Warning: There are massive spoilers ahead if you're not caught up on "The Walking Dead."
"The Walking Dead" returns to TV February 25 to wrap up its eighth season, and, when it does, it's a little unclear where the show will go.
The mid-season finale introduced its largest departure from the comics yet when Carl revealed he was fatally bitten by a zombie. His impending death will have ripple effects throughout the rest of the season.
Regardless of whether you're frustrated with the show's recent turn of events or are waiting with bated breath for it to return, here's where we expect the next eight episodes to go.
Carl is toast.
If there's one thing we're sure of it's that Carl (Chandler Riggs) is going to die.
Fans were gutted when it was revealed on the mid-season finale Carl was bitten by one of the undead. Riggs then confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that his character will be killed off the series.
"Yes, Carl is going to die," said Riggs. "There's no way he can get back from that. His story is definitely coming to an end."
Carl's impending death will be a huge departure from the comics. The character is still alive in Robert Kirkman's monthly graphic series and has essentially taken on the lead role. It will definitely change up the dynamic of the show moving forward a bit.
According to THR, Riggs has one episode of the series left — the mid-season premiere. We expect his death to come on that episode.
Carl's going to impart some final words of wisdom to the group which will determine how the rest of the season plays out.
If you watched the season eight mid-season finale closely, Carl was starting to set the wheels in motion with his father to make peace with Negan.
Near the start of the episode, Carl challenges Rick. He asks the point behind them fighting Negan and suggests that it's senseless.
"We're fighting so it's all of us working together for something more than just killing other people," Carl tells his father.
"You think we're going to be out there picking strawberries with Negan?" Rick asks Carl jokingly.
"If that's what it takes. It's more than just hope. What are we just going to kill all of them?" Carl asks. "Finding some way forward, that's harder. That's something more. Dad, that's how it's gotta be."
The official synopsis for the second half of the season teases that Carl will impart "lessons that the survivors around him would be wise to take with them as this war surges onward."
What will those lessons be? We bet he's going to want Rick to swallow his pride and make some sort of peace with Negan. Continuing the war isn't the right answer when the dead are their real enemy.
Daryl will take over Carl's comic role.
Daryl's been making a lot of questionable calls. It was his decision to drive a garbage truck into the Sanctuary that led to the Saviors' escape and the destruction of his community, Alexandria. Daryl may do something else foolish in the latter half of season eight. But with Carl on his deathbed, he may also be willing to listen to his dying words and keep a promise to Rick's son to try and make peace with the Saviors.
Daryl doesn't exist in the comics. Instead, Dwight is his counterpart. With Dwight still around on the show, Daryl may need a fresh story arc. With Carl out of the way, that leaves a door wide open for Daryl.
In the comics, Carl becomes rather close to Negan in the future. Could Daryl turn over the same leaf after the man had him tortured? It doesn't sound likely, but anything seems possible at this point now that the show is going very off book.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider