‘The Walking Dead’ Season 9: Jon Bernthal Set to Return

The Walking Dead alum Jon Bernthal will return in the latest season of AMC’s hit zombie show this fall. Bernthal played Shane Walsh in the first two years of the series, where he and Andrew Lincoln’s Rick had a fallout. The Punisher actor is reportedly making an appearance in one episode, TVLine confirmed the news today.

Bernthal character died at the hands of Rick Grimes towards the end of The Walking Dead Season 2. Shane then returned in Season 3, but only as a figment of Rick’s imagination. Given his penchant for seeing things (remember when he saw Lori in the prison grounds?), it’s very likely that we’ll get to see Shane as another apparition from Rick’s mind. It’s also a bit heartwarming to reunite the two, despite a rocky end to their friendship, it could also prove to be a good reminder to how far Rick has come, seeing how TWD Season 9 will be Lincoln’s last outing. But it could also be another flashback, similar to how the Rick and Carl scene happened in the Season 8 finale.

Speculation about Bernthal’s return to the Walking Dead set picked up when fans posted photos of him hanging around with Norman Reedus and Lincoln.

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Shane and Rick were the best of all sheriff friends when The Walking Dead premiered. Before the outbreak, Shane was on duty with Rick as they were apprehending a runaway suspect in the outskirts of Atlanta. Rick suffered a terrible gunshot, causing Shane to bring him to the hospital. When Rick wakes up, the outbreak has already begun. Their falling out started when Rick found out that Shane got together with his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), thinking that Rick was dead. Towards the end of Season 2, Rick had to kill Shane as he was having dangerous tendencies that were detrimental to the group.

The Walking Dead Season 9 returns this fall on AMC.