[This clause contains potential SPOILERS for The Walking Dead season 6, and the comic book.]

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As almost everyone is well aware, The Walk-to Inactive season 6 concluded along a cliffhanger. And while the first-person termination was the rather rip-soaked last the hype machine around the series had been likely, IT didn't quite pitch in full. In other words, the identity of the ill-omened item-by-item who got raised close and personal with Lucille wasn't revealed – a move that probably rankled more dedicated viewers than it pleased. Merely there's one very good (very patent) reason AMC and the producers of the network's hit series decided to take the path they did with involve to Negan and his ill-famed creation: It ensures all eyes will be on the serial publication when it returns in the lag for season 7.

That's something of a ambiguous sword, as it also agency the serial will have to go into the sort of video lockdown not seen since Jon Snow was left to chill in the shadow of Castle Black. The series has a big mystery to keep under lock chamber and key for the next few months, which will get ahead progressively hard as the eventual production along season 7 will nigh certainly attract even much would-be shutterbugs and scoop-lovin' Internet-folk like and then many flies to the series' titular wandering carrion.

Only according to showrunner Scott M. Gimple, there's more to what lies forrade in the show than the answer of which character likely no more has a head teacher. During a news conference call the morning after the stopping point, Gimple self-addressed the obvious questions regarding Negan's victim, assuring fans that, yes, all questions will Be answered – ostensibly in gory detail – and that the death will serve as a major turn point for the evince, one that may finally include the arrival of Ezekiel, his Panthera tigris Shiva, and The Kingdom.

First, though, let's start with the elephant in the room.

Negan's Brutal Kill

A few weeks before the season 6 coda, Rick led his group into a compound controlled by the Saviors as payment for supplies from Gregory and the folk at Hilltop. Inside the compound, Glenn was compelled to take a human life sentence for the number one time, and in doing so was exposed to a Polaroid montage of some of Negan's handiwork. While many viewers (and funny readers) took both events as a sign John Glenn would indeed fall victim to Negan's retribution, the non-committal closing moments of 'Terminal Day on Earth' propose information technology could make up any count of people "taking it like a title-holder."

And while the beginning of season 7 will obviously have to address the drop viewers bear been left hanging from for several months, Gimple wants to assure the audience that not exclusively will they get what was denied them in time of year 6 (i.e., the grisly end of one unlucky survivor), only the plot line waving on from there will offer even more. Gimple said:

"In numerous ways, what we saw last Night was the end of the story of season six. Where Rick winds up is completely distinct from where atomic number 2 started in episode one and episode nine. I've known for a while what is in 701 and presenting what occurs and to show what happened in full-of-the-moon squeeze. It is the beginning of the next story. The two - the showing of, it's an incredible work of gore by Charlie Adlard in the book, how we show that on TV - I'm certain that we'll be pushing roughly boundaries with IT."

This echoes some of Gimple's statements in an interview with TVLine, where the showrunner addressed literary criticism to the finale, saying the season 7 premiere will formalise the divisive season ending:

"We induce to do an episode that justifies [the cliffhanger] to you. We have to arrange something so great and and so intense that you're like, 'OK, satisfactory, blonde play.' That's the challenge that we take over, and we'atomic number 75 going to do it. We're going to deliver you something fantastic.

We want you to embody one of those people in that batting order. We want you to spirit that suspense and that terror and that pain. We'Ra going to fork out you a taradiddle next season that justifies it."

As for the individuality of the character taking the brunt of Negan's sick humor and gumption of justice, Gimple understands the interim months between seasons 6 and 7 will be filled with speculation of wholly sorts, but he cautions that the inside information in the finish won't necessarily render viewers with conclusive proofread of the identity in question:

"I consider in that location is nobelium way. In that location are a span of things in there that might help people possibly limit the amount of people who are vulnerable but I will say, I would recommend people not to get over down that route. I truly don't think there is a way to puzzle IT every last exterior definitively."

The Kingdom

Extraordinary of the key out issues with 'Last Day on Land' was its unnecessarily excessive duration. Part of that was overdue to the show's slow reveal of Negan, merely part of it was due to an leftover, digressive plot line that faced Morgan in pursuit of Carol – who was also being chased away a Savior then hell bent on revenge he'd rather succumb to a likely treatable gunshot offend than seek help.

The showdown unscheduled Morgan to kill in order to protect someone He cares about, and it left Christmas carol severely wounded. Things were looking pretty bleak for the would-be pacifists until two men in body armor arrived on the scene and offered to lend a helping hand (a quick glimpse of one of these men was likewise seen during 'East'). Neither homo says exactly where they are from, but given their attire and neighborly approach shot to strangers, the popular shot is it's a sure sign The Kingdom is right or so the corner.

In the comics, The Kingdom is a cosmic village that's akin to Hilltop, run taboo of an abandoned high school and lorded o'er past a Isle of Man named Ezekiel. Like Hilltop and Alexandria, the Saviors pose a significant problem for the apparently renaissance fair-loving folks of The Kingdom, and intrinsically they represent a likely ally. And piece Gimple remained coy as to whether or non The Kingdom will be seen in season 7, atomic number 2 did order whenever it does fix an coming into court it cost memorable:

"Those guys may operating theater may not have been from The Kingdom. We may or may not see The Kingdom. If we do see The Realm, it'll be a bighearted reveal and IT'll be another new world to live in and explore."

Book of Ezekiel and His Tiger

Unitary aspect of The Kingdom that will likely charm to viewers is the aforementioned Ezekiel and, sure as shooting, his pet tiger, Shiva. Ezekiel, bettor known as "King Ezekiel," runs The Kingdom and has a relationship with the Hilltop community, which eventually plays a role what most can likely assume is the conflict between Negan and those he would subjugate.

While the wonder of how (operating theatre even if) that difference of opinion testament do about on the TV program is likely along a distribute of fans' minds right now, the series has various introductions to pee first. And one of the trickiest might be the introduction of Siva. Along that subject Gimple said:

"Tush we have a real tiger? That's a not bad way to put the questions to me because it sort out of corners me into a spoiler. I would say, in a rattling cheeky room, that we bum have a great deal of things and populate are gonna have to await and see. If I were just watching the show - I'd want to see that tiger."

So thither you get IT. Spell the mollify 6 closing curtain may have ruffled more than a some feathers, IT appears the series' showrunner is wellspring aware the graduate expectations that the mollify 7 premiere (and beyond) will inevitably bring. It remains to be seen whether or not Gimple and the rest of The Walking Dead crew will be able to live up to those expectations, but by the sound of IT, they're certainly going to judge. After the reaction to this most recent cliffhanger ending, it will glucinium engrossing to see whether or not fans turn out in droves, or if they've been burnt one overly many times.

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The Walk-to Dead season 7 premieres in the fall of 2016.

Source: THR, Comicbook.com, TVLine

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Kevin is Screen Rant's Telecasting Editor. He is a graduate of the University of WY and the University of Washington. Kevin is a member of the TCA.

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