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*SPOILERS* The Walking Dead TV show, leaks, and comic book SPOILER discussion thread

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Rick sparing Negan in the book worked pretty well, I thought. Rick wants to build a better, more civilized society and he needs to prove it by not murdering his worst enemy.

In the show, though? There's way too much bad blood between Rick and Negan. The audience has come to hate Negan so much that anything other than a gruesome death for him would feel like a huge betrayal to viewers. As already mentioned, Rick has vowed to kill him twice already and people want to see some payoff from that -- just like when Rick vowed to kill the leader of Terminus.

I don't think Gimple will be able to resist the twist though. During the last 15 minutes of the S8 finale, there will be the final showdown between Rick and Negan in front of Hilltop. Rick slashes Negan's throat. There's a huge commotion, Dwight calls off the Saviors, Negan is bleeding out on the ground. Then, the time skip. We're briefly introduced to the new tri-community and see how well it is thriving. At day's end Rick retires to his house, and slinks down the the basement. He speaks a few cryptic words to a shadowy figure in a prison cell....."Death was too good for you...I'm trying to prove a point, but I can kill you anytime I like....the next time I have a rough day, I may just come here and strangle you with my bare hands" Camera pans across the room to reveal Negan's face, defiantly staring back. Credits roll, season ends on an interesting development that's not quite a cliffhanger but is intriguing enough to make people come back for more. I suppose it would also work for a midseason finale.

They've been trying to draw parallels between the Alexandrians and the Saviors for 2 seasons now. The Alexandrians stole all the weapons from Oceanside and then shot them the middle finger on the way out. This almost mirrors how Negan stole the weapons from Alexandria, and later flipped the bird to the Alexandrians while leaving. I could see TV Rick sparing Negan just to prove that they're better than the Saviors, and that they aren't headed down the same path. Denying the audience the catharsis they want from Negan's death will be dangerous.

I suspect that the direction they head in will come down to something as mundane as whether or not they can get Jeffery Dean Morgan locked down for another 2-3 seasons.
 

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Pretty sure that Morgan has to die to have impact for the cell's use too.

Yeah, I think it's entirely possible that Morgan and Carol's "Don't kill people" arc has been intentionally leading up to a point where Rick is forced to spare Negan. Maybe Morgan gets mortally wounded and his dying wish is that Rick save Negan, or otherwise prove that he intends to preserve life rather than take it. In tribute to Morgan, Rick doesn't kill Negan. I think that could work, depending on how much the audience respects Morgan's position.
 

dustyherb

Member
Fuck man 167 was so damn good. But Jesus it was fucking sad. Now there's only three people left alive from the Atlanta camp. RIP Andrea you had a really good run :(
giphy.gif
 
So where was Negan at the end? He said his goodbye to Andrea, but was gone when Rick left the house.

I suspect he's wrangling the leaderless Saviors, especially given the cover of issue 168.

Negan goodbye was fucking cringey like Dr. Doom crying on 9/11. Nah, I still don't accept that they just accept him now.

I hear you on this one, but also remember it's been like, what, 5-6 hours since issue 161 when the horde first showed up. I don't think anyone's had a chance to even process Negan being free and helping. I'm looking forward to his inevitable confrontation with Maggie.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
I almost teared up at the end. Andrea got some great dialogue in this issue too. Especially how dying comfortable in her bed was a luxury that made all their fighting worth it.

Pour one out for one of the OGs.
 

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Is there a reasonable non-pirate way to read Here's Negan online? I don't mind paying for it, but at the same time I don't want to have to track down a bunch of back issues of some Image preview book.
 

dustyherb

Member
I don't recognize anyone there besides Michonne. So it's not EVERYONE going to Ohio, just Eugene and a select few?

edit: typo on the link page? #168 isn't out yet right, and yet they ask us if we're still reeling from it?
Ya looks like it's just going to be Michonne, Siddiq, Magna, and Eugene. Maybe some more people tag along and they just aren't showing them tho, who knows.

Ya they probably meant #167, or maybe they just accidentally let it slip that something crazy is about to go down in #168.
 
Is there a reasonable non-pirate way to read Here's Negan online? I don't mind paying for it, but at the same time I don't want to have to track down a bunch of back issues of some Image preview book.
I can just tell you what happens in each one in like 1 sentence summaries.

Issue 13: they meet up with another group and one of the men insinuates that the women of the group are their property for sexual barter and Negan looks mad.
 
Show went all the way off the fucking deep end in S7. Theyre doing the same bullshit torture pornography GOT did with Ramsey and its makes for insufferable fucking tv. The episodes arent riveting or engaging, they are goddamn chore to sit through because they feel we need to see yet another main character be traumatised by the Saviors. Like, jesus, we get it already, did yall really need that many hours of redundant storytelling to set up the insurrection we all know is coming?

