Crazy helicopter theory has left The Walking Dead fans up in air

SPOILER ALERT The crazy fan theories about the mystery helicopter in The Walking Dead that might get proved right in the next episode.

FANS just want one big question answered in next week’s The Walking Dead — what the heck was that helicopter doing flying over Rick at the end of episode five?

The preview for episode six, “The King, The Widow And Rick”, shows what we suspected — Rick is going back to Jadis and the Junkyard Bunch to try to get them back on his side in the war on Negan.

Rick Grimes on the long walk to the junkyard.

Now he’s trashed three Saviour outposts and surrounded the Sanctuary with Walkers, maybe Jadis and her mob might be more interested in helping.

It also shows Carl going for a walk among the Walkers in the forest (well, why not?) and Rosita and Michonne finally getting into the action (about time!)

What it doesn’t show is anything to do with the helicopter that popped up in episode five and has sent fans crazy with wild speculation ever since.

Carl is out for a walk this episode.

One theory is this was a nod towards the helicopter Rick saw back in season one, which led him into a herd of Walkers in Atlanta but, story-wise, led nowhere.

Another theory is this was a nod to the strange scene the first time Rick visited the junkyard, when he was pictured against a green screen and a strange flying object was spotted over his right shoulder by keen-eyed fans.

Obviously, as the background was computer-generated, this was not a random event.

Now he’s back at the junkyard and the helicopter is back in the air, it can’t be a coincidence.

So is Jadis and the Junkyard Bunch proud owners of a chopper? Or in contact with someone who is?

One theory there that has fans excited is The Commonwealth, a new group only just being introduced in the comics, who seem to dress like Stormtroopers and appear to have far more technology than other groups.

However, having them appear in the TV show would be jumping far ahead.

The Commonwealth only hits the comics after the big time jump at the end of All-Out War and after the groups have defeated The Whisperers.

So it seems unlikely that they would be brought in now.

The question still remains as to what to do with these captured Saviours.

The Saviours are the only group seen so far with the capability to run a helicopter and there was a cryptic comment from Negan’s lieutenant Regina in episode five, suggesting they get a small group out to an outpost and return with “the fat lady”.

That could be the machineguns that Rick and Daryl captured (and then blew up by mistake). That could be the bazooka the Saviours took from Alexandria last season.

It could even be a giant Saviour woman who likes to kill zombies.

But what if it’s a helicopter? That would certainly allow anyone to get in and out of the Sanctuary, surrounded by zombies or not.

One thing is certain, if it is a Saviour helicopter, then Negan and his cronies still have a weapon capable of dealing out massive destruction to our heroes. Could that be the mid-season finale, forcing Rick to go and enlist the Oceanside community?

Hopefully we’ll find out more on Monday ...

Maggie is waiting to see what happens. As are we ...

The Walking Dead continues Mondays at 1.30pm and again at 7.30pm on Foxtel’s FX.