The mid-season finale of The Walking Dead ended on a puzzling note. In the episode that aired November 24 (note: spoilers ahead) the group was taunted by Alpha, who led them into a cave where they became trapped by her horde of walkers.
Putting aside the question of why on earth the group, including often level-headed Carol, would follow Alpha into a cave, not realizing she was probably leading them into a trap — really, they’re smarter than that — there are a lot of other questions that remain on viewers’ minds.
So much wasn’t addressed in the final episode, which means we’ll have to wait until the 10th season of this popular series resumes after the holidays, on February 23, 2020, for answers. But while we wait, let’s ponder some of the most pressing questions.
Where Is Negan?
When we last saw Negan, he was bending his knee to Alpha, pledging his allegiance to her and the Whisperers. We still don’t buy that he has actually decided to them. Negan doesn’t bend his knee to anyone, so there’s likely a bigger game at play.
That said, it seems like Alpha might be warming to him, and might even put him to a test to see where his allegiances lie. In any case, while we know Negan is still with the Whisperers, we don’t yet know how deeply he has gotten in with the group. Might Negan in a walker mask appear when the season resumes? We’re betting on it.
Who Was The Woman Eugene Was Talking To On The Radio?
Fans of the comics know that the woman Eugene was speaking to on the phone was very likely the leader of a group called the Commonwealth. There, they value people based on who they were pre-apocalypse, so lawyers and doctors are treated well while minimum wage folks are considered low on the hierarchy.
We haven’t seen Eugene chat with her again, but we’re guessing that behind the scenes, they have been gabbing on and off for a while. It’s a given we’ll find out more about this group when the season resumes.
What is King Ezekiel’s Fate?
King Ezekiel revealed to Siddiq before his untimely murder that he had thyroid cancer, fairly certain of the diagnosis given his symptoms, the lump in his neck, and a family history. He hasn’t yet told Carol or anyone else, it seems. But without proper treatment, which is unlikely in this world, it’s pretty much a death sentence.
It’s a given that Ezekiel will die from cancer, unless some miracle happens. So it’s just a question of when, how, and at what point Carol will find out that he’s ill (and if she’ll be able to say goodbye).
How Will The Group Get Out Of That Cave?
The biggest looming questions are how the group will escape from that cave and survive amidst a sea of walkers with little food and water until they do. There’s seemingly nowhere to go, so their only chance of survival is if someone swoops in and saves them by turning on, or taking out, the Whisperers.
This could be a number of people — Negan, Lydia, Gamma, maybe even Maggie. Or perhaps Michonne’s last big moment before exiting the series will be to find a way to save them. In any case, we expect that at least the first few episodes of the new season will take place predominantly in that cave.
Will Someone Significant Die?
Asking if someone will die on The Walking Dead is like asking if we need water to live. Of course someone is going to die! But who, how, and when? Will we see the demise of another major character? Ezekiel is the most likely to go for the reasons noted above. But could someone else get their walking papers before Season 11 begins?
Assuming the Whisperers storyline concludes by the end of this season, we could totally see Alpha being killed and Beta and Gamma ing Alexandria along with the remaining Whisperers.
Will Carol Have a Showdown With Alpha?
Fans are expecting, and fully deserve, a showdown between Alpha and Carol. In an ideal scenario, Carol will be the one who gets to finally kill Alpha and put an end to the Whisperers.
Whatever the outcome, there’s unfinished business between these two that needs to be resolved. The question is how and when it will happen, and if Carol will get her revenge for what Alpha did to her son Henry and the others. One ending we cannot get behind is Carol dying. So let’s not even think about that possibility.
What Happened To Lydia?
When we last saw Lydia, she called Carol out for using her, comparing what she did to something her mother Alpha would have done, calling her no better a person. Carol brought Lydia to the Whisperers to prove to them that Alpha hadn’t killed her daughter like she told them she did.
In a fit of anger, Lydia stormed off. Did she re- the Whisperers? Go out on her own? Maybe find another group, like the Commonwealth? Once the season resumes, we need answers on what happened to Lydia, and where her true loyalties lie today.
How Will They Address Michonne’s Exit?
It has been confirmed that Michonne will be leaving the series this season. We just don’t yet know how. With rumors of her potentially ing the spin-off film with Andrew Lincoln, who played her love interest Rick Grimes, it’s a pretty safe bet that she won’t be killed. So how will they handle her exit?
When we last saw her, she was planning to head off with a strange man named Virgil to return him to his mysterious group on an island, promising him a vessel from Oceanside (that he was trying to steal) in exchange for military weapons. Might she that group? The only way we can see Michonne leaving her two children behind is if she discovers that Rick isn’t dead or is captured there.
When Will We See Maggie?
It has also been confirmed that Maggie will be returning to the series. When we last saw her, she left with her baby to another group, unable to live with the terrible things that had happened and that she had done.
Could she be the person who swoops in and saves the group from the cave? Might she return to Hilltop to lead again? We’re unclear how her re-entrance will happen, but can’t wait to see how it all goes down.
Is Gamma Really Trying Toy Help Them?
Gamma seems to be having a crisis of conscience. Alpha anointed her third-in-command when she fed her own sister to the walkers to save Alpha, proving her loyalty. Gamma now realizes that Alpha hasn’t been entirely truthful. She doesn’t practice what she preaches and never killed her daughter like she told the Whisperers she did.
Striking up a friendship with Aaron, Gamma has expressed interest in seeing her niece, the child that the group saved before Alpha left her for dead. And she even gave him information that would supposedly help the group take down the Whisperers. Will she help them in the end? Or remain true to her Whisperers group?