When The Walking Dead Season 7 started, the popular AMC series found itself in a strange position.
Fans who normally proclaimed their love for the zombie apocalypse series were angry. Season 6 ended with a cliffhanger where new bad guy Negan killed someone and they were forced to wait until the Season 7 premiere to even learn who died. What they learned was that two beloved characters – Glenn and Abraham – died at the hands of Negan and his beloved bat Lucille.
Things didn’t get easier as the season wore on, as popular characters like Rick, Carol, and Daryl seemed almost neutered by the new villain of the show and there were even complaints that Negan was shown as a character that seemed to be the smartest character of anyone when it came to surviving and living in the zombie apocalypse. With that said, Season 7 ended on an interesting note as the trio of Rick, Carol, and Daryl seem ready to stand back up and fight and the Great War is coming in Season 8.
Fans of The Walking Dead comics know how huge the Great War is and what it means for the future of our beloved heroes. For those who haven’t read the comics, there might be some possible spoilers in this list, but here is a look at 30 things we want to see in The Walking Dead Season 8.
30. A strong return for Carol
There are some major differences between The Walking Dead’s comic book series and the popular AMC television show. One of the biggest differences is in the character of Carol. In Season 7 (actually starting back in Season 6), Carol went from being one of the toughest, fiercest, and most powerful female characters in all television and became scared, weak, and ready to die. For fans of the comic, it was not so shocking.
In the comics, Carol actually tried to commit suicide in front of her daughter while they were at the prison and then walked into a zombie and allowed it to kill her. She was weak and unable to continue the fight in the comics. That never happened in the TV show and Carol basically took on the same role that Andrea had in the comics (whereas Andrea was the one who walked into a zombie and died in the TV show).
In Season 7, Carol looked ready to die but she met Ezekiel and started to gain strength again. Then, by the end of the season, she learned what Negan did to her people and she is now ready to fight. It is time for Carol to start kicking butt again and that should happen in Season 8 of The Walking Dead.
29. Is this the end for Daryl?
Every season, there are questions about whether or not Daryl will make it through the season alive. He was actually one of the characters that many believed would die at the hands of Negan at the start of Season 7. He not only lived but was taken by Negan to his camp and held hostage. For much of Season 7, Daryl seemed beaten and unable to continue on, mostly because he blamed himself for the death of Glenn, among others.
In Season 8, the questions are there once again. When the Great War starts, not everyone will survive. The fans of the comics know that there will be deaths and there was even the shocking death of Sasha to end Season 7. So, will Daryl die in Season 8? That is a question that still needs to be answered, but there will be huge moments for Daryl during the Great War and he should prove to everyone why he was, at one time, the most popular character on the show.
Daryl owes Negan for what he went through in the last season. Daryl also has a lot of atonement to face because of his own doubts and fears, especially with the deaths he blames himself for. If Daryl dies, there might not be a better time than during the Great War and his death would send fans into a rabid sense of revenge.
More Negan and Carl
When Negan took Daryl with him in Season 7, there were thoughts that Daryl was the surrogate for Carl in that storyline from the comics. However, that isn’t what happened and Carl still went to kill Negan, only to fail and end up impressing Negan a great deal. Both Carl and Negan develop an interesting relationship throughout the comics that even goes beyond the Great War (slight spoiler there).
Negan really respects Carl and Rick and grows to respect Carl more as time goes on. There is a lot of expectations that Carl is who will end up as the main protagonist in the comics by the time they come to an end and it is his relationship with Negan that forms who he becomes, almost as much as being the son of Rick Grimes. Hopefully, The Walking Dead Season 8 continues to show the development of the Carl and Negan relationship.
Carl has a huge role to play in the future of the Walking Dead. Having more experience battling and learning from Negan will do a lot to make him more than just the son of Rick Grimes.
