Something we know is going to happen in this back half of The Walking Dead season 10 is that Danai Gurira will say goodbye to the series as Michonne. Though we’ve known the actress was on her way out since early last year, we still don’t have any concrete details on how the long-running heroine will be written out of the show. But this new trailer for season 10B promises that, however it goes down, it’ll be mighty emotional.
The 30-second promo takes the form of a bunch of clips of the various protagonists and antagonists marching into battle, with evil Whisperer leader Alpha voicing an eerie speech over the top. “Can you see beyond the darkness into the light?” she says. “It is beautiful, pure… and I will meet you there.” We don’t see who she’s talking to, but the trailer gives us a strong indication.
Interspersed with the clips is specially-shot footage of Michonne surrounded by a black background, facing the camera with Lucille in her hand. In the final seconds of the promo, she cries out and swings the barbed bat in front of her. Once you pair this with those heart-tugging shots of young Judith with a tear running down her cheek and having a reassuring hug from Daryl, things start to look not so good for Michonne.
Of course, from what we’ve been hearing, the character is unlikely to be killed off. Gurira has been linked to those Andrew Lincoln spinoff movies several times, so it seems like she’ll be hopping over to them somehow. However, by whatever means she’s torn away from her home, her children and her people, it’ll no doubt be seriously tear-jerking. And, who knows, those reports may have been a clever smokescreen to hid her real fate. You can never tell with TWD.
The Walking Dead season 10 returns to AMC on Sunday, February 23rd.