Ultimately, Chandler Riggs Is Satisfied With Carl’s Exit From The Walking Dead

Much digital ink has been spilled on Carl Grimes and his abrupt exit from The Walking Dead.

For seven long years, Chandler Riggs’ young hero helped anchor the AMC drama, and his journey through adolescence – one accelerated quite dramatically thanks to the whole end of days thing – was arguably one of the show’s more compelling subplots.

Alas, Carl’s saga came to a conclusion mid-way through The Walking Dead season 8, when he limped out of the explosive attack on Alexandria nursing a fatal walker bite. It wasn’t long after the show’s winter hiatus that Chandler Riggs’ character was given the send-off he deserved, and while his sudden departure has proved contentious among the Walking Dead fanbase, Riggs was ultimately left “satisfied” by his on-screen death.

I’m gonna be honest, when Scott told me how it happened, he didn’t mention the whole ‘Saviors blowing up all of Alexandria’ thing. He just kind of said I went to hide in the sewers and just die. I was like, ‘man, that does not sound cool at all.’ But then, when I read episode eight, and I was like, ‘oh, okay, there’s huge explosions, there’s solar panels being blown up, churches blown up, houses exploding.’ I was like, ‘okay, that’s pretty cool, I’m satisfied.’

Those comments hail from the actor’s appearance at Fandemic Tour Sacramento (h/t ComicBook.com), where Riggs spoke at length about former co-star Andrew Lincoln and his own decision to part ways with The Walking Dead. Spoilers: it has something to down with the actor traveling back across the Atlantic in order to spend more time with his family.

The Walking Dead‘s ninth season is due to begin in October, and only then will we understand the full extent of Rick’s swan song. And Maggie’s, too, given Lauren Cohan’s ready to double down on her commitment to ABC drama Whiskey Cavalier.