The Walking Dead‘s big season 8 death is still on fans minds, and series star Tom Payne (Jesus) has offered his thoughts on how the exit has impacted the show.

He told Digital Spy: “You can predict certain things from the comic books and certain things have happened and played out, but [Carl’s death] really does change everything up. For everyone. We all kind of had an idea of where the show might go. I definitely said in the past that Carl or Chandler [Riggs, his actor] was the future of the show, and that made absolute sense.

“It’s a big change. Always on the show when people leave, the group dynamic changes just naturally on-screen and off-screen. And not to have a young voice who’s been there since the very beginning was kind of weird.”

The surprise death has also put the rest of the cast on edge, with a ‘nobody’s safe’ vibe on set: “If Carl dies, then anyone’s fair game. We all definitely thought that he was never going to die.”

Payne also spoke about the show’s legacy, and how it will be remembered by fans.

“The fact that sexuality is never a big deal, race is never a big deal, age is never a big deal – everyone is just coping with life. I think that’s a big part of it. Bizarrely, it’s a family show that families get together and watch on a Sunday. The legacy of it is bringing people together – that’s definitely what I’ve experienced meeting people who love the show.”