The Walking Dead Season 9 Photos Hint At Dark Days Ahead For Rick And Maggie — Plus, A Happy New Couple!

Smiles are few and far between in the dozen images from Season 9 of The Walking Dead that AMC dropped Thursday. In particular, Rick (the soon-to-depart Andrew Lincoln) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) wear expressions that are so grim, they'd look right at home at a funeral.

But the pictures don't paint an altogether bleak portrait of the series' new world order. They also give us glimpses of the gang working together and giddy-upping through the woods, and there's even a too-sweet shot of a couple that apparently has finally officially become a couple. (You'll have to click on the gallery below to see which twosome it is.)

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Season 9, which kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 7, not only will be Lincoln's last, it will be the first for a slew of new cast members, among them Samantha Morton (Minority Report) as Alpha, the fearsome leader of the Whisperers, Brett Butler (Grace Under Fire) as Tammy, John Finn (The X-Files) as Earl, Zach McGowan (The 100) as Justin and Tony nominee Lauren Ridloff (Children of a Lesser God) as Connie, the show's first deaf character.

To check out the photos, click on the gallery above, or go here for direct access. Then hit the comments: What are you hoping for from Season 9 of The Walking Dead?