The Walking Dead will resume its controversial, violent, sort-of-fragmented seventh season on AMC starting February 12th, 2017. Speculation is currently running rampant about what will happen in the second half of season 7, fueled by the usual hints, teases and other little tidbits from Walking Dead cast members, production crew and everyone else.

At this point all anyone can safely assume is that there's going to be a huge showdown between Rick's group and the Saviors at some point in the near future. We know this confrontation likely won't end with Negan's death since Jeffrey Dean Morgan has already been confirmed for Walking Dead season 8. Who else might die is anyone's guess - and the latest official update on the second half of season 7 offers limited fuel for further speculation.

With the premiere of Season 7.5 looming up a couple weeks away, AMC has gone through the formality of releasing an official title and synopsis for the 2017 Walking Dead midseason premiere. That title is 'The Rock in the Road' and the synopsis is as brief as can be:

Rick is introduced to a new community.

What that "new community" might be is anyone's guess. The last hint we received in this regard was an image of Rick talking to a new character in what looked like a junkyard setting. This could be a hint that an entirely new group is being introduced, or this could just be a step in Rick meeting up with a certain group led by a certain guy who used to be a zookeeper.

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Who's a pretty kitty? pic.twitter.com/uoKUn1lUV8— Khary Payton (@kharypayton) January 27, 2017

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Lots of questions linger from the first half of season 7, and one of the biggest concerns Ezekiel and The Kingdom, and how/when that group will hook up with Rick and the gang (of course Carol and Morgan are already familiar with Ezekiel and his unusual brand of leadership and also his own problems with the Saviors). Khary Payton, the actor who plays Ezekiel, reminded us that he and his pet Shiva are still around and will have a big part to play in the coming episodes, by sharing the above photo on Twitter.

There's little doubt that a big part of the upcoming few episodes will involve Rick meeting up with the various leaders of the various groups and trying to enlist their aid in the war against Negan. The eventual meeting, one that was already teased in a recent clip, between Rick and Ezekiel should be a fascinating moment. Rick has stared down quite a few terrifying adversaries in his time but he's yet to gaze into the eyes of a tiger. Perhaps Rick and Shiva will come face-to-face in the Season 7.5 premiere.

The Walking Dead continues with 'The Rock in the Road' on February 12th, 2017.

Source: AMC