Warning: There are major spoilers ahead for "The Walking Dead" season 10, episode seven, "Open Your Eyes."Sunday's episode of "TWD" made two huge changes from the comics.The show revealed a member of Alexandria to be an undercover Whisperer. The series subsequently killed off a character who survived Robert Kirkman's comic run.The surprise twists are a testament to how showrunner Angela Kang has turned critical opinion of the zombie show around since taking over the AMC series. By making "TWD" a true ensemble again and subverting viewer expectations, the show's 10th season is the best it's had in years.Visit Insider's homepage for more stories."The Walking Dead" pulled off the show's biggest twist in years on Sunday night with a one-two punch.On the episode's final moments, Siddiq (Avi Nash) realized the doctor he has been working with all season, Dante (Juan Javier Cardenas), was an enemy Whisperer who infiltrated the community. It's one reason Siddiq has been having so many traumatic memories of his time with the Whisperers any time he was around. Dante was one of his captors who forced him to watch the deaths of his friends.Before he could tell anyone, Dante swiftly and silently killed Siddiq.The moment was a complete shock whether you were a comic fan or simply one of the show. Though he acted a bit strange, Dante didn't give any sign that he would have harmed Siddiq all season. Instead, he shared intimate details about his past with Siddiq, the two communicated by radio, and at times it was hinted that Dante may have a thing for the fellow doctor.Though a few well-placed hints were scattered throughout the season, this was a twist that would have been tough to guess since it's unique to the show.In Robert Kirkman's comic of the same name, Dante is one of the good guys. In fact, he eventually winds up with Maggie (Lauren Cohan). As for Siddiq, he survives to the comic's very end. Sunday's big reveal and subsequent death flipped viewer expectations not only by delivering a shocking twist, but one that could have been saved for next week's mid-season finale.Not since Negan entered the show in 2016 to kill Abraham has the show really offered up a real shock. Though Jesus' death was a surprise last season, actor Tom Payne told Insider he was bored with the role and that it was a mutual decision for him to leave the series.Taking a bat to "The Walking Dead's" formulaic model to make it feel fresh againSunday's big surprise is a testament to how showrunner Angela Kang has turned what could have been a slow death of a massive hit show into a monster revival. Sunday's episode is, at least, the third time Kang has subverted viewer expectations by delivering a big death and reveal before it was expected.In the past, big deaths didn't occur on "TWD" until finales or mid-season finales, making them somewhat predictable. Sometimes the show would have a brutal cliffhanger in the winter and make fans wait two months for a reveal, something that doesn't work too well on TV anymore in the age of spoilers.It seemed Kang, who has been a writer since season two, had enough.On the season nine premiere, Kang killed off antagonist Gregory by the episode's end instead of dragging it out for several episodes."We always knew we were going to have this moment from the comic book and we just kind of said, 'OK. Where does this fall'' And it's like, you know what' Let's just put the pedal to the metal and get it over with," Kang said of Gregory's swift death on "Talking Dead" last year.Last season, Kang killed off 10 cast members in a moment straight out of the comics. Kang told Insider the death sequence was originally planned for the season finale, but they switched it up to make it the season's penultimate episode in order to keep the pace of the story moving forward."It just felt like we would be treading water for an episode if we waited until the finale," said Kang of why they moved the deaths up an episode. "We would've came out with something cool to put in there, but I was like, 'It just feels like we're ready an episode early.'"With Sunday's episode, Kang continues to keep viewers on their toes. It's exactly the sort of energy the show needs 10 seasons into the zombie apocalypse.The odds were stacked against Kang.The fact that Kang has been able to turn "TWD" around is no small feat. When Kang gained control of the show in January 2018, the odds were stacked against her. Three main starsChandler Riggs, Andrew Lincoln, and Lauren Cohanwere leaving or were set to leave the show. A fourth, Danai Gurira, will leave "TWD" by the season's end. Kang has since helped bring Cohan back for the show's 11th season.Most shows, from "Once Upon a Time" to "Scrubs," haven't fared too well after attempting to continue without main cast members. But not "The Walking Dead."Despite losing the father and son duo who kicked off AMC's zombie drama, Kang has miraculously brought the show back to its roots by making it a true ensemble show once again. "TWD" spent far too much time becoming the Rick show or the Negan show while dangling the rest of its bloated cast and not giving some of them enough to do.As a result of Kang's changes, season 10 of "The Walking Dead" is the best season its had in years.If Kang can keep the momentum going well into the confirmed 11th season of the show, there's no reason "TWD" can't live on for several more years. But if the show wants to continue being a success, it needs to keep distancing itself from its source material to keep viewers interested. That's when it's strongest.So far, it seems like something Kang doesn't have difficulty in doing.Join the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: Here's how to escape a flooding vehicle
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