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AMC releases a new look at "The Walking Dead" season 7B ahead of the show's return. A clip from the midseason premiere shows Rick and the recently reunited survivors on the road heading to the Saviors' base camp, apparently preparing for a fight.

But the Saviors won't make it easy for everyone to reach them. Rick and group encounter a roadblock on the highway. When they think they have solved the problem, they face another tricky situation which could get explosive.

Showrunner Scott M. Gimple tells The Hollywood Reporter about the theme of season 7B, "Obviously they're now getting ready for the fight [against Negan]. It's not an easy situation where it's like, 'Let's get them!' ... Rick's group doesn't have the numbers, but there are other folks out there."

He adds, "Season 7A was tough stuff to feel, by design. But getting to the other side and not forgetting what was lost and being able to take action, there will be this joyful rebellion. There's evil with everything they lost but happiness that they're alive to fight against what took so much from them. These characters are coming alive again. Remarkably through the trauma they've gone through, they can smile again."

Gimple also promises a non-traditional cliffhanger at the end of season 7. "We're telling a serialized story but it's not a traditional cliffhanger, not like the end of season four. There's a bit more of an ending. There's definitely a promise of the next turn of the story," he says.

"The Walking Dead" returns Sunday, February 12 at 9/8c on AMC.