‘The Walking Dead’ Season 3 Turning Major Character Into “Soldier”

As much as we love 'The Walking Dead' around here and look forward to 'The Walking Dead' season 3, even we can admit that the show isn't without a few stumbles.  Plenty of characters repeatedly find themselves embroiled in the same obviously dangerous situations, without ever really learning to fend for themselves.  Well, according to the latest talk, at least one fan-reviled character is going to undergo a major makeover next year...

Carl haters, your day has come!  According to a recent TV Guide interview with 'The Walking Dead' executive producer and show-runner Glen Mazzara, the reasons fans pick on the always-in-danger Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) will soon diminish with the arrival of season3.  Mazzara intends to use season 3 to make the character a more proficient fighter, less in need of rescue all the time!  Says the show-runner:

"We're interested in exploring Carl as a child soldier in this war against the walkers. He becomes a very, very effective, strong part of the group. He's no longer the young child who needs to be cared for and who needs to be minded. That Carl is gone."

That should certainly come as good news to detractors of 'The Walking Dead,' who most often pick on Carl for his constant disappearances from his parents' supervision, or Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) herself for portraying such a seemingly bad parent and ineffectual survivor.  Now, if only there was some way to do the same for her...

What say you, 'Walking Dead' fans?  Are you enticed by the idea of a more bad-ass Carl when 'The Walking Dead' shambles out its third season premiere this fall?  Might we catch an early preview of the new Carl with 'The Walking Dead's Comic-Con 2012 presentation?  Tell us your expectations for the season in the comments below!