Morgan’s red eyes are the result of something never seen before in the universe according to Fear The Walking Dead showrunner Andrew Chambliss. Lennie James’ Morgan was introduced in the very first episode of The Walking Dead and recurred as the character through various seasons of the show. He joined the spinoff series Fear the Walking Dead in season 4 and has been a regular since. Morgan’s fate on Fear the Walking Dead is currently unknown, having been left for dead, with walkers approaching, in the season 5 finale.
However, the trailer and poster for Fear The Walking Dead season 6 reveal that Morgan is certainly not dead, though his red eyes – which haven’t been seen before in The Walking Dead universe – hint that something else has happened to him. The addition of a bounty hunter, sent by Virginia to find out if Morgan is dead or alive, muddles the situation further. The premiere episode of season 6 drops on Sunday night, and may reveal what happens to Morgan, though there’s also the possibility his fate will only be revealed later on in the season. As such, fans have been eagerly speculating what has happened to him and why he has red eyes.
Now, during Saturday’s New York Comic-Con panel on Fear The Walking Dead, Chambliss, who has been showrunner alongside Ian Goldberg since season 4, hinted that Morgan’s predicament is unique in the show’s history. Revealing little, Chambliss only says that there is definitely something wrong with Morgan, but that it’s “something that we haven’t quite seen before”. He also teases that Morgan might not survive whatever it is, saying that it’ll make him question who he is if he gets to go forward. You can read his full comments below:
“I guess we’ll give the stock answer: people are going to have to wait and see…. But something is definitely going on with Morgan and its something that we haven’t quite seen before in the Walking Dead universe. And it is going to push Morgan to new places and make him really question everything he’s ever been about and kind of who he wants to be going forward… if he gets to go forward.”
That’s little to go on, but it does mean that perhaps Morgan is afflicted with a combination of radiation poisoning that may simultaneously be helping him fight off a bite from a walker. Regardless, fans will be hoping that his predicament is solved in a satisfying manner, something that seems less likely than it was a few seasons ago. Unfortunately, both Fear the Walking Dead and the original series have suffered from a lack of quality in recent years, leading to fan interest in the show waning.
As a result, the showrunners are going to have to work hard to bring fans back to the show, and resolving Morgan’s fate in a satisfying manner would be a good start. With The Walking Dead confirmed to be coming to an end soon, Fear The Walking Dead may also soon, like Morgan, be on its last legs. A climb in quality, and a resulting resurgence in popularity, are likely the only thing that will save it from coming to an end sooner rather than later.
