'The Walking Dead' Season 9 Premiere Spoilers: Who Dies & Plot of Episode 9x01

The Walking Dead Season 9 premiere airs this Sunday, but a recent forum post from The Spoiling Dead Fans spills the beans a little early. In this spoiler report, we'll reveal who dies, who lives and what happens in episode 1.

Full SPOILERS for The Walking Dead Season 9 premiere follow this break. Those who don't want a recap of the plot should navigate elsewhere.

The episode begins with our main protagonist group slaying walkers and searching for supplies inside the Capitol. Carol and Ezekiel encounter a floor of glass, which breaks as Zeke tries to move over it. Our long-haired hero is saved by his friends before he becomes walker meat, and he and Carol share a kiss once he reaches safety.

Shortly after the incident occurs, Ezekiel stops Carol on the open road and asks her to marry him. She responds by saying something like "put that thing away. I would snag it on something." She never says no, and she later tells Daryl she wanted to say yes but needs to take some time to be sure of the decision. Ezekiel is willing to wait, though, saying he'll always love her regardless.

Further down the road, the group encounters a broken bridge and a herd of walkers. They try to get away, but Ken, a new survivor from the Hilltop, runs back to save a horse. In doing so he gets bit, killed and Maggie is forced to put him to rest. Ken's parents, Tammy Rose and Earl, are grief-stricken over their son's unexpected passing, but they hold a proper funeral for him. Gregory leaves the ceremony saying "cheers kid, rest in peace."

Over at the Sanctuary the scene is equally grim. Daryl has taken control over Negan's former stomping grounds, but he doesn't want to be there. While the base still gets assistance from Rick at Alexandria, the Sanctuary continues to suffer. Daryl mulls over quitting his leadership duties, but he settles on checking on Maggie and baby Hershel at the Hilltop.

Back at the Hilltop, Gregory gets Earl drunk, which fuels negative sentiment about Maggie. Shortly thereafter, Gregory tells Maggie that someone was tampering with Glenn's grave. When Maggie gets there, she and Hershel are attacked by an intoxicated Earl. Eventually the altercation calms down, and Maggie and Gregory have a big confrontation about who is truly responsible for leading the Hilltop. Rick and Michonne visit the Hilltop as well, but Maggie is still unwilling to accept any sort of alliance with the Saviors.

That hostility culminates in the final scene. In an effort to show Hilltop residents what happens to those who stand against her, Maggie holds a meeting in the dead of night to hang Gregory. As expected, Rick and Michonne are very surprised by their friend's decision.

As with all spoiler reports, these details are not guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate. While the source for the information is generally valid, we won't know the full truth about the Season 9 premiere until the episode airs.

The Walking Dead Season 9 premiere airs Oct. 7 on AMC at 9 p.m. local time.

What do you think of The Walking Dead Season 9 premiere based on this plot summary? Are you surprised by the deaths in this week's episode? Tell us in the comments section!