The Great War
Of course, the one thing that fans will want to see more than almost anything in Season 8 of The Walking Dead is The Great War. What is impressive (although a little bit of overkill) is that there are many more pieces on the board on the TV show than there was in the comics. In the comics, it was Alexandria, Hilltop and The Kingdom vs. The Saviors. On the TV show, there are the Scavengers and Oceanside added in, making there just that many more pieces to betray and turn on each other before all is said and done.
One of the best parts of this war is that Negan never wanted it but it was forced on him by Rick, who refused to live under the thumb of a madman who killed people to instill fear and obedience. This war is going to be huge and a lot of people will die but it should take a lot of the heel-dragging from Season 7 and just turn the volume all the way up to make Season 8 one of the most exciting of the entire series.
Gregory’s Betrayal
Everyone saw that Gregory is a slimy, backstabbing coward in Season 7. When he betrays Maggie, he proves that he will do anything to get his way. He did the same thing in the comics. However, in the comics, he also did something almost worse. He sided with Negan in the Great War and the TV show proves that he is on his way to the same moment in Season 8.
It is Gregory who convinces a number of Hilltop people to turn and walk away from Rick, leaving the war for a short time. Gregory betrays everyone when he does this and he loses his most powerful friends and allies – specifically Jesus – at this moment. Gregory will betray his people but he will pay for it at the end.
Gregory might be the most cowardly, untrustworthy, and slimy character on the entire Walking Dead television show. Say what you want about Negan, but he is more of a man than Gregory every dreamed of being. While Negan deserves what he might have coming to him, Gregory deserves to die in the most painful and humiliating way possible.
Eugene’s coming of age
Gregory isn’t the only person to betray someone. In Season 7, it seemed apparent that Eugene had switched to Negan’s side in order to save his own butt. He has done everything he needed to do throughout the series to save his own life, so this comes as no surprise. However, Eugene also lost his closest protector in Abraham to Negan’s soldiers and there was something that happened in Season 7 that shows that not all is what it seems for Eugene.
Sasha’s death with the suicide pill was something that Eugene did to free her from Negan’s control. That is something that Negan will realize, sooner rather than later, that Eugene was responsible for. He knows how valuable Eugene is but I am almost certain that Eugene has every intention of betraying Negan and helping Rick and company in the huge upcoming war.
24. Rosita + Eugene
It is also about time that Eugene finally found a measure of happiness. In the comics, Eugene and Rosita finally – after a long time of ignoring their feelings – consummated. That might seem wrong to some fans but the two have been through so much and this could be the best possible scenario for each of them.
Rosita has made so many mistakes since Abraham died. She has done everything in the world to ruin Rick’s plans and should have died more than once. It is time for Rosita to calm down, stop sabotaging the situation, and it is time for her to finally hook up with Eugene, something that has built since they joined Abraham, to begin with. In the comics, she ends up pregnant. The world is growing and this could be another opportunity for that.
The Return of Heath
On a minor note, expect the return of Heath. He has not been seen since the early attacks and just disappeared from the TV series. The reason has nothing to do with the TV show storyline. Actor Corey Hawkins was cast to play the lead in the TV show 24: Legacy. As a result, Heath has not been seen since the sixth episode of Season 7. However, 24: Legacy has been canceled so expect to see Heath return – even if just for a short time – in Season 8 of The Walking Dead.
That is not to say that Heath will play a major role or will even live long after he returns. However, he had a very interesting role in the comic books, as he lost a leg completely and then continued to fight alongside Rick and Alexandria as a battle-tested warrior. With Hawkins leaving the show for a different series, there might not be the willingness to make him an important character but it also might have raised his name value enough to make him a featured player during the Great War.
Aaron Suffers a Loss
One of the more interesting, yet often overlooked, relationships on The Walking Dead is that of Aaron and Eric. While they are not the only gay couple on the TV show or in the comics, they were the first to openly share their relationship when they helped Daryl. Aaron was a scout and was an important part of Alexandria before Rick Grimes showed up. Since then, he and Eric have slightly been pushed to the back.
