Warning: spoilers ahead if you haven't already caught the Walking Dead Season 7 finale.
The Walking Dead really isn't a show that frequently finds ways to bring actors back after their characters have been written off, mostly because characters are usually only written off because they've died some kind of horrifying death. Luckily for Abraham fans, the Season 7 finale was the perfect time for Michael Cudlitz to return to the series one last time. He reprised the role of Abraham for scenes set back before he was beaten to death by by Negan, and we got to see him with Sasha. Cudlitz had this to say about his return to The Walking Dead:
It felt like coming home. It was really awesome, and it made it possible for us to connect. Definitely one of my favorite scenes. 'Cause we shot that all as one scene, even though it wasn't all one scene. So we were able to sort of take our time with it, and it was wonderful.
Michael Cudlitz shared his thoughts on returning to The Walking Dead during a surprise appearance on Talking Dead, and it was pretty easy to believe him when he said that he had a wonderful time filming one last time with Sonequa Martin-Green as Abraham and Sasha. In fact, their bond as actors was apparent during The Talking Dead. Host Chris Hardwick began to play what looked like a recording of Michael Cudlitz sending Sonequa Martin-Green his well wishes from afar, but the video didn't seem to work. Martin-Green took the malfunction in stride... until Cudlitz strolled out with a bouquet of flowers and a hug to surprise her.
Adorable things rarely happen on Talking Dead, but I will admit to letting out an "Aw!" when Michael Cudlitz surprised Sonequa Martin-Green. I definitely don't blame her for getting a little teary at his unexpected appearance and flowers. Well played, Michael Cudlitz. Well played.
It was actually somewhat difficult at first to understand the sequence of Abraham's scenes in the Season 7 finale. There seemed to be a dream sequence inside of a dream sequence that may or may not have involved a hallucination, all from the mind of the dying Sasha. Still, even before we found out that Sasha had poisoned herself and was waiting to die in Negan's coffin, the scenes between Abraham and Sasha were profoundly impactful. Her arc through Season 7 has been about two things: protecting Maggie and avenging Abraham, and we finally got to see why Sasha was so dedicated to protecting Maggie.
I'll admit that I was never a fan of the Abraham/Sasha romance, but I thought their scenes in the Season 7 finale were exactly what were needed to finish Sasha's story on the series. Yes, she died and it was very tragic, but her death was one final "Screw you!" to Negan and the Saviors, and I think Abraham would be proud of her for having the nerve to go as far as she did. If only both of them could have lived long enough to see Shiva in action. I can practically already hear the one-liners Abraham would drop at the sight of Shiva shredding Saviors. Alas.
The Walking Dead will return to the airwaves in October, although sadly without either Michael Cudlitz or Sonequa Martin-Green (who will be elsewhere on the small screen with an awesome new role). Check out our midseason TV premiere guide and our summer TV premiere schedule for a look at all your viewing options between now and Season 8. Don't forget to take a gander at our breakdown of all the big questions we still have after the Walking Dead Season 7 finale.
