Spoilers and Speculation

[Anela]

5 hours ago, raven said:

Carl will be in the finale - sort of

Damn, I feel like crying. :(

[catrox14]

11 hours ago, peach said:

Maybe they're going to kill Rick, too, and they will be reunited.

 

13 hours ago, raven said:

Carl will be in the finale - sort of

This makes me wonder if there will be a Lori appearance. If there is, then I'm convinced 100% that Rick dies, as has been my spec for some time.

IMO if Rick dies I think Michonne will as well. Danai may be wanting to move on given the success of Black Panther and her being a playwright and all the other things she does.

I honestly won't be surprised if  Rick, Maggie, Michonne, Daryl, Carol, Ezekiel and Aaron all die.Morgan's going to FTWD.

That leaves Judith to be  raised by Negan and he would probably do that as a big fuck you to Rick.

Even without them dying, I can see Negan kidnapping Judith and raising her for an ironic cap to Carl's stupid vision. And that sets up s9 as Rick going after Negan to save Judith.

I think don't think this will be the end of Negan... unfortunately.

[AngelaHunter]

1 hour ago, catrox14 said:

I can see Negan kidnapping Judith and raising her for an ironic cap to Carl's stupid vision.

Spin-off!

 

[Lady Iris]

20 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

Yakety Sax is the Benny Hill music.

Ahh, I see. I see. Lol never knew that diddy had a name. Thank you.

 

20 hours ago, AngelaHunter said:

Yes, it is and I had to do it. Not great quality but I took what I could get and whipped this up.

ANGELAHUNTER, I feel like this adequately sums up the whole of this season! Well done!

[SnarkyTart]

3 hours ago, catrox14 said:

I honestly won't be surprised if  Rick, Maggie, Michonne, Daryl, Carol, Ezekiel and Aaron all die.Morgan's going to FTWD.

Most of the season 4 premier episode of Fear The Walking Dead with the Morgan crossover has been spoiled (if you're interested, it's in that show's thread).  Its story begins after the end of the "All Out War" Walking Dead finale.  In the opening scenes, Rick visits Morgan (who's taken up residence at the garbage dump) to try to talk him into coming back to Alexandria. Carol visits Morgan to try to talk him into coming back to the Kingdom.  Jesus visits Morgan to try to talk him into coming back to Hilltop.  So, at the very least, we know Rick, Jesus, Carol and Morgan all survive the finale.   

[catrox14]

19 minutes ago, SnarkyTart said:

Most of the season 4 premier episode of Fear The Walking Dead with the Morgan crossover has been spoiled (if you're interested, it's in that show's thread).  Its story begins after the end of the "All Out War" Walking Dead finale.  In the opening scenes, Rick visits Morgan (who's taken up residence at the garbage dump) to try to talk him into coming back to Alexandria. Carol visits Morgan to try to talk him into coming back to the Kingdom.  Jesus visits Morgan to try to talk him into coming back to Hilltop.  So, at the very least, we know Rick, Jesus, Carol and Morgan all survive the finale.   

Ah. Thanks for the clarity :)

[AngelaHunter]

18 minutes ago, SnarkyTart said:

Rick visits Morgan (who's taken up residence at the garbage dump) to try to talk him into coming back to Alexandria. Carol visits Morgan to try to talk him into coming back to the Kingdom.  Jesus visits Morgan to try to talk him into coming back to Hilltop.

Don't tell me - Intervention time (oh god I can't even contemplate the monologues and maybe even some special occasion soliloquays) and Morgan just repeats, "I'm not right", "everyone turns" and "I don't die."

[SnarkyTart]

21 minutes ago, AngelaHunter said:

Don't tell me - Intervention time (oh god I can't even contemplate the monologues and maybe even some special occasion soliloquays) and Morgan just repeats, "I'm not right", "everyone turns" and "I don't die."

I'm sure you're right.  I'm kinda expecting Dead Gaven and Dead Jared to hang around Morgan too, repeating, "You were suppsed to!".   The other mildly interesting tidbit from FTWD spoiler is that Morgan gets to Texas (where that show is centered) by running, walking, and driving for many days and nights.  So, no helicopter transport and no time jump.  Unless TWD finale brings back the helicopter in some other capacity, I guess that's just one of those things we're all expected to talk about and bite our nails over until next fall.  As if. 

