All the questions we have after watching last night’s mid-season premiere of “The Walking Dead”

I’m going to be honest: The Walking Dead has gotten a little bit slow for me over the past few seasons. I’ve still tuned in loyally every week and enjoyed it, but lately some of the “oomph” I felt from the earlier seasons has been missing. So when I started the mid-season premiere, titled “No Way Out,” last night, I was expecting to be entertained but not blown away.

And I’m about to make a pretty spoilery joke related to that last line, so if you haven’t seen the mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead, now’s the time to close this article. LAST CHANCE!

OK here it is: BLOWN AWAY. Because Daryl blew away Negan’s biker gang with an RPG launcher. GET IT!? Body parts flew. It was glorious. I would’ve been grossed out, but they almost killed my new favorite couple Sasha and Abraham, so they deserved it.

If it’s not obvious by now, this episode was amazing. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and that hasn’t really happened for me since The Governor was still around. I can’t wait to see what the gang does next – and am hoping some of the following questions get answered.

IS CARL OK!?

I may be one of those terrible fans who haven’t read the graphic novels but have maybe read a few spoilers, so I already knew Carl might lose an eye. But the show doesn’t follow the comics 100%, so who really knows what this injury could mean for poor Carl? He’s definitely alive, as evidenced in the final shot when his fingers wrap around Rick’s (SOB), but I hope he’s back to his normal self soon – just complete with a really cool eye patch to go with the hat. This might have been the one time he should’ve actually stayed in the house, though.

Is Rick headed for another downward spiral?

Everyone in a 10-mile radius knows when Rick Grimes is grieving, as he slaughters every walker around him first and asks questions later. But after the traumatic death of his new love Jessie and her sons (a really hard scene to watch) paired with Carl’s injury, is he going to go all rogue again? From the looks of it, he’s OK at least in next week’s episode, but again, who knows? Rick can be a loose cannon, which is one of the reasons he’s such an interesting character.

What’s the situation going to be between Sasha, Abraham, and Rosita?

Sasha and Abraham (or as I like to call him, ginger Soda Popinski) have spent a lot of alone time together this season, so naturally they’ve formed a bond that goes beyond acquaintances and even friends. So what’s going to happen now that they’re back in Alexandria and Rosita, another character Abraham has been hooking up with, is there waiting? Awkwaaaaard.

Can we get more scenes like this?

So um, that scene near the end where LITERALLY EVERYONE bans together to fight off the walkers (which is to lead them toward a fire that Daryl created but let’s be real, it’s really to save Rick’s crazy self, again)? In my top five best scenes from this entire show.

What kind of beautiful mashup realness? The editing of this scene brought me back to the roots of The Walking Dead, which are the importance of teamwork, trust, and loyalty. A light turned on in my The Walking Dead-loving heart, and I might have cried a tiny bit.

How will the new badasses’ personalities change?

Speaking of the entire team coming together, um, you go Eugene and Father Gabriel! Along with everyone else who has seen the development of these characters, I was extremely worried that these two characters were going to bite the dust – especially Gabriel, after how heroic he was this episode with taking Judith to safety and giving a speech to the other Alexandrians in the church about how it’s time to step up. I thought he was about to go out in a blaze of glory, but after how awesome he proved himself, I’m happy to report I was wrong. RED HERRING!?

When is Negan himself going to make an appearance?

Before Daryl blows them up all calm and collectively, we see Negan’s goons (including one very witty leader, if I do say so) at the beginning of the episode. I haven’t read too much about Negan, but from what I have read, it sounds like he’s worse than The Governor, the Terminus folks, and every single walker combined. And he is responsible for a big character’s death in the comics, so if you don’t want to know who that is, don’t click here. I kind of hope he stays away forever, but considering he was cast back in November, I think I’m out of luck.

Are we cool with all the lucky breaks in this episode?

Speaking of luck…I’m not trying to say I don’t appreciate all the great coincidences that happened in this episode, but they were a little over the top. Daryl just HAPPENING to blow up Negan’s biker gang at the exact right time before its leader put bullets in Sasha and Abraham’s skulls? The latter two saving Glen’s butt at the very last possible moment? That bullet not getting anywhere near Carl’s brain (from the looks of it)? I don’t know, guys. I’m down with it because it meant a lot of action and that big characters didn’t die, but still.

What roles will everyone take on in the new Alexandria?

Deanna is gone, so it’s kind of a no-brainer that Rick will be the new leader – especially given the symbolic scene at the end where everyone follows him into the fray just because he’s gone nuts. But what about everyone else? Will Carol still be the caregiver, after everything she’s been through? Will she and Morgan learn to play nicely? Will Judith be best buddies with Maggie and Glenn’s baby? Will Tara and Denise live happily ever after and be whole again? Will Daryl finally get another motorcycle so he can be whole again? Will Michonne continue to be her badass self (OK, we already know the answer to this one)? Will the newcomers (e.g., Aaron) now be considered one of the core members of the group (aka “us” instead of “them”)?