Meet The Whisperers in ‘The Walking Dead’ Mid-Season 9 Finale Clip

The opening minutes of The Walking Dead‘s Season Nine mid-season finale have made their way online.

In the video above, the beginning of Episode 9×08 is shown, which sees Daryl, Aaron, Jesus, and Dog observing a herd of walkers. This herd is not like any they have seen before, though. This herd is milling around in place, not being attracted to distractions. That’s because this herd is the popular group from The Walking Dead comics known as The Whisperers.

At the end of the clip, one of the Whisperers turns its head toward the camera, offering the first true look at the new group.

The Whisperers first appeared in The Walking Dead comics in issue #130. The issue was the fourth to follow the “All Out War” story, which saw a massive time jump carried out between issues #126 and #127. The group was first overheard whispering about members of Rick’s group they had encountered, leading survivors to think they were either going crazy or that the walkers were evolving and starting to talk.

The walkers are not talking, however. The Whisperers wear the skin of the dead and walk among them, keeping their voices to a whisper as a means to blend in. This allows them to move freely through the world without fear of threat from the undead but also allows them to use the undead as weapons.

The Walking Dead Episode 9×08 is titled, “Evolution.” The official synopsis for “Evolution” reads, “A small rescue mission braves a dangerous herd in their hunt for a missing comrade, only to discover a surprising threat that could doom them all.” It is directed by Michael Satrazemis with a script from David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET. Fear the Walking Dead will return for its fifth season in 2019. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter and watch ComicBook.com’s After The Dead each Sunday night following new episodes.