[tv echo]

'The Walking Dead': Andrew Lincoln On Rick Vs. Maggie
By BRANDON DAVIS - April 16, 2018
http://comicbook.com/thewalkingdead/2018/04/16/the-walking-dead-rick-maggie-civil-war-season-9-/

Quote

Speaking to ComicBook.com in an exclusive interview, Rick and Andrew Lincoln gave a preview of what the feud between Rick and Maggie's groups might be like. In the event of Maggie's threats of striking her once-leader with Jesus and Daryl's help escalate in Season Nine, Lincoln and his Rick Grimes will have their hands full.

"She's terrifying. When she comes full-Cohan, that emotional force is like a freakin' hurricane," Lincoln said. "It's crazy. That's a big turn. It makes for a very interesting set up for this year, certainly. I'm excited. She's a wonderful actress, LC. She's so true. When she hits it, there's nobody like her. I think it's wonderful that she's got this power as a performer and also the stage that Maggie now has in the show and in the community, what she represents, I think it makes for a formidable force."

Season Nine will examine what the fallout of Rick's decision regarding Negan's fate will do to his pre-existing relationships. "I think there's a very strong ideology from Rick that there's problems," Lincoln said. "Are those cracks gonna be able to mend or are they gonna move apart even wider? That makes for interesting drama, certainly."
*  *  *
With the war between Rick and Negan having finally concluded, the aftermath might not be the happy ending some had in mind. "I'm just interested in that," Lincoln said. "It happens all the time. We see it in the news all the time. Vacuums. What happens? What moves into that?"

Edited April 17, 2018 by tv echo

[peach]

This show is truly amazing.  You think it can't get worse, but they really go above and beyond to make it so.  I'm about at the point where it's not worth even following spoilers and comments.  Rick sparing Negan is the terrible result we were unfortunately expecting, but Maggie turning on him instantly, and wanting to take him out instead of just finding a way to get rid of Negan is really stupid.  But the idea that Daryl would turn on him in this scenario is just outrageous.  Sorry, Andy, this does not "make for a very interesting setup." 

They did Chandler a favor by freeing him from this mess.

[tv echo]

4 hours ago, tv echo said:

Gimple responded to some questions about this episode ( don't think any of this is a spoiler, but just clarification of what happened)..

The Walking Dead EP Scott Gimple Breaks Down Rick's Big Decision, Maggie and Daryl's Plot, and More
By Charlie Mason / April 16 2018, 12:59 PM PDT
http://tvline.com/2018/04/16/the-walking-dead-season-9-spoilers-rick-maggie-war/

Re-posting here from season finale episode thread.

[Gobi]

6 hours ago, peach said:

This show is truly amazing.  You think it can't get worse, but they really go above and beyond to make it so.  I'm about at the point where it's not worth even following spoilers and comments.  Rick sparing Negan is the terrible result we were unfortunately expecting, but Maggie turning on him instantly, and wanting to take him out instead of just finding a way to get rid of Negan is really stupid.  But the idea that Daryl would turn on him in this scenario is just outrageous.  Sorry, Andy, this does not "make for a very interesting setup." 

They did Chandler a favor by freeing him from this mess.

Maybe Darryl is pulling a Dwight/Simon act on Maggie.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Never, ever, thought I would feel this way or admit it... but considering how it goes in the next few weeks, I think FTWD might be my first & only choice of WD universe consumption.

My barely flickering desire to keep watching TWD - the current course its been and will continue on  - died the moment that Negan didn't.

And now you have two ardent Rick-disciples plotting to overthrow him, maybe even kill him??   Mind the jumping sharks and be ready to duck. 

[AngelaHunter]

6 hours ago, Gobi said:

Maybe Darryl is pulling a Dwight/Simon act on Maggie.

The way this show has gone that would not surprise me at all, but I'll never know if he does since I can't understand anything he mumbles while staring at his shoes through his one semi-uncovered eye.

 

13 hours ago, peach said:

wanting to take him out instead of just finding a way to get rid of Negan is really stupid.  But the idea that Daryl would turn on him in this scenario is just outrageous.

