The Walking Dead Season 8 could kill off one character in the show and save themselves a lot of money. No we’re not talking about Rick Grimes or Daryl. We’re talking about a character introduced in The Walking Dead Season 7.
Shiva.
Did you guys really think King Ezekiel’s pet tiger would last long, especially after her inclusion meant the production had to skimp on CGI elsewhere? Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Shiva’s days are numbered. In The Walking Dead comics, Shiva doesn’t last long either. King Ezekiel signed Shiva’s death sentence as soon as he signed up for Rick’s war. A few battles into the war, Ezekiel and Shiva were basically ambushed by walkers. Shiva sacrifices herself to save Ezekiel as he looks on.
The Walking Dead show will likely have Negan kill Shiva, since it would be more fitting. After all, it was Shiva who helped defend Alexandria from the Saviors. Negan wasn’t too happy to see Shiva. We wouldn’t be surprised if Negan finds a way to trap Shiva and kill her in front of Ezekiel. Negan doesn’t take betrayal well; he’s known for harsh punishments and killing a tiger isn’t beyond him.
Of course, we don’t know for sure Shiva will die in The Walking Dead Season 8, but keeping her around doesn’t make sense. The tiger is milking the show’s CGI budget dry and it’s painful to watch. Junkyard Rick wasn’t the only example of bad CGI. There was also the stupid deer Rick and Michonne encountered at the carnival.
Shiva’s death also contributes to Ezekiel’s character growth. Losing her reminds him what he’s truly fighting for and how fragile life is. It also allows him to be a little more real with the people around him. He becomes less of a caricature and more a person people can relate to.
Speaking of character growth, we’re curious to see how Carol and Ezekiel’s relationship develops. Ezekiel sees Carol for who she is, which is both frightening and refreshing to her. Carol was tired of constantly defending herself and others in Alexandria. She didn’t want to kill people anymore. She didn’t want to live in fear. But most importantly, she needed time to accept she’s done bad things to survive.
But she finally got some peace with Ezekiel at The Kingdom. She didn’t have to pretend she was ok. She had her own little sanctuary close enough to the community where she felt safe, but far enough away where she could feel independent. Ezekiel leans on Carol now. Shiva’s death might bring them even closer.
Forgot Daryl and Carol. We’re shipping Ezekiel and Carol hard. Our Richonne ship happened so there’s hope! The Walking Dead Season 8 returns to AMC this October.
