Negan Cliffhanger: Burning Questions for Season 7 of "The Walking Dead"

Who did Negan kill?

This one is going to be debated all summer and into October, it seems, with fans reviewing the footage until they figure it out. Unless there is no way to figure it out because they didn't shoot the death yet, as to avoid spoilers? On "Talking Dead," comic book writer/executive producer Robert Kirkman said there were hints, but Lauren Cohan (Maggie) made it seem like the cast didn't even know. But we do know that someone was killed, even if the cast would rather see it all as a bad dream.

The only options in the lineup are Rick, Carl, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, Michonne, Abraham, Sasha, Eugene, Rosita, and Aaron.

Will the Saviors kill anyone else?

Warning: Spoilers ahead from "The Walking Dead" finale and comic book series.

Comic book Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) also did his "eeny meeny ... " game on our group and "only" killed Glenn (Steven Yeun). As Negan said on TV, he doesn't want to kill them; he wants them to work for him. But the TV show is its own entity, and our group isn't like Hilltop. It's packed with fighters who don't back down easily. So, will there be immediate bloodshed at the start of Season 7?

Will there be a time jump into Season 7?

Will we pick up the action immediately from the screams and Lucille carnage of the Season 6 finale? Or do what "TWD" has done several times and skip ahead some days, weeks, or more? The last time we had a major cliffhanger, it was in the Season 4 finale at Terminus. Season 5 picked up literally in the same moment. So, the writers may do the same here, but it's a burning question until the cast or producers clarify (which they could do at any time, perhaps even by the time you read this).

What will our group do next in response?

Time will tell how close showrunner Scott M. Gimple wants to stick to the comic book on this one, but it looks like an overall chastening is in effect. Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) made a speech in Episode 15, saying, "The world's ours, and we know how to take it," all while eating the apple of Adam and Eve. That seemed to be the pride before the fall.

Rick is not used to losing at this point, and he rushed into the Saviors conflict without truly understanding the enemy. Rick's group has killed a lot more Saviors than the other way around (at least at this point). And Negan basically left our team with the understanding that he'll see them soon to take supplies ... or Lucille will take more heads. No one is going to like that, but what are they going to do about it?

Is everyone at Alexandria OK?

The first half of Season 6 taught us that Alexandria is never really safe for long — from the Wolves, the walkers, and now Negan and the Saviors. The second half of Season 6 has emphasized how prevalent the Saviors really are, seeming to be everywhere our group goes nowadays. So, what's happening back at camp, which is now being protected by Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), while Negan is exacting his punishment? And how soon can we expect to see Negan in town with his hand out, demanding supplies? If that happens, will we just hand them over? If not, what will happen to the people of Alexandria?

Are Maggie and her baby going to make it?

Maggie (Lauren Cohan) was already sick even before she was forced to witness (or be, although that's unlikely) Negan's brutal kill, which can't be good for anyone, but especially for an already vulnerable pregnant woman.

Will she and the baby be OK? The answer may depend on who Negan killed, and if they decide to follow the comic book story. If Glenn dies, that's probably a sign that we're sticking with Maggie's comic journey, where she's angry with Rick for letting that happen, and moves with Sophia (likely Enid now) to Hilltop (where we were told they have an obstetrician).

The good news on that is that, in the comic, Maggie's baby is OK, and she eventually takes on a leadership role in Hilltop, which was foreshadowed in Season 6 in her conflict with existing leader Gregory (Xander Berkeley). Then again, there's always room to hope that TV fans can have both — Glenn alive and Maggie in Hilltop.

What's going on at Hilltop and the other survivor communities?

We haven't seen Jesus (Tom Payne) in a while. But when he first took our group to Hilltop, he mentioned trading with other communities. We need to see how this latest death affects the relationship between Alexandria and Hilltop, since our group was so confident that we could defeat the Saviors in no time.

Also, we need backup, and both the comic book and Morgan's (Lennie James) end scene in the finale suggest we'll meet another survivor community in Season 7: The Kingdom, led by "King" Ezekiel ... and his pet tiger Shiva. The TV show has stayed pretty close to the comic on the looks of Hilltop and Alexandria. So, perhaps they'll do the same for the Kingdom, which is based in a high school in D.C. And the Saviors are certainly survivors. So, will we visit their converted factory base, the Sanctuary, in Season 7?

What's next for Carol and Morgan?

In the Season 6 finale, Morgan killed for the first time since he adopted his "All life is precious" mantra. He did it to save Carol (Melissa McBride), who was having her own crisis of conscience after following the kill-or-be-killed ethos for so long.

Now that they seem to be finding a middle ground between the extremes, what's next? Are they friends? Will she return with him to Alexandria? Will they somehow run into Rick's unfortunate lineup of death? Where do these two powerhouses go from here?

And did Morgan indeed just meet two members of the Kingdom? If so, how will that play out in Season 7?

Is Dwight really on the dark side? Or can he be turned?

The TV version of Dwight (Austin Amelio) arrived on screen without that burn mark on his face. He was a desperate man but a human being. And Daryl showed him and his wife mercy. You could argue that Dwight showed mercy in return by not killing Daryl when he could have.

Daryl is not in the comic, but Dwight is a major player there. And it's not easy to label him "good" or "bad." He wasn't part of the Saviors when we met him on TV. He appeared to be running from them, but he ended up with them, and with the iron face that he has in the comic, which was a punishment from Negan.

There's a lot we need to learn about TV Dwight, like why he was punished, which probably has to do with his wife, who hasn't been seen since the first half of Season 6. Is Dwight a reluctant Savior. And if so, can he be swayed to Alexandria's side in Season 7?

Is Carl going to step up in Season 7?

Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) got shot in the eye in Season 6, which also happened in the comic. But he didn't have much of a role in the second half at all. However, we are approaching a point in his comic book storyline that has long-term implications. And that's his dealings with Negan.

In the comic, after Negan's group comes to Alexandria to collect supplies, Carl hides in a Saviors truck and goes back to their base, killing Saviors and giving us a look at the Sanctuary. Instead of killing Carl, whom he just called a future serial killer (which he also did in the comic), Negan develops a respect for Rick's son, shows him around, and even mentors him in a way.

Is all the romance on pause now?

Season 6 was half-soap opera, with so much romantic drama between the killing sprees. But now that the group is either going to war or laying down to accept defeat (not likely), does that mean no more spooning in bed for Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira), dates for Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), and Beef Stroganoff dinners for Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Spencer (Austin Nichols)? Not to mention Glenn and Maggie. And who knows what Carol will want regarding Tobin (Jason Douglas) if she returns to Alexandria.

What's up with Tara and Heath?

Remember them? Last we heard, Tara (Alanna Masterson) and Heath (Corey Hawkins) were going out on a two-week supply run. As far as we know, Tara doesn't even know about Denise's death, never mind everything else that has happened. When will we see them again in Season 7, and will we even get to see Tara grieve for her loved one? Or will the show focus all attention on the fresh kills?