The Walking Dead: Rick Grimes’ last episode ushers in a new beginning
What would happen to Rick Grimes was the only question on the minds of Walking Dead’s fans since the moment Andrew Lincoln’s impending departure was announced.
The reason for Andrew Lincoln’s departure from The Walking Dead was admirable and understandable. But we all wondered how TWD showrunners would bid Rick Grimes farewell. And what would become of the entire franchise without its main character? After season nine, episode five, “What comes after,” we got our answer.
Throughout the episode, we saw Rick fade in and out of consciousness in search for “his family.” When finally, his family found him. They tried to help Rick who stared at a hoard of zombies with only a bridge between them. What happened next changed the course of The Walking Dead forever.
Rick shot his last bullet at a stick of dynamite blowing up the bridge and himself. Fans mourned as the bridge burned but our tears didn’t flow for long. A few moments later Jadis found Rick bleeding out and claimed him as her “B” — saving his life in the process. They boarded the mysterious helicopter as she promised to save his life. However, to “his family,” Rick Grimes was dead.
The Walking Dead — a new beginning
TWD creators made sure Rick Grimes died in their long-running series. If you watched last night’s episode you understand; this is no longer Rick Grimes Walking Dead. The world went on without him but his sacrifice allowed growth.
“What comes after,” ended with a new beginning for The Walking Dead. As the episode concluded we saw a world that changed. In this new world, we saw a group of characters being saved by a mysterious girl.
The mysterious girl turned out to be Judith Grimes aged about nine years. She was armed with swag, a pistol, sword, and her father’s hat. The baby who Daryle dubbed “Lil a— kicker,” and she was just that. Fans of the series saw an entirely different Walking Dead. A time jump allows freedom for the writers to explore without mourning Rick. Now the series will continue with this fresh start and hopefully gets back some of its viewers. Nevertheless, The Walking Dead as a franchise has only just begun.