However, there is a moment in the comics that could replay itself on the TV show and that could make Aaron a very important part of the battle against Negan. There will be deaths in the Great War and one of those deaths might come to Eric. This would push Aaron over the edge and give Rick yet another man willing to die to protect their home.
22. Shiva’s fate
This is an area that could really bother a lot of Walking Dead fans. In the comics, The Governor gunned down Lori and Judith. In the TV show, Judith lived. Now, there is an animal that many fans have grown to love – Ezekiel’s beloved tiger Shiva. In the comics, Shiva died protecting Ezekiel – and died at the hands of the Walkers. There are some pretty big rumors that – despite the cost of CGI – the TV show might spare the tiger’s life for now.
Either way, Shiva will either live through to the end of Season 8 or she will die protecting Ezekiel. If the show wants to break down Ezekiel, this is the way to do it. However, there is always the chance that the Walking Dead TV show could spare this beloved animal the same way it has protected babies in the past.
Morgan’s fate
Morgan has very much outlived his comic book counterpart. Most fans wanted to see Morgan die in Season 6 when he was completely anti-fighting and wanted to convince everyone to just live in peace. Even Carol wanted to kill him at one point. The one thing that Morgan did was build the prison in Alexandria, and that will play into a very important event in Season 7 of The Walking Dead. However, Morgan won’t live to see it and will likely die early on this season.
Morgan is one of the longest-lasting characters on the entire series. Honestly, other than Rick and Carl, there isn’t anyone who has really been around as long. However, Morgan rubbed so many people the wrong way that it might be time for him to redeem himself and go out in a blaze of glory. What better way for Morgan to die than to save Carol or Rick and die a hero. Either way, don’t expect him to live through the upcoming season.
“I believe in Maggie”
The entire premise of the Walking Dead TV show through the first seven seasons is that everyone believes in Rick Grimes. However, there is something that happened in the comics that is being mirrored on the TV show. Maggie has moved on to Hilltop and she has started to make people believe in her. As mentioned earlier, there was the situation with Gregory betraying Maggie and everyone else, but Maggie is getting plenty of people on her side.
The comics have people saying that Maggie believes in Rick Grimes and they do too because they believe in Maggie. This is the season where Maggie truly becomes a leader at Hilltop and becomes the person that they need to lead them, much like Alexandria has Rick Grimes. The differences between Maggie and Rick is what will define the future of The Walking Dead.
19. Maggie vs. Gregory
The difference between Maggie and Rick is really shown through the character of Gregory. Rick Grimes has been changing and doesn’t necessarily believe in killing just to kill anymore. It was Rick killing everyone who was a danger to him that caused men like Glenn, Abraham, and more to die around him. However, while Rick does not kill, Maggie has a different outlook on things.
In the comics, not only does Gregory betray Maggie, but he tries to kill her. Rick doesn’t believe in killing so much anymore but Maggie is not above that. In the comics, Maggie hangs Gregory by his neck to make an example before telling people that they do not kill and this needs to end. However, Maggie kills in the comics and it is expected that Gregory meets a similar fate on the TV show as well.
Jesus Takes a Bigger Role
As mentioned earlier, there is a chance that Eric dies and that would be tragic if for no other reason than ending one of the more positive LGBT relationships on The Walking Dead. However, as fans know, Jesus is also gay and that is something that could really push him to the spotlight on the TV series. The fact that he is one of the toughest, most reliable fighters on the entire show would really enable The Walking Dead to shine a spotlight against stereotypes.
There is also the fact that, much like Daryl is a right-hand man to Rick Grimes on the TV show (and Andrea is in the comics), Jesus is the right-hand man for Maggie and is the person there to stand by her and help her gain respect and leadership in the Hilltop. Jesus is much more important than the TV show makes him appear and it is the time he is treated with respect on TV.
