(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you have not watched Sunday’s episode of “The Walking Dead”)
Sunday’s episode of “The Walking Dead” appeared to kill off a major character that has been a part of the series since Season 1.
But is — seriously, stop reading if you haven’t seen the episode — Glenn (Steven Yeun) really dead?
According to the zombie drama’s showrunner Scott Gimple, he’ll be back — even if only in pieces.
“In some way, we will see Glenn, some version of Glenn, or parts of Glenn again, either in flashback or in the current story, to help complete the story,” Gimple said after the show on AMC’s “Talking Dead.
But some fans aren’t convinced, and immediately started theorizing how Glenn could have survived the horde of zombies he fell into. And given the character’s penchant to survive near-death situations in previous episodes, TheWrap can’t say they’re wrong just yet.
Check out five of the best theories below:
1. The Walkers Were Eating Nicholas, not Glenn
After Nicholas shoots himself, his body falls on top of Glenn as they both fall off the dumpster they were using as refuge from a herd of walkers. The angle of the camera never lets viewers see if the walkers are truly eating Glenn’s body or Nicholas’, so there is a chance Glenn could survive if…
2. Nicholas’ Remains Camouflaged Glenn
Characters have cheated death numerous times on the show by covering themselves in blood and entrails, rendering them all but invisible to walkers. If the walkers tore Nicholas’ body apart, the resulting carnage could shield Glenn, enough so that he could escape.
3. Glenn Rolled Under the Dumpster
If the walkers were sufficiently distracted with Nicholas, it could have given Glenn the opportunity to roll under the nearby dumpster to relative safety. Once underneath, Glenn could employ the quick thinking that has made him a fan favorite in order to escape.
4. Glenn Dies Very Differently in the Comics
In “The Walking Dead” graphic novels, Glenn does not die at the hands of walkers, but rather one of the living. Negan, the leader of a vicious group called The Saviors, murders Glenn with a baseball bat. While still a grisly end, fans of the show are hoping Glenn will live to die another day.
5. Enid Saves Glenn
In episode two of this season, Alexandria resident Enid fled the community after the attack by The Wolves. Some are hoping that she will find Glenn before the walkers get to him and distract them enough for him to escape.
6. Lady Melisandre Resurrects Glenn
Just kidding. (But how sweet would a “Game of Thrones”/”Walking Dead” crossover episode be?)
Watch Yeun talk about death after the apocalypse in an episode of TheWrap’s “Drinking with the Stars” below: