Courtesy of Gene Page/AMC
Should viewers worry about Glenn (again)? You bet.
[Warning: This story contains spoilers from The Walking Dead comic series on which the AMC drama is based.]
AMC's The Walking Dead returns for the second half of its sixth season on Sunday with the show's central group of survivors in an extremely dangerous predicament.
Following the massive cliffhanger in November, the midseason return picks up after Deanna's death with Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Carl (Chandler Riggs), Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) and her sons, Ron (Austin Abrams) and Sam (Major Dodson), as well as Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) covered in walker guts trying to make their way out of Alexandria.
Elsewhere, Negan's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) group is holding Daryl (Norman Reedus), Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) at gunpoint; the Wolf has Denise (Merritt Wever) hostage; there's still a rift between Morgan (Lennie James) and Carol (Melissa McBride); while Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Enid (Katelyn Nacon) are trying to save a pregnant Maggie (Lauren Cohan) from her shaky, walker-surrounded tower.
Here, THR looks at some of the biggest burning questions to look forward to seeing when season six resumes on Sunday.
1. How deadly will the midseason premiere be? Without spoiling anything, we'll just reiterate that in the comics, the hand-holding brigade fails to make their way through the sea of walkers without a casualty (or more). Also look for one of the best montages the series has ever featured in the return hour that looks similar to this season six promo — only with way more action.
2. Could Carl lose an eye? In the comics, Carl doesn't make it out of the hand-holding sequence in one piece as a stray bullet from Douglas (the leader of the Alexandrians) catches him in the eye. We'll have our eyes peeled looking for this scene — and if (and how) AMC might possibly remix it.
3. Can the Alexandrians learn from Jessie and defend their community from the outside threats (both human and undead)? This is the biggest question facing the group following the walker attack on Alexandria. If Jessie were to die and the group fail to learn how to defend itself, her death would be in vain. However, if everyone can successfully defend their community, Jessie would have a lasting legacy on Alexandria.
4. Will Rick lose his hand? One of the many things overshadowed by Glenn's dumpster dive in the first half was the injury to Rick's hand and the nasty gash he experienced when his RV was attacked and subsequently surrounded. While showrunner Scott M. Gimple previously told THR that "Rick's hand is safe," we wouldn't be surprised to see one of the former sheriff's hands be savagely chopped off this season after AMC skipped over that reveal during The Governor's arc.
5. Will Deanna return? Producers love Tovah Feldshuh's Deanna and while the character was killed off in the midseason finale, there wasn't anyone around to put down zombie Deanna. Our bet is we'll see Undead Deanna one more time, if for no other reason than to twist the knife already in Michonne and son Spencer's (Austin Nichols) hearts.
6. How will Michonne respond to Deanna's death? The katana-carrying Michonne was among the most impacted by the leader of Alexandria's passing. Will this make Michonne fight even harder to defend those she holds dear? Or could she go the other way and emotionally retreat from Rick and company?
7. Is Enid really a remixed version of young Sophia? Our theory is yes, the young character was introduced to the AMC series to give Maggie a family member to care for in the event that Glenn does indeed meet Lucille. (As diehard Walking Dead fans remember, Carol's daughter was killed off earlier on the AMC show than in the comics when the youngster was revealed to have been a zombie locked away in Hershel's barn.)
8. Will the Saviors pose an immediate threat to Daryl, Abraham and Sasha? They're outnumbered by Negan's well-armed cronies. Everyone at Alexandria has their hands full. And Abraham and Sasha almost seemhappy — a true kiss of death on this show.
9. Will Carol and Morgan ever see eye to eye? The comic book originals have become very different characters than they are in the graphic novels. Right now, Morgan thinks anyone can redeem themselves but Carol isn't having it. After their clash allowed the hostage Wolf to escape with Denise as a hostage, will Morgan see Carol's way? Is there room for any sort of compromise here?
10. How deadly will Negan's arrival be? The writing for the smooth-talking, f-bomb-dropping villain has been on the walk for multiple seasons but the character, played by Morgan, is expected to arrive in the season six finale. So should everyone start worrying about Glenn's fate now? Well, yes. While there's no telling if AMC will take a remix approach to Negan's arrival — the character kills Glenn in the comics with his barbed wire covered bat named Lucille — doing so would help to explain all of Glenn's near-death experiences.
11. Is the guy who stole Daryl's crossbow and motorcycle really Dwight? Themidseason finale stopped short of confirming our theory that Austim Amelio is the comics book character from Negan's group, it's a safe bet that he is given that he already knows how to ride a motorcycle — a key fact for pretty much everyone in Negan's group. (Right, Daryl, Abraham and Sasha?)
12. Should we worry about Denise? Emmy winner Wever's Denise has only just started to come into her own as an untrained doctor — and Alexandria desperately needs someone with her skill set. But she doesn't know how to fight and she's being held by a crazy person.
13. How different will Gregory (Xander Berkley) and Jesus (Tom Payne)? Plus who is Alicia Witt playing?Prepare to meet a whole new group of characters as Negan's arrival signals the introduction of neighboring communities including The Hilltop (where Gregory is the boss) and The Kingdom (where the uncast Ezekiel and his pet tiger, Shiva, keep watch). While details about who Witt is playing, we're going to bet that she's Sherry, one of the many women Negan takes as a wife. But in reality, she's Dwight's wife.
14. Can Father Gabriel transform himself? Is there a character more disliked on this show than Father Gabriel right now? How can he redeem himself? If he can get Judith out of Alexandria in one piece, that might be a good start.
15. Can Eugene make himself more useful? While Josh McDermitt's Eugene has become the show's comic relief, he's still a liability to the group. In the comics, he figures out how to manufacture ammunition — which will be key toward the group forgiving the guy who lied about a cure.
16. What will happen to Heath? Corey Hawkins has just beencast as the star of Fox's 24: Legacy. And while that's only a pilot right now, it's in first position to Walking Dead, meaning Heath — whose character is still alive in the comics — may be exiting the AMC take.
17. Will Michonne and Morgan find love? In thecomics, Morgan and Michonne have a meaningful romantic relationship — something that the AMC series has yet to portray for either character. There's already a flirtation — he knows she swiped one of his protein bars — and their respective emotional turmoil could lead them to one another. Or the show could really appease fans and romantically link Rick and Michonne since Andrea, who becomes Rick's romantic partner in the comics, is no longer around on the show.
18. What about other love in the apocalypse? Sasha and Abraham really shared a spark, which could pave the way for Eugene to make a move on Rosita; plus Tara and Denise have already shared a smooch. If Alexandria can rebuild itself, the back-half of season six could be a good time to add some hope for the new world.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC. Stay tuned to THR's The Live Feed after the episode ends for extensive coverage.
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