After several years away fromThe Walking Dead,The Ones Who Livefinally brought back Rick Grimes and many of his iconic traits, but the spinoff also ended one of the protagonist’s longest-running trends in the process. AfterAndrew Lincoln’sWalking Deadexitin 2018, it was unclear if Rick Grimes would ever return, but the show’s finale teased his comeback, with his spinoff finally explaining where the lead character had been for all these years. Although his time in the CRM had taken a toll on him, Rick retained his determined and ruthless personality that made him so popular.
His love for his family never wavered, and while he did have plenty of self-doubts and conflicting moments, Rick ultimately felt like the same man audiences had come to love by the timeThe Ones Who Liveended. However, while the show did do a great job with the protagonist’s return, it also broke a trend that has been ongoing since the very first season.Alongside Michonne, Rick was able to fight back against the CRM and put an end to their reign of terror, but he opted not to repeat one of his most famousWalking Deadtraditions.
Rick Defeated The CRM In The Ones Who Live, But Didn’t Take The Community Over
Having finally toppled the CRM after spending years of his life fighting for his freedom, Rick decided to head back to Alexandria, rather than leading the Civic Republic. Understandably, the first thought on the protagonist’s mind was to see his children after missing so much of their lives, which led to an emotional reunion. Although it’s unclear if the Grimes family eventually settled in Alexandria or the Commonwealth for their fresh start, the spinoff hinted at a happy future for them after Rick and Michonne liberated the Civic Republic, seemingly starting some sort of alliance.
Throughout the franchise, Rick has often come across new settlements, helped create peace there, and ultimately earned a position of authority, but his stint with the CR ended this.
Still,Rick not becoming the CRM leader inThe Ones Who Liveis a bit of a surprise, as it ends his run of taking over new communities. Throughout the franchise, Rick has often come across new settlements, helped create peace there, and ultimately earned a position of authority, but his stint with the CR ended this. Understandably, he wouldn’t want to stick around after all the bad memories, butthere’s no denying Rick would have made for a good leader, and with the CRM’s revolutionary technology and equipment, it could’ve been a very interesting arc for him.
The Ones Who Live’s ending still indicates that Alexandria, the Commonwealth, andThe Walking Dead’s other allied communities may benefit from the Civic Republic’s supplies, and Rick may yet influence the community from afar. However, his decision to return home officially ends a long-standing tradition for the protagonist, which looks unlikely to be revived.
Rick Has Become The Leader Of Several Communities Throughout His Time In The Apocalypse
Rick’s decision to leave the Civic Republic under its current leadership may be understandable after everything he’d gone through, but it was still somewhat surprising given his history of taking over communities throughout the series. The trend started in the very first season, asRick quickly became one of the most dependable survivors after joiningThe Walking Dead’s original group, leading to people looking to him for guidance. When they made it to season 2’s farm, he started calling the shots alongside Hershel, before leading the survivors to the prison where he became the sole leader.
Rick Grimes Would Never Have Been Captured By The Walking Dead’s CRM If He Had Just Killed Negan
The CRM capturing Rick Grimes is one of the biggest moments in the franchise’s history, but it could’ve been avoided if the protagonist killed Negan.
He managed to clear out the prison’s hostile inmates and grow a strong community before it was destroyed by the Governor. His final takeover happened in Alexandria, as he slowly won the residents over and proved that, despite their peaceful nature, the Alexandrians needed someone more experienced to lead. Rick also helped with Hilltop’s new beginning and formed alliances with the Kingdom and Oceanside. As a result, it’s safe to sayRick Grimes' history as a leader inThe Walking Deadis unrivaled, and regardless of where he goes next, the protagonist is bound to develop some kind of authority.
