The Walking Dead fans have been debating for weeks if the “W” carved into several walkers’ foreheads stands for rogue group The Wolves, referenced in graffiti on the TV series, and whether they are the television version of one of the groups from The Walking Dead comic books. Some think The Wolves are none of the comic book groups, and that the symbol on some walkers’ foreheads isn’t even a “W” but an “M” for Morgan, who is still wandering around on his own without Rick’s group.
Let’s break down the theories here and see which is most likely.
Walking Dead fans can probably rule out Morgan. Given the number of mutilated, armless and legless walker torsos in the back of that truck back at Noah’s former home, it’s not likely that was done by one man traveling alone. So it seems fair for The Walking Dead fans to presume it’s a “W” as most do.
Earlier this season on The Walking Dead , when Rick’s gang went to Noah’s home in Richmond, they found the outer wall compromised and the community overrun with walkers. What was most ominous was the graffiti outside the walls, saying “ Wolves not far .” Plus they discovered a truckload of limbless walkers with a “W” carved in their foreheads, and their missing limbs scattered outside the hole in the wall.
There are no Wolves in the comic series, but they appear to be the TV version of one of three groups from The Walking Dead comics. Nerd Reactor cited two groups, The Scavengers and The Saviors that are likely candidates.
In The Walking Dead comics, the Scavengers are a survivor group run by Derek, who tried to take Alexandria and taunted them by saying “Little pig, little pig let me in.” On the TV show, if they are playing off the Scavengers they could be made up of the Alexandria outcasts.
But a far more likely theory is that the Wolves of The Walking Dead TV series are based on The Saviors, led by Negan. Negan’s eventual appearance on the show has been guaranteed, if not when he would arrive. We’ve also seen some bashed in heads in the destruction of Noah’s home, reminiscent of a baseball bat, Negan’s signature weapon.
But Gamer Guide presents another interesting option from The Walking Dead comics. Could The Wolves be the TV version of The Whisperers, a group that wears zombie skin to blend in with the walkers and communicates with each other in whispers? This makes a lot of sense because they may use real walkers to help storm a community, branding them with the “W” to distinguish the real walkers quickly from those just wearing skins. Then when they are done, The Whisperers could hack off their limbs and leave the walkers to move on to the next conquest.
Because, let’s face it, there are never a shortage of walkers to choose from on The Walking Dead .
The Wolves being The Whisperers also makes sense because there hasn’t been any official Walking Dead announcements about the casting of Negan, and some Walking Dead fans think The Saviors group is too iconic to change the name.
Or all The Walking Dead fans could be wrong and The Wolves may just be a new group created by Walking Dead showrunner and writer Scott Gimple. What do you think?
The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights on AMC at 9 p.m. ET.
[Photo by Gene Page/AMC]