So it’s possible that even if Chandler Riggs hadn’t filmed any additional scenes at all, the intention could exist to inspire fan speculation over whether or not we’d see him again, in a way perhaps similar to Michael Cudlitz’s mysterious cameo in the Season 7 finale.
After all, we’re going to do it anyway, especially after Morales returned earlier this season.
The Walking Dead is known for having one of the most secretive productions in TV, and its foreknowledge-eschewing tactics extend to how the cast and crew respond to interview questions.
I’ll immediately play the devil’s advocate here by stating the obvious: an absence of proof here is not proof of Carl’s non-absence during one or more future moments in Season 8, or even beyond that.