The second half of Season 8 of The Walking Dead began Sunday night with the death of a character who has been on the zombie-apocalypse drama since its beginning.
The mid-season finale revealed Chandler Riggs' Carl Grimes had been catastrophically bitten by a walker. He took his own life to avoid re-animating when the show returned this weekend, but not until after he wrote letters to his loved ones and spent some quality time with his baby sister Judith. He also pleaded with his father Rick, played by Andrew Lincoln, to stop fighting with his nemesis Negan, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Negan's followers.
"I'm great; feeling good," Riggs said on The Talking Dead analysis program after his final episode aired.
The 18-year-old actor admitted his last day on the show's set was "really sad," particularly because he had "super-depressing stuff" to say before he left the series, which he co-starred on since he was 10 years old.
Asked who the "biggest wreck" was among his co-stars as he made his exit, Riggs answered without hesitation, "Danai," referring to Danai Gurira, who played his surrogate mother and best friend Michonne.
He went on to say his fellow cast members paid tribute to him by donning Carl's signature eye patch and cheering. They also presented him with a hat Lincoln wore in Season 1, as well as a signed, Science Dog shirt that was framed.
