28 Years Later 3 Needs To Bring Back One Character – Their Story's Not Done Yet

This article contains major spoilers for "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple."

Put simply, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" completely changes our understanding of this franchise. Dating back to director Danny Boyle's zombie classic "28 Days Later" in 2002, the world has been reckoning with those infected with the so-called Rage Virus. The latest movie, directed by Nia DaCosta, of "The Marvels" and "Candyman" fame, offers a new understanding of the virus through the alpha zombie known as Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). We can only hope that we haven't seen the last of him.

"The Bone Temple" picks up in the immediate aftermath of the crazy ending of last year's "28 Years Later." We're dealing with two different storylines that eventually converge. One involves Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) who makes a pretty shocking discovery about the Rage Virus. The other focuses on Spike (Alfie Williams) and his new alliance with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) and his gang, which quickly becomes a violent nightmare.

Kelson ends up developing a unique relationship with Samson, as the two begin sharing morphine and going on, for lack of a better term, drug trips with one another. Through this, we learn that Kelson has been developing a theory about how to treat the Rage Virus. Through him, "The Bone Temple" offers our most thorough understanding of the Rage Virus yet.

By the end of the movie, after Kelson gives Samson a cocktail of drugs, he is indeed cured of his symptoms, which he's had since being swept up in the original outbreak when he was a boy. Kelson was successful. Unfortunately, Kelson is fatally wounded during the confrontation with Jimmy Crystal during the bonkers climax. That leaves us with a host of questions about what comes next.

Despite Kelson's tragic demise, by the end of the movie Samson has regained his humanity, seemingly in full. We see flashes of what was evidently his life before the zombie apocalypse during the bizarre flashbacks on the train, but we still don't know a whole lot about who Samson was. More importantly, we don't know what's going to become of Samson in the aftermath of the treatment.

The very end of "The Bone Temple" finally brings Cillian Murphy's Jim back to the "28" universe, with Spike and Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman) running to his house for safety. It's crystal clear that Jim and his daughter are going to be a big part of the already planned third installment in the "28 Years Later" trilogy. The question is, will Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland allow that story to converge with Kelson's work at the Bone Temple, and with Samson, or are they content to say that part of the story is done?

Frankly, it doesn't feel like Samson's story is done. It feels like we have more to learn from him, both the audience and other characters in the universe. Is he going to remain more human than zombie without further treatment? Might he be able to help Jim, Spike, or someone else replicate what Kelson did? Or is he now the only proof of what's possible? There are far too many lingering questions to just move on from this character entirely.

The first "28 Years Later" film revealed that the UK is isolated from the rest of the world, with virtually no outside contact. If Samson is truly treated and that treatment could be replicated, might that pave the way for a happy ending of sorts? Without Samson, it's difficult to imagine a true happy ending.

Then again, maybe arriving at a happy ending isn't the point. These are bleak, post-apocalyptic movies, after all. Even if Samson does return and unites with Jim, Spike, or whoever, there would still be an awful lot to work out. Kelson kept detailed notes, but would those notes be enough to replicate what was done for Samson? Also, was Samson a special case? Would this only work on an alpha? Or could this also work for the average infected? This is also to say nothing of the uninfected zombie baby that Samson seemingly fathered. We didn't see the baby in "The Bone Temple" and that's a thread that feels worth pulling on some more.

All of these questions only point to the importance of not walking away from Samson's story entirely. While there will rightfully be a lot of excitement and focus on Cillian Murphy's return in the third movie, it would be all the more rewarding if the filmmakers can find a way to tie the whole thing together. Samson feels like a big piece of the puzzle when it comes to accomplishing that.

"28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is in theaters now.