AMC’s The Walking Dead is coming to an end after 11 seasons, and the conclusion is arriving soon. The premiere date for the final season has been announced in a 30-second teaser shared on the official Twitter page of the show, in which it was revealed that fans would be able to see how the journey of the survivors ends starting August 22, 2021.
The premiere happens to be two months earlier than the show’s traditional premiere release dates. Since its first season, The Walking Dead has premiered in October, around the Halloween season. The first season premiered in October 2010, and it was more than a decade ago when Rick Grimes woke up from a coma, only to find out that the world he lived in had changed drastically and he must find a way to get through the post-apocalyptic climate along with other survivors.
What seems to have caught fans’ attention though is the red armor seen hanging inside a locker room closet at the end of the teaser. The armor makes an appearance in The Walking Dead comics, which the show is heavily inspired by, and belongs to Mercer, the leader of the Commonwealth Military. The army’s main purpose is to ensure peace and protect the various routes between the communities inside the Commonwealth, which was introduced in Season 10 of the show.
As a leader, Mercer wears red armor, whereas the rest of the soldiers are dressed in white. The teaser seems to hint that he will be among the most important characters of the final season, and it has been confirmed that Michael James Shaw will be portraying the role of Mercer.
It was announced in September that the 11th season of The Walking Dead will be the last. There were reports about a 12th season, initially, but it was later confirmed that an extended season would fill all the gaps and end the timeline. Most seasons of The Walking Dead consisted of 16 episodes each, but six episodes were added to Season 10, which were filmed during the pandemic. The final season will be the longest yet, with 24 episodes announced, which will stretch the season all the way into late 2022, as it will be divided into two parts.
The season is meant to wrap up the story, where some of the main Walking Dead characters will be seen rebuilding the walled-off community of Alexandria following the events of the Whisperer War of season 10. Norman Reedus’ Daryl, Melissa McBride’s Carol, and Lauren Cohan’s Maggie will be seen attempting to live in harmony with Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan. It remains to be seen how their paths will cross with Mercer.
The final season of The Walking Dead premieres on AMC on August 22, 2021.
Source: The Walking Dead/Twitter