The Walking Dead season 10 might need Maggie more than ever. Lauren Cohan left the zombie show last year, meaning that season 10 will premiere missing some of its most prominent stars. Most strikingly, Andrew Lincoln won't be a member of the cast when the new season premieres, although while Rick was presumed dead in the eyes of family and friends, the character is very much alive. Lincoln has signed on to multiple AMC movies to continue his storyline.
In a more surprising move, Maggie Rhee (née Greene) also disappeared following Rick's departure and time jump. Considering AMC's heavy marketing leading up to Rick's last episodes, it seemed unfair that the network didn't give Lauren Cohan a proper send-off. Sure, Lincoln has headlined the series since its debut in 2010, but the character of Maggie has been an integral piece of The Walking Dead since season 2.
Cohan and the network reportedly had disagreements regarding her contract agreement. This eventually led the actress to pursue other opportunities and she was later cast in the ABC series, Whiskey Cavalier. However, the series was recently canceled. So what does this mean in terms of Maggie's future on The Walking Dead?
It's clear that Maggie's The Walking Dead story is not over. During the time jump, Maggie left Hilltop with her son to join Georgie's group, a decision that hasn't been fully explained. She was the leader of Hilltop prior to her leaving so there were obvious events during the time gap that led her to leave her friends and allies behind. It was clear, however, that she and Michonne weren't on good terms when she left.
Now that Cohan's no longer starring in Whiskey Cavalier, AMC should give her the pay she deserves so she can come back to The Walking Dead. Considering the showrunners have been planning Maggie's future (and even a spinoff has been discussed), her return seems inevitable. There have been rumors that Cohan would come back in a limited role to continue Maggie's arc but it would make more sense if she took over the lead role in the series. After all, Danai Gurira is leaving The Walking Dead in season 10, and Michonne had thus far been filling the hole left by Rick.
The Walking Dead has spent years building Maggie up to become a fortified leader. She has proven over and over again that she is capable of running a community, and her character in the comics has grown into one of the most respected figures within the series. To throw away her character would be such a disservice to fans. The original characters are leaving at an alarming rate and The Walking Dead's ratings are dropping just as quickly.
Introducing fresh faces and new storylines is often a good idea for a long-running series like The Walking Dead. With that said, it's always exciting to see familiar characters return and stick around. Bringing back Maggie would give loyal fans a reason to stay onboard with the series. Even if Cohan doesn't have the time or desire to be a series regular, using her in a limited role could give viewers the answers for the mysteries surrounding her character. It could also bridge the gap to bigger storylines such as the impending introduction to Commonwealth.
Jesus and Tara are dead, and Ezekiel is deeply grieving the deadly events that occurred at the fair. The members of The Walking Dead's surviving communities could surely use someone like Maggie Rhee to get them through this tough time ahead.