With tonight’s midseason 7 finale of The Walking Dead set to air on AMC, one has to wonder if the show will be killing off any characters for the first time since the premiere on October 23. Sure, those deaths were brutal enough to carry us to this point and maintain our fear of Negan, but the new bully in town might just strike one more time in 2016.
Daryl is set to escape the Sanctuary. Carl is sitting on the porch with Negan and Judith. Rick and Aaron are considering making their way to the center of a zombie filled lake. Michonne is on a mission to kill Negan. Spencer is anti-Rick. Rosita has a bullet.
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The stakes are high.
Heading into the last episode of 2016, several characters are facing serious danger. Let’s take a look at who is “Safe” and who is in “Danger” for The Walking Dead‘s midseason 7 finale: Hearts Still Beating.
Rick- Safe. While Rick is about to attempt something very dangerous — navigating a lake full of zombies in hopes of finding a cache of guns — it’s safe to say he is still safe. Plus, the previews reveal he at least makes it back to Alexandria.
Michonne- Danger. Michonne is among the unpopular opinion in Alexandria which wishes to take on the Saviors as soon as possible — so much so that she went on a mission to find and kill him herself. That worked out decently for Carl but Michonne is far more aggressive than the little Grimes boy.
Carl- Safe. Having survived his own assassination attempt on Negan, he is back home to watch the aftermath of his actions.
Aaron- Safe. Alongside Rick, Aaron will try to retrieve the massive supply of guns. The two will make it back to Alexandria, though what happens next is anybody’s guess when Negan is around.
Maggie- Safe. Maggie is recovering from her pregnancy’s complications and settling into the Hilltop. She has some leading to do.
Eugene- Danger. Crafting a bullet which is intended for use against the most dangerous man alive puts Eugene in hot water.
Sasha- Danger. Having lost everyone in her life, Sasha is broken down and willing to risk it all to for revenge against Negan. Fitting in at the Hilltop will be a challenge in itself.
Rosita- Danger. She’s a soldier who knows how to adapt but also on a course for revenge. Armed with a single bullet, she better not miss. Even even if she doesn’t, the Saviors outnumber everyone by a considerable amount.
Daryl- Danger. Creeping out of the Sanctuary won’t be easy.
Dwight- Safe. He has some serious internal struggles going on but his following of Negan keeps him safe — for now.
Simon- Danger. The right hand man doesn’t exactly pay attention to detail. Foolishness and disrespect do not do well around Negan. Ask David from the comics.
Negan- Safe. He is in complete control of his group and oppresses several others, so much so that he is holding the opposing leader’s baby in his arms. He is, however, doing a great job of pissing off the one man who can rally enough people to take him down — Rick Grimes.
Spencer- Danger. The son of former Alexandria leader Deanna Monroe thinks very highly of himself. Too highly. The act seems to be coming to a breaking point. Considering Negan is in town, who knows what foolery Spencer will participate in to put himself in trouble.
Ezekiel- Safe. Let’s just hope we can see him again soon.
Carol- Safe. She is still a threat to herself but Ezekiel hasn’t going to let her run too far. Finally returning in 7×08, she’ll have to make it back to Alexandria at some point.
Morgan- Safe. Best equipped to take on threats around him and trained in disciplined fighting, Morgan does what it takes to survive and protect those around him. Time to start thinking up a plan to fight the Saviors!
Father Gabriel- Safe. Gabriel finally knows he has to fight to survive. His sudden fan favoritism puts a target on his back, though.
Olivia- Danger. She is Negan’s radar. That’s the worst place to be.
Jesus- Safe. Though he is a dangerous situation, heading to the Sanctuary, Jesus can handle himself better than most survivors.
Gregory- Safe. There’s a certain widow gunning for his job but, fortunately for him, she is not a savage like Negan.
Tara- Safe. She clawed her way back to Alexandria to learn that Glenn, Abraham, and her girlfriend Denise had all died. She’ll cope with that before anything else.
Heath- Danger. We don’t know where he went and probably won’t find out tonight but wherever he is, it’s probably not safe.
More Walking Dead:
Will Spencer Die? / What Did Daryl’s Note Say? / Finale Preview Released / Is Michonne Going To Kill Negan? / Where Is Rick? / Carl’s Big Reveal / Where Are Carol And Morgan? / What Did The Sign Say? / Steven Yeun Got Married / Where Jesus Went According To Tom Payne / Jesus vs. Negan Fight Incoming
The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.