The Walking Dead Sets The Stage For Devastating Loss

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead for The Walking Dead comics!

This week, The Walking Dead released issue #160, part four of the infamous Whisperer War. The issue takes place just after Dwight and Michonne dress their army up in walker skins to hunt down a pack of Whisperers.

Part four of The Whisperer War began as a seemingly calm issue. Dwight and Michonne used their stealthy tactics to slaughter a small group of The Whisperers, but that should come as no surprise.

Across the battlefield, Beta finally wakes up after being knocked out by Negan. He rallies his troops to join another group of Whisperers, whose location we're still unsure of.

When the villains finally reveal where the herd is headed, we have a breathless moment as worry sets in about our favorite characters.

The herd, chock full of Whisperers, is heading to Hilltop. Not only is the danger approaching the semi-defenseless colony, but it arrives before the issue is over.

With about ten pages left in the issue, Hilltop finds itself under attack. At this moment we learn a scary fact about The Whisperers: they carry flaming arrows.

Yes, you heard right, these terrifying villains also have the means to set an entire colony on fire. By the end of this issue, they do exactly that.

This is where we should begin fearing for the future of certain characters in The Walking Dead. As the main wall comes down on the community, the Hilltop mansion catches fire. There are a few guards left to defend the colony, including Dante, but plenty more innocent lives. Carl and Lydia are running about the community, and Maggie's children are both sleeping soundly in the house when the attack begins.

Dante confesses his love for Maggie before everything goes down, but she turns him away. By telling him that she will never stop loving Glenn, she almost signed his death sentence herself. This kind of drama all-but guarantees Dante won't make it much longer.

On top of that, after the attack is underway, Maggie forgets that Sohia and Hershel are inside the mansion. As we see the house, englufed in flames, Maggie announces the shocking revelation. She immediately runs back into the burning building for her kids, and Carl follows closely behind.

We know The Walking Dead hasn't hesitated to kill children before, so readers should all be worried about Maggie's kids. There's also a great chance something could happen to Maggie over the next two issues.

Before The Whisperer War is over, we are sure to see another couple of major characters killed. Father Gabriel bit the dust two issues earlier, and we're all left wondering who could be next.

Head to your local comic shop and pick up The Walking Dead #160, available now!