The Walking Dead Season 7B spoilers: Rick will be a changed person as he prepares for war against Negan

The first half of Season 7 of The Walking Dead saw Rick living in fear of Negan, who killed Abraham as well as Glenn as soon as he arrived on scene. Negan also took Daryl a prisoner, and this resulted in Rick losing out the desire to fight and safeguard the interest of his people. But all that changed in the Season 7A finale when Daryl escaped and Rick reunited with him at the Hilltop Colony.

Also read: Andrew Garfield reveals getting high before going to Disneyland with Emma Stone

When AMC's zombie apocalypse drama returns on February 12, viewers will see Rick's people preparing to fight Negan, but their biggest task is convincing Gregory to follow through with the plan. In a picture from the first episode, Rick, Dryl, Michonne, Carl and Tara are seen appealing to Gregory to join the rebellion, but he appears hesitant.

Talking about what's in store for his character in the second half of the season, Andrew Lincoln, the actor who plays Rick Grimes, said Rick is glad to have the gang back.

"There's a lot more levity, if you can believe that, than you've ever seen before in Mr. Grimes," Lincoln said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "There's sort of a freedom in him, a feeling that comes from losing everything, and also the thrill of the fight. It's the thrill of the fight again. He's back in. All I'm saying is that the band is back together."

He also predicts that viewers will be happy with what they see in the second half of the season. "It's The Magnificent Seven in the back half. Rather, the magnificent eight episodes. Wait till [episode] 16. I promise you, there is one beat in 16, I dropped my script and started punching the air and did a little jig."