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The ‘Walking Dead’ cliffhanger is just getting started

Published Oct 4th, 2016 9:00PM EDT
The Walking Dead Negan Cliffhanger Kill
Image: AMC

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The Walking Dead returns to AMC in less than three weeks, which means we’re finally going to learn who Negan killed. But the first episode of season 7, set to debut on October 23rd, will not only bring us the answer we were waiting for. We might also be in for a wild emotional ride. From the looks of it, Negan is only getting started — beware, some spoilers may follow below.

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We think we know who’s not going to die in the upcoming premiere. Jefferey Dean Morgan who plays Negan said that Rick, Daryl, and Glenn won’t die in that scene. But that doesn’t mean everyone else will be safe after that first kill — oh, and there’s a pretty good theory that says Maggie is the one to die first.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Greg Nicotero said the premiere of season 7 is “the most emotional episode I’ve ever shot.”

“Where we left these characters at the end of season 6 is, they’ve been broken,” Nicotero said. “Their world has literally become smaller and smaller and trapped them, and now they’re in a situation that they’ve never been in before where the cavalry is not coming over the hill. Carol is not going to show up and blow up the propane tank outside of Terminus. These things aren’t going to happen, and it’s just devastating.”

“So knowing that and being in this situation, these actors who are such fantastic performers, they took themselves to some pretty deep, dark places, and it was intense. It was uncomfortable, and it was raw, and the emotion was real,” he continued.

“[There’s] some great drama that stems from that exact moment,” the director said about the Negan kill scene when asked how much more from that scene we’re going to get. ”Without giving too much away, it’s even more than the comic book, because in the comic book it’s kind of abrupt, and it’s over, and there’s a little, ‘Okay, I’ll see you guys in a week. We’ll be by to get half our share.’ There’s more to it.”

Nicotero is not going to give anything away, and neither is Morgan. But the actor did talk to Digital Spy about Negan in season 7.

“You need to be very careful about what you wish for because you are going to get it and more this year. It’s emotional. It’s hard. It’s hyper-violent,” he said. “It’s a lot to take. When the audience sees it, they will know exactly what ‘a lot’ means.”

“You won’t be able to see Negan without thinking of the premiere episode. What he does is so strong and so shocking,” Morgan promised. “The way Negan inflicts damage is so original to Negan, that whenever he comes on screen you will not know what to expect.”

Even Andrew Lincoln (Rick) thinks that Negan is the greatest villain in the series. “It’s a very thrilling and exciting time. It does feel like we are smashing everything and starting over. ”Without a doubt [Rick] has [met his match], absolutely. Everything is changed. The playing field has irrevocably changed,” Lincoln said.

Things are about to get worse than we thought, or so it would appear. In fact, even if the first scene will be solved as soon as episode 701 kicks off, there’s no guarantee others won’t die at the hand of Negan. Could Daryl also be in danger? Actor Norman Reedus told Digital Spy that the future “looks really bad” for the group, and cryptically said that “mistakes will end your life.”

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.