[Note: article contains minor spoilers for season 4]

Fans of The Walking Dead have had to find a way to endure since the mid-season finale on December 1, 2013. Luckily, AMC aired the entire series as a marathon helping fans either catch up or give them their fix till February. Thanks to the marketing department, The Walking Dead is front and center again with this new poster promoting the return of the show, and the conclusion the show’s fourth season.

The third season, which I thought was a bit of a train wreck, strayed from the comics, but fans of the comic series will notice that the show has gotten back on track by sticking closer to the original source material. This could spell the end for certain characters, and this poster definitely holds an ominous tone.

Obviously, the group got split up when they lost the prison, and the Dutch angle conveys a level of tension and unease by putting its characters on the beaten path. The setting also has them out in the wilderness/the unknown, and the dark clouds & fog enhance that level of danger.

With both characters on the same track, it sends the message Carl that will follow in his father’s footsteps. The placement of Rick in the background, and Carl in the foreground suggests Carl might take the reins as the main character. Especially with the High Key lighting silhouette around them (seeming almost heavenly) that could potentially foreshadow Rick’s demise this season. It would bring the characters full circle, which would call back to the events in season two when Rick tells Carl that he won’t always be around, and gives him his gun back (a sort of passing of the torch).

I have only read halfway through the prison arc so hopefully that isn’t too much of a spoiler. However, AMC are a fan of that sort of visualeffect on their posters, so maybe not. The Walking Dead returns February 9, 2014.

So what do you think will happen this season on The Walking Dead?

The writer of this piece was:
Laurence Almalvez
Laurence has previously written over at Whatculture.com.
Laurence tweets from @IL1511