Warning: Spoilers for season 11, episode 24
Several plotlines need to be addressed when Rick Grimes returns for his spinoff. Together with Danai Gurira’s Michonne, Andrew Lincoln’s character will be back for one of the three new shows. Years after his abduction at the hands of the CRM, is set to provide some much-needed answers about what Rick has been up to since his season 9 departure.
Since parting ways with Lincoln, the main show has teased only twice. Michonne finding a phone that belonged to Rick was the show’s first clue, and another didn’t come until final episode. Rick’s scene in the series finale built further hype for his new spinoff. The six-episode series, which is expected to air on AMC sometime in 2023, serves as a chance for viewers to finally catch up with the original star of . And of course, the series has to do more than just offer new Rick Grimes stories. Here’s what Rick and Michonne’s new spinoff needs to include.
from the show about looking for Rick Grimes, which is why it’s so important that their reunion act as a focal point for the show. Finding each other may not happen right away and could be a multi-episode journey for both characters, but should be the goal. Based on how the synopsis has emphasized the strength of their love, it goes without saying that Rick and Michonne’s inevitable reunion will be an emotional one. The two will understandably have a lot to discuss, considering that Rick has been absent from Michonne’s life for six years.
The answered several questions about , but some gaps were left unfilled. It’s understood that their primary goal is to rebuild civilization, but where they came from, their masterplan, where their main headquarters is, and more remain unknown in the universe. It makes sense that with Rick’s spinoff being the second show to shine the spotlight on the CRM, the series will pick up where left off in regards to the franchise’s CRM mysteries. What wasn’t explained in should be cleared up in Rick and Michonne’s spinoff.
The Civic Republic’s leaders have been kept hidden as well. One of them, , has been name-dropped in but not yet shown. The mention of his name set him up him as a major villain, if not the ultimate antagonist of the entire franchise. There’s a good chance that the plan from the beginning was for Beale to appear as the biggest obstacle to Rick’s escape in his next story. That could happen, and also feels necessary at the same. positioned him as a mystery villain, and there may not be a better place for his debut than Rick and Michonne’s new show.
Before appearing in season 2 as a major character, Jadis was in a good position to return in Rick Grimes’ next story. But while the franchise ultimately found a different place for her, she’d still be a sensible choice for a role in the spinoff. It’s important to note that didn’t close the door on her character. Instead, it advanced her standing in the CRM by having her usurp Kublek. The influence she gained in can help set up her arc in Rick’s spinoff. By putting her in the show, can address Rick’s response to Jadis’ decision to hand him over to the CRM and its life-changing impact on him.
Why does the CRM care so much about keeping Rick around? series finale made this one of the biggest questions going into the spinoff. The implication of his cameo is that Rick is desperate to escape, but the CRM won’t let him go without a fight. The CRM obviously needs workers, but that alone doesn’t explain what makes Rick in particular so valuable. Looking at , it makes sense that they would rather kill him than continuously use its time and resources to keep him from leaving. But for some reason, the CRM wants Rick alive. Thanks to Jadis, the CRM regard him as a “B,” which indicates that he is someone they can use, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s indispensable.
What happened to Heath when he vanished in season 7 is a mystery that predates Rick’s abduction in season 9. Whether or not he’s still alive has been never explained, but what became of him on that bridge in his last episode hasn’t been kept a complete secret. It was confirmed by showrunner Angelina Kang that the . Presumably, the CRM took him to one of their bases. If that’s the case, Rick’s spinoff has a golden opportunity to bring back Heath and tie up a major loose end from the main series. Going in this direction would also give Rick an extra familiar face to interact with when he returns.
It may be too much to expect to bring Rick back to Alexandria and reunite him with his friends. But, getting back to Judith, meeting RJ for the first time, and seeing Daryl again are all things that need to come to pass before Rick’s story can properly end. With and joining forces with Michonne likely being the spinoff’s top priorities, none of the other anticipated reunions may be on the table for the six-episode story. That being said, they could happen in a future spinoff or perhaps in a second season. By getting Rick out of the clutches of the CRM, the new show can at least lay the groundwork for Rick to return home one day.
