The Walking Dead seems to be foreshadowing a possibly fatal encounter between Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Whisperer Beta (Ryan Hurst) sometime in Season 10B. The ominous new teaser — seemingly filled with spoilery hints at what’s to come in the upcoming second half of the season — features Aaron and Beta alongside Whisperer leader Alpha (Samantha Morton) and survivors Michonne (Danai Gurira), Daryl (Norman Reedus), Carol (Melissa McBride), Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Eugene (Josh McDermitt), and couple Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), who may be facing their own grim fates when both sides come into bloody conflict in the worsening Whisperer war.
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A knife-clutching Aaron is shown posed in front of a lurking Beta, who typically wields his own set of dual knives. Posing Aaron and Beta together could be hinting The Walking Dead will adapt their meetings from the comic books, both coming at the height of the conflict with the Whisperers. Spoilers:
In issues #153 and #154 of the comic book, Aaron and Michonne trespass into Whisperer territory to retrieve a fugitive Negan after his assisted escape from the Alexandria jail. When they’re discovered behind enemy lines, Beta stabs Aaron in the gut for disobeying Alpha’s orders not to cross the Whisperer border. Aaron’s grave injury forces Michonne to abandon the fight against the Whisperers and race him to the nearby Hilltop for treatment, where he recovers.
Later, in issue #173, Aaron and boyfriend Jesus are en route to the Hilltop colony when they’re attacked by a vengeful Beta. Aaron and Jesus successfully fend off their attacker, who is finally unmasked after Aaron gets his revenge on Beta by gunning him down — ending the Whisperer threat with his death.
Circumstances differ on the television show. Michonne is currently away from the settlements on a high-stakes mission with Virgil (Kevin Carroll), while Aaron, Daryl, Carol are currently trapped by Alpha’s walker horde alongside the Hilltop’s Connie (Lauren Ridloff), Kelly (Angel Theory), Magna (Nadia Hilker) and Jerry (Cooper Andrews).
Jesus (Tom Payne) was murdered by the Whisperers months earlier, and Aaron never encountered Beta while searching for the escaped Negan in Episode 1005, “What It Always Is.”
There remains an opportunity for Aaron and Beta to cross paths, however. Aaron was present when Alpha’s daughter, Lydia (Cassady McClincy), learned Carol manipulated her into revealing herself to Whisperer acolyte Gamma (Thora Birch) as part of a scheme to expose Alpha’s lies and create dissension within her pack.
Lydia was last seen fleeing into her mother’s territory alone, and should Aaron take part in the search party after escaping the cave, he could come to face Beta. Alternatively, Aaron and Beta could meet when the Whisperer number-two infiltrates Alexandria sometime this season.
TWD Season 10 returns with new episodes Feb. 23 on AMC. For more TWD intel, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.