17. Carol and Ezekiel
It is interesting that Michonne took the place of Andrea as Rick Grimes’ lover on the TV show. In the comics, Rick has Andrea and considers Michonne one of his closest friends. With that said, it looks like Carol is taking Michonne’s’ place with Ezekiel possibly. Whether it remains Carol, or if Michonne leaves Rick, this is something that bears watching on the TV show. Ezekiel needs his romantic relationship – especially if Shiva does end up dying.
Fans of the comics know what happened to Ezekiel after the Great War – and they also know what happened to Michonne. Even if this is Carol in Michonne’s place, the relationship needs to move on and this will be hugely important leading into Season 9 of the AMC television series.
16. The Saviors turn (Dwight)
It was set up in Season 7 of The Walking Dead but, just like with The Governor, Negan’s people are not all on his side. The guy takes numerous wives and then puts an iron to the faces of the former husbands if they don’t like it. It almost seems impossible that the man who almost killed Daryl and then put an arrow through Olivia’s head, would be the man to lead the rebellion, but that is what is happening.
By the time the Great War ends, the Saviors will survive but with a new leader. It will be great to see Negan’s face when this ultimate betrayal finally happens. While these people are portrayed as villains, anyone who has followed The Walking Dead knows that most people are just doing what they need to survive. This war started because Rick and company were as barbaric as anyone in the Saviors group outside of Negan. Seeing them redeem themselves will be worth it in the end.
15. Inner Turmoil
Of course, the inner turmoil is not just in the Saviors camp. Gregory, as mentioned earlier, is not ready to give up his comfy leadership position at Hilltop. Almost everyone is on Rick’s side, but as was shown last season when Negan killed someone who wanted to betray Rick, not everyone can be trusted. That was proven clearly with the Scavengers in the Season 7 finale. This is a Great War and there will be betrayals and backstabbing and everything else you could wish for in a war. Things are about to get exciting on The Walking Dead.
Whether it is the Hilltop citizens, the now battle-tested members of Alexandria, the armored warriors from The Kingdom, or even the wildcards from the Scavengers and Oceanside, there are a lot of puzzle pieces to move around as the Great War is about to start. From the start, The Walking Dead has always been more interesting when we see people turning on each other rather than seeing zombies lumber around. That will continue to be the case, as the individuals involved in the battles are always more interesting than any war.
Scavengers Are Out for Themselves
Speaking of The Scavengers, it came as a shock to everyone when they betrayed Rick Grimes and joined forces with Negan. However, don’t think for a minute that this story is over with. These people live by doing what they have to do to survive and they are not on Negan’s side – they are only on their own side. Season 8 will see twists and turns but one thing that should be expected is that The Scavengers are not to be trusted – by Rick or by Negan.
I also expect them to get wiped out completely in the Great War. These people seem to be set up to die and have very little reason to be respected or honored. They are here to betray the heroes and there is no reason that they should trust the Saviors either. The Scavengers are meant to be an example of what happens when you prove that no one can trust you. I wouldn’t even be surprised to see Negan slaughter them after getting his weapons because they proved to be traitors.
13. Oceanside Stays Out of the Fight
As for Oceanside, this is another blurry area for fans of The Walking Dead comic books. Much like The Scavengers, they do not exist in the comics. However, they could be set up to carry out the role from after the Great War when it comes to where Michonne ends up (or Carol, if they follow through with my earlier prediction). Oceanside could be a great trade partner when the war ends, even if they don’t end up joining in the fight.
Interestingly, much like the Scavengers, they are not part of the comics and are used in a different way. The Scavengers proved to be untrustworthy and out for themselves. The Oceanside survivors proved that they are not fighters but they will do the right thing to help the good guys overcome evil. While the Scavengers will die – and likely in a very painful and humiliating way – the Oceanside group should live to prove to viewers that people who are inherently good will be rewarded in the new world. This also might be where Carol or Michonne ends up at when everything is said and done.
