The Walking Dead final episode closes chapters and begins new ones

The Walking Dead series concluded its run in November 2022, which was a satisfactory ending for most fans. Many also feel it did an excellent job setting up some of the spinoff series, which wasn’t the intention.   The last episode was created in such a way as to feel the closure of the main story, wrapping up some characters’ stories and leaving room for endless stories for many other characters.

In the series finale of The Walking Dead, three characters receive final closure that only death can bring. Rosita (Christian Serratos), Luke (Dan Fogler), and Jules (Alex Sgambati) all died in the final episode of the series. Serratos requested that Rosita die in the last episode to allow herself closure for a character she would never see again. Many believed that Luke and Jules would die as they hadn’t been seen for quite some time and were brought back too late in the story for any further development of these characters.

The series featured a one-year time jump and nicely wrapped up storylines for Ezekiel (Khary Payton), who is now situated as the governor of the Commonwealth, a position he was born to do. Eugene (Josh McDermitt) and Max (Margot Bingham) got a happily ever after with their little girl Rosie.

Mercer (Michael James Shaw) is the deputy governor of the Commonwealth, while his love, Princess (Paola Lázaro), cheers him on. Manga (Nadia Hilker) and her group are also at the Commonwealth.

Maggie (Lauren Cohan) is back at Hilltop, which is once again thriving, with her son Hershel (Kien Michael Spiller) and many others. Aaron (Ross Marquand), Jerry (Cooper Andrews), Nabila (Nadine Marissa), Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), and their children are situated back in Alexandria, which is also thriving.

The Walking Dead last episode

One person missing from the 1-year time jump is Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). The only mention of him in the time jump sequence is that he sent a package by way of Lydia (Cassady McClincy) to Judith (Cailey Fleming), where he returned her compass. He enclosed a letter telling her that it helped him find his way, hoping it would aid her in realizing her dreams. Strangely, viewers learn nothing of his wife, Annie (Medina Senghore), who would have given birth to their child by that time.

Perhaps this is a nod to his fate in the comics, where he chooses to live exiled from the main group. Carl brings him supplies in the comics, and Lydia could have taken up Carl’s role in the comic story.

It was also known that Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) would survive due to his spinoff and conversations about Carol’s story not being over. But it was bittersweet to see them say their goodbyes as their characters, but this also let like a goodbye between the actors.

Maggie and Negan will also have a spinoff series that takes them to Manhattan. There has been no reason revealed as to what will take them to this location. But that story will be told on The Walking Dead: Dead City when it premieres in April 2023.

The last episode also featured a coda scene that, to the delight of most fans, brought back Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira), who will also have a spinoff series. This scene featured some back story on where Rick has been as it also showed Michonne in a present setting as she rode off into one the most enormous horde of walkers ever.

The Walking Dead universe is far from over, but the series final was a bittersweet time for the fandom, and the creators did a bang-up job of making it the best it could be. There was an alternate ending that some fans wish would have been shown, but I prefer the one we got.

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