Robert Kirkman is actively trying to kill off Judith from AMC's The Walking Dead TV show, but the writers and producers won't accept his story ideas. Over the years, several people on the series - some mainstays, but mostly small, supporting characters - have perished either at the hand of the walkers or other survivors. Last year, the biggest name to bite the dust was Chandler Riggs' Carl Grimes, who was bitten while trying to help out a fellow survivor.
And now, in The Walking Dead season 9, Carl's father, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), will be exiting the show, which has sent shock waves through the fan base. Lincoln has been contemplating leaving Alexandria behind for quite some time now, but he was persuaded to remain on as lead until they dealt with the Saviors. Now that Negan has been defeated and the story is moving in a different direction, Lincoln felt it was time to retire from the series and spend some more time with his real-life family in England. It's unclear if Rick will die in season 9, but even if he doesn't, the only living Grimes family member that will still be on the show is Judith.
Related: Walking Dead's Future Without Carl & Rick, According to Creator
Speaking during his personal panel at New York Comic Con 2018, Robert Kirkman: In Conversation, the comic book creator revealed that he's been actively trying to kill off Judith on The Walking Dead series, saying, "I tried to kill that damn baby that’s not even a baby anymore - I have pitched the death of Judith so many times it’s not even funny." Unfortunately, Kirkman didn't elaborate on why he's been so adamant about (baby) Judith dying.
What's interesting is that Judith had already been killed off early on in The Walking Dead comics, so it's understandable that Kirkman would want to see that reflected on the TV show - but both versions of the famed story have obviously drifted apart over the years. Even now, showrunner Angela Kang recently told Screen Rant that the show follows the general outline set forth by the comics, but they aren't going out of their way to precisely match the storyline. There will be some notable differences, and it seems like Judith is simply one of them... for now.
Sometimes movie franchises and TV shows can get lost in their own stories, and The Walking Dead's timeline is as confounding as they come. It's something that Riggs himself was even confused about. So, the fact that Judith has grown up so much in such a short amount of time (in-universe, that is) can technically break continuity. While that may not be an important reason for Kirkman to want Judith dead, it may play a part. But, with The Walking Dead returning this weekend, it's certainly possible that Judith may meet her end at some point this season.
More: 25 Crazy Details Behind The Making Of The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead season 9 premieres on October 7 on AMC.
Source: Robert Kirkman (via ComicBook)