Walking Dead finale: What we learned about Rick and Michonne

Fans of The Walking Dead were shocked to learn that  Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) would return to TWDU in a spinoff series. This announcement came at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con as Lincoln and Gurira surprised everyone with their arrival on the main stage. Another surprise came later in the year as Rick and Michonne appeared in a coda scene of the series finale in November 2022. This short scene revealed valuable information regarding what had occurred since these characters left the series.

Season 9 was Rick’s final, and it began with an 18-month time jump after the All out War against Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his Saviors. Dealing with the aftermath of this war, the communities try to unite despite conflicting ideas on how to handle the remaining Saviors.

In episode 5 of season 9, Rick makes the ultimate sacrifice by giving himself up to save the ones he loves. No one, save Jadis/Anne (Pollyanna McIntosh), knew he survived the bridge blast and traded him to the CRM (Civic Republic Military).

The coda scene confirmed a few things about Rick. He was being held by the CRM, escaped, and most likely recaptured. He is obviously someone of value within this organization, as they didn’t shoot him on sight, as seen in Fear TWD and World Beyond. 

This scene also reveals how Virgil (Kevin Carroll) found Rick’s possessions on a boat at Bloodworth Island, where Michonne discovered that her husband had survived the bridge blast. Upon being located by a CRM helicopter, Rick throws the bag with his boots and iPhone etched with Michonne and an older Judith onto the boat that would be up on the island.

The Walking Dead – Rick and Michonne

Michonne’s scenes take place long after she left the series in season 10. Her final episode showed her going to find Rick. She met up with two travelers, one of which was injured, as they were trying to catch up with a huge caravan seen in the valley below. Michonne aids them, and that is the last viewers see of this character.

The coda scene reveals that Michonne is alone; she has a kick-butt new outfit, which Scott M. Gimple has stated has a story of its own that will be shown. She is still holding onto hope of finding her love. Her location is unknown, but she rides off into a massive horde of walkers as her scene closes.

The primary purpose of this coda scene was to show that despite many characters being gone, the “ones who live” will carry their memories with them. Each person who touched their lives left a mark that gives them strength.

The Walking Dead: Rick & Michonne series will begin filming in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 6, 2023. Gurira has stated that the plan is to release this series later in 2023, sometime around or after Halloween.

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