Finally! This is why we still watch "The Walking Dead" after seven-and-a-half seasons of madness.

Last night, the AMC series aired the Season 7 midseason finale, which was supersized to 90 minutes and ended with what fans had wanted from it the whole time: Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) returning to Beast Mode, most of the group reuniting, and everyone agreeing it's time to fight back against Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

(Meanwhile, while the midseason finale was airing, Negan won himself a Critics' Choice Award. He really can't be stopped, even on other networks.)

Monday morning, AMC rewarded loyal fans with a new key art poster to promote the show's 2017 return:

Rise up! Bring. It. On. The first half really tried our patience sometimes, but now we're onto something. Alexandria, Hilltop, and the Kingdom are all aware of the Negan threat and seem poised to team up -- despite Carol (Melissa McBride) wanting to be left the hell alone and Morgan (Lennie James) still not being ready to take more lives. And don't forget about Oceanside, 'cause they may swoop in to save the day "Battle of the Bastards"-style, once the war starts. This should get pretty cool.

But, for now, we wait. That's the annoying part. Things are just getting good ... so of course they stop the show for two months. Sigh. "The Walking Dead" Season 7 returns Sunday, Feburary 12 on AMC.

Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook.