When Rick Grimes leftThe Walking Dead, the viewers who stopped watching the show missed some great scenes and details that happened afterward. The loss of its main protagonist was a turning point fortheWalking Deadfranchise, and Rick’s departure set up a quest that still concerns majorWalking Deadcharacters today. Several oftheWalking Deadspin-offsare centered on characters searching for Rick, like Daryl and Morgan. That said, each of these spin-offs has become bigger than this initial quest, just as the originalWalking Deadshow became much more than a zombie survival series.
Rick Grimes redefined the title “The Walking Dead,” which refers to the people who survived the apocalypse rather than the walkers themselves. Over time, theWalking Dead’s focus on the walkers shifted to the human protagonists and their militaristic enemies, who are much more dangerous than any walker.The Walking Deaduniverse has expanded significantly since Rick left, even across continents, with Darl Dixon’s spin-off being set in France. Viewers who stopped watchingThe Walking Deadwhen Rick left have missed out on new locations, more creative filming, and even the most unlikely alliance in the history of the show.
Father Gabriel Has One Of The Best Redemption Arcs On The Walking Dead
Father Gabriel was shown at his worst moment inThe Walking Dead. He began as a hypocritical, cowardly man who hid in his church, leaving his congregation to die in a walker attack. Rick didn’t trust him, and for good reason, as Gabriel betrayed Rick multiple times. However, while his redemption arc began while Rick was still on the show,viewers who quitThe Walking Deadearly never got to see Gabriel become one of the best charactersin the franchise.
While Gabriel was still a religious man, he found a balance between pacifism and necessary violence.
In laterWalking Deadseasons, Gabriel turned his back on parts of his old lifethat didn’t apply to the world of the walkers and became a respected leader in Alexandria. While Gabriel was still a religious man, he found a balance between pacifism and necessary violence. The moment when he risked his life to save people who were locked out of the Commonwealth is a perfect reflection of his past life. WhileFather Gabriel had the most gruesome death inThe Walking Deadcomics, the show gave him true redemption and a happy ending.
Season 1 ofThe Walking Deadraised many questions about the virusand how it worked. While some of the answers were found as the series progressed, others remained a mystery. Viewers who quit beforeThe Walking Dead: World Beyond’s post-credits scenedid not see the show finally answering questions about the virus’s origin. The post-credits scene takes place in an abandoned laboratory in France and shows a disturbing interaction between a scientist and a survivor.
Every Zombie Type In The Walking Dead Explained
The Walking Dead’s zombies are so often lumped into one category, but there are a few distinctions between the undead. Here’s every type.
The virus is revealed to have started in France, though its exact origins and purpose are left deliberately vague. This sets upThe Walking Dead’s Daryl Dixonspin-off but also provides another terrifying detail about the walkers.The French scientist was watching a video sent by season 1’s Dr. Jenner, who mentioned walker variants. After the survivor shoots her dead, she reanimates but behaves differently to other walkers, running toward the door.
The Walking Deadfranchise has given viewers some of the best onscreen villains of all time, and Lance Hornsby is another in the spectacular line-up. WhileLance Hornsby is different from otherWalking Deadvillains, he also combines their most successful parts to create a truly horrifying person. Lance can appear charming when he wants to, like the Governor, and he is charismatic, like Negan. However, unlike otherWalking Deadvillains, Lance appears to be pure evil.
By default,Lance looks for ways he can manipulate other characters, and he is very good at it. He is able to hide his sociopathic nature by appearing reassuring and kind, and this double nature is fascinating to watch. Viewers who wanted a more cunning and realistic villain after both Negan and Alpha would have missed out on seeing Lance (and his fitting ending) if they quitThe Walking Deadearly.
7Finding Out What A And B Means
Jadis always held her cards close to her chest, andwhenThe Walking Dead’s surprise helicopter arrived to take Rick away, Jadis screamed that he was a “B"instead of the “A” she had originally said. Viewers would not find out what she meant untilThe Ones Who Livewhen Okafor takes Rick and Thorne on a secret mission.The Walking Deadfinally explained what As and Bs meantwhen Okafor said he wanted to recruit more As.
As are seen as leaders who are capable of motivating people.
This describes Rick Grimes, but Jadis lied to the CRM by telling them he was a B to save his life. The CRM kills As to eliminate people they see as a threat, but Bs are people just trying to survive, and allowed in the Commonwealth.The letters A and B have often been used as symbols inThe Walking Dead, but this is their most sinister meaning yet.
6New Walker Variations
One of the main criticisms ofThe Walking Deadis that the walkers became less interesting as time went on and the survivors learned how to deal with them. This may have been true for much of the franchise, with the human villains becoming more of a threat than the walkers, who are all alike. However,The Walking Deadsuddenly evolved in season 11, when Aaron’s group encountered a group of Walkers that were much harder to kill.
With newer and more exciting walkers arriving in the franchise, it is almost certain thatDead Citywill also see its share of evolved walkers.
