Carl Grimes is not dead yet, but he soon will be when The Walking Dead Season 8 returns from its midseason break next month.
The character, it was revealed last month, was bitten by a Walker a few episodes ago while saving a stranded survivor. The revelation came as a surprise to fans who expect Rick Grimes' (Andrew Lincoln) son to live longer and be at the center of upcoming story arcs.
Even the cast, including Norman Reedus, was upset about the unexpected plot twist. In a new interview, ahead of the show's midseason premiere on Feb. 25, the actor talked about Chandler Riggs' exit.
Losing A Family Member
"I was desperately unhappy about that," the actor told EW. "I've seen Chandler grow up from a little boy. I've known that kid so long, and it always hurts when you lose a family member on the show. Chandler is definitely a family member to me. I was not happy about it. I always thought Chandler would be the last man standing, to be honest."
The past few seasons have been depressing for fans of the post-apocalyptic series on AMC. One of the most memorable and most heartbreaking deaths was when Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) bashed Glenn's (Steven Yeun) skull using Lucille, a baseball bat coated with barb wire. However, no one expected Carl to be the next to die.
Many theorized that Rick's son will take up the mantle and lead the group when Lincoln leaves the series. After all, Carl is still alive on the original comic books and was even at the center of recent story arcs.
After losing so many people, Reedus feels that the show might eventually lose its spirit and, eventually, its loyal following.
"The people that started this show, to me, are the heart of the show," he explained. "When you lose those key members, it's such a big blow to the show, and to the fans, and to us that are there. Who's left? There's only a few of us left out of all those people. If you wanted to turn it into a totally different show, you get rid of those people."
With Lennie James' Morgan transitioning to Fear the Walking Dead, only three people from the original cast are left. Creator and showrunner Robert Kirkman argued that killing off Carl was necessary to where the show needs to go in the future.
Despite his frustration, the 49-year-old has no intention to leave the series. He promised, in another interview, that he will be on The Walking Dead until the end (if Daryl survives the all-out war against Negan).
The Walking Dead Season 9 has already been ordered by AMC. Both Reedus and Lincoln have signed up to return.
