Our favorite moments from The Walking Dead season 9

Rick Sacrifices Himself

Season 9, Episode 5, “What Comes After”

Jeffrey says:

Rick Grimes’ final episode is difficult, yet emotionally powerful for fans. It’s the end of his journey on the show and the beginning of his story in the larger universe. The moment of him on the bridge is the absolute shining moment of the season for me. After months of knowing that Rick would be departing the series in some way, to see it finally play out was totally cathartic.

We’ve seen Rick face herds before, but here he is facing one alone and while gravely injured. The moment in which Daryl fires a crossbow to save Rick from a walker is when we see that he isn’t actually alone. His family has his back, just as they always have. Dozens and dozens of people from the various communities scramble to try and redirect the herd and save Rick’s life. This is something he has to do himself though.

As Michonne, Carol, Maggie and others rush to the herd, Daryl sees Rick’s face and knows that this is the end. Rick slowly raising his iconic colt python and proudly saying “I found them,” before setting off a massive explosion is too epic to put into words. The look on the faces of his family make it clear that this is their biggest loss ever. Rick’s sacrifice to save his family makes perfect sense for his character. He is the true hero of the story.

The fact that Rick survives and is flown away on a helicopter makes his scene on the bridge all the more tragic. Michonne and the others are left with a horrifying final image of their beloved husband, friend, and leader. They may be safe from the herd, but the core of this group has been blasted away. It marks the beginning of a dark period of time for our survivors as they become fractured and slowly go their separate ways until later in the season. Still, Rick’s big moment is the perfect end to his time on the series. He goes out big.