Rick Grimes

Rick, for the first time in his pre-and-post-apocalyptic life, is powerless. He is reevaluating everything he thought to be true in this world. He is terrified for his life, and the lives of his children, and the group. He now knows he is outnumbered and he has lost, regardless. The world is a much bigger, scarier place than he ever imagined.

Daryl Dixon

Daryl finally made Alexandria his home and the Alexandrians his extended family. Finding forgiveness, he saved Dwight, who in turn took his crossbow and used it to kill Denise – a defining moment for Daryl – and Daryl feels extreme guilt and anger. Now, he faces Dwight, Negan and the Saviors with no hope for the mercy he extended to “D” in the burnt out forest.

Glenn Rhee

Glenn has fully “grown up” – he’s been through trauma after trauma and he’s come away stronger for it, picking up lessons from the people he’s lost along the way. Firmly cemented in his humanism, he’s wary of this new, brutal world and his place within it – especially with a child on the way.

Maggie Greene

Maggie, having found leadership and responsibility in Alexandria, now finds herself in a medical crisis and in the lineup of potential victims. Everything that had led her to this moment was about finding strength in the face of loss. Now, she faces yet another loss – even potentially her own life.

Carl Grimes

Last season, the progress Carl made towards innocence and optimism began to erode – the mercy and patience he gave Ron nearly resulted in his own death, and forever scarred and changed him. Was Carl ahead of the others in finding out the brutality of this world cannot be escaped?

Michonne

Michonne, having found purpose, growth, healing, and love, was on a trajectory for some kind of happiness. She had finally left behind the identity of the solitary swordsperson, walking the forest with walker pets. And yet, for as far as she’s come, she’s now forced to sit as Negan decides her and the group’s fate, forever altering life as they thought they knew it.

Abraham Ford

Abraham is genuinely self-aware and living the post-apocalyptic life he wants, doing what he has to do in order to create that life for himself – even if meant hurting Rosita. Having come through that, having truly found what he wants, he now faces a life ahead full of conflict and compromise – if he even gets to lead it.

Carol Peletier

The events of Carol’s past are catching up to her soul – her abusive relationship, losing her daughter, burning lives at the prison, killing Lizzie, fighting off the Wolves and Saviors. She cannot keep on her current path of destruction for community survival. She is not suicidal – she instinctively knows when you love someone you must kill for them. If the choice is to kill to be with the group – or not kill and be alone, and if being alone means you die – in her words to Morgan, “please let me go.”

Morgan Jones

Morgan is questioning his philosophy. He was unable to kill his wife when he had to, which lead Morgan to kill – to “clear” – everything and everyone. All life became precious again when he met Eastman. Then he had to kill a Savior to save Carol. He is coming to terms that he cannot live in absolutes. Will this lead him to abandon his philosophy?

Sasha

Sasha struggled with her past traumas, flirting with self-destruction and came out the other side alive. She discovered a kindred spirit in Abraham and both of them found peace as they found each other. They have embraced the idea of living a full life together, beyond surviving. And yet, they sit in a lineup that guarantees that the world isn’t done with delivering them pain and loss.

Tara Chambler

Tara has had bad luck with the deaths she has experienced in the apocalypse. Now she is out on a run with Heath, unaware her girlfriend has been killed and the dire circumstance facing her friends.

Eugene Porter

Eugene found his place within the group. He stepped out of his comfort zone and learned he is not just an intellectual, but also a survivor. He proved he can protect himself and, more importantly, he can protect others. But his newly gained confidence is short-lived once they encounter the Saviors. Eugene suspects he and the group are going to lose this battle, and that he could possibly lose his life.

Rosita Espinosa

Rosita’s world upended in the back half of last season – she lost a relationship that was a cornerstone for her life. And yet, she discovered there was a life beyond that…just as the Saviors came and killed Denise. Consumed with anger, she went after the Saviors – only to discover how powerless her group was against them. Now, sitting in the lineup, she is facing either more loss or her own death.

Father Gabriel Stokes

Father Gabriel has gone to great lengths to make amends and prove himself trustworthy to the group. Last season, Rick’s first words to Father Gabriel were “no,” and Rick’s last words to Father Gabriel were “yes.” Judith is Father Gabriel’s priority. He does not have a plan, but he has patience and faith, grounded in the understanding that bad people have to die. Father Gabriel is one-part priest and one-part soldier.

Aaron

Aaron cares about the people of Alexandria. To keep that place going, he has put himself in danger time and time again, working and fighting for a better tomorrow. That tomorrow has come and it is darker than anything he could ever imagine. He sits in the lineup with people that have quickly become family to him, crushed and terrified in the knowledge that even if he survives, someone else will not.

Spencer Monroe

The arrival of Rick’s group into Alexandria resulted in Spencer losing his brother, then his father, and ultimately his mother, Deanna. He believes if Rick had not led the charge to kill the Saviors at the compound, maybe there could have been a deal to be made instead of bloodshed. Spencer tries to do the right thing, while trying to find the reconciliation between the safety Rick’s group brought and the destruction Rick’s group brought as well. Always a touch on the opportunistic side, Spencer continues to take the path of least resistance.

Dwight

Dwight and his wife tried to escape the rule of Negan, and got scared. Scared of dying and scared of living. He betrayed Negan by running away. He betrayed himself by returning. He betrayed Daryl by serving him up to Negan. There are consequences to each of those choices.

Paul Rovia (Jesus)

While Jesus is a member of the Hilltop Community. He is protective, thoughtful, and resourceful. Most importantly, he understands the larger picture. Last season he quipped to Rick that their world was about to get a whole lot bigger. He knows it is going to get bigger still. His insight and agility could prove him to be a mutually beneficial asset.

Gregory

Gregory thought the Saviors were “the small group.” He knew they were a threat, but not to what extent. He is comfortable trading one problem for another, taking everything for himself but responsibility. If something does not concern him directly, it does not concern him whatsoever, regardless if it is a concern for his community.

King Ezekiel

Ezekiel is King. Of the Kingdom. With a tiger. While intellectually curious and majestically grandiose, Ezekiel is not naïve to the violence and atrocities of this world, and truly wants to help others thrive.

Negan

Negan is a charismatic, totalitarian ruler with an iron fist in the form of a baseball bat named Lucille. He knows exactly how to make an introduction, establish his rule, and widen his scope of control and dominance. There are no hidden secrets – you follow his rules, you live; you don’t follow his rules, you die. He is a man of his word.

What did YOU glean from these updated character bios? Did it provide you any clues into the premiere?? Tell us EVERYTHING in the comments below: