There are numerous real-life and in-universe hints that Rick Grimes’ role in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will end in his death.
- Rick’s potential demise in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is increasingly likely due to thematic elements.
- Michonne’s importance in the CRM’s downfall hints at Rick’s possible sacrifice for the greater good.
- The series may find closure with Rick’s death, giving the franchise a sense of finality and setting up future storylines.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is the long-anticipated continuation of Rick Grimes’ story, even as it also seems increasingly clear that it will be the final story for the character. Rick’s numerous brushes with death over the years have given audiences expectations about his enduring qualities. However, the circumstances he finds himself under in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live have made his potential demise all the more likely.
Despite the joy in seeing Rick and Michonne reunited and the tension caused by their efforts to escape the CRM’s reach, it’s likely that the limited series won’t end with the pair riding off into the sunset. In fact, several in-universe, thematic, and real-life elements make Rick’s survival unlikely. However, Rick’s death could end up being exactly what the franchise needs going forward. Here are the biggest clues that Rick won’t survive the ending of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
9Rick Dies In The Walking Dead Comic Books
How The Show Could Adapt Rick’s Death In The Source Material
Although The Walking Dead TV universe has diverged in many cases from the original comic of the same name, the series has still followed the broad strokes of the source material. With this in mind, the major events of the comics’ ending could be reimagined and recontextualized for the show — including the death of Rick Grimes. In the original comics, Rick was able to stop the survivors of the Commonwealth from turning against one another, leading to Pamela being removed from power. However, a vengeful Sebastian confronted him and shot Rick dead.
Although Sebastian is dead in the TV continuity and the conflict with the Commonwealth has been dealt with, a similar set of circumstances could play out in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Rick could still reaffirm the potential of humanity and help instill change in the Civic Republic Military, only to be killed for his noble actions by those he just helped depose. It would allow the series to follow the spirit of the original story while allowing the show to embrace its own version of events.
8Okafor Says “A” Survivors Die For Their Causes
Rick’s Personality Makes It Unlikely He Could Ever “Retire”
A major element of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has been the difference between “A” and “B” survivors. While “B” survivors are allowed to live under the CRM’s protection because of their docility, “A” survivors are believed to be threats to the CRM’s control. This is why “A” survivors are used as experiments by the CRM. With that in mind, Okafor’s assessment that “A” survivors would die for their cause makes sense. These are people who can’t be broken and molded by other organizations or causes.
Despite Rick’s despair in the years since he’s been captured, the elements that make him an “A” survivor remain just under the surface. Rick has always been willing to suffer for his causes, even hacking off a hand in the off-chance that he could escape the CRM. This assessment of Rick’s personality could be a grim portent of what Rick is willing to do for what he cares about, even if it costs him. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Rick throw himself into danger for the people and communities he cares about, which could get him killed.
7Rick Dying Would Avoid Alexandria Reunion Cameos
Killing Rick Could Make The Ending Much Easier To Produce
Despite The Walking Dead having a notoriously brutal kill count over the years, there are a handful of survivors who’ve lasted the entire series. With communities like Alexandria set to thrive despite the dangers still present in the world, Rick’s survival would likely set up a visit to that community. To do so, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live would need The Walking Dead cameos, which would likely distract from the limited series’ six episodes and increase the show’s budget.
Having Rick die in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live could be the best way to avoid any emotional returns to settings like Alexandria. By killing him off instead, the series could avoid the inevitable reunions with characters like Judith, and instead how the world keeps spinning without him around. This would also allow the show to remain more firmly centered around Rick and Michonne, instead of returning to the other The Walking Dead characters who got firm endings when the core-series concluded in 2022.
6The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Is A Limited Series Instead Of An Ongoing Show
The Limited Series Likely Has A Firm Ending, Such As A Major Death
One of the things that separates The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live from the other franchise spin-offs is the way the show has always been billed as a singular storyline. This is different than The Walking Dead: Dead City and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, both of which feature longer-form storytelling that invites further exploration and expansion. By contrast, The Ones Who Live has been more firmly set up as a single story. This makes any potential continuation less likely, and the possibility of Rick’s demise more plausible.
Even though a season 2 of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has been suggested by Showrunner Scott Gimple, it was with the caveat that it could happen with or without Rick. The intended short length of the spin-off, especially in contrast to the more open-ended natures of the other shows set in The Walking Dead universe, makes it likely that Rick isn’t long for this world. Given that the show has seemingly always been intended as a limited series, Rick’s death would make more sense than if the show was imagined with multiple seasons in mind.
