The Walking Dead Finale Video Reveals Why Lauren Cohan's Maggie Returns

maggie the walking dead season 9
(Image credit: amc press)

Spoilers below for the penultimate episode of The Walking Dead Season 10.

When The Walking Dead aired Rick Grimes' final episode, the show also took away another major character in Lauren Cohan's Maggie, though there was always the belief that the character would return again at one point down the road. Fans are currently at that point, although production on Season 10's big finale wasn't able to meet everyone halfway, as it was halted due to self-quarantining efforts nationwide. Thankfully, The Walking Dead was able to deliver a season finale video that revealed not only a first look at Maggie's return, but also why Maggie is coming back in the first place.

The battle-ready video can be watched below, with all things Maggie-related coming in at the end. Check it out!

Let's all take a second to take in a big breath of relief that Lauren Cohan's Maggie is coming back, and that she doesn't appear to be suffering from any major injuries suffered wherever she has been settled down. Cleverly enough, the video only shows us Maggie out in the woods, where it's basically impossible to figure out what her main location is. She could technically be anywhere from Maine to Oregon to the area right outside Alexandria's walls, though none of those seem quite logical.

After celebrating the below first look at Season 10 Maggie, we can start talking about why Maggie is choosing now to return to the narrative.

Considering we haven't known where Maggie has been, we haven't been fully aware of how she's been keeping in contact with everyone else beyond the sporadic radio communication. But since radio communication can be overheard by others, and isn't the most dependable, the protagonists had to rely in part on written communication kept secret from outsiders' eyes and ears.

Maggie is seen opening up a half-buried box where she finds a rather morbid note from Ezekiel concerning the recent atrocities that everyone suffered at the gross hands of the Whisperers. (We know it's from Ezekiel since he referenced "my son Henry," as well as his name being briefly seen on the bottom of the letter as it's unfolded.) So, assuming that this letter was left at a particularly location halfway between Maggie's curently location and her former homes, it can be assumed that she's going to soon assist in helping keep everyone safe from Beta's big hospital horde that served as the penultimate episode's big cliffhanger. Unless she for some reason would arrive back there too late to do anything, which would feel like a bit of a wasted opportunity.

ezekiel's note to maggie walking dead

Will Maggie's live-action return reflect on her comic book storyline at all? (Minus, you know, that whole Dante storyline being completely different from the source material.) Will she come back with a bone to pick over Negan's continued survival? Or will she return simply as an act of keeping her friends safe? Hopefully we'll get some answers from the Season 10 finale, since showrunner Angela Kang probably won't be offering up any specific answers anytime soon. But at least we know Cohan will be back for Season 11 in full!

The Walking Dead will return to AMC at some point later this year with the official Season 10 finale, and then will presumably also return later this year for Season 11, although updates on any new episode productions will be coming only after Hollywood and other filming locations are allowed to get back into the motions. In the meantime, check out all the other shows that have been delayed in recent weeks.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.