This is what happens when writers and producers get high off their own supply and believe the content they put on television is better than what it really is. Im glad they got some of their lowest ever ratings, what a shitshow.
 

dustyherb

Member
Welp, #168 proved pretty conclusively what side Negan is coming down on. That was great.
Ya what an awesome issue. I'm so glad Kirkman didn't have Negan turn against Rick or anything like that. Now I'm ready to find out wtf is going on with Ohio and Stephanie. I also wonder if they try to travel to this new place, if they will run into Beta and the remaining whisperers. I still want Michonne or Negan to have a rematch with him.
 

LycanXIII

Member
I really hope they keep Negan alive in the show. Yeah, casual fans will hate it, but he's such a good character, and seeing JDM playing the Negan we have now will be great.
 

UberTag

Member
Camera's going to pan right and reveal Heath was standing there all along

I mean, he pretty much vanished and no one even mentioned him again, right?
Would be happy to see Corey Hawkins return. He got a fortunate non-defined send-off just for this eventuality.
Shame Sonequa Martin-Green didn't take advantage of a similar escape clause in the event of Star Trek: Discovery meeting a similar fate.
 
I can just tell you what happens in each one in like 1 sentence summaries.

Issue 13: they meet up with another group and one of the men insinuates that the women of the group are their property for sexual barter and Negan looks mad.
Issue 14: Negan tells the guy that the sex slavery stops now. The guy attacks Negan and knocks him into some barbed wire and Lucille. Negan grabs Lucille and crushes the dude's head. He points her at the rest of the dude's group, and says, "you scared? You should be."
 

WaffleTaco

Wants to outlaw technological innovation.
Would be happy to see Corey Hawkins return. He got a fortunate non-defined send-off just for this eventuality.
Shame Sonequa Martin-Green didn't take advantage of a similar escape clause in the event of Star Trek: Discovery meeting a similar fate.
To be fair, she did replace her with Holly's arc from the books so I think this was going to be scheduled anyway.
 

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I really hope they keep Negan alive in the show. Yeah, casual fans will hate it, but he's such a good character, and seeing JDM playing the Negan we have now will be great.

Their ratings are good enough to do whatever they want to for a while. I'm sure TV fans will shriek if he isn't brutally murdered by Rick, but I think everyone enjoys that character enough that nobody will mind if he's still around a couple years from now.
 

WaffleTaco

Wants to outlaw technological innovation.
Their ratings are good enough to do whatever they want to for a while. I'm sure TV fans will shriek if he isn't brutally murdered by Rick, but I think everyone enjoys that character enough that nobody will mind if he's still around a couple years from now.
I feel like if Rick gets killed in issue 200, Negan will be Carl's adviser...or Negan will die in issue 200. It's too poetic.
 

dustyherb

Member
171 Cover revealed

FEAR THE PRINCESS
Who is she and what does she want?
http://www.thewalkingdead.com/walking-dead-issue-171-and-volume-28-covers-revealed/

I really hope they keep Negan alive in the show. Yeah, casual fans will hate it, but he's such a good character, and seeing JDM playing the Negan we have now will be great.
I just can't imagine them killing him off at this point. He's such an important character with everything that happens with the whisperers, the horde, and the saviors. The only way I see him being killed off is if the show stops following the comic after AOW. But with Gimple as showrunner I can't see that happening.
 

dustyherb

Member
Man #169 was another really good issue I thought.
- Loved Carl finally talking about Ben and I'm happy to know that he did tell Andrea about it. Also it's nice to see him heading back to The Hilltop to rebuild, he really has grown up.
- The Ohio trip is finally happening! I have no idea what to expect but I hope Stephanie and these other communities aren't bad.
-Happy to see that Maggie isn't ok with Negan being out. And I'm excited to see what happens with Dante following Negan. Maybe he will end up saving Dante from something (like Beta and the remaining whisperers). I just hope this doesn't end with Dante dying. He haven't gotten enough of him in my opinion.
-With Negan heading off to live on his own and Michonne going on the road I feel like one of these two is bound to run into Beta for a rematch.
- I'm happy to see that Siddiq, Magna, Yumiko, and Dante are all doing something big right now.
-As for Dwight I hope he calms the fuck down. I understand where's he coming from but still. I hope him and Rick fix shit between them because I don't want to have to pick a side.
 
^Agree with these points; good, dense character building issue.

I feel deceived by the cover. Have they done this before? I know they often make something seem worse than it is but this scene is just something Dwight said he could have done.

