Warning: spoilers from the latest The Walking Dead are ahead. Turn back now or read on at your own peril.

The Governor's return to the world of The Walking Dead was always a certainty, especially for folks familiar with the Walking Dead comics. But the exact specifics of the trigger-happy sociopath's grand re-entrance were harder to pin down — until now.

David Morrissey made a brief, memorable return to The Walking Dead in Sunday's episode, appearing in the very closing moments, peering out at the prison from an uncomfortably close distance. Fans can expect much more about the where, how and why's of the Governor's absence and return in the coming episode, titled "Live Bait," and the episodes beyond.

"We will be really getting into who this guy is, to further define this guy," showrunner Scott Gimple told Entertainment Weekly. "He did something very pronounced at the end of the season that defines him a certain way that affected him a great deal. That's changed him a great deal. So we will see who this man is now."

In a separate interview, Morrissey concurred with Gimple's assessment, saying the Governor is viewing the prison as a possible prize.

"He's looking for safety, and the main thing for the prison is it's the safe place to be," he said. "It's the alternative of our world in the zombie apocalypse. The prison is a place of protection, not a place of incarceration, so that's why he's looking at it."

"He's looking at the building, I would suggest, rather than the people in it," he added. "Although the people in it are an inconvenience, because they're in his way of getting safety. But it's more about the building than the people."

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 a.m. ET/PT on AMC.