Daryl has a fine way of getting rid of people - he just shoots them in the head. Nothing stopping him from doing the same to Negan. Nothing stopping Maggie either, or would we see a knock-down, drag out fight with the watchdogs if Daryl did try it? Maybe Michonne would knock Maggie out? Sounds stupid, I know, but stupid is all we've gotten for the longest time and the thought of Rick pulling a gun on Daryl in order to protect Negan doesn't seem outlandish at all to me now.

[Nashville]

On 4/10/2018 at 8:37 PM, raven said:

Carl will be in the finale - sort of

Gladiator flashback!  ;)

[tv echo]

Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Grey's, Good Doctor, Walking Dead, Blindspot, Elementary, Once Upon a Time and More
By Michael Ausiello / April 19 2018, 1:44 PM PDT
http://tvline.com/2018/04/19/greys-anatomy-meredith-nick-season-14-spoilers/

Quote

Question: I was pissed that Walking Dead teased us with the helicopter all season and then didn’t tell us whose it was. Do you know? —Luke
Ausiello: No — but I do know that you’ll eventually find out whose it is. Going into Season 9, “there is absolutely a story there,” showrunner Scott Gimple tells TVLine. “We have plans for that. But there was other business to take care of [in ‘Wrath’]. What was happening between Rick and Negan was the major story that we had to conclude.”

Question: Were there Whisperers in that big herd in The Walking Dead season finale? — Des
Ausiello: Maaaybe. Just like maaaybe the posts that the AHK alliance passed marked — in a manner familiar to readers of the comics — the turf of the walker-skin-wearing villains. “There’s things that people are pointing out that I didn’t realize,” Gimple admits. “I’m like, ‘Wow, maybe subliminally something was there!’ So yeah, there may have been tiny little tips of the hat to the Whisperers but nothing too big.”

Edited April 20, 2018 by tv echo

[Mu Shu]

I’m just too tired of the flavor of the season villain to give any fucks.

and Andrew Lincoln, I’m sure Lauren Cohan is a wonderful actress, but I’ll have to take your word for it.

[peach]

On 4/20/2018 at 8:55 AM, tv echo said:

Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Grey's, Good Doctor, Walking Dead, Blindspot, Elementary, Once Upon a Time and More
Question: I was pissed that Walking Dead teased us with the helicopter all season and then didn’t tell us whose it was. Do you know? —Luke
Ausiello: No — but I do know that you’ll eventually find out whose it is

 

[SnarkyTart]

@peach LOL.  As with everyone/everything else on this show, they'll get back to it when almost no one remembers it was ever there or, if anyone does remember, they stopped caring about it long ago. 

[Mu Shu]

What the hell was in Bobs box?

why was A stamped on the termite train car? Why did they paint A on father pees church?  Why did that little brat stamp A on Ricks hand?  Why do the hostages at the Sanctuary have A painted on their shirts?

i hate these people who do this so much.

and explain the damn Danish tiny house in the garbage dump!

[tv echo]

Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on Legends, Walking Dead, Lucifer, Supernatural, NCIS, Once, Code Black, H50 and More
By Matt Webb Mitovich / May 2 2018, 11:47 AM PDT
http://tvline.com/2018/05/02/lucifer-season-3-spoilers-deaths/

Quote

Anything on The Walking Dead? —Carrie
New intel all but confirms that we’ll be getting to the Whisperers sooner than later. Season 9 casting is underway for girlfriends Yumiko and Magna, future Alexandrians who are not only prominent protagonists in Robert Kirkman’s comic-book series but in the war with the Saviors’ Big Bad successors, the Whisperers. However, still not so much as a peep about a search for the villains’ leader Alpha…

[peach]

Well, if there's anything TWD needs, it's more characters. 

I realized while typing this that the girlfriends ARE the "future Alexandrians" at least.  At first, I thought they were casting for the girls and MORE future Alexandrians.  lol.  I don't know anything about the Whisperers or Alpha, but I'd guess a lot of other posters are right that Jadis will become that character.

[mandolin]

twd_behindthescenes on instagram has pictures of Rick sporting a close cropped haircut while filming 9x01. Time jump maybe? (Versus the stupid Carl dream future we already got.)

