I was at San Diego Comic Con for the first time this year, I learned a great number of things while attending. One of the things I learned real quick is I wasn’t prepared to make it into Hall H to watch panels and trailers. I ended up watching the trailers on YouTube on my phone in a hotel restaurant. I had to watch the panels when I got home after the con.

So what did I think from the panel? Not much honestly, the staff is excited that Angela Kang is now the showrunner, so that makes me excited. Everyone seemed to have great energy and feedback in regards to Angela and she has had solid episodes in the past.

They acknowledged the show will have a time jump, which also is something that was seen in the comic series. For all of those crying about not seeing a pregnant Maggie, will not be able to see that happen, at least during this pregnancy.

New characters will be debuting that are also based on the comics. Robert Kirkman put out heavy hints that whisperers were shown at the end of the trailer. They did confirm that the role of Alpha has been cast.  I am happy that the story of the Whispers will finally happen, and it’s something that could save the show despite all of the others news that came with the panel.

The panel, which I personally hated that they did this, acknowledged that this is the last season for Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes. They didn’t come out and say he is going to die, while Andrew Lincoln said Rick Grimes will always be apart of him. I’m wondering if they are going to keep something open-ended in case he changes his mind down the line. Perhaps he ends up in some storyline with the helicopter going somewhere else, or perhaps he goes off on his own to find himself. Whatever the case may be I’ll be sad to see him go, and this just makes the choice to kill Carl Grimes more ominous. Andrew Lincoln got a standing ovation from members of the cast and the whole scene was a bit sad and weird.

The trailer! The epic trailer, bringing me back to awesome seasons of the past, this trailer had me from the very start. Check it out here:

We have a fast forward, which we knew about, Rick Grimes has the salt and pepper beard going on, we have Negan held prisoner with a long beard. It seems Rick likes to fill Negan in on things, both trying to size each other up. We see Maggie with her baby, so no baby bump for her at all, we also see Judith running around, she looks, oh I don’t 5 or 6 right now.

The communities are rebuilding! They are growing crops and building structures. Are they using all the guides given to them the previous season? We see many new locations, the most interesting one is it looks like the gang FINALLY makes it to DC. It looks like they make their way to some sort of museum because everything old is new again, we see the group working hard to save a wagon.

We see some sort of outside community, maybe in the forest, Rick, Carol, Daryl seem to be staples of this location. Tara is also there with a “normal” looking Jadis, they have a post that shows all sorts of the communities. HQ, which I’m thinking is the Hilltop, Oceanside, Alexandria, Sanctuary, and Toledo.

Maggie talks with Rick and reminds Rick that he said he would follow her, but she wasn’t ready, but she is ready now. Rick looks a bit shocked at the news, in another scene Michonne tells Maggie that she needs to start making rules for all the other communities. Unrest is happening, we could be seeing a civil war, we see Daryl punching Aaron in the face! We see Carol saying she wanted to shoot someone to stop something before it even starts. In Alexandria we see a statement “Saviors save us we are still Negan.” Daryl implies that with the starting group he felt they could do anything, he doesn’t feel this group is right.

In more talks with Rick and Negan, Negan tells Rick things will go to shit, and when they do he wants to hear all about it. I think one group is upset about everything and blows up a bridge to separate the communities. We see that Jadis still has a connection to this mystery helicopter. We see it has the letter A, and a symbol I can’t quite make out.

We have a big brawl! Daryl and Rick travel together and Daryl asks, are we on the same side?” And Rick asks, “well you tell me.” Crazy! Who would have thought that about these two!

A new group of people, some stars from some great shows, one says he was a music teacher, and another was a waitress at a truck stop. I don’t believe any of them, I think it’s their act but they are really badasses. Daryl and Rosita look like they are in some serious trouble, a large group of walkers are on their trail, they have to climb down an embankment by some water and throw all sorts of mud on themselves to try to hide. We hear whispers. I am so jacked WHISPERERS!!!!

In synopsis, the panel I didn’t find to be that informative or groundbreaking! I think that the trailer was amazing. I like the entire vibe of this trailer for the upcoming season, I like the different locations, the new people, the conflicts. I’m happy to see them finally make DC, above all else, I’m happy to see that the Whispers are the menu.

I’m sad to hear about Rick, though having him alive is not out of the question from the vibes of the panel. Does he go and look for Morgan? Does he get captured or become a Whisperer? Perhaps he goes wherever the helicopter originates from? In any case, they have ways to keep someone alive while not on screen if you don’t remember Morales was alive for a very long time.