‘The Walking Dead’s Sydney Park Breaks Down Shocking Episode Ending

The Walking Dead 903, “Warning Signs,” ended with the shocking revelation that Cyndie (Sydney Park) and her tribe of Oceansiders were covertly murdering Saviors, culminating with the execution of Arat (Elizabeth Ludlow) — revenge for the murders of Cyndie’s mother and 11-year-old brother.

When caught in the act by Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Daryl (Norman Reedus), Cyndie attributed Oceanside’s clandestine kills to Maggie’s decision to hang ousted Hilltop leader Gregory (Xander Berkeley), telling them the rules enforced by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) “aren’t the only rules.”

“Even though we are kind of avenging the deaths of our loved ones, at the same time, it won’t bring them back,” Park told ComicBook.com‘s After the Dead.

“I feel like the Oceansiders will feel at peace and kind of move on with their lives and have a weight lifted from their shoulders, but there still is that lingering thing like they’ll never be the same.”

Oceanside’s final warning was handed down by Savior general Simon (Steven Ogg), former right-hand man of the now jailed Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who was killed before Oceanside could enact their vengeance. 19 months later, the Saviors have been welcomed into the fold by Rick, now working to usher in a brighter and peaceful future where “every life counts.”

“It’s one thing to have the Saviors living separately from the Oceansiders, but I think the fact that Cyndie has watched Arat just walk around and act like nothing happened and be this normal person while her younger brother is gone and her family is gone, it’s even more painful to watch these people still [be] alive,” Park side.

Park was “really happy” with Cyndie’s new trajectory, mapped out by showrunner Angela Kang, who hoped to return the group to the hardened outsiders they were when first introduced in Season Seven.

“She made a good point: the Oceansiders, when we were first introduced, we were this badass female tribe — and we still are — but then that kind of fell off a bit,” Park said.

“With all the characters it goes in and out with the rotation, but she wanted to really explore that badass feeling of us and that feeling of, these are people that kill people on sight, they’re kind of ruthless, they do what they have to do, and they have no men. So it was cool that she tied that all together. And I was really, really happy and appreciative that she told me so that I could mentally prepare myself for those scenes.”

Asked if there will be more Cyndie in the coming episodes following her elevated role in the front half of Season Nine, Park admitted she doesn’t know.

“Like truthfully, I really don’t know. I hope so,” she said. “I love being a part of the show, and I feel like there is so much more story to tell, not only with my character and my tribe, but with everyone else.”

Park is hopeful fans will stay on board despite the looming loss of soon-to-exit leading man Andrew Lincoln “because we have some really cool characters,” she said. “But I hope to be on the show more, for sure.”

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