5Rick’s Death Could Bookend The Current Version Of The Walking Dead
How Rick’s Death Could Give The Series A Poetic Irony
Debuting in 2010, The Walking Dead TV show quickly became must-see TV. This resulted in numerous spin-offs and expanded storylines, with the show adapting the long-running comic for all it was worth. However, fourteen years later, The Walking Dead franchise has been steadily winding down, with the core series of the franchise ending in 2022 and the assorted spin-offs shunting major characters into their corners of the universe. As The Walking Dead looks ahead to an uncertain future, ending Rick’s story once and for all could be seen as the best means of ending the current iteration of the franchise.
The Walking Dead: Dead City and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon have both been successful, but are also potentially closing chapters for Negan, Maggie, Daryl, and Carol. While those adventures have been rooted in expanding the world and exploring new settings, Rick and Michonne’s story has been focused on clearing up lingering plot threads regarding Rick’s fate and the truth behind the CRM. The demise of the show’s original protagonist would serve as the ultimate sign that the primary story has come to an end, allowing the franchise to move beyond its original perspectives to make room for something new.
4Rick’s Death Would Reinforce The Walking Dead’s Themes
Rick’s Death Fits Perfectly Into The Walking Dead‘s Core Messages
While it’s possible anyone can die within the world of The Walking Dead, Rick is the likeliest of the remaining main characters to bite the bullet. Similar to the character focus afforded by their respective shows, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has been a fascinating chance to explore Rick Grimes at his lowest point and highlight how he can still rise up against a cold world, despite the danger to himself and the pain it causes him.
This is one of the underlying themes of The Walking Dead as a whole, and could be perfectly reinforced by Rick carrying on even as he gets himself killed in the process. Rick’s death could also highlight how the world and humanity can carry on despite their losses, especially if Michonne were forced to live without him. Rick’s death would be a heartbreaking turn for sure, given the time audiences have spent with him. However, this might be the perfect way to showcase the bittersweet hope that’s always been a driving force for the series.
3Andrew Lincoln Has Moved On From Rick Grimes
There’s A Good Reason Andrew Lincoln Left The Show In The First Place
Although The Walking Dead always benefited from having a large and impressive ensemble cast of characters, Andrew Lincoln’s Rick was clearly the show’s central character. It’s a testament to the show that it was able to continue without him, but after nearly a decade on the show, it became clear that real-life circumstances were having an effect on the actor. Lincoln’s The Walking Dead exit during season 9 because he wanted to stop filming the show in the United States, and refocus his time on his family in the United Kingdom.
That’s what made the prospect of a Rick Grimes movie or limited series inherently more appealing, as it would allow the performer to return to the character without committing to the sheer amount of time necessary to film an entire full-length season of television. Lincoln has done amazing work as Rick, and the chance to give the character a full ending instead of the ambiguous departure was likely a promising element of his return to the franchise. However, it’s likely that Lincoln’s views haven’t changed, and killing Rick would allow him to leave the franchise and return home.
2Rick’s Death Would Give The Other Survivors More Drama To Explore
How Rick’s Death Could Impact The Other Spin-Offs Of The Walking Dead
Rick’s demise would likely be the biggest thing The Walking Dead could do to motivate its remaining main characters. Across multiple series, news of Rick’s death would likely be a major element to explore from different perspectives. Michonne would likely be the one to bear the brunt of his demise, especially if she were to survive Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live and return home to explain his fate to the other survivors.
News of his demise (which could easily spread if it had a major impact on the CRM) could introduce a bittersweet edge to Daryl’s efforts to locate his old friend, adding a harsher edge to his reunion with Carol. Negan and Maggie would likely be impacted by this news as well, especially given Negan’s relationship to Rick in the original series. Rick’s death would be a huge blow to his remaining friends and allies, and could be an ideal dramatic wrinkle to introduce to those other ongoing shows.
1Rick’s Death Could Give The Walking Dead Franchise A Sense Of Closure
Ending Rick’s Story Could Be A Bookend That Sets Up The Future Of The Franchise
Rick’s death in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live could be the ultimate bookend for The Walking Dead franchise as a whole. The entire series opened with Rick being knocked into a coma and awakening into a radically changed world. Having this sudden burst of life be paralleled by an inevitable death could give the series a sense of closure that it might otherwise never quite find. This would also fit well into Rick’s defined characteristics. Rick as a character is someone who can never stop fighting, no matter what.
Even at his lowest moments under containment by the CRM, Rick has done everything he can to escape their clutches, even if it means death. Even if the CRM is defeated and Rick escapes alongside Michonne, Rick would likely keep struggling to make the world a better place. Rick’s death is the only thing that can make him finally stop fighting once and for all, making it an almost inevitable turn for the franchise. Giving Rick a proper send-off in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live could reinforce this idea and bookend the early days of the franchise perfectly.