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‘The Walking Dead’ Spoilers: Andrew Lincoln Talks World Building In Season 7

By Shawn Lealos
Published on: 15:59 PST, Oct 21, 2016

Most fans waiting for The Walking Dead Season 7 premiere are concerned most with who Negan will kill in the opening episode. While many expect the victim to be Glenn, mirroring the victim of Negan’s bat, Lucille, in the comic books, there is a thought there will be two deaths on the season premiere and Glenn won’t be the one who gets his head bashed in at the start. With that as the lead-in for the season, it seems like things are getting very dark on The Walking Dead.

However, Andrew Lincoln spoke to USA Today about the upcoming season, and while he admitted that things are getting dark, he also said that the season will also feature explosive moments and a lot of world building.

“The world gets bigger. You get introduced to these other communities that have their own ideology, have their own set-ups, have their own ways of functioning, either by oppression, victimization (or) benevolence.”

Of course, the expanding world of The Walking Dead all starts with Negan’s Saviors, a group that is built under the oppression that Lincoln mentioned. This is a group where the members all say “I am Negan” because he is the charismatic and violent leader of the group. While Rick has killed out of what he considers necessity for survival, Negan gets some joy out of killing, although his base reasons are the same as Rick.

Next up is The Kingdom. As Lincoln said, this year The Walking Dead has tigers. That is the community led by Ezekiel (Khary Payton), who does, in fact, own a tiger named Shiva, and that the Inquisitr reported that actor Logan Miller described as Mad Max-like. Much like Negan, Ezekiel has developed a strong loyalty among his followers, but he is a much more honorable person than his evil counterpart. While Rick and company will have many conflicts with Negan, Ezekiel and the Kingdom are allies.

Viewers of The Walking Dead have already met The Hilltop residents, a group that might be what Rick considers a community built under the oppression of Negan’s demands and control. In the comics, they thrived under the leadership of Maggie Greene. If Glenn dies in The Walking Dead Season 7 premiere, expect Maggie on the TV show to follow suit. That gives the TV show four distinct communities and a world much bigger than Rick ever believed was possible.

Andrew Lincoln also said that not everything will be dark in The Walking Dead Season 7. According to Lincoln, the explosive escape from Terminus might pale in comparison to the battle that will come this season between the forces of good and the forces of Negan. However, as it has been with the first six seasons of The Walking Dead, the battles are only part of the equation. The important thing is how they get there.

Lincoln reiterates what the show’s producers have said since the Season 6 finale. Rick Grimes is at his lowest this season. He has been beaten down, feels like he has failed his new family, and blames himself for the new deaths. According to Lincoln, Rick is “powerless” for the first time since he woke up from his coma in the premiere episode. He has no control and everything in his life has been shattered by Negan.

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However, while fans of The Walking Dead might feel grief and want to check out after the Season 7 premiere, Andrew Lincoln asks that the fans not give up hope yet. As Lincoln said, things are getting dark but there is always something that fans can hold onto.

“I don’t particularly like the phrase, but it’s always darkest before the dawn. So, hang in there, because hope has always been a vital ingredient in the show. But it’s going to get stormy.”

[Featured Image via AMC]

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