The Walking Dead season 8: Will Morales kill Rick in episode 3 Monsters?

The Walking Dead season 8 is slowly picking up pace as the war between Rick Grimes and Negan intensifies, with both teams starting to flex their muscles. While episode 2 was bloodier than the season premiere and ended up with a major surprise, episode 3 promises plenty of action as Rick is held under gunpoint by a returning character.

Warning: The article contains spoilers from episode 2

In order to tackle the powerful and ruthless Savior group, Rick applied his old trick of split-and-fight. The groups from the Kingdom, Alexandria and The Hilltop spread across different areas in an attempt to dismantle Negan's forces.

While there were obstacles, there weren't any major casualties except for one brutal death, which has a deep impact on Rick.

During his hunt, Rick kills an unknown man by strangulating him, but soon regrets his actions when he realises that the man was only trying to protect his baby who was sleeping peacefully in a crib. It is at that moment Rick realises that he is being held at gunpoint by a long-lost friend – Morales.

The duo first met in season 1 and eventually separated after Morales, played by Juan Gabriel Pareja, decided to move towards Birmingham, Alabama with his family.

Pareja, who returned to the show after a gap of seven years, called his experience of working again with Andrew Lincoln – who plays the character of Rick – as "terrific".

"It was like old times. We had several scenes that were just Andy and I early on in the first season, and he just always had such a generous spirit, and a kindness, and an openness that hadn't changed, and hadn't diminished or faded whatsoever. So that was really nice to pick up with that dynamic," Pareja told Entertainment Weekly.

Morales was portrayed as a good man back in season 1, but not anymore. Now, he is a member of the Saviors and the teaser from the upcoming episode, titled Monsters, hints that he may even kill Rick.

In the promo, Morales tears Rick apart by questioning his "rush" to prove himself and be better than other members in the group in tricky situations. "What are you trying to prove?" he questions. Morales also reveals that the Saviors are coming to take him to Negan.

It remains to be seen how Rick will escape the clutches of his old friend-turned-enemy.

The Walking Dead season 8 episode returns on Sunday, 5 November, on AMC and on Monday, 6 November, in the UK on Fox network.