‘The Walking Dead’ Pulled Out The Hearts And Guts Of Fans During The Mid-Season Premiere

The Walking Dead is back for the second half of its season eight run, and we’ve spent the past three months knowing Carl is gonna die. That’s a lot of psychic sadness us fans have been carting around through the winter, and it all leaked out on the internet during the mid-season premiere. There was no bait and switch, no magic dumpster escape. Rick’s son, who has been with us since the very beginning of the season, expired during the episode and people got pretty emotional.

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But don’t forget, it’s still ‘All Out War’ going on everywhere else. And while things aren’t looking too good for Rick’s ragged band of zombie apocalypse survivors, at least they still have a Carol and Clear Mode Morgan on their side. Who needs more than that, really?

And then there were more flash-forward fever dreams with Old Man Rick and … Eugene?

But let’s get back to the heartwrenching process of Carl dying and saying goodbye to Judith.

Welp, I’m all cried out at this point. I suppose it’s foolish to think The Walking Dead won’t keep punching us in the gut emotionally over and over this season, but they’re running out of Carls to kill. Let’s hope we get a few bumper episodes full of the right kind of deaths. Some extra stanky walkers. Some Saviors. Maybe the entire Junk Yard Gang? Now there’s my Old Man Rick fantasy right there.