Love it or love it less, one has to admit that The Walking Dead has seen its share of ups and downs in the plot development department. (Some days, I still feel like I’m at Hershel’s farm.) But I have little doubt that Season 6 is going to be the show’s most exciting and batshit crazy season yet, and after watching the extended trailer at Comic-Con earlier today, I’m all the more convinced. Like any good trailer, it’s left us wondering where in the hell things will go.
Such a long trailer easily brings dozens of quick questions to mind, but we’ve narrowed them down to five, and they should be the same five that are bouncing around your heads. And while one of them might be, “Why hasn’t Carl’s hair harmed him in some way yet?” that one isn’t on this list. Spoilers will follow.
Who’s Even on Rick’s Side Anymore?
A cursory look at the Season 6 trailer will make one think that Rick is Alexandria’s pariah and that very few people want anything to do with him. We know that he and Morgan are going to have issues with one another, seeing as how their present selves are on the opposite ends of the spectrum from their former selves, but it looks like others will see Rick in a different light as well. But will this be because everyone thinks he’s too irrational and quick to the punch, or will Deanna have something to do with turning people against him? During the Comic-Con panel, showrunner Scott Gimple did say that trailers are sometimes made to be deceiving, so perhaps not everyone is as against Rick as we assume.
How Dangerous Will This Zombie Horde Be?
During the Comic-Con panel, co-executive producer and make-up extraordinaire Greg Nicotero dropped the bomb that the premiere will be the biggest walker-infested episode of The Walking Dead to date, with over 650 zombie extras being showcased in the 90-minute episode. Comic fans know that the events following Pete’s death include a massive group of walkers breaching Alexandria’s perimeter. Whether or not the D.C. Scavengers (or the Wolves) have anything to do with this, we know that the zombies are coming, and we know they’re going to wreck shop. We see that they kill at least one or two people here, though those appear to be characters we aren’t that familiar with. Will any major characters bite the dust as well? So many funerals! (Also, what the hell are those balloons about? Who has helium tanks?)
Are Jessie and Sam in Trouble?
This has more comic spoilers than the other than the other segments, so you may want to skip this if you aren’t familiar with the source material. During Alexandria’s zombie infestation, a few characters take it upon themselves to get out of town and try and find safer places, including Rick, who convinces his new love interest Jessie and her son to come with him. Things take a very ugly turn at that point, and it seems somewhat likely that the TV show will follow that plotline. Seeing Jessie and Sam hiding out in a closet as walkers shamble by creates just the right amount of anticipation that something horrible could be coming their way. Or maybe not. Maybe Sam will just bake more cookies.
Who are These New Characters?
We’re already pumped to see Heath in action, and it was revealed at Comic-Con that The Walking Dead has added not only Ethan Embry in an unnamed role, but Nurse Jackie star Merritt Wever has joined the cast as a comic book character that has yet to be revealed. (She’s not in the trailer, sadly, but we really, really hope she’s playing Denise.) Embry’s character seems to be at odds with Rick already, and he doesn’t have much of a chance to establish who he is. (Is he this guy?) As well, there’s the threat seen above that has Daryl tied up at gunpoint, and apparently has other people with him. Who is this guy? Who’s that woman at that other point? Who are those kids? It looks like Alexandria and its surrounding areas are becoming more populated, and we want to know by who.
How Does Morgan Fit Into It All?
One of the biggest wild cards heading into Season 6 is the presence of Morgan, a character who has lived on in fans’ minds more than he has in the show itself, since he’s technically only appeared in a handful of episodes for a small chunk of screentime. But he’s back in a more peaceful manner than he’s ever been, and he’s caught Rick at a really bad time. Deanna clearly wants people to recognize the good qualities in Morgan, and she has a good hold over her people. But will Rick’s opinion of Morgan come into play in connecting the two, or will he just come off as a loony goon? I can’t wait to see how this fan favorite affects things.
The Walking Dead will hopefully answer at least a couple of these questions when it premieres Season 6 on Sunday, October 11, on AMC.
