"A lot," is how Morgan described King Ezekiel and The Kingdom to Carol on The Walking Dead, and he was right. The new group of survivors has based their camp in a high school auditorium, and seemsto have adapted all of the drama that goes along with that. Of course, the most notable thing about the Kingdom is Ezekiel's unique pet, but is Shiva a real tiger on The Walking Dead ?
The rescued zoo animal is "all magic," a combination of digital effects and animatronics, according to Robert Kirkman at a press conference following San Diego Comic-Con. "There's no real tiger at all," he said. In fact, TWD even earned the respect of PETA for not using a real tiger. The organization said in a press release:
"By choosing the excitement of cutting-edge technology instead of captive animals, The Walking Dead has won the respect of everyone who objects to condemning wild animals to live chained and in cages as well as making them perform under the threat of a whip. PETA will press all television networks to follow AMC's compassionate lead."
So in addition to avoiding all of the logistical issues that could clearly arise by bringing a real tiger on set, The Walking Dead can now serve as an example of how realistic an animal can appear on TV without actually using one.
Hopefully, Shiva as a character won't be in danger on the show. Zeke's story about rescuing his new pet was a little ominous as it showed just how much he cares for Shiva, and I'm sure that's not lost on Negan. The Kingdom may have a handle on their relationship with The Saviors for now, but they may not be able to maintain this dull roar for much longer.
Image: Gene Page/AMC
