'The Walking Dead': Andrew Lincoln Teases Very Sad Farewell

The midseason finale of The Walking Dead featured Carl getting bitten by a zombie, with fans having to prepare themselves to say goodbye to the character in the upcoming midseason premiere. If you think it will be tough to say goodbye to the character who has been around since the first season, you're not alone, as star Andrew Lincoln promises the character's goodbye will be both sad and beautiful.

"I'm not going to lie to you, that was sad," Lincoln shared with Entertainment Weekly. "The beautiful thing is it's what we rarely do in our show — we actually give the opportunity for a goodbye. It was unusual in that regard. Usually, things happen and people are ripped from you in this world that we inhabit. Thankfully, there was some sense of catharsis on this one, because we got to leave it all out on the screen. I thought [actor] Chandler [Riggs] did a remarkable job, as he always has done, but particularly in this episode."

The series has teased audiences with important character deaths before, only for the characters to reemerge unscathed, yet the show's cast and crew have been quite vocal about this being the end for the character.

"It's a very sad farewell," Lincoln teases of the show's return. "And a farewell that I never thought would happen. Neither did most of the rest of the cast, I would imagine."

Carl debuted in the show as little more than Rick's son, yet in the nearly a decade since the show started, both the character and Riggs himself have pushed the show forward.

"He is the linchpin," Lincoln pointed out. "It goes back to the flash-forward where my mercy prevails over my wrath. There is a balancing of the scales in Rick's life that happens in the back eight episodes. A lot of it is because of what is said in episode 9, by his son."

Lincoln isn't the only one affected by Riggs' departure, as co-star Norman Reedus also shared his deep connection with the actors who have been around since the series premiere.

"The people that started this show, to me, are the heart of the show," Reedus admitted to Entertainment Weekly. "When you lose those key members, it's such a big blow to the show, and to the fans, and to us that are there. Who's left? There's only a few of us left out of all those people. If you wanted to turn it into a totally different show, you get rid of those people. But if you want to hold onto what made the show special, you've got to be very careful what you do with those people."

The Walking Dead returns for the second half of its eighth season on February 25. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.

[H/T Entertainment Weekly]