‘The Walking Dead’ – Who Will Die in Season 9?

Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg
TV The Walking Dead
TV The Walking Dead
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We’re entering the ninth season of The Walking Dead, and if anything is certain in a zombie apocalypse, it’s that no one is safe. That’s right, nobody – not even the series’ star since day one, Andrew Lincoln, whose departure early this season has already been reported.

On The Walking Dead death is not only certain and often sudden, but also a major element of the show’s entertainment/shock value. And of course we’re all wondering just who might be in the crosshairs — or a walker’s teeth — this season. We’ve taken a look at the show’s biggest characters and calculated just how likely it is that they’ll die this season on The Walking Dead.

 

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon

Daryl

1% CHANCE DARYL DIES IN SEASON 9

Now we know we said no one is ever safe on this show, but if there’s one man that is, it’s him. And now that Rick is going to be out of the picture, Daryl will surely have to take up the mantle of a lead hero in the dawning days of a new era. Then again, there are other choices among the dwindling early survivors, like the next two on this list.

 

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan

Negan

10% CHANCE NEGAN DIES IN SEASON 9

Love him or hate him, Negan certainly shook things up when he first arrived on the scene a couple years ago, and although his fortunes have changed considerably since his days of cracking skulls and speechifying, his presence is still a galvanizing one for many other post-apocalyptic survivors. We think he’ll stick around.

 

Danai Gurira as Michonne

Michonne

14% CHANCE MICHONNE DIES IN SEASON 9

She’s been a de facto member of the leadership for quite a while, and one of the show’s (and comic’s) most iconic and beloved characters. Although she’s also found fame via Marvel’s Black Panther, we suspect Gurira isn’t going to head off into the apocalyptic sunset just yet.

 

Lauren Cohan as Maggie

Maggie

25% CHANCE MAGGIE DIES IN SEASON 9

Although she’s not leaving for good, and new series showrunner Angela Kang has expressed interest in wrapping up Maggie’s story in Season Ten, Cohan will be absent for most of this season due to other commitments, so there are still some question marks about her possible fate.

 

Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter

Eugene

30% CHANCE EUGENE DIES IN SEASON 9

Honestly, how is this guy still kicking? A liar from the outset, Eugene eventually demonstrated his worth as a man of expertise, and later had his moments of redemption, so he’s not the man he was when we first met him. He’s also been quite adept at dodging bullets both metaphorical and literal in the past, but how long will that luck hold up?

 

Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier

Carol

40% CHANCE CAROL DIES IN SEASON 9

Carol has always been one of the strongest and most determined survivors on the show, and although in the past it could be argued that killing her off would send the wrong message, a well-handled departure for McBride could also play as a poignant and powerful tribute in this year of all years.

 

Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa

Rosita

45% CHANCE ROSITA DIES IN SEASON 9

People are not defined by who they’re with, this is true, but in the shorthand of storytelling, they sadly often are. With Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) And Spencer (Austin Nichols) both gone, Rosita has an opportunity to establish herself as her own person in the post-apocalypse…but will she get the chance?

 

Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes

Gabriel

65% CHANCE GABRIEL DIES IN SEASON 9

He should have died almost immediately, to be honest, but somehow he managed to make it. But when someone seems like an easy choice for an early Walking Dead death, and then survives beyond that, alarm bells should be ringing…or perhaps moaning. Gabriel’s day may be arriving sooner than he thinks, but he may not see it coming.

 

Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler

Tara

75% CHANCE TARA DIES IN SEASON 9

As one of the characters that has stuck around long enough now to feel like one of the team, Tara has nevertheless also managed to fly under the radar when it comes to lists like this one, so we’re thinking this season might just be time for a Tara-ble death (we’re so sorry).

 

Ross Marquand as Aaron

Aaron

90% CHANCE AARON DIES IN SEASON 9

Every year there are characters on this show where you can’t necessarily explain why you feel they’re heading to a “Come to Walkers” moment, but you just know in your bones that they are. Could this be Aaron’s year? The Magic Zombie Ball says “Signs point to yes.”

 

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes

Rick

95% CHANCE RICK DIES IN SEASON 9

This one’s a gimme, since we know Lincoln is leaving, but there are stories that he’s sticking around to shadow directors and pick up some tips in order to return to the show behind the camera… unless that’s all a trick, in which case we’ll leave some wiggle room.

Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg
Arnold is a world-renowned zombie expert & Marvel authority. He teaches courses in pop culture subjects & owns ATB Publishing (www.atbpublishing.com), publisher of genre non-fiction. He authored Journey of the Living Dead, & his podcast Doctor of the Dead is on iTunes & www.doctorofthedead.com.