‘The Walking Dead’ season 7 collage
Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is coming for Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) on ‘The Walking Dead’ season 7. AMC/The Walking Dead Official Facebook Page

“The Walking Dead” season 7 episode 9 is just hours away and everyone is hyped. Here are the things to expect from the upcoming midseason premiere episode and the rest of season 7.

Spoiler alert: This preview contains plot details about “The Walking Dead” season 7. The season premiered Oct. 20. The series is available for Australian viewers to watch on Foxtel every Monday, 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm.

“The Walking Dead” creator on boot-wearing spy from the midseason finale post-credits scene

“All I can say is that those boots, you'll definitely recognise those from earlier,” said Robert Kirkman on “The Talking Dead.” “They're connected to that boat scene, and you know, that's a big part of what we're dealing with when we come back next half of the season, so we'll be revealing that soon.”

Norman Reedus on how Daryl will bounce back after all the things he went through

“I think he's still reeling from Glenn and Abraham. And especially Glenn,” said Reedus about his character. “You know, it's always been in the back of my mind that I hope Maggie forgives me. I think he's going through a whole bunch of stuff right now, but I think he's ready to kill someone.”

Rick is definitely back, but he won’t take Negan too lightly again

“Rick and the gang have found their mojo again and they are going to work on rising up against Negan, and doing it right this time,” said executive producer Gale Anne Hurd. “As we saw last season, they underestimated his strength and just how nefarious a leader he was. They're not going to do that again.”

New localities and characters are coming

“We will continue to expand the world,” Hurd added. “We’ll get to know those locales and the people in them much better, and we’ll round out this world as our characters are rising up to take down Negan.”

Rick will have a difficult time trying to convince Ezekiel and Gregory to fight Negan

“[Rick and his group] need the numbers of the Kingdom and the Hilltop, but similar to how Rick felt, Ezekiel and Gregory do not want bloodshed,” reads the synopsis of the season’s second half. “To convince them otherwise will take more than speeches. The lengths Rick and the group will have to go to in order to find weapons, food and new fighters are nothing short of remarkable.”

Negan’s days of tormenting others are far from over

“It's only just beginning, really,” Lauren Cohan, who plays Maggie on the show, previously mentioned. “He has such a life, such an electric energy, and that what makes this character so terrifying.”

Kirkman also said that the Saviors leader is going to be “an ever-present, constant threat that is going to change everything moving forward.” Meanwhile, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays the bat-swinging villain, previously confirmed that his character isn’t going anywhere and will be around long past the seventh season.

“Rock in the Road” and succeeding episodes will be longer than usual

“The Walking Dead” season 7 episode 9 will have an extended runtime of 73 minutes. Episode 10 (“New Best Friends”) will run for 66 minutes while episode 11 (“Hostiles and Calamities”) will have a 68-minute runtime.

RELATED STORIES:

‘The Walking Dead’ season 7, episode 9 spoilers: New characters to aid Rick against Negan

‘The Walking Dead’ season 7, episode 9 spoilers: Rick and company are going to ‘take it to Negan’