Forget Designation 2, There's Another Walking Dead Mystery Everyone Has Completely Forgotten About

Designation 2 was one of The Walking Dead's most intriguing unfinished storylines in the entire series, but another forgotten mystery is even more interesting. Although The Walking Dead season 11's ending wrapped up the majority of the show's ongoing stories and gave its central characters satisfying conclusions, the direction of the franchise left some things unfinished. Season 11's finale teased Rick and Michonne's return, and while their journey did get followed up on in The Ones Who Live, the new spinoff shows largely focused on new narratives, leaving the zombie universe with plenty of unanswered questions.

As a result, fans are still desperate to see certain angles get more attention, with Designation 2 being one of the most talked-about unresolved mysteries. The hidden group was mentioned in season 11, but their intentions were never explained, leading to speculation that Designation 2 could be The Walking Dead's next villain. Unfortunately, their role in the overarching story remains a secret, something that continues to cause discussion, but it's not even the franchise's biggest mystery as a teased storyline from over eight years ago has still to be fully uncovered, and I hope it isn't completely forgotten.

The Walking Dead Appears To Have Abandoned Its PPP Mystery (For Now)

The Franchise Hasn't Put Much Emphasis On This Story In Several Years

The Walking Dead's PPP story was introduced back in 2016 midway through season 7, yet the franchise has seemingly abandoned it for the time being. It all started after Heath disappeared in "Swear", with Tara finding a card with the letters "PPP" written on it, seemingly setting up a brand-new narrative. Fans instantly tried to connect the dots, but the plot was forgotten about for almost six years before finally making its return in 2022's Tales of the Walking Dead, where Davon was spotted with a keycard that looked identical to the one Tara found in the main series.

Sadly, these are the only major teases we've had regarding the mystery, other than a small Easter Egg in The Ones Who Live's finale where "PPP exception" was written on a whiteboard. Considering several theories indicated that the PPP story was linked to the CRM, many viewers thought Rick and Michonne's spinoff could shed some light on this puzzle. Instead, The Ones Who Live only left more unanswered questions regarding the meaning of PPP, while all but confirming The Walking Dead has no real intentions of expanding on this story any time soon, but all hope is not lost.

The Walking Dead's Producer Has Teased A Big "Mythology" Behind PPP

The Mysterious Storyline Clearly Has A Lot Of Untapped Potential

While it's unclear exactly when the truth behind the PPP mystery will be revealed, there are still detailed plans, according to Scott M. Gimple. The former showrunner is still heavily involved in the franchise as a writer, producer, and Chief Content Officer, and he remains fully invested in the PPP storyline. According to ComicBook.com, Gimple claimed that "there's a great mythology" to the idea, and while he mentioned potentially having to pivot to accommodate changes, he also stated that the PPP plot is "just sitting on the shelf right now", meaning it could be explored again in the future.

Assuming The Walking Dead still intends to follow up on the mystery at some point, it seems like there is already a lot of lore and connections ready to come to light. We already know Heath and Davon are involved to some degree, which could provide the perfect opportunity to have a Walking Dead spinoff character return and join the main cast, which would give Tales of the Walking Dead more meaning.

Having Davon potentially interact with the central survivors and explain some of the secrets surrounding PPP could be a fascinating prospect, and it may be the best way to eventually get Heath involved in the series after all these years away. The storyline remains the zombie universe's biggest mystery, but the fact that there appear to be so many ideas surrounding it as well as a huge mythology gives me hope The Walking Dead will explore this angle once again, and I can't wait to see where it leads.

What PPP Could Actually Be About (& Which Walking Dead Show Could Explain It)

PPP Still Seems To Be Connected To The CRM, Making It Unclear Which Show Will Reveal This Mystery

Considering there are so few clues about what PPP actually refers to, it's impossible to know for sure what the true meaning is, but it seems to be related to the CRM. After Heath disappeared, showrunner Angela Kang later confirmed he was abducted by the CRM off-screen, suggesting they could have been the ones to drop the keycard. Davon's connection to the CRM is less obvious, but given PPP did appear in the CRM base in The Ones Who Live, it's possible it could refer to a secret branch of the military faction or one of their specific missions.

Of course, the CRM connections could simply be coincidences, but the evidence certainly points to their involvement. As for which show could pick up on this story, More Tales from the TWDU has a chance to focus on Davon once again or introduce another story addressing PPP. Likewise, a second season of The Ones Who Live could uncover that a hidden branch of the CRM still exists. However, a Walking Dead crossover series would be the best place to properly explain what PPP is, especially if it ties into the show's main villains, assuming this project ever happens.