‘The Walking Dead’ stars share an emotional goodbye video ahead of the final season

It’s almost time to say goodbye to a pillar of the pop culture community. As fans of The Walking Dead gear up for the final eight episodes, emotions are running high, and goodbye is the last word anyone wants to speak.

The bittersweet thing about the final episodes is that it isn’t the end of the story as a whole, just the final piece of the first installment. We’re saying farewell to the anchor, putting it to bed to say hello to the next chapters. 

The cast and crew send a love letter of sorts to fans as the goodbye looms on the horizon, and it’s emotional. With tears in their eyes, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Khary Payton, Paola Lázaro, Michael James Shaw, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are showing gratitude for the series we’ve loved for years. They’re sharing a nod of love and respect for the fans, the characters, and the experience we’ve all shared together. 

It’s not a forever goodbye, as many of the stars shared. There are storylines of characters we know and love that will continue in new and exciting ways, and that alone is keeping fans going. 

Of course, the characters who must sign off for now will be missed, but as we all know — once you’re part of The Walking Dead‘s family, you’re part of it forever. Those we’ve lost along the way are still beloved pieces of the puzzle, integral parts of a story we never anticipated falling in love with. Sure, the premise of The Walking Dead was exciting, but the heart of the show is what surprised us most. The fight, the love, the life — it is a show about survival, but it’s also a show about love. 

As Payton said during a special episode of Talking Dead‘s preview of the final episodes of The Walking Dead — it is a celebration. 

“Man, you don’t wanna get this far and not finally, you know, run across the finish line. This should feel like a celebration — you know. If happiness can be covered in blood, this is the place: let’s do it!”

Here’s to The Walking Dead, the zombie realm that was far more profound than just survival in a world full of the undead and the memories it’s given all of us. Here’s to the future of more stories to tell with characters we love and new ones we’ll meet along the way.