Though we’ve known that it was going to happen since December, it was still tough to stomach the loss of Carl Grimes in this weekend’s midseason premiere of The Walking Dead.
Fans have literally watched the character grow up on screen over the past eight years, so there was no way his death wasn’t going to leave us as blubbering wrecks. But if you’ve still got some tears left in your eye sockets, why not relive Carl’s journey in this new promo from AMC, which offers an emotional In Memoriam video for the fallen Grimes boy.
The featurette zooms all the way back to TWD‘s first season and Carl’s reunion with his father, reminding us of the hardships he’s faced since then – his mother Lori’s death, losing an eye – but also the important relationships he’s built along the way – a romance with Enid, a sibling bond with little Judith and a surrogate familial connection with Michonne.
The video ends with Carl talking to his dad, saying: “Sometimes the kids have to find their own way, to show their parents the way.” These will prove to be prophetic words, as Carl’s death will have a major impact on Rick and how he proceeds with the war against the Saviors. His dying wish was that Rick remembers the importance of peace and building something good out of all this fighting, instead of letting his anger rule him. In other words, Rick’s mercy must prevail over his wrath.
Though this is definitely it for Carl, the character’s death hasn’t stopped actor Chandler Riggs from hinting that he’ll return to The Walking Dead before season 8 is out. Another comment from him suggested that this may even be in the form of a flashback. Or perhaps we’ll revisit Carl’s vision of a utopian future where everyone’s still alive?
Time will tell, but be sure to tune in this Sunday when The Walking Dead continues on AMC.