Rick Uses the Walkers
There was a real lack of danger from The Walkers in Season 7 of The Walking Dead. Without giving away too much here, Rick’s plan to attack Negan involves using The Walkers and it was a fantastic moment in the comic books. It also shows that The Walkers might be a danger but they can also be used as a weapon by smart warriors. Rick is one of the smartest fighters out there and if the TV show follows the comics, he will use The Walkers like we have never seen them used before.
Honestly, it should be very interesting if Rick uses the Walkers like he did in the comics. The Walking Dead television show already showed that Rick knows how to use the Walkers – but in the earlier episodes, he did it to veer them off the paths of Alexandria. In the Great War, he will do the opposite and move them into the lair of the enemy. It is ruthless, smart, and proves that the original threats of the TV show can now be used as weapons for the heroes who have learned that the real evil is the men who are still alive.
11. Negan changes Rick
Interestingly, Negan and Rick have a huge impact on each other. A lot of fans complained on social media about Negan being right on most occasions while Rick continued to make stupid decisions. In the comics, Negan just wanted everyone to live as they have been with him in charge. Rick refused and this caused the Great War. Rick was the aggressor and Negan was just frustrated by the instance on fighting.
By the end of the Great War – in the comics at least – Rick gets through to Negan. However, just when Rick gets through to Negan, he takes his last shot. Rick has changed and does not want to be like Negan. He wants to be better than Negan. On the same level, Negan wants to be more like Rick and the two of them are much more alike than either will admit. By the end of the war, both men are changed but neither will admit that they are two sides to the same coin.
Carl Comes of Age
It is also time for Carl to finally step outside of Rick’s shadow. In the comics, he develops the relationship I mentioned earlier with Negan. He is also reaching the age where he can’t keep being considered the son of Rick Grimes. It is time for him to become Carl Grimes – his own man. He does that in the comics following the Great War and it will be nice to see him turn into the man he needs to be in Season 8 of The Walking Dead during the Great War.
Carl has a long way to go. It was just a few seasons ago that some fans were complaining online that it was time for Carl to die, as he was seen as a brat, who whined about everything and rebelled (like all teenagers do, but it was still annoying on a show about zombies). Carl still isn’t the best character yet but he is becoming a man and will soon get away from his dad and do what he needs to do to grow into what will – one day – be a great leader. That should really start to take form this season.
Who will die?
So, the big question is – who will die in Season 8 of The Walking Dead?
The biggest bet will see Morgan die. Most of Ezekiel’s people will probably die as well. Gregory should die, if not during the Great War, then after the war ends. Daryl is always a bet to die and this might be the season that he finally goes out in a blaze of glory. Shiva is a good bet to die, although a lot of people think she might live through the actual war. Aaron might lose Eric in the war and become a warrior himself. Expect to see a lot of deaths on both the Saviors and Scavengers sides.
This is a war and there will be casualties.
8. Rick’s Injury
The trailer for The Walking Dead Season 8 had a lot of people misunderstanding the final moment. There was a shot of a cane and then of Rick Grimes with a long gray beard. Yes, this will take place after The Great War, but this is not a future utopia that everyone is living in. It is also not Rick waking up from a coma (that won’t ever happen).
This moment is after the Great War and there is a time jump but it isn’t as big as people act like it will be. Instead, this is the ramifications of the war between Negan and Rick and it will see both men needing a lot of time to recover. It is months – not years in the future and is just proof that the war has ended.
7. Rick Finally Takes Over Leadership
Rick has been reliant to take over leadership for a long time. Every time it seems that he is ready to take over as the leader, something happens to knock him back down again. It happened again in Season 7 and it made Rick very hard to support as Negan took control. However, by the end of The Great War, expect Rick to take complete leadership control – for better and worse.
You won’t see how – harsh – Rick can get as the leader until down the line, but Season 8 of The Walking Dead will see Rick Grimes become the leader that everyone knew he could be. That is actually a good thing for Negan.
