A mysterious masked character will appear in the long-delayed Walking Dead season 10 finale. The identity of this person could have been revealed months ago, but AMC had to delay the finale because of the coronavirus pandemic. AMC pushed it back from its April 12th air date and announced at Comic-Con@Home that the finale was now scheduled for October 4th, followed by six additional season 10 episodes in 2021. As planned from the beginning, the episode will air back-to-back with the series premiere of Walking Dead: World Beyond.
Anticipation for the finale is high, considering the extended wait and all the plotlines that are about to play out, including the upcoming final showdown with the Whisperers and the official introduction of the Commonwealth. It’s also confirmed that the finale will feature the return of Maggie (Lauren Cohan), who left in season 9 and is set to be a series regular again in season 11. Another storyline taking place in the midst of the Whisperer War that’s piqued fans’ interest is what’s currently going with Alden (Callan McAuliffe) and Aaron (Ross Marquand): Both characters were placed in mortal danger in episode 15 when they were suddenly surrounded by Whisperers. An unknown person holding a gun arrived on the scene, but it’s not clear what their intentions are.
A trailer for the Walking Dead season 10 finale revealed that a masked character wielding twin bladed weapons is also present in the scenes with Alden and Aaron. This doesn’t seem to be the same character that was holding the gun, but it could be that they’re together. Whoever they are, they may rescue Alden and Aaron from the Whisperers and join the final battle. The fact that the character is wearing a mask has created a suspicion that he may be someone viewers will recognize, but another reason for that could be that he or she is a season 11 character that hasn’t been cast yet.
Heath
Heath (Corey Hawkins) hasn’t been on The Walking Dead since he disappeared during the Oceanside episode in season 7. Tara (Alanna Masterson) never did find out what happened to him, but she did find his glasses. He exited the series at the time because of the actor’s involvement with other projects, but it was said that he’d be back eventually. After his van was spotted in Jadis’ headquarters, Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang confirmed that Heath was taken by the CRM organization (the same group responsible for abducting Rick Grimes in season 9). For this reason, many are expecting that if Heath shows up again, he would either have to be in the Walking Dead movies with Rick Grimes or in World Beyond. Though either of these outcomes would make sense, several years have passed since Heath was taken. Rick hasn’t returned, but it could be that Heath did get away from CRM and managed to make his way back to Alexandria.
Morgan
Morgan (Lennie James) is currently on Fear the Walking Dead, but since both shows don’t take place at the same point in the Walking Dead timeline (with Fear being a prequel), it wouldn’t be impossible for Morgan to be Alden and Aaron’s masked savior. After all, there’s a seven-year gap between the two shows. By the events in The Walking Dead season 10, Morgan’s group may have drifted apart. Morgan does know martial arts, so him wielding the bladed weapons and using the moves seen in the trailer doesn’t seem far-fetched. It could be that Morgan gave up his no-killing rule and set aside the staff in favor of something more deadly. An obvious problem with this theory, though, is the actor’s availability. Lennie James may not be able to be a main character on both shows at the same time. Plus, being on both shows would make his character development hard to follow. Alternatively, a few fans are theorizing that the man behind the mask is actually his son Duane, but that would be even more unlikely. Morgan told Rick that he saw Duane get bitten by a zombie, so it’s hard to imagine this being a possible scenario.
Mercer
Perhaps the strongest case can be made for Mercer, a character who has never appeared on The Walking Dead. Mercer, who so far only exists in the comics, was a love interest to Princess and a prominent member of the Commonwealth. The masked stranger wields weapons that look like small scythes, whereas Mercer primarily fights with a pair of twin axes. There are differences between them, but they’re similar enough for there to be a connection. Mercer being the season 10 finale’s mystery character fits within the timeline of events as well, especially since his debut would coincide with Eugene’s meeting with representatives of the Commonwealth.
The trailer did tease that the Commonwealth may be the ones who help the communities beat the Whisperers. They may have sent him to help the people of Alexandria. This could also explain Maggie’s return (if the Commonwealth is where she went with Georgie). In the trailer, Maggie received a note from Carol (Melissa McBride) asking for help. Maggie could have returned with a scythe-wielding Mercer in tow. Furthermore, considering that Mercer is an important part of the Commonwealth arc, there’s a strong chance he’ll be on the show soon. In short, there’s more evidence pointing to Mercer being the masked stranger than any of the existing Walking Dead characters.
Connie
Connie (Lauren Ridloff) has been missing since The Walking Dead midseason premiere when Carol’s recklessness got them all trapped in Alpha’s secret cave. Thankfully, Daryl (Norman Reedus), Aaron, Kelly (Angel Theory), Magna (Nadia Hiker), and Jerry (Cooper Andrews) all made it out in one piece. The only character in the cave whose fate is still up in the air is Connie. Assuming Connie is still alive somewhere in The Walking Dead universe, it’s not clear why she would have refrained from making her way back home, so what’s currently going on with her character is still a mystery. Some suspect that Ridloff’s absence is related to her role in Marvel’s Eternals movie.
What happened to Connie? It’s possible that she was found by the Commonwealth and nursed back to health. Her condition could have been too severe for her to return on her own — but could she really be the masked stranger? The weapons this person is carrying in the trailers doesn’t feel like Connie’s style, and there’s been no indication so far that she possesses those skills. Most of the action Connie has participated in on The Walking Dead has involved a slingshot. In any case, what happened to Connie should be explored sometime in the very near future (whether the mystery character is her or someone else entirely.)