The Walking Dead Season 7 Premiere: Most Shocking Episode Yet

Some of us Walking Dead enthusiasts are still wiping away tears from the series of events in last Sunday’s premiere of season seven.

After the painfully agonizing cliffhanger that left us wondering who had suffered at the hands of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) this past April, the premiere episode had lived up to its expectations by doing what this AMC series is best known for; creating utter chaos. If you aren’t caught up with the most recent season of the show, I suggest you stop reading. Several spoilers ahead. From the opening scene, it was clear this episode was going to be tough to watch. The pure terror and emotion in every character’s face felt raw and heart-rending, as a feeling of helplessness rose in watching Negan commit his bloody acts. It almost felt as if the viewers were right there on the ground with the rest of the group. With the series’s past villains, such as the Governor (David Morrissey) in season 4, and Gareth's (Andrew J. West) cannibalism in season 5, we thought the group had experienced all types of brutal torture. However, Negan is confident, manipulative, and cruel beyond measures.

Rick is being tested yet again by the leader of a different group in the thirst for power. This need for higher authority is proven when Negan is seen to swing his blood stained bat against the skull of Abraham. The faces of nearby characters are completely stunned and shaken over this gruesome beating, as Abraham takes multiple strikes to the head. However, this episode had cheap intentions, leading the audience to believe that Abraham was the only character to die at the bloody end of “Lucile,” Negan’s ruthless weapon. The actions of Negan are quite unpredictable, as not even three minutes had passed after Abe’s death that viewers were left completely shocked beyond words. The classic graphic novel moment of Glenn’s final seconds are shown on screen. If it wasn’t enough to just kill Abraham, our favorite pizza delivery boy takes several cold-bloodedsmashes to the head, leaving his left eyeball popped out of it’s socket. This is one of the show’s moment’s that will either be praised or endlessly criticized by fans, it’s violence unlike no other Walking Dead scene before. Daryl (Norman Reedus) may receive some backlash from his single punch towards Negan, suggesting he’s partially the reason for Glenn’s callous murder. The fact of the matter is, this is hands down the most tortuous death scene since Hershel (Scott Wilson) was viciously decapitated by the Governor in season 4. Despite the shockwaves of Negan’s strike at the bat, Glenn trying to speak his final goodbye of the words “I will find you” to his wife Maggie (Lauren Cohan) was heart wrenching to witness. Both Abraham and Glenn’s murders clearly demonstrate just how ruthless and evil their new foe is. Directors Scott Gimple and Robert Kirkman created nothing but one of their goriest, graphic, and intense premiers of the show yet. One of our most beloved season one characters get their head smashed in, Rick is thrown into a herd of walkers, and Negan leaves Rick with the ultimatum of cutting off his son’s arm, or the entire group will die at his fault.

Other than being emotionally drained, tear stained cheeks, and jaws hung wide open, what kind of episode would it be if the Walking Dead didn’t leave us almost dead ourselves.