What Was the Biggest Question Answered in The Walking Dead Finale?




 Since Andrew Lincoln departed the series in 2018, dedicated Walking Dead fans wondered where Rick was, and why he hadn't returned to the series, despite numerous time jumps. Danai Gurira left in Season 10 after Michonne found a clue that indicated Rick was alive.


 There have been so many theories that insisted Rick would return in the final episode to fight against the Commonwealth or to at least confirm his fate in a post-credits scene. Thankfully, The Walking Dead kept its promise by bringing Rick back to tease what he's been up to, and where he goes from here.


Updated on February 6, 2024 by Katie Doll: Rick Grimes' return to The Walking Dead has been a long time coming. Soon, everyone's questions on what happened to Rick and why he was spared by the CRM will finally be answered. This article has been updated to touch on new information about Rick's whereabouts, according to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live trailer?


What Happened to Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead?


In Season 9, Episode 6, "What Comes After," an injured Rick was whisked away by a CRM helicopter that Anne called in. At that point, the Civil Republic Military wasn't a major plot point in The Walking Dead universe, and wouldn't become one until the 2020 spinoff series World Beyond. The only thing known about the CRM is that nobody knew anything. 


Fear the Walking Dead had an entire episode dedicated to explaining the CRM in the most cryptic way possible and it gave no concrete answers. So what exactly did The Walking Dead say about the mysterious community?


It didn't really say anything, which was surprisingly okay. The final minutes of "Rest in Peace" jumped between Rick and Michonne writing letters to their loved ones, urging them to keep pushing forward, even when hope seemed lost. 


Rick walked alongside the muddy shore of a river with no shoes on with a bag and his cowboy boots. When he heard a helicopter in the distance, he urgently threw his belongings on board a boat. A voice coming from a helicopter called out, "Consignee Grimes. You have been located and are instructed to surrender." As Rick angrily surrendered, the voice continued, "Come on, Rick. It's like he told you: there's no escape for the living."


The Walking Dead Confirmed Rick Is at the CRM


"Rest in Peace" was still as obscure as Fear the Walking Dead and World Beyond were about the CRM. However, the episode did confirm Rick is at the community, and not by choice. The scene revealed Rick is a "consignee" of the CRM, which explains the CRM's obsession with labeling people "A" and "B." Rick was also using a modified catch pole that Silas utilized in World Beyond when he was working at a decontamination center to clear large amounts of walkers. Rick's possession of the weapon indicated he is working at one of these centers.


Another important detail was that the voice was capturing Rick for what doesn't seem like the first time. The speaker's exhausted tone, plus a reminder that "he" has warned Rick about what happens to people who escape, told viewers that Rick is trying to leave. Obviously, the rest will be revealed in Rick and Michonne's spinoff. But judging from the final moments of "Rest in Peace," The Ones Who Live might be broken up between two different timelines, telling Rick and Michonne's stories separately until they reunite. So far, that is looking like the true spinoff to watch since it will finally answer Walking Dead fans' burning questions.