After 11 seasons, almost 200 episodes, and six spinoff series, The Walking Dead franchise has introduced fans to some of the most legendary characters on the small screen. We're still following the journeys of a handful of these characters, like Daryl and Carol in Daryl Dixon and Negan and Maggie in Dead City. But there's still one particular character that fans are eager to see return.
There are more than likely a large number of TWD characters we wouldn't mind seeing again before some of these shows end forever and — gulp — potentially end the franchise altogether. Even dead characters whose deaths we still haven't gotten over and we could somehow see again, one last time, in some form. However, a certain someone has been on fans' wish list even after his spinoff.
There is no TWD without Rick Grimes
Even after returning to The Walking Dead universe for the 2024 spinoff series The Ones Who Live, Andrew Lincoln's fan-favorite character Rick Grimes remains the character fans want to see come back. After all, there really is no Walking Dead without Rick Grimes. He's the first character we meet in the first episode of the original series.
No matter how long the franchise lives on in the future, Rick will always be the face of this extensive universe, though some could argue it's someone else for other reasons. But here's why it's Rick: TWD didn’t start at the beginning of the apocalypse. It started when Rick woke up to it. The show was formed around his point of view. Honestly, it's never felt right that the main show or even the franchise as a whole moved on without him.
Lincoln did return to TWD for the series finale and again for the spinoff series The Ones Who Live, but the series was merely a miniseries that isn't planned to return for season 2 or beyond. While some might be satisfied with where his story comes to a conclusion in TOWL, there's definitely some more gas left in the tank for Rick. It began with him; it should end with him.
Rick needs to reunite with Negan to see his growth
Beyond Rick simply being a fan-favorite character that everyone wants to see more from in the franchise, there's also more character development he could add to the overarching lore of TWD story. A lot of characters have had to come to grips with their complicated relationship with Negan, and Rick could still have a chance to wrap this loose thread up with a bow.
When Rick defeated Negan, he decided that he would let him live because he believed in redemption. But Rick left the show during Negan’s imprisonment at Alexandria. After that, Negan formed an unlikely friendship with Rick’s daughter Judith, which kickstarted his redemption. He ended up saving the group on multiple occasions too, helping them defeat new evils, and proving himself to be capable of redemption. A reunion between Rick and Negan could be important for both of their arcs.
Rick needs to see that he was right to save Negan, while Negan might thank Rick for believing there was hope for him all those years ago (especially as nobody else did). Who knows where this reunion could take place, whether in a future season of Dead City or a spinoff series that hasn't even been created yet, but it's one of the many reasons Rick should appear once more.
Let's complete Rick’s story (and possibly the TWD Universe)
Rick and Michonne may have reunited and returned home to Alexandria in the series finale of The Ones Who Live, but he hasn’t reunited with Daryl or Carol or Maggie. He hasn’t reunited with Morgan, who went off to Fear the Walking Dead. All of his best friends still think he’s dead after his “death” in The Walking Dead season 9. How is that fair to leave that lingering for the characters? Not to mention, how is that fair for fans to not have that cathartic payoff? It can't happen offscreen!
In order for the TWD universe to truly wrap up, we deserve one more big crossover in the franchise to bring all of the spinoffs together and actually witness everyone find out that Rick is alive. The spinoffs have separated a number of characters off for their own individual adventures, but it feels right to eventually bring everyone back together again. That could be a long shot, but it's the natural progression of the universe's ending, and it all hinges on Rick's return.
We probably shouldn't hold our breath waiting for Andrew Lincoln to reprise his role as Rick in any upcoming seasons of the various spinoffs or another spinoff series in the future. But it's for sure something all of us fans haven't stopped thinking about since Rick left the original series and came back for his excellent spinoff last year. Let's run it back one more time, Rick, just to complete your story and maybe even The Walking Dead universe as a whole!