Beware of Walking Dead spoilers galore if you haven't yet watched the most recent episode.
As many viewers witnessed, The Walking Dead's penultimate Season 9 episode adapted one of the comic's most shocking and deadly incidents. Fans said farewell to ten different characters, though all but one got changed up from the survivors that got beheaded in the comics. The only one that stayed the same was Tammy Rose, as portrayed by Brett Butler.
But while one particular Walking Dead character may not have been killed by Alpha in "The Calm Before," there was a moment during the Kingdom's big fair that could potentially hint at another horrific outcome in the future. Join me in breaking it all down.
The Moment
Near the episode's 2/3 mark is when Alpha is shown to be lurking around and ogling The Kingdom's festivities. While looking at a piece of art depicting Ezekiel and Carol, Alpha first takes mental note of Tammy Rose and Earl's conversation about naming their new baby. She then starts to walk away before being stopped in her tracks.
It's not explained or addressed again, but Alpha was temporarily halted by the sight of Eugene, Rosita and Gabriel. Was it the antenna that Eugene was holding that caught Alpha's eye, or Gabriel's religious ties? Probably not. Rather, I believe she was more interested in Rosita and what's growing inside her body.
Let's look back to the source material to get some more perspective.
What Happened In The Comics
Rosita was indeed likely impregnated by Siddiq in the Walking Dead comic book – though it wasn't fully confirmed – but she had Eugene as her romantic partner rather than Father Gabriel. She didn't have any other potential suitors vying for her attention, either.
During the time when Alpha was roaming around the fair, Eugene and Rosita were picking out maternity clothes. Rosita talked of trying to get back in shape after having the baby, while Eugene said he would accept her no matter what shape she was in. The line made Rosita start to cry, and she inevitably left Eugene behind, which is when he bought a CB radio.
That's the last anyone heard from Rosita, sadly, as she was revealed to be one of Alpha's head-staked victims. It was a particularly harsh death, considering her pregnancy, and put into new focus Alpha's lack of empathy.
What Happened On The Show
TV Alpha, in my opinion, has been depicted as far more venomous and vicious about children and teenagers than her comic counterpart. It was first evidenced by the way she treated Lydia back before the Whisperers became a thing, and it seemed like Alpha reached the apex of WTF atrocities when she called for that crying baby to be left in a field and sacrificed because it was crying too much.
In both cases, Alpha faced emotional devastation over being rejected by her daughter, albeit under different circumstances. But on AMC's Walking Dead, where the Whisperers' rampant sexual assaults aren't a point of contention, Lydia is quite rude to her mother about wanting to stay within the communities. She goes so far as to quasi-threaten Alpha, saying Hilltop folks had her back. That's almost never the right thing to do with a person who's known for cutting the faces and scalps off of people she's murdered.
Further, of the ten characters that were beheaded to mark the Whisperers' border line, three of them were teenagers. And one of them was Henry, the very boy that Alpha knew full-well was the apple of Lydia's eye. That was a very personal murder, and I cannot imagine that there will be a happy reunion between the mother and daughter at any point down the road.
As well, don't forget Alpha chopped off the head of Tammy Rose so soon after hearing the woman's mirth over having a new baby in her life. That child seemingly tied into the reason why Alpha chose her as a victim, at least in my mind.
So why would The Walking Dead creative team decide to keep Rosita alive on the show, even after that aforementioned moment that appeared to foreshadow something more sinister coming? Sure, it allowed more separation from Robert Kirkman's comic stories, but I think it'll also allow Alpha to do something even more shockingly heinous in the future.
What May Happen Next
Assuming that Alpha doesn't get killed off in the Season 9 finale, "The Storm," and also assuming that gigantic walker herd doesn't show up to destroy all the protagonists, I think Alpha will target the pregnant Rosita in the show's future. Or if not her, then the various men in her life.
Considering how Alpha feels about offspring and others' happiness, I wouldn't be surprised if she played the long con by keeping close tabs on Rosita up to the time of the child's birth. At that point, what could be a more cruel act for Alpha to consider than stealing a child from its mother?
Alternately, or even in conjunction with that horrifying plan, Alpha may choose to target Father Gabriel and Eugene specifically to get to Rosita. Siddiq, who does plan on being a part of the child's life, was the one person within the Whisperers' victims that was allowed to live on and deliver the "keep out" message to the rest.
Granted, it's obviously possible that Alpha staring at Rosita, Eugene and Gabriel was just an awkward edit made for time. But I think there's more meaning to it than that, and I'm sincerely hoping we'll get to see more footage from the events seen in "The Calm Before." Such as how Henry and Tara got taken captive, for instance, or possibly a shot of Alpha eavesdropping on Rosita talking about being happy with her pregnancy. Something that would directly influence Alpha honing in on the soon-to-be mother.
It's also possible that Alpha will have a confrontation or two with Michonne, and possibly even Judith, that only help to continue spoiling her viewpoint about others and their children. Alpha better think twice about trying to start shit with Judith or R.J., though, because Michonne will cut that fucker's head off using just a butterknife.
One thing we do know is that The Walking Dead's characters better bundle up in the near future, because winter is coming. Be sure to watch The Walking Dead's Season 9 finale when it hits AMC on Sunday, March 31, at 9:00 p.m. ET.
