There are popular TV shows, and there's AMC's The Walking Dead. The apocalyptic drama is currently in the midst of its whopping eighth season on the network, and is still accruing millions of weekly viewers. And with Fear The Walking Dead picking up speed and a crossover finally happening thanks to Lennie James' Morgan, it doesn't seem like TWD is showing any signs of slowing down. While this is good news for the fandom, it also means that the show can take its time when introducing new plot points. This past week showed Jadis has friends in high places, as a mysterious helicopter popped back up, and circled the dump in an attempt to pick the antagonist up. But will the Helicopter twist be resolved this season? It doesn't look like it, at least according to The Walking Dead's social media manager Johnny O'Dell. As he recently told inquiring fans:
Unfortunately, no. You'll have to wait until a later season.
With the War against Negan and The Saviors likely coming to an end before Season 8 concludes, there simply isn't enough time to also provide answers for the various loose strings. The Walking Dead usually does some set up for its future seasons, and now it looks like the Helicopter is one of those cases.
Johnny O'Dell's comments from Skybound's Weekly Walking Dead Mailbag (via Comic Book) show how far ahead The Walking Dead usually plans its narratives. While the fandom may be focused on one major villain or conflict, AMC's current flagship series is usually a few steps ahead. The use of a working helicopter so far into the apocalypse is certainly a shocker, and means that there may be another strong community in the area around Washington D.C.. So while The Saviors seem almost invincible, there may be even more powerful entities that we're not privy to.
In addition to Jadis' helicopter, there has already been some set up for Season 9 of The Walking Dead. Jayne Atkinson's new character Georgie is one of the many question marks revolving around this season, as it's unclear if she's part of a larger community and if/when she'll eventually return to The Hilltop to check up on Maggie's progress. Could Georgie be apart of the same group with the chopper, or could they be two more communities fighting for dominance in a post-apocalyptic world?
If Georgie's plot line with Maggie is supposed to come to fruition next season, then AMC is going to have to make sure they reach a new contract with actress Lauren Cohan. Cohan is no doubt asking for a raise in order to stay on the series, especially since Maggie has become an even bigger character. Andrew Lincoln seems to be confident she'll be back for the next season, but there hasn't been an official verdict from the network.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays on AMC. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our superhero premiere list and Amazon premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode.
