Spoilers for The Walking Dead issue #165 follow and possibly TV series follow.
The Walking Dead‘s most recent issue ended with one of the most shocking moments in years: Andrea had been bitten on her neck (which will apply to Michonne on the AMC series, should the character continue to follow Andrea’s arc)
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After rescuing Eugene from an inevitable death, risking her own life in the process, Andrea through the mullet man on the back of her horse and the two began riding away from the herd. However, she noticed a gash on her neck at the same time Eugene did and whispered, “Oh, s—.”
Immediately, fans were lead to the conclusion that Andrea had been bitten or scratched on the neck, marking her for an inevitable death with an uncertain but surely brief amount of time remaining.
The Letter Hacks section of the issue did little to confirm Andrea’s fate in either direction.
“I don’t think Charlie [Adlard] and I have ever had a quicker reaction after reading a script than this one,” editor Sean Mackiewicz wrote. “That final image says all it needs to, so let’s just get to these letters and recall sunnier days.”
“[AMC hasn’t] needed Andrew for over four seasons, and look how well they’re doing,” Mackiewicz teased to conclude the issue.
While the logical assumption is that Robert Kirkman is finally killing off Rick’s wife after she became a fan-favorite character and many thought her invincible, there are a couple of possibilities regarding her future. The mark on her neck may not actually be a zombie bit but, instead, something else.
On the following the slides, we will discuss the possibilities of how Andrea might come out of these moments with her life and health.
Whisperer Bite
The herd which has invaded Alexandria and the surrounding areas was lead there by the Whisperers. It was Alpha and Beta’s army which has caused all of the chaos for Rick’s group of survivors.
The Whisperers have always prided themselves in blending in with the dead by wearing their skin, keeping quiet, and following their movements. If living humans are still alive in the herd outside of Alexandria, it’s possible that one of the Whisperers bit Andrea in their continued effort to blend in, meaning Andrea’s life will be preserved.
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Stray Bullet
The only information provided to readers is that Andrea has a gash on her neck and is bleeding. There is no proof that she was ever bitten, at all.
In her efforts to save Eugene, other Alexandrians were surrounding the group and doing their part to help free them from the herd by shooting the zombies surrounding them. With so many moving targets, it is entirely possible that one of the bullets missed their mark and grazed Andrea’s neck, creating the wound we saw on the final page of issue #165.
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A Cure
If Andrea was, in fact, bitten by a zombie there is only one thing that could save her life: a cure to the zombie virus. The bite/scratch is in a place which cannot be amputated before spreading, making a cure Andrea’s only hope.
Of course, there will almost certainly never be a cure to the zombie virus in The Walking Dead but since it’s the topic of this slide: how could there possibly be a cure?
The only answer available is Stephanie and the Ohio bunch which have been talking to Eugene have something to offer which might save Andrea’s life. This probably won’t happen, though.
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The Walking Deadย will return for its eighth season in October of 2017. The first trailer is expected to arrive at San Diego Comic Con in July. For complete coverage and insider info all off-season long, followย @BrandonDavisBDย on Twitter.ย ย