'The Walking Dead' spinoff had an extra scene you may have missed that could have giant implications

July 2024 ยท 6 minute read
2020-10-26T03:08:00Z

Sunday's episode of "The Walking Dead: World Beyond" was a bit of a snooze until the very end. If you tuned out, you'll want to return for an extra, unexpected scene that lasts just under 90 seconds.

The scene wasn't part of the original weekly screener sent to Insider by the network. Instead, AMC emailed out a new version of season one, episode four to journalists Thursday afternoon with a post-credits scene attached.

A few fans pointed out to Insider that the post-credits scene was originally being marketed as a teaser for next Sunday's "World Beyond" on early premiere streams of the episode made available via AMC+.

If you've been a fan of "TWD" since the start, this is a scene you'll want to watch a few times over as it has large implications not just for "World Beyond," but "TWD" universe at large. 

If you missed the brief scene, we have you covered. 

Here's what happens: The CRM has a group of the undead stashed for testing.

Some of the CRM members appear to be tattooed. AMC

The scene opens with a woman, who the captions revealed to be named Lyla, sitting at a desk looking over paperwork. We know she's CRM because she has a small tattoo of the group's three-circle logo on her hand.

Lyla's looking at a man, who's referred to as test subject 402. We later learn his name is Samuel Abbott of Portland, Oregon and it appears he recently turned into one of the dead. We see a picture of Lyla on a desk with three men, including Samuel, suggesting they were friends or colleagues.

As Lyla evaluates Samuel she says he "displayed no detectable responses to psychological stimuli."

Test subject A 402 is one of many being held and tested by the CRM. AMC

The CRM planned to draw necrotic plasma and brain fluid for testing to compare it to other tests performed. Stephen was going to undergo more testing the following day where he would be exposed to different climates.

As the camera pulls back we see Samuel's not the only test subject here. The CRM have, what appears to be a large room or facility containing a number of test subjects.

A crew in blue hazmat suits are seen tending to them. From what we could glean, all of them are labeled as test subject (TS) A followed by a number.

Here'a what this means: The CRM appear to be working on a cure to the zombie outbreak.

This aligns with everything Insider has heard about "TWD: World Beyond" and the point of the spinoff.

Iris and Hope's father was sent to a CRM research facility to help work on a cure to the walker breakout.

In some ways, fans have been waiting for this moment for 10 years ever since we first saw Edwin Jenner working on test subject 19 (his wife) at the CDC on "TWD" season one. Hope for a cure had seemingly died with him.

But are they really working on a cure?

Never forget that Kublek and the CRM were quick to neutralize a threat in the past. On the season premiere, they wiped out the entire Campus Colony community. Zach Dilgard/AMC

Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Kublek recently said the CRM is the last light in the world. And while it's easy to believe they're working on a cure (they likely are), there's a chance there could be others at the CRM, who have more nefarious ideas in mind. 

While, yes, they may want to have a cure to the zombie virus for themselves, perhaps they're looking for a way to easily neutralize any potential forthcoming threats. 

If the CRM is on a collision course with the Commonwealth soldiers in the future, which we theorized after last week's big reveal, that's something they could want at their disposal. 

Is the place we saw in this scene even located in New York or is it in Oregon?

There must be a reason that Felix mentions Portland. AMC

We know there's a CRM headquarters somewhere in New York state, but the start of Sunday's episode hints they have other bases around the country.

While discussing the CRM's location, Iris suggests that while the research facility where her dad is may be in New York, the group has another location. Elton surmises it could be a place where they grow their own crops and refine fuel. In a brief moment, Felix notes that a community in Portland traded with the CRM.

So is the place we see in the post credits scene part of the New York facility? It's tough to say. 

It certainly could be a place where Hope and Iris' father is also working on a cure. It would have been great to see him appear in the scene as well. 

Because Stephen is from Portland, it's possible there's an additional research facility on the west coast. We recently learned the CRM contains 200,000 people. That's a lot of people to have in one area.

Why else would you discretely name drop Portland twice on Sunday's episode? That doesn't seem like a coincidence. 

Wait. Did we just learn what it means to be an "A" or a "B"? Maybe. But that's a little unclear. 

Do we finally have an answer to the "A" or "B" question on "TWD"? AMC

Eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that every test subject was labeled with the letter "A" before their number. That may be a hint at an answer to a long lingering question in "TWD" universe. Back in "The Walking Dead," Anne was labeling characters as an "A" or a "B" before leaving them to be retrieved by a CRM helicopter.

She never revealed what either label meant on "TWD" or what the CRM did with those labeled "A" or "B" before departing the show with Rick in 2018.

Though no definitive answer was given, Sunday's episode of "World Beyond" suggested people labeled "A" could be test subjects. 

What does that mean for people labeled "B"? Are they kept alive to become soldiers or workers for the CRM? Those sound like two decent guesses. If that's the case, it's good to remember that Anne referred to Rick as a "B" before he was carried away from "TWD" by chopper in November 2018. 

Perhaps one of the reasons he's been unable to return home for years is because he was assigned some task or job. It seems like no one easily gets out of the CRM.

You can follow along with our "Walking Dead" coverage here.

Watch: 11 grossly satisfying beauty treatments that'll leave you with better skin

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufony1tMRmrpqkm567qHnDnpidZaekv62wjJucsqeemXpyfJNmnKecXZi%2FprDIrapmsp%2Bir6qxjK2crKyZo7Rusdepo5qhnpqx