The Walking Dead Season 8 Implications: What 'Mercy' Really Means

3. Enter Siddiq

The mysterious new character that Carl runs into bookends the episode, but just who is he? Played by Avi Nash, he was cast under the name Abbud, but in actuality is the show's take on Siddiq - a character from a little way down the line in the comics.

Siddiq doesn't come into it until after the war, so his inclusion here is another sign of how much the show is already looking towards the future. The character is one who has largely travelled on his own, but does cross paths with Oceanside at one point before Alexandria. His appearance here suggests that they'll come back into play, while he'll eventually have a romantic part to play too (though that should be a long way off).

It's almost certain he meets Rick as well, and that will happen this season. We hear the character say "may my mercy prevail over my wrath", words Rick repeats in one of the future visions.