Warning: spoilers ahead for The Walking Dead series finale.Maggie and Negan of will be heading to New York in , and their spinoff journey could potentially connect to Rick Grimes. In season 9, Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes was written out with a near-death explosion that was followed by him being taken away in a helicopter alongside Jadis. Rick's status has been the subject of much speculation since, but his appearance in seriesfinale has confirmed where he is, and his location sets up a potential crossover with Maggie and Negan's upcoming spinoff.
The Civic Republic Military, which has taken Rick Grimes as a prisoner, boasts a significant presence in Philadelphia. While the city is yet to be mentioned explicitly, showrunners have heavily hinted that during the series finale. With Maggie and Negan moving from Virginia to New York City in , they could easily pass through Philadelphia, creating a good chance they could come across the CRM or discover proof Rick is still alive. A reunion will likely be saved for Rick’s own spinoff, but further Rick Grimes details coming via are made far more likely by the Philly location.
Rick Grimes returned in finale and was depicted attempting to escape the CRM, only to be stopped by their helicopter-flying soldiers. Behind said helicopter was a familiar skyline featuring two famous Philadelphian skyscrapers, One and Two Liberty Place. A silhouette of the same Philly skyline was used in the first teaser for the , and the Philadelphia skyline was sighted in when Silas talked with Jadis as he tried to infiltrate the CRM.
Interestingly, the uniform that Rick Grimes is wearing during his brief appearance in seriesfinale is almost identical to the one Silas wore when he worked at the Civic Republic's culling facility. Until now, the location of the massive Civic Republic settlement has gone unconfirmed in the franchise, but Rick's series finale appearance adds further weight to the increasingly likely theory that the main site is in Philadelphia. The Civic Republic's sheer size then increases the probability of the including references to the CRM, Rick Grimes, or both.
With Maggie and Negan heading to New York City from Alexandria, they will almost certainly have to go through Philadelphia. Given the amount of crossover in , more Rick Grimes teases should be expected, and this presents an opportunity to confirm to the Alexandria community that Rick is still alive. A reunion between Rick Grimes and Negan, his greatest enemy, is an enticing one, but it is unlikely that will happen in given that Rick's escape from the CRM will be the focus of his own spinoff with Michonne.
Nevertheless, Maggie and Negan may find clues pertaining to Rick's survival, similar to the boots and . Rick and the CRM both seem heavily tied to Philadelphia, meaning Maggie and Negan could find additional signposts left by Rick during their journey. Alternatively, the CRM may not take kindly to two strangers encroaching upon their territory, meaning Maggie and Negan may suffer their own brush with a CRM helicopter in .
