The years fly by, seasons change, and things come and go, but The Walking Dead lives on. The long-running AMC franchise kicked off all the way back in 2010 and it has undergone many transformations and evolutions during its time on the air. The original show itself experienced a number of different eras, with the most significant coming when frontman Andrew Lincoln departed in season 9. And still, the show soldiered on for three more seasons.
Death would not find The Walking Dead, for the franchise spawned three new spinoffs centred on some of its most beloved characters. Lincoln even returned as Rick Grimes for one of them, seemingly wrapping the character's story up in The Ones Who Live. But old wounds and new enemies are what kept these shows going as Dead City and Daryl Dixon have run for multiple seasons (the latter of which we now know will complete its run with its fourth season, likely next year).
From classic spinoffs to new spinoffs, we've seen plenty of familiar faces surface and resurface in the TWD Universe. Now, the creative mind behind it all has teased that one of the most beloved characters in the history of the franchise - one who hasn't resurfaced in any of the other shows as of yet - might actually return. But if they do manage to make it happen, it absolutely must be done right.
TWD boss is open to bringing back Glenn in Dead City
As we reported earlier this month, Chief Content Officer of The Walking Dead Universe Scott M. Gimple, has discussed potentially bringing Steven Yeun back as Glenn Rhee in spinoff The Walking Dead: Dead City. The subject came up during an interview with Screen Rant around the time of Dead City's season 2 finale in which Gimple acknowledged that "it comes to mind all the time".
He also said that "it's a pretty obvious way to go" while also acknowledging that both the creative team and the fans would enjoy seeing him back in the role. Although he does point out that Yeun is incredibly busy right now (which, indeed he is, as he won an Emmy for his performance in Beef, has starred in multiple movies, and voices the main character in the beloved animated superhero show Invincible). Gimple also points out that they "never went that far" with the idea of bringing him back. But now that we know Dead City will return for a third season (with a new showrunner), it could still be on the table.
If the franchise was to find a way to bring Yeun's character back, it would have to be for the right reasons. The actor's popularity has continued to skyrocket since he left the show, so it goes without saying that any kind of appearance in a future season of Dead City would draw a lot more buzz to the show. And let's not forget, Glenn's infamous death scene was so heavily discussed in the pop-culture sphere that even non-TWD fans know about it. If he were to return in some capacity, it would likely make a lot of curious non-viewers tune into the new spinoff. But, again, it would have to be done right.
The truth is, as much as we love Glenn, there is no way for the franchise to undo his heinous death scene (as much as some cast members would like to). Too many characters saw it happen (along with 17 million viewers watching in shock on AMC) and it has heavily dominated Maggie and Negan's arcs ever since. However, there is also another character whose arc it has dominated in recent years and that's where Glenn's return could be particularly effective.
If Glenn were to return, it would have to be connected to Hershel
Hershel Rhee has grown up in the TWD Universe hearing stories of his great father Glenn. Sadly, he never got to meet his father as Maggie was pregnant with Hershel when Glenn was killed in front of her and their friends. But he is aware of how the trauma of that life-changing moment has heavily impacted her in the years since. It's also alienated him from her somewhat, even though he has shared the same desire to hurt Negan for what he did.
Hershel has become increasingly disconnected from Maggie throughout Dead City's run. Although it's clear that he still loves her, the two haven't been able to get through their shared trauma over Glenn's death. And this feeling of isolation that Hershel felt even drove him to bond with The Dama of all people. The third episode of the second season really gave us a glimpse into his thoughts and feelings and it made for one of Dead City's most compelling hours. So, what if the show were to dive deeper?
With that in mind, one convincing way to bring Glenn back would be to have his son see him everywhere he looks, perhaps even talk with him at times as he attempts to find his way back to the person he wants to be. Actor Logan Kim has said that he would love to see his character cross paths with his father at some point and, considering that Glenn is dead (and died before he was born), this would be one of the only realistic ways of pulling that off.
Of course, there are others ways of making it happen. From Maggie having visions of her husband to flashbacks revolving around the pair's beautiful relationship, there are powerful storylines there that could truly benefit from an episode like this. Heck, perhaps Negan could see Glenn as his extended time with Maggie begins to torment him with reminders of what he did all those years ago on The Walking Dead. But given the show's focus on Hershel's character journey, this is the storyline that would likely benefit from an appearance from Yeun's Glenn the most.
Glenn has already had such an overarching presence in Dead City as it was his death that led to the animosity between Maggie and Negan, but it would be the perfect full-circle moment if the show could find a way to have him appear at least once throughout its run. And, as Gimple pointed out, everyone would love to see that.
Sometimes when a character returns from the dead, it can be extremely effective in furthering the storyline and creating some closure; other times it can be for little more than shock value and creating buzz. It's imperative that, if the TWD creative team was to bring Glenn back, it would have to be for the former reason. And, on a show like this one, there is definitely scope for that!
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