The Whisperers wage mental warfare in The Walking Dead season 10

Alpha and The Whisperers have shown they aren’t a group to mess with through strong displays of power and intimidation on The Walking Dead.

So far, the Whisperers have established themselves as a brutal group on The Walking Dead. Not only is their way of life difficult and far from the normal, but their interactions with other survivors show them treat other human beings like animals or pests which hinder their way of life.

The physical nature of the Whisperers is apparent. The brutal massacre of several important characters in order to build a border wall sent a strong message to everyone about how strong they can be as a group and what happens if they defy Alpha’s rules. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Alpha seems to be a master of mental warfare. Through intimidation and assertion of accumulated power, the leader of the Whisperers has affirmed her spot as the top dog in the group and will do anything to keep that role, even when challenged.

Those challenges include those from outside sources. When she felt her territory was being infringed upon, Alpha had no problem making the lives of those infringing on her plan for living by exerting great power and threats upon them.

In a recent video released on the official YouTube channel of The Walking Dead, the cast and crew of AMC’s flagship zombie survival drama series sat down to discuss the threat of the Whisperers and what is to come in season 10 of the show. During the talk, there is plenty of discussion about the threat Alpha’s group brings.

"“The group is in such a tight place right now and being squeezed from every direction.” Norman Reedus says."

Much of that likely has to do with the territory choke points created by Alpha and the Whisperers as well as the shutdown of the Kingdom. Those factors will make season 10 feel much different from previous seasons of the show since many earlier seasons focused on how much the world is expanding…and now their existence is being pinched.

"“We’re dealing with this subversive Cold War-type paranoia and sensibilities about people,” executive producer Greg Nicotero added."

The mind games alone from the Whisperers make them a great group of villains. They have a massive resource when it comes to the undead, yet they are more than capable of fighting without the undead, as fans saw when Beta went toe-to-toe with Daryl in season 9 in an attempt to get Lydia back. And if they can use those to intimidate a group into doing as they wish, it would be better than actually having to go head-to-head in a war.

The threat of crossing the border (which the survivors have already done and appear to do again in the Comic-Con trailer for season 10), the massive sea of walkers, and the general fear the Whisperers bring to any altercation should make the tenth season of The Walking Dead must-watch television.

Tune in on Oct. 6 to see the season 10 premiere!