'The Walking Dead': Yes, they really did just kill him

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the “How It’s Gotta Be” episode of The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead powers that be had promised a moment we’d all be talking about after Sunday’s Season 8 midseason finale, and it wasn’t just hype: In arguably the most shocking, and impactful, death yet on the AMC series, Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) sustained a walker bite on his torso during a battle with the Saviors.

On his torso — not an appendage that can be chopped off, like Hershel’s leg. In the Talking Dead episode that aired immediately after the midseason finale, TWD showrunner Scott Gimple confirmed that Carl is dying, though it won’t be final until the Feb. 25 midseason premiere.

Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes. (Photo: Gene Page/AMC)
Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes. (Photo: Gene Page/AMC)

“The bite is gonna play out as we’ve seen bites play out, and it’s very important to Carl’s story and the entire story, what happens in the next episode. So I’m just focused on the fact that Carl, right now, is alive. He has some business to attend to,” Gimple said. “Yeah, that is a one-way ticket, but I’d like to think that the things we see in the next episode are so important to his life, and the other characters’ lives.”

Check back on Monday for Yahoo Entertainment’s complete recap of “How It’s Gotta Be.”

The Walking Dead Season 8 returns Feb. 25 at 10 p.m. on AMC.

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