The Walking Dead: Dead City star Lauren Cohen has teased Maggie (Cohen) and Hershel’s (Logan Kim) relationship in season 2 of the ongoing spinoff at New York Comic Con. Dead City season 2 will see Maggie return to New York City in search of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), intent on rescuing him after trading him to the Burazi for her son. When Hershel was last seen, he was angry at his mom for not putting her past with the former antagonist behind her, believing her anger at him is clouding her judgement and decision-making.

Speaking with Screen Rant at New York Comic Con, Cohen indicated that Maggie isn’t going to have as strong a parental role for Hershel going into Dead City season 2. Explaining how children are often influenced by their parents, but must eventually make their own decisions, she said Maggie’s own struggles will rub off on her son to some extent. This could potentially lead to some untoward consequences for the young boy as he continues to struggle with growing up in the post-apocalypse. Check out what Cohen had to say below:

I don’t know if we will see it begin to heal or if we will see it be pressure cooked and challenged. I think that the greatest joy, I’ll say joy, because I like that this is relatable, is exploring this dynamic in great detail because teenagers have…there’s something I heard the other day I thought was so interesting between the age of seven and 16…. Somewhere, when we’re all adolescents and terribly rebellious, and where nothing our parents say can possibly make any sense. It’s so biologically necessary, so that we leave our tribe and go and make babies in a different tribe. A good thing that a parent can say at this point is to know and to appreciate that everything they can say or do is going to be wrong, but to surround their children with good voices that might still help them in the right direction. And one of the great challenges this year is that there aren’t particularly good influences for Maggie to lean on, so it’s continuing to be there for your child and learning what it is to be a parent. I mean, it makes me so sad.

What Lauren Cohen’s Statement Means For Maggie & Hershel In Dead City Season 2

The Pair Still Won’t Be Seeing Eye-To-Eye On Everything

While it hasn’t been confirmed yet, trailers for season 2 indicate Hershel will be following his mother to New York City, potentially trying to aid her in rescuing Negan. Since Dead City season 1 ended with him wanting the conflict between the pair to finally end, he could act as a mediator between them once they finally reunite. He may also know about the Dama’s (Lisa Emery) plans to use the former Savior to unite the people of Manhattan, given she cut off his toe while he was captive.

However, Cohen’s statement also means Hershel will need to rely on himself while surviving the events of season 2, potentially changing him as the series progresses. Since he’ll likely interact with other characters like The Croat (Željko Ivanek) and Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles) as the episodes carry on, they could also wind up being an influence on how he develops over time. Although it’s unclear how the cast of Dead City will impact the boy’s development, Cohen hints that not everything he goes through will be positive.

Our Take On Maggie & Hershel’s Relationship In Dead City Season 2

Their Current Dynamic Could Lead To Fallout

Although it’s unclear how strained Maggie and Hershel’s relationship is going to become in Dead City season 2, Cohen’s statement indicates they’ll have trouble connecting after everything that transpired in season 1. This could lead to major fallout between them, potentially causing her son to do something drastic and dangerous in hopes of mending his mom’s connection with Negan. The consequences of such actions remain unclear, but it could change how the two see one another moving forward.

The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 will consist of 8 episodes, instead of the typical 6 for all other post-finale spinoffs.