I will admit it, I bawled over Glenn. First watching the scene I didn’t pay attention. I didn’t think about every other part of the episode that gave clues as to how he could have survived this. Despite what many people are saying, I believe Glenn is alive.

*are spoilers really needed? I’ll say it just in case*

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If you only pay attention to Glenn’s face while walkers surround him it’s pretty safe to say he was dead. I mean, that’s how it was for me. I couldn’t stop looking at his face in pain and completely ignored what was going on around him. But what were some clues that could save Glenn’s life?

1. Nicholas’s body the number one reason how Glenn is alive. We all saw Glenn fall, with Nicholas strategically placed on top of him. When they fell the walkers came to them instantly, but let’s face it, Glenn’s chest isn’t that high. Someone had to be on top of him. Obviously, Nicholas.
2. The dumpster is another way people claim saved Glenn’s life. If it was just high enough off the ground he could easily slip under. The episode in a whole paid homage to when Glenn and Rick met. Rick being surrounded by walkers while under a tank? Glenn being under the dumpster would flashback to that. Then there was them talking over walkie-talkie, Glenn calling him a dumbass, and Rick’s horse which was replaced by Nicholas.
3. The knife/gun. We all know they had weapons and Nicotero said to pay attention to how many bullets Nicholas had (meaning he did not run out despite what many people said.) If Glenn could get to either he could cut into a walker, let the guts fall on him or even let the walker fall on him, and become practically invisible.
4. The walkie-talkie which is something I didn’t initially think of. Again paying homage to that first episode, Glenn saved Rick’s life with the walkie-talkie in the tank. This time around, Rick is trying to contact Glenn but he never answered. Now, no matter what is happening, Rick’s voice is going to come out and if Glenn is surrounded by walkers, he could in some way throw the walkie-talkie and distract the walkers enough to slip away.
5. The flare gun, which they weren’t able to use, and that pretty much speaks for itself.
6. Jesus and not figuratively. Jesus is a character from the comic books yet to be introduced. We all know he’s going to be on at some point (thanks to some on set pictures…with Glenn, but I won’t talk about that yet.) If Jesus is walking by and happens to hear Glenn screaming, he could try to help him. Hell, this could go for any stranger or character passing by.
7. The blood of Nicholas. Okay this is far-fetched, but Michonne made a speech earlier in the episode that there’s so much blood you can’t tell if it’s yours, your friends, or the walker’s. Now, could Nicholas’s blood conceal Glenn? I mean we know if walker blood gets in your body it has no effect, so is it somewhat like walker blood? Even after Nicholas was being torn to shreds, he was dead (not for long) but maybe that too could hide Glenn from the walkers.
8. And one idea that has been going around: it never happened. Perhaps it was just one of Nicholas’s hallucinations or maybe a dream. We don’t know, but it IS an idea.
9. Sort of a bonus idea: Glenn has a reason to fight. Not only does he have people he cares about, especially Maggie, but there is the possibility she’s pregnant, and if that’s not a reason for him to get back to her, I don’t know what else is. (Also, they can’t take away all of Maggie’s family, stop torturing Maggie!)

Aside from what the episode did, I have a few more reasons:

1. Glenn’s on set photos with Jesus. Seriously, how does no one see this? Some say it could be a flashback, but they are clearly in Alexandria and not much time has passed between last season and this which would give little time for Jesus to even be there. Unless Glenn is a freaking ghost, he’s there, alive and well.
2. Steven Yuen’s IMDB page, which shows him on the show until the end of the season. I don’t know how it works, but it has to mean something if he hasn’t been taken off the rest of episode’s list.
3. Comments from the rest of the crew/cast. From Norman Reedus telling us to “pay attention” and even Gimple, “Glenn will be back.” (I know the rest of that is maybe in pieces or as a walker…)
4. A source has said Steven signed on for season seven, take that how you will.

But I think the biggest reason I believe Glenn is alive is:

This is Glenn. We’ve seen him go through hell, survive situations no one would ever think possible. From being tied to a chair in a room with a walker to getting sick. Not only does his character deserve a better death, he already has a better death in the comics. It’s such an iconic moment, why change that? Glenn should be there when Negan arrives (and we all know he’s showing up at the end of the season, they’re already casting.)

Glenn does not deserve to die in an alley because of an idiot he chose to save. Every other cast member’s death has been with other people. They were with their friends/family when it happened. It was a big moment and we still had fifteen minutes left in this episode! Then there’s Steven not being on Talking Dead or in the memorial.

Call it denial all you want, I 100% believe Glenn could survive this. Call it impossible, every now and then the show gives us hope. It gives us the impossible (not often) but it happens. It reminds us there is hope and there is miracles even in a shitty, zombie-run world.

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Oh and this show is fictional. You complained about Michonne’s sword, complained about endless bullets, this isn’t a documentary. The characters should survive impossible situations from time to time. And if anyone could survive that, it would be Glenn.