RICK’S IN A FIX

‘Walking Dead’ back in land of Lincoln

WHEN we last left “The Walking

Dead” in midDecember, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his band of survivors were finally reunited.

The show’s disjointed first fall season skipped between various communities including Alexandria, Hilltop Colony, the Kingdom, the all-female Oceanside and Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) compound at the Sanctuary.

Negan’s reign of terror continued in the midseason finale, as he and the Saviors killed Spencer (Austin Nicols) and Olivia (Ann Mahoney) and kidnapped Eugene (Josh McDermitt). But despite the bloodshed, the episode ended on a note of optimism, with Rick, Michonne (Danai Gurira) Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) reunited at the Hilltop. And Rick, who spent the better part of eight episodes sulking defeatedly under the tyranny of Negan, proved he’s finally ready to fight back.

With the zombie drama returning for the second half of Season 7 Sunday at 9 p.m. on AMC, here’s a look at what to expect in the next eight episodes.

ALLIANCES ARE BEING BUILT

As AMC wrote in its description of Season 7B, “The second half of the season will focus on preparing for war and gathering the supplies and numbers to take Negan down once and for all” and that “victory will require more than Alexandria.” So expect the various new communities we visited in the first half of the season to come into play — though as we’ve seen, many of those leaders would rather not stir up the pot. Maggie and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) had to take charge of the Hilltop before in the face of its submissive leader Gregory (Xander Berkeley). And the women of Oceanside made it quite clear to Tara (Alanna Masterson) that they have no desire to be found.

KING EZEKIEL RETURNS

Remember King Ezekiel (Khary Payton), who was introduced with much fanfare in Episode 702 then never seen again? Well he’s back, as teased in a sneak-peek video of the midseason premiere and the fact that the actor is booked as a guest on the “Talking Dead” after show that evening. In the debut, titled “Rock in the Road,” the episode description says that “Rick and the group are led to a new community where they are introduced to its inhabitants and ruler. A familiar face resurfaces” — which sounds a lot like our tiger-toting King.

WE’LL MEET NEW SURVIVORS

The last “Walking Dead” episode showed a pair of boots belonging to an unseen wearer spying on Rick, Aaron (Ross Marquand) and the others throughout the hour. A photo revealed by Entertainment Weekly last month shows one potential new group surrounding Rick at what looks like a junkyard and a female character, her back to the camera, staring down Mr. Grimes. Could she be the mysterious boots’ owner? (TV Guide reports the photo is from the Feb. 19 episode).

THERE WILL BE SHOCKING DEFECTIONS

The AMC description also warns that “we’ll see treachery from people we trust. “The second eight [episodes] is very much about meeting all the protagonists [in the war],” Lennie James, who plays Morgan, recently told Newsweek. “And there are certain events that are going to decide what sides people take on that. It’s not going to be a clear division of labor. Some people are going to go to the dark side … and some people are going to come over to the light.”