What does The Walking Dead have in store for the end of season 8?
By Derek Johns
The Walking Dead showrunner Scott Gimple has spared no effort in trying to hype up the season 8 finale coming in less than two weeks.
So it probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when Gimple says of the finale
"“It might not be what people are expecting. It might not be what some of the characters even want. But it is a conclusion, and they have to deal with its aftermath.”"
So what exactly does that mean?
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If we’re to take Gimple’s quote at face value, the likely scenario is for starters both AHK and the Saviors will naturally take heavy losses with the Saviors effectively being down for the count.
As for the part where Gimple says where it’s not the ending the audience will expect or the characters would want, there’s a good chance Negan will still be alive. The audience may not necessarily be surprised by this but it’s certainly believable that Gimple believes they will.
For all the flack the show has received the past couple seasons, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan has been one of the few bright spots, so it would make sense if AMC decided to keep him around as long as possible.
After all, there is a precedent for this. TWD had already done this before way back in season 3. The Governor, being an iconic villain amongst fans of the comic was kept around half a season longer than needed.
From a character standpoint, this would make sense with Gimple’s statement as well. At this point, the obvious instinct from anyone in the AHK alliance would be to kill Negan the first chance they get, so this could very easily be the conclusion the won’t want.
So why would the AHK decide to keep Negan alive?
The best guess is that’s where the last part of Gimple’s quote of “dealing with the aftermath” comes into play. It could be that Negan’s somehow needed for the next big bad waiting in the wings, the most likely candidate being The Whisperers.
Probably not in any practical way that could easily be rewritten. More likely it’s in the vein of Loki being a reluctant hero in the Thor sequels to justify his continued presence in the series.
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Then again, all of Gimple’s buildup could be for naught and the audience is given a disappointing and boring conclusion. There’s a precedent for that too.
Do you think Negan will be kept alive past season 8? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section.