![](https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/the-walking-dead-mid-season-premiere-reactions.jpg)
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.
Dying Carl gets more done before 6 am than most people do all day. #TheWalkingDead
— Katie Frey (@kfrey13) February 26, 2018
Oh my 💔#TheWalkingDead #RIPCarl pic.twitter.com/l3f4doaaF2
— Denise 🌻 (@DizzyDenise23) February 26, 2018
I like this song, but it's no "Easy Street."#TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/DIORc2QoCa
— Pieter J. Ketelaar 3 💉💉💉 💉 (@PieterJKetelaar) February 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/HershelGreene1/status/967943490415013893
Michonne: I know a place we can take him and he’ll be healed. The most technologically advanced nation in the world.
Rick: 🙄 Not this again.#TheWalkingDead— Reagan Gomez (@ReaganGomez) February 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/MLigocki6f7/status/967946323390582784
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?
So pumped for Carol and Morgan's murder spree #TheWalkingDead
— Brittney M-M (@BrittTalks) February 26, 2018
Morgan: Knock Knock
Savior: who’s there
Morgan: My stick bitch#TheWalkingDead— The.Bryce.Phillips (@TvWithBryce) February 26, 2018
Morgan and Carol is the buddy movie we never knew we needed. These two maniacs are going to WERK. #TheWalkingDead #DemDeadz
— Middle Aged Gambino (@bored_in_jersey) February 26, 2018
Negan: I have the most gruesome kills ever on #TheWalkingDead
Morgan: Hold my f-cking beer— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) February 26, 2018
How Carol and Ezekiel looked at Morgan. #TheWalkingDead #DemDeadz pic.twitter.com/RPdzbefqn9
— ESSENCE (@Essence) February 26, 2018
S1 Morgan: can't kill his wife, shaking, crying
S8 Morgan: literally rips out a man's intestines#twd #TheWalkingDead— Tara (@sonnentreppe) February 26, 2018
And then there were more flash-forward fever dreams with Old Man Rick and … Eugene?
Who invited Eugene to the fever dream? #Demdeadz #TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/pam3N8qT6p
— JJ (@artistsreward) February 26, 2018
But let’s get back to the heartwrenching process of Carl dying and saying goodbye to Judith.
That hat is gonna outlive everyone #Demdeadz #TheWalkingDead
— JJ (@artistsreward) February 26, 2018
Judith right now #TheWalkingDead #DemDeadz pic.twitter.com/FyglTriCMU
— B E A N Z (Miss U Mom) (@BeanzGotGamez) February 26, 2018
Does little asskicker even speak human? I feel like no one’s really been raising her. #TheWalkingDead #DemDeadz
— uncle den 🐀 @neandertall@mstdn.social (@theyseemetweetn) February 26, 2018
Gorgeous shot. #TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/t2lfpvQ19k
— Dalton Ross (@DaltonRoss) February 26, 2018
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.