There's been a lot of excitement and chatter over last night's intense season finale of 'The Walking Dead,' "Beside the Dying Fire," most of which stems from the big reveals and teases of the upcoming season.  And while said developments completely melted all our faces off, some additional details weren't handed out as easily.

For now it seems like we have a clear bead on the road ahead for 'The Walking Dead' season 3, what with Danai Gurira taking the role of Michonne, David Morrissey taking on the role of The Governor, Rick's revelation of Jenner's words at the CDC, and even that ominous prison seen in the closing shot of "Beside the Dying Fire."  And yet, season 2 of 'The Walking Dead" still didn't answer at least one burning question:  just where the heck is Merle Dixon?

Well, good news!  Guess who else will be showing their face for season 3?  Though 'Walking Dead' creator Robert Kirkman remained predictably coy on the subject at the Image Comics Expo some weeks back, Michael Rooker himself confirmed during his WonderCon panel for 'Lollipop Chainsaw' that the one-handed foul-mouth redneck would indeed return in the coming season!  Cryptically, Rooker also added that he "lost 20 pounds for the role," whatever that might mean.

Viewers of 'The Walking Dead' last technically saw Merle in first season episode "Tell it to the Frogs," where the man was forced to saw off his own hand to escape being handcuffed to a roof by Rick and the others.  Dixon also made an appearance in season 2 episode "Chupacabra," though there as a hallucination of his brother Daryl (Norman Reedus).  The character's missing hand might account for the lost weight Rooker described of his appearance, but last time I checked a hand weighs far less than 20 lbs.

So where do we think Merle Dixon has been all this time?  Sunbathing by the old camp site?  Opening up a family-style squirrel restaurant?  Or might he have allied himself with that ominous other group of survivors we've been hearing so much about?  Might he be the new right-hand man (yay, dismemberment humor!) of The Governor himself?

Wherever Merle is, it's safe to guess he'll be after a bit of vengeance.  And you know what they say, an eye for an eye, a hand for a...

Give us your theories on where we'll find Michael Rooker when 'The Walking Dead' returns for season 3 this fall, and let us know what else you'd like to see in the comments below!

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