The Walking Dead has been known to thin the herd at the end of a season, and its latest run appears to be no exception. With an epic battle between the good guys and the Whisperers about to kick off, it seems almost a given that not everyone will make it out alive. There’ve been strong suggestions that Ezekiel, for one, won’t survive the season finale, but during the show’s virtual Comic-Con panel, it was hinted that another character is likely to meet their maker as well.
Speaking about season 10’s delayed final episode at the convention, producer Scott Gimple gave the fans good reason to fear for the safety of Gabriel Stokes. Youngsters Judith and RJ are under the care of the former priest, and Gimple hinted at possible tragedy for one of their protectors.
“Judith is taking care of herself fine, even taking care of RJ. Anybody who gets in that [guardian] position with Judith winds up going. I’m just saying, I’m not as worried about RJ and Judith as the person taking care of them.”
So, it sounds like Gabriel fans should probably be worried about his welfare in season 10’s big finale, and we might already have been given a glimpse at the scene where he perishes. In a recent promo for the episode, there’s a shot of Gabriel preparing to battle an assailant who’s breaking through a barricaded door. Could the head of Alexandria’s council sacrifice himself to save Judith and RJ during this encounter? It’s certainly possible.
Gimple’s comments aren’t the only reason Gabriel’s days on the show could be numbered, though. In The Walking Dead comic books, the character dies during the conflict with the Whisperers. The TV series hasn’t always followed the source material to the letter, and has been known to deviate from it dramatically at times, but this might be one of those occasions where it adapts the Image series directly.
In any case, The Walking Dead fans will find out who makes it out of the season 10 finale alive on October 4th when the delayed episode finally airs. One thing’s for sure, though, and that’s that they should probably brace themselves for at least one tear-jerking tragedy.