Originally Posted by parrotbeak

I can just tell you what happens in each one in like 1 sentence summaries.
Issue 15: Negan wraps Lucille (the bat) in barbed wire and tells the new group whose leader he just head smashed that he will now tell them about Lucille (probably his wife).
 

dustyherb

Member
172 cover revealed

HILLTOP REBORN
The Hilltop is rebuilt as other parts of the world are torn down.
http://www.thewalkingdead.com/the-walking-dead-issue-172-book-14-covers-revealed/

^Agree with these points; good, dense character building issue.

I feel deceived by the cover. Have they done this before? I know they often make something seem worse than it is but this scene is just something Dwight said he could have done.
I definitely feel like they have but I would have to go back and look through the other covers.

I actually ran in to Robert Kirkman last night at the theater, he was seeing the Spider-Man showing after me haha.
lol that's awesome. He's a big Spider-Man fan right?
 

dustyherb

Member
Are they being smart and actually going to finish up Negan's arc by mid-season!?
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I want to be wrong but I just can't imagine AOW being wrapped up in 8 episodes. Every damn major comic arc has been extended in the show. Now we finally get to the first arc that has a part 2 and they shorten it? Just seems a little weird is all.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
If they're doing the skip, wouldn't we have heard about casting for Magna, etc.?

Maybe, but I could see them keeping it under wraps. I think they've only filmed the first half of the season. All Out War getting wrapped up in half a season would be pretty surprising. But that stinger seemed pretty conclusive.
 

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Member
I want to be wrong but I just can't imagine AOW being wrapped up in 8 episodes. Every damn major comic arc has been extended in the show. Now we finally get to the first arc that has a part 2 and they shorten it? Just seems a little weird is all.

I don't think they'd be teasing Old Rick this early if they weren't going to deliver him by mid-season. Isn't the Comic Con trailer considered a "Season x Part 1" trailer that doesn't contain footage from the back half of the season?
 
Negan is one kind act away from redemption. Like a bad cop. The audience will be ok with it after it is normalized (like readers of the comic book).
 

WaffleTaco

Wants to outlaw technological innovation.
giphy.gif

I want to be wrong but I just can't imagine AOW being wrapped up in 8 episodes. Every damn major comic arc has been extended in the show. Now we finally get to the first arc that has a part 2 and they shorten it? Just seems a little weird is all.
Yeah, but they always include a couple volumes for 8 episodes I think. Season 7 only had 3 volumes, which is why it felt so slow.
5 if I'm not mistaken.
It just says "over two years later..." while 5 is possible I would just put it at either 2.25 or 2.5 years.
Negan is one kind act away from redemption. Like a bad cop. The audience will be ok with it after it is normalized (like readers of the comic book).
In the shows or comics?
 

dustyherb

Member
It just says "over two years later..." while 5 is possible I would just put it at either 2.25 or 2.5 years.
I thought the kiddo was only 3 post-skip, which would be under 5 years depending on how pregnant Maggie was.
Main reason I said 5 years is because Carl looks like he's 16 ever since the time jump. But what you pointed out about little Hershel definitely puts it closer to 2 than 5. The show should make it however long it needs to be so Carl is 18 like Chandler Riggs. So something like 4 years, if Carl is currently 14 in the show.

If they're doing the skip, wouldn't we have heard about casting for Magna, etc.?
Hello fellow comic readers. Is issue 170 still not up on iOS Comixology for you? It's in the store, but there's no button to purchase!
There was some casting calls a couple months back for characters that sounded like they could be Dante and Siddiq. But they could also just be introducing them early (like Laura the savior)
I haven't used Comixology for a couple months now sadly. But you could always just get it off iBooks if it comes down to it.

Negan is one kind act away from redemption. Like a bad cop. The audience will be ok with it after it is normalized (like readers of the comic book).
Ya pretty much. They just need to follow the comic (have him kill Alpha, save Rick, talk down The Saviors, and make a Here's Negan episode). I actually hope tho that we get to see him talk to more people while in the cell. More conversations with Carl would be really awesome.

I don't think they'd be teasing Old Rick this early if they weren't going to deliver him by mid-season. Isn't the Comic Con trailer considered a "Season x Part 1" trailer that doesn't contain footage from the back half of the season?
You're correct, all that footage is only from the first half. They actually haven't even finished episode 8 yet. But that old Rick glimpse could be a flash forward for all we know (like breaking bad) or something else. I just feel like they're fucking with us somehow with that tease.

Yeah, but they always include a couple volumes for 8 episodes I think. Season 7 only had 3 volumes, which is why it felt so slow.
Since Gimple became show runner back in S4, every season but 4 has had 3 volumes (I'm guessing season 4 had 4 volumes because the first 3 seasons only got through 6). So that gives me a little hope that we might see some New Beginning stuff this season. But right now episode 8 is being filmed and filming spoilers indicate the grenade attack (that destroys Alexandria) is just now happening. So AOW is definitely going to be going into the second half.
 
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