The Walking Dead season 8: Negan's mystery car passenger 'revealed' in episode 15 credits

*Potential spoilers for The Walking Dead's next episode follow*

The latest episode of The Walking Dead season 8 featured merciless murder, a helicopter and one mystery which is successfully keeping every viewer guessing.

Towards the end of the instalment, titled 'Still Gotta Mean Something,' Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) finds himself on the high road after being released by Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) and heads for the Sanctuary. As he nears, he comes across a character - he pulls over, opens the door and lets them in.

“If sh*t could sh*t, it still wouldn't look as sh*tty as you,” he says to the unseen character before returning back to the compound poised to surprise Simon and Dwight.

But who is in the passenger seat? The cast list for next week's episode, 'Worth,' seems to reveal the identity of said character as Laura. Played by Lindsley Register, the character - last seen in the midseason finale - got away after witnessing Dwight (Austin Amelio) officially turning on The Saviours.

In terms of raised stakes going into the finale, it makes the most sense for Negan's mystery passenger to be Laura. With the majority of viewers assuming the character in most trouble following Negan's return is Simon (Steven Ogg) for his part in the massacre of Jadis' community, Laura' return would throw Dwight's future into doubt.

Moreover, Negan's order not to tell his people he's returned as he rolls up to the Sanctuary gates signals that Laura may have already told him about Dwight's betrayal.

The only curveball in this theory comes in the form of Gregory (Xander Berkeley) who was last seen following the Saviours' showdown which saw Henry accidentally let all of Maggie's prisoners go (before Rick and Morgan swiftly murdered them). He knows returning to the Hilltop won't spell anything good for him so perhaps he was returning to the Sanctuary?

A still seems to confirm that Gregory will make it to the Sanctuary, however, the trailer for next week's episode also shows him back at Hilltop.

(AMC Studios (AMC Studios)

There are a few other MIA characters who could be revealed as the mystery character - we run through them below.

Sherry

Played by Christine Evangelista
Last seen: Hostiles and Calamities, season 7 episode 11

Dwight's ex, Sherry - now one of Negan's wives - has been AWOL for some time now having broken away from the Sanctuary after letting Daryl (Norman Reedus) escape back in season 7. Her location has remained a mystery to viewers who perhaps forgot about her until Dwight name-dropped her just a few episodes ago. One would suspect that Negan's demeanour would be angrier if he came across Sherry who - let's face it - would probably run a mile the moment she realised who was driving the car. Then again, the character is in quite a state, going by Negan's words, and perhaps returning to The Saviours is a better fate than whatever she's experienced outside the Sanctuary's walls.

Heath

Played by Corey Hawkins
Last seen: Swear, season 7 episode 6

For the simple fact that he hasn't been seen since the sixth episode of season 7 and that Corey Hawkins is relatively free, perhaps Heath is about to return to The Walking Dead. A long shot, sure, but Negan is in need of people following the killing of a large number of his army t the hand of Rick in recent weeks - and who better to enlist to the cause than a former Alexandrian?

Carl

Played by Chandler Riggs
Last seen: Honour, season 8 episode 9

The biggest long shot of all is one that viewers are convincing themselves could become a reality. Carl. Yes, the same Carl who got bit by a walker and shot himself in the head a few weeks back. The theory goes that Carl faked his own death in an attempt to impart some wisdom that could have stopped All Out War. Yes, Rick and Michonne buried him which renders this idea absolutely ridiculous. If it was to happen, this would be the series' death knell.

Our guess? Laura. Dwight, oh Dwight... you are in trouble.

The Walking Dead season 8 continues on AMC every Sunday with the UK premiere arriving the next evening on FOX as well as being available to stream on NOW TV.

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