Why the final part of Rick Grimes’ legacy is so important in The Walking Dead

With Rick Grimes’ final episodes approaching in season 9, it’s time to take a look at the importance of the final piece of his legacy.

No matter where Rick Grimes has gone, there was always one goal that he tried to establish: community.

Whether it was at the farm, the prison, or in Alexandria, Rick has always wanted to establish a safe community for everyone to survive together in for the better. From what we have seen so far in the season 9 trailer,  this season heavily focuses on re-building and growing within the communities.

In the trailer, Rick says that the group is finished with having to fight to survive and that it is human nature to come together. Rick also says “we are building, we are growing”, putting a huge emphasis on helping communities beyond Alexandria to survive in the new world. Rick wants to bring all of the communities together to coexist with each other so everyone can thrive and survive without means of war anymore.

In season 8, Carl Grimes told Rick in his parting letter that he wanted his dad to “feel safe again” and that he wanted Rick to find a new way forward;

"Start everything over. Show everyone they can be safe again without killing, that it can feel safe again, that it can go back to being birthdays, schools, jobs and even Friday night pizza somehow — and walks with a dad and a 3-year-old, holding hands. Make that come back, dad. And go on those walks with Judith. She’ll remember them."

Carl was so wise to remind Rick of everything that made the old world feel safe and happy. He knew that is the kind of world that Judith should grow up in, and this may definitely be the final part to Rick’s legacy.

Even if Rick Grimes is no longer apart of the new world that he is trying to create, his hope and his dream will still run through all of the communities for years to come.

It may be the sheriff’s blood that runs through Rick’s veins, but Rick has always believed that people can be better and has always taken a chance on them even after some of them have deceived him. Maybe those days are long behind him, after all, just like Rick and Michonne told a now prisoner Negan, that he will be setting an example for others on how not to be in the new world.

Rick Grimes has had a long journey, and that journey is soon coming to an end. What do you think has been the most important part of Rick’s legacy? Season 9 of The Walking Dead returns for Rick Grimes’ final episodes on October 7th, on AMC.