Is anyone really dead in The Walking Dead anymore?

With news of an expanded universe being created around AMC’s beloved franchise, it’s possible to say that no one truly dies on The Walking Dead anymore.

AMC’s announcement about an expanded universe that includes original films, specials, limited series and other content opens up a whole new world for The Walking Dead. With so many stories yet to come, there’s no end of content to be explored. It also opens up the ability to bring back beloved characters to reveal their pasts, which means no one really dies anymore.

Spoilers for The Walking Dead “Evolution”

Jesus’ death was upsetting to a lot of fans who wanted to see his story grow evolve that he’s the leader of the Hilltop. Actor Tom Payne himself was frustrated that he wasn’t able to really get into the Jesus that fans know from the comics. That version of Jesus is a fighter with unmatched skills, and it’s that role for which Payne has been training. He’s been training since he came onto the show, and the opportunity to really show those skills came in the last minutes of his final episode.

But this doesn’t have to be the end for Jesus, does it?

News of AMC’s plans to expand The Walking Dead universe opened up a whole new world of possibilities for The Walking Dead franchise. All of a sudden events that took place within the six-year gap can now be used as fodder for a limited series or a special. The same can be said of the 18 months between All Out War and Rick’s disappearance. There’s also the prospect of going even further back to explore characters’ histories.

Here’s what Robert Kirkman said of AMC’s plans:

As you can see, the sky really is the limit for The Walking Dead and there’s every reason to believe that characters who have died or moved on can now return to the show in some capacity, assuming that the actors are available. While this won’t mean they can return to the flagship series, there’s nothing keeping the characters from the flagship from making appearances now that Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride have flexible contracts that include the ability to show up in the expanded universe.

When it comes to Jesus, we could go back during the six-year jump to see his relationship with Aaron blossom, or we could see Jesus helping Maggie after the war, or we could even go back to the time before Jesus met Daryl and Rick on the road. This would allow Tom Payne a chance to really show off his skills as we see him out scouting for supplies and looking for survivors.

We could see the Governor coming to power in Woodbury. There could be a whole limited series dedicated to Merle. Or the Termites. Or Alexandria before Rick arrived. It no longer matters if a character dies or if a community is destroyed. We can go back to an earlier time and explore it in a special or limited series.

The expanded universe, then, is an exciting chance to see stories that didn’t fit into The Walking Dead but are still worth exploring. It gives new life to characters that have died, which means that under the right circumstances no one is truly dead on The Walking Dead.