When The Walking Dead returns for the rest of its seventh season, the tone will be drastically different from that of the first half.
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Through eight episodes, Rick Grimes has been bullied and Alexandria has been oppressed. Negan and the Saviors have reigned supreme across several undeserving communities. However, that will soon change, and it begins with the next eight episodes.
So far, Season 7 has followed Robert Kirkman‘s comic books more accurately than any season before it. We expect the back half to do the same, which enables us to make a few predictions of what’s to come. Be warned, that does mean spoilers from the comics will be discussed on the following slides, with potential for spoiling some moments from the next batch of episodes.
Let’s get started on the March to War…
Return of the King
After sitting out the following six episodes after his beloved introduction in 7×02 (The Well), King Ezekiel will be back when The Walking Dead returns.
Of course, Ezekiel has been a man of peace in the apocalypse, accepting his fate of serving the Saviors. He will, however, be introduced to Rick Grimes and the revolution will begin. Rick’s introduction to Ezekiel via the Hilltop’s Jesus sparks Rick’s mind with the idea of uniting the communities to take on the menaces who oppress each of them.
Rick and Ezekiel certainly have different methods of leading, so their interactions are something to look forward to.
Traitor
One of the most despised characters on the AMC series at the moment is Dwight. Sometimes fans hate him more than they hate Negan. However, that may soon change when they learn of Dwight’s true allegiance.
Should The Walking Dead TV series follow that of the comics, Dwight will betray Negan and feed information to the Alexandria, Hilltop and Kingdom armies in an effort to take the villain down. Of course, the show may play with our expectations and lead us to believe he is becoming a ‘good guy’ when he is really still aligned with Negan but the storyline in the comics was one of the more iconic and complex.
Plus, if Rick and his soldiers are going to take on Negan, they’ll need an inside man.
Bringing the War to Him
Eventually, Rick’s army is going to have to make moves to strike the Saviors. This may be moving a little quickly for The Walking Dead‘s typical pacing but we hope to see Rick’s gang show up at the Sanctuary’s doorstep.
In the beginning of the All Out War storyline, Rick’s Alexandria and Ezekiel’s Kingdom team up, along with a few soldiers from the Hilltop, and plan their first attack on Negan’s Sanctuary. In an epic moment of the soldiers coming together outside of the hideout, Rick fires his gun in the air to signify the fight is on. However, Gregory has betrayed the communities and warned Negan of the attack.
Still, a battle ensues.
Sasha’s Sacrifice
During the battle at the Sanctuary, Rick’s group realizes they are not doing much if they can’t get inside. Rick volunteers to drive a school bus into the fences of the Sanctuary but Holly stops him.
In the comics, it was Holly who Abraham left Rosita for. Of course, Abraham’s death came differently on the pages but it was ultimately the fault of Negan, regardless.
Holly, feeling nothing to lose, forces Rick out of the bus and plunges it into the Sanctuary herself.
With Sasha in a similar place to Holly prior to the sacrifice, we expect to see her fill the role in these moments. Holly did not die upon impact, however. She was, instead, caught by Negan.
Goodbye David
That jerk who has been bullying Enid and a few other characters. It’s almost something Negan wouldn’t approve of.
Luckily, the slimeball will be killed off sooner than later.
In Holly’s captivity, the Sanctuary creep attempts to rape her. Should TV David attempt to do the same to Sasha, Negan will shut it down as ie did in the books.
While Negan may act selfishly and as a savage at times, he enforces a strict “no rape” policy among his Saviors. When he catches David in the act of trying to rape Holly, he quickly stabs him in the neck with a knife.
