Warning: Spoilers for The Walking Dead season 11, episode 19
Ezekiel’s story in The Walking Dead season 11 part 3 makes him the best candidate for Rick’s comic death in the show’s final episode. With Rick absent from The Walking Dead since season 9, the show obviously can’t end like the comics, but the series giving his death to a different character is a potential scenario that hasn’t been ruled out. Similar to Sebastian murdering Rick in his sleep in the comics, one of the show’s principal characters could meet a grisly, unexpected end in the series finale.
So far, Ezekiel has yet to take a heavy hand in the battle with the Commonwealth, but that doesn’t mean he’ll eventually get drawn into the conflict in a significant way. As shown in Walking Dead season 11, episode 19, titled “Variant”, Ezekiel is keeping an optimistic outlook on his future in the Commonwealth while most of his friends have either already departed or are in the process of leaving. Ezekiel believes wholeheartedly that he believes he can change this place for the future. What’s interesting about that is that his point of view isn’t that different from Rick’s mindset when his story ended. He too was on a mission to improve the Commonwealth. Given the similarities between their respective journeys, it’s become a real possibility that Ezekiel is headed down the same road.
How Could Ezekiel Die In The Walking Dead’s Last Episode?
Sebastian’s fate in The Walking Dead season 11 part 3 changes how the finale’s big death would happen, but doesn’t mean it won’t occur at all. Instead, it makes it likely that the show’s ending won’t come directly from the source material, thus making it even harder to predict the ending. A major character can still die in the series finale, just not in the same exact same manner as Rick. Depending on how other stories pan out, someone like Lance Hornsby or Pamela Milton could strike out against one of the people they blame for their situation in Walking Dead’s ending.
Why Ezekiel Can Be Walking Dead Season 11’s Most Shocking Death
As things stand, Ezekiel isn’t the most obvious target for Walking Dead season 11’s villains. Right now, they have better reasons for going after someone who’s actively opposing them, such as Eugene, Daryl, Rosita, Stephanie, or even Carol. Out of all of them, Eugene is the one in the most danger, especially since he’s the one who brought about Sebastian Milton’s death that’s presently unfolding in the series. Looking at the direction the show is taking, Eugene doesn’t have a great chance at surviving the end of the show, which is all the more reason why it would come as a major surprise if Ezekiel is the one who dies, possibly in an effort to save Carol.
Having recently been saved from cancer, Ezekiel at least looks like he’s on track for a happy ending in The Walking Dead season 11, but that provides very little assurance that he’ll finish the story in one piece. The show’s history of tragic twists is exactly why Khary Payton’s character is anything but safe. Giving the character hope and a path toward a bright future only to take it all away in the last episode is ultimately what happened to Rick in the comics, and it could also be what the series has in store for Ezekiel as well.