[Gobi]

On 4/24/2018 at 8:25 PM, Mu Shu said:

What the hell was in Bobs box?

why was A stamped on the termite train car? Why did they paint A on father pees church?  Why did that little brat stamp A on Ricks hand?  Why do the hostages at the Sanctuary have A painted on their shirts?

i hate these people who do this so much.

and explain the damn Danish tiny house in the garbage dump!

Foreshadowing for the new villains, the A-Listers.

[JackONeill]

11 hours ago, mandolin said:

twd_behindthescenes on instagram has pictures of Rick sporting a close cropped haircut while filming 9x01. Time jump maybe? (Versus the stupid Carl dream future we already got.)

And is that Negan's bat Rick has attached to the horse? Such a stupid weapon. Bats are just too heavy.

[AngelaHunter]

On 4/20/2018 at 9:55 AM, tv echo said:

“there is absolutely a story there,” showrunner Scott Gimple tells TVLine. “We have plans for that. But there was other business to take care of [in ‘Wrath’]. What was happening between Rick and Negan was the major story that we had to conclude.”

Oh, god - I can't wait, Gimple! I just know it will be brilliant, I mean, after all that 'major story' and all!<snerk>

[tv echo]

'Walking Dead' Promotes Pair to Series Regulars for Season 9 (Exclusive)
MAY 07, 2018 10:15am PT by Lesley Goldberg
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/walking-dead-promotes-pair-series-regular-season-9-1108964

Quote

Avi Nash and Callan McAuliffe, who both arrived in season eight as Siddiq and Alden, respectively, have been upgraded from recurring to series regulars for the upcoming ninth season of the zombie drama.

Nash's Siddiq first appeared in the season eight premiere when he crossed paths with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Carl (Chandler Riggs). After Rick drives him away, Carl later crosses paths with Siddiq and helps him kill a few walkers — but is bitten in the process. Carl effectively died saving Siddiq's life as part of his larger goal to strive for "what comes after" the war between the living between Rick and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).
*  *  *
McAuliffe, meanwhile, plays Alden, a former member of Negan's Saviors who surrendered to Maggie's (Lauren Cohan) Hilltop community and was held as a prisoner. Since then, he displayed an even hand and has worked hard to prove that he was never really on board with the Saviors. While there is no character in the comics named Alden, it's very likely he's a remixed version of Dante, an eventual love interest for Maggie.

Edited May 8, 2018 by tv echo

[SimoneS]

Andy Lincoln is leaving the show. They are paying Norman big money to be the new lead.

http://collider.com/andrew-lincoln-leaving-walking-dead-season-9/

[Nashville]

11 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

Andy Lincoln is leaving the show. They are paying Norman big money to be the new lead.

http://collider.com/andrew-lincoln-leaving-walking-dead-season-9/

Death knell.

[nodorothyparker]

That's all she wrote then.  As aggravating and inconsistent as the writing for Rick has been, Daryl cannot carry this show.  Not without a good power washing and personality transplant. 

[SimoneS]

If AMC had a brain, it would pay Danai to be the lead.

[DearEvette]

Just now, SimoneS said:

If AMC had a brain, it would pay Danai to be the lead.

I am betting it won't be too long before we get an announcement she's leaving too.

[SimoneS]

7 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

I am betting it won't be too long before we get an announcement she's leaving too.

I wouldn't be surprised. This is the final year of her contract. She is going to want big money to stay. Will AMC pay her?

[Nashville]

4 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

I wouldn't be surprised. This is the final year of her contract. She is going to want big money to stay. Will AMC pay her?

Well... TPTB are fixing to get MAJOR chunks of their Personnel budget freed up; if past history is any indication, though, they’re not going to be putting it back in.

[Mr. Sparkle]

The beginning of the end? The end of the beginning? Either way, those of us who were wondering if this show could possible get any worse are about to find out. 

[Morrigan2575]

20 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

I wouldn't be surprised. This is the final year of her contract. She is going to want big money to stay. Will AMC pay her?

No. ?

Honestly they should just end it at this point but, I could see them trying to get a few more years. Personally I never liked Rick so making the show about Daryl, Carol and Ezekiel (he entertains me) would work for me but, obviously milage varies.

Of course at this point I only watch Carol scenes/episodes with Carol in them.

