New Trailer for ‘Walking Dead’ Season 9 Teases a Leadership Clash (VIDEO)

The one thing we all knew prior to The Walking Dead season 9 going into production is that it would be the last season for series stars Andrew Lincoln (Rick) and Lauren Cohan (Maggie). With the new season set to debut on October 7, we're getting our first taste of the leadership crisis that may send both of these characters to their graves.

The issue this presents, of course, is that in comic continuity, both of these characters are still alive. This means that the show will once again depart from its source material in order to bring their storylines to a close. Poor Carl met with a similar fate last season, and if that's any sort of precedent, it's doubtful that they'll be able to pull it off in a such a way that it both satisfies fans of the comics and the show.

Actors are people too, believe it or not, so you can't blame either Lincoln or Cohan for wanting to walk away and move on to something else. At the same time, I can't imagine the show being anywhere near as impactful without them, as their simmering rivalry and battle for control has been one of the hallmarks of the show from the very beginning. Cohan is only signed for six episodes, so expect her to exit before Lincoln, though they do love subverting expectations.

The Walking Dead season 9 debuts on AMC on October 7.