Is Eugene on trial in new Walking Dead trailer?

There is sure to be plenty of action in the final eight Walking Dead episodes that begin airing Oct. 2 on AMC. The trailers and teasers we have seen so far promise action involving our heroes against the leaders of the Commonwealth, and action involving the ever-present zombie threat. But judging by a new exclusive trailer we got our hands on, there could also be action of a different sort — in the courtroom.

The new sepia-colored, minute-long trailer begins with the sound of an ominous ticking clock and words on screen reading "If you watched any part of their journey, don't miss the last episodes." The sneak peek features plenty of violence and many dramatic bites of dialogue, but there are also a few intriguing flashes as well.

Is that Michael James Shaw's Mercer — the leader of the Commonwealth army — fighting a Commonwealth soldier? That would be a huge, but not entirely unexpected, development as the man who values law and order appeared to be questioning his own loyalty during the last batch of episodes due to the shady actions of the Miltons and Lance Hornsby (Josh Hamilton).

AMC Josh McDermitt as Eugene on 'The Walking Dead'

But equally compelling is a brief shot of Josh McDermitt's Eugene, in what appears to be a courtroom. The way Eugene is wearing a coat and tie and is seated in front of a barricade separating himself from others in rows behind him makes it look as if he is on trial for something. That would certainly make sense considering the footage we saw of Eugene in The Walking Dead's Comic-Con trailer showed the zero-turned-hero sitting all forlorn-like in a jail cell.

The Commonwealth is definitely the type of place that would go through at least the illusion of a fair trial for those detained on a charge. The question is: What is Eugene on trial for?

But the intrigue does not stop there. That visual is then reinforced later when we also see Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura) in that same courtroom. Seeing as how Yumiko is a lawyer working for Pamela Milton (Laila Robins) and the Commonwealth, does that mean she is the one prosecuting against her Alexandrian ally?

"No matter how bleak things look, this is not the end," says a Eugene voiceover. I mean, technically it is the end, what with the series finale on Nov. 20 and all, but we're still curious to see how it shakes out. Will Eugene be innocent or guilty? And, more importantly, will he and everyone else live or die? Those questions will begin to be answered on the Oct. 2 premiere. In the meantime, watch the exclusive trailer at the top of the article to see if you notice any other clues.

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