Edited May 29, 2018 by Morrigan2575

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

50 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

Andy Lincoln is leaving the show. They are paying Norman big money to be the new lead.

http://collider.com/andrew-lincoln-leaving-walking-dead-season-9/

Since she's probably gonzo after next season as well, here's hoping that Rick & Maggie take each other out over their pissing contest about Negan. 

With this news - added to the reveal that LC's new show got picked up - I can see this show becoming the "Life and Times of Daryl & Negan", officially starting in S10.

.... and you couldn't pay me to even think about watching that big pile of schlockfest.

Well, we got 5 or 6 solid seasons.  Ok, 3.5 to 4 solid seasons and 1.5 or 2.5 more good enough ones.  But S7 started ringing the death knell* for this series (*tm @Nashville).   Actually, I'd offer up that the ringing began when that "what happened to Glenn!?" arc occurred in the mid-to-late portion of the first half of S6.

[onyxrose81]

Danai will be busy with Marvel and other projects. I think she's good as gone. 

Good for Andrew leaving and lmao at Daryl as lead.  Good luck with that. 

[nodorothyparker]

So going by that article we can expect to only see Rick and Maggie each in maybe a half dozen episodes this upcoming season.  Michonne may soon also be out the door as Danai's certainly got bigger fish to fry.  If they have any hopes of salvaging this thing (Which, yeah, I know.), they're going to have to dump all the tiresome speechifying and get busy developing some other characters enough to get anyone to care about them.  Barring Ezekiel and Jerry and maybe Dwight, they haven't exactly done a bang-up job of that in seasons.

Or it could just be all Negan all the time, now doing a strained whisper at Daryl, who mumbles mostly incomprehensibly back at him.  Pass.

[catrox14]

You know what? I don't fucking blame Andy.  They have made Negan more important than Rick and killed off Carl, who should have outlived Rick. 

I can only hope that Rick gets a heroic death, which likely means he won't because I never get what I want.

[nodorothyparker]

That's the thing.  I don't blame him either, or any of the cast who're maybe deciding to get out now while other opportunities are there.

 I think we all probably had some idea Rick wasn't going to make it to the end, but dammit, his end should have come handing off the proverbial baton to Carl.  It makes me mad all over again that they killed him for the idiotic reason of furthering Negan's storyline instead of letting these two legacy characters have that ending.  Passing the torch to an interchangeable toddler actor just isn't the same thing.

[TVFan17]

Forgive me for one moment, but I am going to be one of those super-annoying 'I told you so' people.  Back in the TWoP days, and I think even on this site too (a few seasons ago, pre-Negan), I remember specifically saying more than once that I could picture an eventual scenario in which Andrew Lincoln left because he wanted to move on to other work.  I could picture him getting tired of the show, or getting frustrated with the direction it was taking, or whatever, and moving on to do something else.    And, of course, several people scoffed at me, saying there was no scenario in which that could happen, and Andrew would never leave the show,  and Rick would be there until the very end,  blah blah blah.     I was even trying to say that I did not think Rick Grimes would get killed off just for kicks, but more because Andrew wanted to leave (in other words, it would be his choice more than the choice of writers, network execs or show runners).   Still, people disagreed and basically dismissed my belief.

Anyway, now I feel vindicated!!  lol  You were all wrong, naysayers!  lol  Okay, I'm done with my shameless gloating.

So... I can't blame Andy for wanting to leave either, as catrox14 said.  The show has gotten very stale, and he probably wants to jump off of the sinking ship.    I am barely hanging in there as a viewer, so I can't imagine how tedious it must feel for some of the actors.

But I don't want Rick's death to be a wimpy, anticlimactic death (like some of the show's deaths have been), or, worse yet, something that happens mostly off camera.     I want it to make us all cry -- or at least feel sad.    In other words, don't just have him go off somewhere on a long "mission" (where we don't see him again) and then have him die of old age in a flash forward scene or something.    He is the first character we all came to know, and regardless of whether or not we always agreed with Rick's leadership abilities and choices, he deserves to go out like a champ and have us all weeping buckets of tears.

I can't really see Norman wanting to stick around much longer either, but I think that AMC is desperate to keep him there to ride the show out until it ends.

