Comic-Con 2014: The Walking Dead Season 5 Trailer Analysis [VIDEO] 

We got our first official look at season 5 of The Walking Dead over July 4th weekend with the Talking Dead‘s season five preview special, but that clip was so short that it barely even felt like a sneak peek. However, this afternoon at San Diego Comic-Con the official season five trailer made its world premiere. While it was only three and a half minutes long (a little shorter than past trailers), it certainly packed a punch and it looks like we’re going to get plenty of action at the beginning of next season.

Scott Gimple said in the panel that this season is going to resemble more the comics and if you watch the trailer slowly, you will recognize certain parts from the comic book series. So, that’s what we did, and here are a few things that stood out:

• If I had to bet on anything happening in Season 5, it would be Terminus being overrun.  If you read my article on the clip from the season five preview special, you’ll recall it appeared that Carol and Tyreese were trying to lead a herd to something, probably Terminus.  And, in the trailer, you see the people at Terminus fighting several large groups of walkers with fire hoses, explosives, etc.  Plus, we know Gareth leaves Terminus now, and I don’t think he would ever leave the compound unless he absolutely had to.

• When Bob, Rick, Daryl and Glenn are about to be killed by Gareth and his men we see a couple of men wearing plastic aprons. Does that confirm the Termites are cannibals? Not necessarily. They could just be cutting up people who don’t fall in line and feeding them to walkers, much like the comic-book Governor did.
• At first I thought the book Gareth was holding may be the Bible, but upon looking closer it’s not.  It appears to be just kind of record book.
• The church that Rick and his group is holed up in made me think of Father Gabriel’s church in the comics.  And, YES, Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel is in the trailer!  I have to admit that I missed it the first time I watched, but he actually at frame 2:22 in the video.  He’s crying in front of Rick, which is probably the scene from the comics when he confesses that he allowed everyone in his congregation to die all because he was a coward.

• As most of us suspected, Beth is very much alive, but she doesn’t seem to be with Father Gabriel as a lot of people had hoped. It appears she is being held at some kind of hospital.  The only thing we can tell is it doesn’t look like she is there voluntarily.  In the below screenshot, she is seen with a sheet tied around her waist, being used in an attempt to climb down that shaft.

So, what did everyone else think? Gareth has particularly piqued my interest and I think this man and the people at Terminus have a much more complicated story than simply being cannibals.

The Walking Dead returns for Season 5 on October 12th at 9/8c on AMC.

PANEL PHOTOS

All photos credited to Mary Power/TV Goodness

The official season 5 key art