There’s one character Family Guy fans shouldn’t expect to see when the show returns for Season 24: Ernie, the giant chicken with whom Peter Griffin has faced off multiple times since he was first introduced in Season 1, is officially dead.

Ernie’s fate was left in question earlier this year, following his appearance in Season 23’s “The Chicken or the Meg,” in which Meg began an ill-advised romance with Ernie’s teenage son Nugget. Despite Ernie’s brutally violent history with Peter, the giant chicken welcomed Meg into the family with open wings — that is, until another chance encounter led him to give Meg an ultimatum: either cut ties with Peter or stop dating Nugget. Related Stories

Law & Order Vet Camryn Manheim Loved ‘Finally’ Playing a Suspect on Murder in a Small Town — Will

See Full Page