Edited May 29, 2018 by TVFan17

[SimoneS]

31 minutes ago, catrox14 said:

They have made Negan more important than Rick and killed off Carl, who should have outlived Rick. 

This is what I don't understand. Why did they kill off Carl to give Rick a warped reason to keep Negan alive if Andy was leaving? Now the two characters around whom the show pivoted are gone. I can only think of two possibilities; they didn't know that Andy was leaving and so soon which seems improbable or there was a behind the scenes drama with Chandler.

Edited May 29, 2018 by SimoneS

[jsbt]

Negan was never good for this show. He was a ridiculous comic book character and Kirkman's personal avatar, and Kirkman always dragged the show down. He should've lasted a season tops if you had to do it. It doesn't surprise me he ultimately was what pulled the TV show apart to the point that I mostly stopped watching at the end of S7 and definitely checked out when they fired Chandler Riggs. I assume Lincoln (and next I'm betting Gurira) came to the same conclusion I have. TV is not comics.

[TVFan17]

It's so strange.  When we first saw and heard hints of Negan on the show -- before actually seeing the character appear onscreen -- like the creepy whistling and the scenes where his scary men kept blocking the roads so our gang could not drive through, etc., there was real suspense there.  They did a good job of building up that feeling of fear and terror to make us think that whoever or whatever we were about to meet was somehow worse than all of the villains we had previously met.   Negan's presence, when he finally showed his face, was ominous.

But now... any time Negan is onscreen, he is just a caricature.  I always mutter to myself, with a giant eye roll, "Oh Lord... it's this idiot again.   Why is no one getting rid of him?"   That whole air of menace and evil is gone.  He just seems like a buffoonish fool at this point, spewing all of his random threats that everyone has heard a million times. 

Sure, it would be great if Negan could somehow change and become a decent person and babysitter for Judith, but how likely is that to happen?  Not very likely.   They have wasted too much time on that character, and I hate to say that because JDM is a talented and charismatic actor.

But is Negan going to outlive Rick?  I would assume/hope he is not?

Edited May 29, 2018 by TVFan17

[jsbt]

He was ridiculous in the comics. I dreaded his arrival from like a year away. I knew what it would look like without a lot of changes. I think Scott Gimple did his best to try to keep the tone of his take on the show intact but it took a big hit very quickly, though I don't think he is blameless for that or for what transpired more recently. It became even more repetitious and tiresome than people used to say it was back in, say, Season 4 - when I thought it was an unfair criticism. Not anymore. They just began having to lean into complete comic book caricatures and fan service and spinning wheels more than ever before. Why do I give a fuck about Negan's lieutenants or the garbage cult or whoever?

[raven]

32 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

This is what I don't understand. Why did they kill off Carl to give Rick a warped reason to keep Negan alive if Andy was leaving? Now the two characters around whom the show pivoted are gone.

ITA.  Never mind the ongoing character assassinations.  Rick should have killed Negan, hell CARL should have done it. 

Norman Reedus cannot carry this show.   I like Carol, Jerry, Ezekiel...Siddiq is OK so far; Aaron; Michonne.   Danai is a star, I can see her leaving.  I might consider watching IF they kill Negan off.  Otherwise, forget it.  I know they won't, I know he's going into that cell.   I stopped reading the comics because of Negan.

 

1 hour ago, catrox14 said:

You know what? I don't fucking blame Andy.  They have made Negan more important than Rick and killed off Carl, who should have outlived Rick. 

I can only hope that Rick gets a heroic death, which likely means he won't because I never get what I want.

 I know right??  I hope AL has a bunch of opportunities. 

[jsbt]

Given the money he's made on this show I wouldn't blame Lincoln if he wants to just go somewhere with central air conditioning and stay there for about ten years.

[ShadowHunter]

Not surprised nor do I blame Andrew for wanting to leave. They should just end the series with Season 9. I wonder if Judith is the lone Grimes family survivor? 

I am happy Lauren will have a smaller part time role according to articles I read.  Maggie is a character I have grown to dislike. 

In trying to give Norman more money well again not surprised. A lead character who doesn't shower or wash his hair and lets it hang in his face will be a hoot. 

[Enigma X]

I am so happy for Andrew. That is all.