The Walking Dead focused in on a single setting / storyline yet again this week with the long-awaited return of Tara and Heath, who hadn’t been seen previously since Season 6, Episode 12. Titled “Swear,” the episode focuses on Tara’s discovery of a new community of survivors who just so happen to have a ton of guns and also hate Negan and the Saviors. While Tara leaves Oceanside on something less than friendly terms, it’s clear that this all-female settlement will be integral to the eventual war with Negan that is on the horizon, but in what capacity remains to be seen. With only two episodes left until The Walking Dead goes on a mid-season break, here are the most pressing questions raised by “Swear.”
7. What Happened To Heath?
This is the most obvious question raised by “Swear,” but one that I could see being left unanswered for awhile. It’s no secret that Corey Hawkins, the actor who plays Heath, was given less of a role on The Walking Dead on account of his commitments to 24: Legacy, but to be honest, I’m surprised that he wasn’t killed off in this episode. While it may very well turn out that he’s lying dead in a ditch somehwere, I suspect that we’ll actually get to see Heath again because he wasn’t explicitly killed off in this episode. If Hawkins were leaving the show, why not just have Tara discover he died and be done with it?
The fact that Heath’s fate is left up in the air suggests that he will return somewhere down the line. I’m guessing we probably won’t see him again until the latter half of the season, but it’s difficult to say how much of a role he may have going forward. If Hawkins is willing to balance his commitments to 24 and The Walking Dead, perhaps his character will stick around, which certainly could be a possiblity considering Heath is an important character in the comics and I’m sure AMC would like to keep him around if they can. It’s also possible that Heath may return for an episode only to be firmly killed off, so really it’s anyone’s guess at this point.
Source: AMC