The Prison Life
One thing about The Walking Dead television fans is that they are bloodthirsty. Follow Twitter during any episode and you will see fans of the AMC show wishing death on anyone who even looks at Rick or Carol or Daryl in a funny way. With that said, there are a ton of fans of the TV show who have never touched the comics who are ready to see Negan die in horrible ways.
That won’t happen (or at least, it shouldn’t happen). You remember the prison cell I mentioned earlier that Morgan built? That is the home that Negan will have after the Great War. If Rick kills Negan – which most of his friends want to see happen – Rick believes that he will become just like Negan. To keep that from happening, it is time for Rick to bring the law back to the land and that means locking Negan up with a life sentence for his crimes – not killing Negan.
5. A New Utopia
When Rick recovers and goes out into Alexandria, we learn that Alexandria – and The Hilltop – are thriving communities with farms and land and a trade agreement – in peace. It was time for the world to work as partners and not in fear. This is where the hope for the future comes from and this is where the show will finally start to describe that future.
One of the best things about the outcome of the Great War is that the people of the Hilltop and Alexandria see Rick as their savior and the hero that saves them all. Rick changes and wants to develop the new world. Thanks to him finally taking responsibility for the leadership, Rick is able to build the sense of community and turns these two towns – and more – into thriving communities that work together to start to rebuild the world. The Great War brings devastation but it ends in a new utopia and a brave new world.
4. Glenn returns
With Negan in prison, there needs to be new hope for the future. That comes with the babies and the children of the new world. There has been a lot of belief that Steven Yeun is coming back for Season 8 of The Walking Dead and he won’t be back as a zombie or anything like that. Glenn will likely be back either in flashbacks or as hallucinations for Maggie as she sets out to become the leader of the Hilltop.
Even if it is just for a few episodes, it will be nice to see the fan favorite again. Of course, this can only happen in dreams and flashbacks. It has been done before with Shane, Merle, and a few others. It might be a nice treat for fans, but The Walking Dead can’t overdo the return of Glenn because Maggie needs to become the leader of The Hilltop and needs to do it on her own and not thanks to the visions of her dead husband.
2. The Walkers Become a Threat Again
As mentioned earlier, the arrival of Negan and the threat that someone of his immense power possesses has made the Walkers almost an afterthought. However, the Walkers should never be ignored as just background noise. When the survivors stop considering the walkers as a threat, they will die. That is how Shiva died in the comics – because Ezekiel stopped considering the walkers to be as dangerous as they really are.
I mentioned earlier how Rick will use the Walkers as a weapon – which he should to follow an amazing moment from the comics. There is also a moment in the comics where Negan uses the Walkers – or at least their blood – as a weapon as well. However, The Walking Dead needs to remind viewers that the Walkers are always a danger – whether as a herd or as an unexpected trap. The Walkers will kill someone important this season to prove that Negan is only part of the problem.
1. The Whisperers
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The final thing that we want to see in The Walking Dead Season 8 is the arrival of The Whisperers. I don’t want to reveal too much about them – why they are called The Whisperers or what makes them unique – but they are the big bad after the Great War and they are scary in a very different way than Negan or The Governor was scary.
They need to appear in some way in Season 8 – if only as a way to foreshadow how they eventually arrive. The Whisperers will be the villains in Season 9 and there needs to be a setup for their arrival this season on The Walking Dead.
With Enid starting to play a major role on the show and proving to be Carl’s love interest, that might cause The Walking Dead to have to change how we come to know the Whisperers, but that won’t need to happen until Season 9.
When it comes to Season 8, it is all about planting the seeds – and that could involve freaking out viewers when they start to hear the whispers among the Walkers. It could also add some of the horror back to the show when it comes to the actual zombies.
Next: The Walking Dead’s 100th episode is nearly finished
The Walking Dead Season 8 premieres on Oct. 22 on AMC.
Do you think our predictions for The Walking Dead season 8 will come true? Let’s discuss in the comments below and on social media.