'Walking Dead' Season Three Will Turn Carl Into A 'Very Effective' Soldier

There is no room for whiney children in the zombie apocalypse which is why the next time you see Carl Grimes on "The Walking Dead," there will be a lot less whining, and a lot more shooting.

"Walking Dead" showrunner Glen Mazzara spoke with TV Guide about how child actor Chandler Riggs will factor into the AMC survival horror drama's upcoming third season. Carl spent much of season two being told to stay in the house and subsequently leaving the house, eventually contributing to the death of a fan-favorite character.

When the show returns for season three, Carl will still be causing trouble but for the dead, not the living.

"We're interested in exploring Carl as a child soldier in this war against the walkers," said Mazzara. "He becomes a very, very effective, strong part of the group. He's no longer the young child who needs to be cared for and who needs to be minded. That Carl is gone."

The departure of "that" Carl is certainly welcome news to fans who found Riggs' character just a wee bit aggravating throughout season two's duration. Mazzara tackled that issue as well in a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times.

"Everyone wants to know why Carl's not in the house," he said. "Well, it's boring to sit in a house. And he's a little boy and he wants to mix it up and stuff. And he's walking through the woods and finds a zombie trapped in the mud and he starts doing what any Huck Finn would do and starts throwing rocks at the monster. And then later that is the same zombie that pulls itself free and kills Dale. And the writers were very nervous about that, you know? It feels earned, but it's a risk. Because Dale is a beloved character and if this other character is involved and responsible for that death, is the audience going to now hate Carl? But I thought the story was worth the chance."

Are you psyched to hear about child soldier Carl's arrival on "The Walking Dead," or do you still hate the little guy? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags Chandler Riggs, Glen Mazzara, The Walking Dead

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'Walking Dead' Season Three Will Turn Carl Into A 'Very Effective' Soldier