The Walking Deadis no stranger to trying some weird and wonderful ideas, but the franchise’s upcoming project appears to be doing something even more bizarre than season 7’s tiger. Adapted straight from the comics, Shiva the Tiger was featured sporadically throughout seasons 7 and 8 before suffering a heartbreaking death, but her involvement was one of the wildest things the series has attempted. ConsideringThe Walking DeadTV show changed various comicbook ideas and storylines, AMC didn’t have to include Shiva as she risked distracting from the action, but I’m glad they did.
She wasn’t just a novelty to prove how daring the franchise was; instead,Shiva played a big role in Ezekiel’s story and helped showcase his humanity alongside his bond with animals. WhileThe Walking Deaddid change some aspects surrounding Shiva’sbackground with Ezekiel from the source material, their time together played out largely the same, and the CGI tiger didn’t look out of place. However, despite the exotic animal being one of the boldest inclusions so far in the TV universe,The Walking Deadlooks like it will top Shiva with an even crazier idea in 2025.
A Prolonged Fight Against Such A Large Animal Is Something Completely New For The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: Dead Cityis set to return for its second season in May 2025, and the trailer teased one of the franchise’s most ambitious scenes yet. While the spinoff came up with some interesting new ideas in its first season, season 2 looks even wilder as the official trailer teased a fight between Maggie and a bear. Although we only saw a short snippet of this confrontation, it was one of the trailer’s last shots and looks as though it would be a proper fight scene, highlighting just how muchDead Citywill push the franchise’s boundaries.
Shiva did have a few combat moments inThe Walking Dead, but they were usually brief given how difficult it can be to do a compelling fight using CGI, makingDead City’s bear even more impressive. Assuming the scene is done well, it could be one of the zombie universe’s most memorable moments in a while, as we’ve rarely seen anyone go up against an animal in this sort of environment. As a result,Dead Cityseason 2’s storycould be elevated even more by such an inspired scene, making the show’s return all the more exciting.
Despite Shiva Being An Important Comic Character, She Was Reserved For Special Scenes In The TV Universe
Shiva’s addition toThe Walking Deadin season 7 was undoubtedly impactful, but she only featured in a handful of scenes, suggestingDead City’s bear will receive a similar fate. It’s possible the bear’s fight with Maggie is its only appearance, as the protagonist could be forced to kill the animal in order to survive. However, the spinoff may also have a scene beforehand to show why the bear was there in the first place. Likewise, Maggie may be able to escape the bear or even tame it, allowing for a more wholesome interaction between the two after their fight.
Regardless of what sort of role the bear ends up having, it’s hard to imagine it being involved in more than a handful of scenes.
Regardless of what sort of role the bear ends up having, it’s hard to imagine it being involved in more than a handful of scenes. CGI characters are not only difficult to work with but also expensive, meaninglike Shiva, the bear’s presence will be restricted. Additionally, withDead Cityfocusing predominantly on Maggie and Negan’s feudalongside building up characters like Hershel and Ginny, it feels like the animal will be used mainly to up the stakes and continue testing Maggie’s survival skills. Still, the bear will be a fun addition, even if its screen time is limited.
AlthoughThe Walking Deadhad some CGI bloopers in the past,Shiva was one of the show’s biggest accomplishments, butDead City’s bear risks hurting her legacy. From the trailer, the bear’s CGI looks like it will be on par with the franchise’s iconic tiger, but if it falls short of expectations in a prolonged scene, it could result in people remembering Shiva less fondly. Each interaction between Ezekiel and his tiger looked incredibly natural and proved the series could nail these special effects when required, culminating in Shiva becoming one ofThe Walking Dead’s most special characters.
A Survivor Who First Appeared In The Walking Dead Season 9 Is Finally Becoming A Major Character
The Walking Dead introduced a major character in season 9, but after years of little action, they seem to finally be becoming a pivotal survivor.
Unfortunately, this puts extra pressure onDead Cityto get Maggie’s fight with the bear right. If the scene looks a little off or has some outright bad moments of CGI, it could have a knock-on effect on the audience’s perception of animals in the zombie universe, especially when remembering the infamous deer scene. Hopefully, the spinoff can get this scene right and honor Shiva’s memorable run inThe Walking Dead, but season 7 set very high expectations, especially now that technology has improved so drastically, making this fight one ofDead City’s most important scenes.
The Walking Dead
Cast
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on July 31, 2025. It follows Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. He embarks on a journey to locate his family, encountering various survivors amidst the chaos.
The Walking Dead: Dead City
A spin-off/sequel of the dramatic horror series, The Walking Dead: Dead City follows two significant characters from the main series - Maggie and Negan.
