'The Walking Dead' Season 7 Set Image Inadvertently Spills The Beans on What Happens Next

For those of you who have been keeping up with the latest episodes of The Walking Dead, you know of the current turmoil that the main group of survivors are going through right now.

If you need a recap, Season 7 started off with the brutal executions of both Abraham and Glenn by #Negan. To cap off their executions, Negan almost forced Rick to cut off his son's hand as a sign of obedience. Luckily, it didn't come down to Rick cutting off his hand, but the trauma of the task forcefully and emotionally broke Rick down. The scene concluded with Negan making one thing very clear: He's in charge.

After Negan asserted his dominance over the group, it seemed as if his rule would remain intact for some time. The comics also depict Negan holding his position of power for the foreseeable future, but that's not the case after all. It appears as though Negan won't be in charge for too much longer, evident by a set image released prior to the Season 7 premiere.

Prior to the Season 7 premiere, some set images from the filming locations for The Walking Dead were released on Just Jared. While those images didn't appear to spoil anything at the time, new information learned after watching the past six episodes of Season 7 have added some context to an image that reveals a massive spoiler for Season 7 of The Walking Dead.

How does Rick get his Colt .357 back from The Saviors in Season 7?

In the image embedded above, we can see that Rick is standing beside Michonne, holding his classic Colt-Python .357 revolver. Rick was last seen with his signature gun during the Season 6 Finale, before Negan and his Saviors cornered Rick's group and took their weapons. That means Rick's Colt-Python is in Negan's possession for the time being. However, with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) seen on the set of Season 7, holding a gun confiscated by Negan, it means he'll take it back from Negan soon enough. Rick can also be seen with a scruffier beard, indicating when this image takes place

When we account for Rick already maintaining a grayish stubble in "Sing Me A Song", along with this image from filming of Season 7 featuring Rick with a fully grown beard, it reveals two things. For one, the guns confiscated by Negan will be returned to Rick and co. and two, Negan's time as a dictator will come to an end before Season 7 concludes.

Does Rick getting his gun back mean he regains control and defeats Negan before season 7 concludes?

Accounting for Rick getting his gun back from the armory in Negan's Sanctuary, it means Rick and company will be successful in removing Negan from his post, during Season 7. That also means an assault will be lead on Negan's Sanctuary during Season 7, and as a result, Rick will reclaim his gun and all the other ones confiscated from their armory.

Those events are yet to play out on The Walking Dead but seeing as how this image from one of the filming location for Season 7 features Rick in possession of a weapon confiscated by Negan, all the guns confiscated by Negan in Season 7, Episode 4 "Service", including Rick's Colt .357 will be returned to their rightful owners. But that draws up another interesting question, what's going to happen to the Saviors when Rick finally puts an end to Negan? Regardless of Rick's success in taking Negan down, it still leaves the fate of the rest of the Saviors up in the air; and there's quite a few of them still around.

Will Rick decide to execute all The Saviors, or will he show mercy?

It's unclear whether or not Rick and company will execute all the Saviors when his group makes their play against the Saviors, or if a truce will be called - leaving someone trustworthy in charge of restructuring the Saviors' community. More likely than not, Rick won't hesitate and he'll give the command to execute every member of the Saviors once Negan is taken care of.

Since Rick and his family have been subjected to torment, not just by Negan but by the Saviors as well, Rick may not hold any compassion towards the lives of the Saviors which means Rick could decide to execute everyone on the spot. Seeing Rick massacre all the Saviors wouldn't be all that surprising either when we consider his last raid on a Saviors' compound. However, there may be some forgiveness for those who choose not to follow Negan's way anymore; but how many of Negan's soldiers are going to turn their backs on the lives they've built in the Sancturary? So, it's quite possible Rick's group will be forced to execute a majority of the Saviors based on their inability to change.

Regardless of what happens to the Saviors, this new set image of Rick reclaiming his classic .357 Colt Python, inadvertently reveals a happy conclusion to the Negan dilemma affecting the main group of survivors on The Walking Dead. Are you happy to hear that Season 7 of The Walking Dead will conclude with Negan's downfall?