “old,” or at least older, based on the six years of in-universe time that have elapsed since Rick Grimes’ presumed death. Hopefully, we'll learn more about that soon.'Walking Dead' Expansion Plans Revealed: Andrew Lincoln to Lead 3 AMC Movies We're guessing it has something to do with that "X" carved into Richonne's back.
Later on the episode, Siddiq briefly discusses that things changed at the community at some point in time.
It seems pretty clear that some other group must have betrayed or harmed Alexandria and that's why Michonne is extra cautious of who they allow into the community. Maybe it has something to do with a bad event that occurred in Alexandria over the past few years. Why did the questions change? Perhaps they needed to evolve because it's been so long that people won't recall how many of the dead and living they've killed. The new questions Magna and her crew hear are: He was inspired after a phone call he had on season three during a hallucination. Rick started asking people three questions to see whether or not he should add people to his group. Here's Rick when he first gets the questions asked to him in a haze at the prison. Father Gabriel is asking the questions now.