The team behind The Walking Dead have promised that the long-awaited reveal of Negan's victim will absolutely be worth the wait.
Executive producer Greg Nicotero – who also directed the season seven premiere – told press at San Diego Comic-Con that the aftermath is every bit as powerful as the attack.
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"Everybody knows it's coming – so it's agonising to think about the fact that we're changing the landscape of our cast," he said.
"I think the trickiest aspect of the first episode is...living up to the expectation of that moment. But then what's even more interesting for me was how that [death] changes the direction of the survivors forever.
"When we shot the episode, that to me was as critical as the actual moment – the 5 minutes or 10 minutes or 20 minutes after, when the smoke clears.
"So it's a fascinating exercise in emotion, because shock and denial and all these things play into it. It was a masterclass in acting from the cast."
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Of course, some fans were a little peeved at being made to wait six months to learn who Negan killed.
But showrunner Scott Gimple insisted that, while he "respects" the reaction, it won't stop the show from taking similar risks in future.
"You can't worry about it too much, so long as you're working for the fans and you care about the fans," he said. "You're trying to tell a story that offers them something different or that takes some risks.
"You have to respect the reaction no matter what, but it's important not to be afraid and I think that's the template that was started with the comic."
The Walking Dead will return to AMC on October 23, with FOX UK following 24 hours later.
The Walking Dead season 7 part 2: spoilers, cast, trailer and more for episode 9 and beyond
Watch the dramatic first-look trailer for The Walking Dead season 7 right here:
