Who Controls The Helicopter on ‘The Walking Dead’?

UPDATE 4/1/18 9:44 PM ET: The Walking Dead‘s mystery helicopter returned, linking itself to a shocking character! Spoiler warning!

Original story: One of the biggest mysteries on The Walking Dead is a helicopter that has both been hinted at and shown on different episodes.

The helicopter goes back to season 7, when eagle-eyed fans spotted what at first seemed to be a mistake in the background during Rick’s climb atop the trash heap.

Rick spotted the helicopter again — this time while heading towards the Heapster’s HQ to meet with Jadis — in 8×05, “The Big Scary U.”

Episode 8×10, “The Lost and the Plunderers,” first hinted there was more to Jadis and the dump than meets the eye when Savior general Simon took notice of some unusual amenities.

“What’s the deal with the helipad in back? The solar panels?” Simon asked. “What was this place?”

“A dump,” Jadis said, wryly, suggesting there was more to be unraveled.

The Walking Dead creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman was pressed about the helipad and its connection to the clearly active helicopter on live after show Talking Dead, revealing “it was certainly there so you would notice it.”

Actor Ross Marquand prodded Kirkman for more, asking, “So there’s helicopters in the zombie apocalypse?”

“Seems like there might be at least one,” Kirkman said, adding, “Literally nothing that I can say [that] won’t get me in trouble.”

Could the helicopter be tied to the equally enigmatic Georgie?

8×12, “The Key,” saw a note left conspicuously outside the Hilltop’s gates. Upon investigation, Maggie, Michonne, Rosita and Enid came across Georgie and twins Hilda and Midge, supposed benefactors who offered a simple trade.

While it remains to be seen if Georgie can be trusted, the well put-together woman did offer Hilltop a “key to a future” — a book containing coveted knowledge essential for building up their near-starved community.

“How many communities have you found?” Rosita asked, gun aimed and ready to fire.

“Communities like yours? Not many,” Georgie said. “And not one for a very long time.”

Upon the completion of their trade, Georgie gave Hilltop a “sizable” offering of food, as Hilltop needed it more than Georgie did — hinting she has resources far beyond than what the trio’s dumpy-looking van would suggest.

Will Georgie be revealed to be the show’s version of Pamela Milton, a recently introduced character from the comic books who has ties to the world-building organization known as the Commonwealth? Could Georgie and her people have come across Jadis before crossing paths with Hilltop?

The Walking Dead airs episode 14 of season 8, “Still Gotta Mean Something,” Sunday, April 1 at 9/8c on AMC.