The Walking Dead: What If Rick Grimes Died In Atlanta?

This is another in our “What If” series of Walking Dead articles.  This one focuses on Rick Grimes early in season 1 of the show.

The travels of Rick Grimes into Atlanta to search for his wife and son were a very dangerous one.  He got swarmed by walkers, his horse got torn apart, and he got trapped in a tank.  If not for Glenn Rhee risking his life to save him, Rick Grimes could very well have met his doom right there.

Let’s take a look at how things would have been different if Rick Grimes had been killed in Atlanta while searching for his family:

The group would have a different leader.

• Without being said, we all know Rick Grimes calls the shots for the group.  They seem to almost blindly follow his lead into any situation without really questioning his motives or reasoning.  Rick makes some pretty good decisions, but how would the group fare if a guy like Merle or Shane were in charge?  How much differently would the group be when interacting with other survivors or in life or death situations?

Shane would still be shacking up with Lori.

• Let’s face it, Lori had moved on.  People have needs, and that is understandable.  But it’s hard to expect that switch to shut right off when Rick Grimes returns.  Luckily for Shane, in this situation he doesn’t have to.  He gets to continue acting like a father to Carl and being intimate with Lori.  Plus, we wouldn’t have the question mark as to who the father of baby Judith is.  While Shane is a wild card, he’d most likely still be alive without Rick’s return to the group.

The gang would have been kicked off Hershel’s farm.

• Rick Grimes acted as the voice of reason on Hershel’s farm.  Without him, the entire idea of the group staying there would most likely not have been concocted.  The group had relative safety there until the massive hoard came and that gave Lori some time off her feet during her pregnancy.  I just can’t imagine Shane negotiating with Hershel in a calm manner like Rick did to gain his trust and respect.

Merle Dixon could still be alive

• To me, this is the big one.  If Merle isn’t handcuffed to the roof, then he escapes with the rest of the group or continues to hide out in Atlanta.  He is one that could be a real hard-nosed leader that can make decisions based on survival and logic.  With his brother Daryl as his right hand man, they could have created a walker demolishing force bigger than that of the Woodbury army.  However, Merle’s attitude may turn folks off, but they would recognize him as a leader and provider.

So what do you think?  How different would the show be if Rick never survived to meet his family outside Atlanta?  Who do you think would lead the group and how successful do you think they’d be?