Season 7 of AMC’s The Walking Dead has been a tough one for both the characters and their fans. Right off the bat, fans said goodbye to not one, but two characters from Alexandria. Fan-favorite Glenn (one of the few remaining season 1 survivors) was expected by many to die as this was the point his comic book counterpart met his end, but the death of Abraham caught many off guard.

The arrival of Negan was highly anticipated by fans of the comics, but those who only know The Walking Dead through its television incarnation have been a bit mixed in their reaction to the character. While the season 7 premiere saw the highest ratings in years (17 million viewers), the rest of the season has fallen off with the last few episodes before the mid-season break seeing only 10.5 million viewers. The show hasn’t seen numbers that low since the middle of season 3.

A number of theories have been put forth as to why the television juggernaut’s ratings have slipped. Some feel fan’s are simply losing interest in seeing characters they’ve come to love die. Others say the show has lost its moral compass, leaving viewers essentially rooting for the lesser of two evils. Still another theory is that the show has become too violent.

If that’s the case, then viewers had better buckle up, because what comes next is going to get messy. If the show continues to use the comics as source material, we’re heading into the All Out War story line that will see Alexandria, Hill Top and the Kingdom band together to take on Negan and the Saviors. A LOT of people die.

AMC has released some teaser photos (they’re scattered throughout this article) and a short video, but they only hint at what’s to come. Perhaps more telling is the title of the mid-season premiere episode: “Rise Up” which is our best indication yet that Rick isn’t going to take being pushed around for much longer.

Only time will tell and new episodes begin Feb. 12.