A new spoiler report indicates that Carl Grimes, son to lead character Rick, will finally get a bigger role in the next season of The Walking Dead.

The revelation came after concern from a fan that Carl seems to always be in situations he can slip in and out of:

Carl killing zombie-Shane wasn’t just the loss of his innocence; it was the beginning of his transformation. “We’re interested in exploring Carl as a child soldier in this war against the walkers,” executive producer Glen Mazzara tells us. “He becomes a very, very effective, strong part of the group. He’s no longer the young child who needs to be cared for and who needs to be minded. That Carl is gone.”

The Walking Dead season 3 is currently filming in Atlanta and working on 16 episodes (the longest season yet).

Despite the show’s premiere still being several months away, several photos from the season featuring new characters have already been released.