People Are Freaking Out About Carl’s Fate On ‘The Walking Dead’ Midseason Finale

We have been hearing all week that there will be a “shocking moment” in The Walking Dead midseason finale, and given that there have been major deaths in the last four fall finales, viewers are understandably concerned that a major character will die again. In what may be a first for the series, viewers have no idea who it will be. It’s a rare instance where the source material has provided very little guidance, while not even spoiler sites are giving hints. There is so much secrecy surrounding the “shocking moment” that critics have not been given screeners, either, so we’ll find out right along with everyone else.

What could be so huge that not even the Spoiling Dead — a site that has historically never shied away from major reveals — is either mum or doesn’t know? Is it the death of Gabriel? Could it be Dwight? Or baby Judith?

It could be any of those three, but with the exception of Judith — simply because of her age, and the shock her death might provoke — those deaths do not seem to warrant this level of secrecy. That’s why a lot of people have zeroed in on Carl Grimes.

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In fact, TVLine polled its readers this weekend and asked who they thought was the character most likely to die. Thirty-five percent named Carl, more than twice anyone else.

Earlier this week, we laid out all the reasons Carl may die on the midseason finale, as well as the reasons he may not. The fact that actor Chandler Riggs is supposed to enter college, has signed on to a new movie, is releasing music, and is asking for a role on Stranger Things have all led viewers to speculate that he will be departing from the show in the midseason finale.

Maybe he will! But I can’t get past two things: He has a major role in the comics beyond the All Out War, and he was in the flash forward. How can a character who dies in the All Out War be spotted in a scene that supposedly takes place several years from now? Unless, of course, that’s not a flash forward. It’s a hazy dream designed to fake us all out.

If so, they did a really good job. If not, I fear that anything less than Carl’s death will feel anti-climactic. In either respect, people on Twitter are seriously worried and some are even threatening to quit the show if Carl dies.
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If Carl does die in the finale, it’s worth noting that the last words Rick said to him in the season premiere were, “This is the end of it.” Those words may ultimately come back around and be viewed as foreshadowing after the midseason finale.