The rise of newWalking Deadwalker variantscould give viewers who quit a reason to return to the show, with the first and most iconic threat returning in different forms.The climbing walker variants only appeared late inThe Walking Dead, but acidic burner variants have already begun to appear inDaryl Dixon.With newer and more exciting walkers arriving in the franchise, it is almost certain thatDead Citywill also see its share of evolved walkers.
5Rick Grimes’s Return
Rick Gets A Well-Deserved Happy Ending With His Family
Michonne’s decision to leave Judith and RJ to search for Rick was controversial among viewers, but it paid off when the two finally found each other again. Asthis was one ofThe Walking Dead’s biggest loose ends, it had to be addressed andThe Ones Who Liveminiseries was dedicated to making this happen. Still,Rick and Michonne’s reunion was nothing like many viewers may have expected.
Why The Ones Who Live’s Final Scene Only Has THOSE Walking Dead Cameos
Although The Ones Who Live’s finale featured some major Walking Dead characters, some viewers may be wondering why there weren’t more cameos.
Rick has had to learn to live without his family, so when Michonne arrives and tells him that he has another son, this brings up complicated memories of Carl. That said,the final scenes are some of theWalking Deadfranchise’s biggest moments. When Rick is finally reunited with his entire family, the scene perfectly ends his story for the time being. Watching this play out inThe Ones Who Livemay satisfy viewers who stopped watchingThe Walking Deadwhen Rick left.
4Negan’s Redemption Arc
Negan Is Just As Charismatic And Dangerous, But Has Switched Sides
While Negan is undoubtedlythe most powerful villain inThe Walking Dead, his charisma and ability to lead a group give him the potential to become a formidable protagonist too. Many viewers would never forgive Negan for the brutal murder of Glenn, which is accurate to the original comic but also saw viewers quitThe Walking Dead. This will likely mean thatNegan will never become aWalking Deadhero, but he is having a redemption arc.
The episode “Here’s Negan” is unmissable, and answers the question of why he is so strangely attached to his barbed-wire-wrapped baseball bat.In one of the bestWalking Deadepisodes of all time, “Here’s Negan” shows the pain and guilt that Negan feltat his treatment of his dying wife, who is called Lucille. Negan has now risked his life to save many of the original characters, and even has reluctant acceptance from Maggie.
Connie quickly became aWalking Deadfan-favorite characterand a key member of the alliance between Alexandria and Hilltop. She has appeared in some ofThe Walking Dead’s most nail-biting episodes, including the cave collapse, but one of her most terrifying episodes takes the horror to the next level. Connie is deaf, so she relies on her other senses even more, often noticing changes and patterns that otherWalking Deadcharacters do not.
The Walking Dead’s episode “On The Inside” focuses on Connie and Virgil’s attempt to escape a creepy housethat is straight out of a horror movie, with false walls, spy holes, and feral humans. Much of the episode takes place in silence, as the viewers are watching through Connie’s eyes.“On The Inside” is one of The Walking Dead’s scariest episodes, but also uses creative storytelling to show the way Connie experiences her surroundings.
2Daryl Dixon’s Season 1 France Story
Daryl Finds Himself In A New Location, Where The Walker Virus Started
AsDaryl Dixon was never supposed to be aWalking Deadmain characterand had his role expanded due to his popularity, his storyline has been the most surprising inThe Walking Deadfranchise. Daryl, who had never left the state beforeThe Walking Dead, is now in France, on a mission from Maggie. Viewers who stopped watchingThe Walking Deadearlier have missed both Daryl and Maggie’s character development, but could catch up on events withDaryl Dixon.
Daryl Dixon season 1 introduces several new themes intoThe Walking Dead, with a potential cure and a “chosen one” child being thrown into the mix. While these tropes are common for the zombie apocalypse genre, they are rare forThe Walking Dead.Seeing how a pragmatic character like Daryl handles the spirituality and superstition of the nuns who take him in is a new and exciting direction forThe Walking Dead, andDaryl Dixonis a good re-entry point for people who want to rejoin the franchise.
1Negan And Maggie’s Shocking Partnership
One ofThe Walking Deadteam’s best concepts has been the set-up forDead City, which makes an alliance between the two least likely characters to appear in the same room together. Maggie, who has grieved Glenn’s murder for years, still detests Negan, while Negan has understandably stayed out of her way. When Maggie asks for Negan’s help after her son is kidnapped, he agrees, feeling he owes her. However, Maggie has an agenda that may come to satisfy viewers who also haven’t forgiven Negan for killing Glenn.
At the end ofDead Cityseason 1,Maggie tells Herschel “I’m gonna finish it.“This line has drawn intense speculation over whether Maggie intends to kill Negan or help him, putting her grief to rest at last. Without seeing the great redemption arc that Negan has had, and Maggie’s journey to becoming one of the most formidable characters inThe Walking Dead, the eventual conclusion may not hit so hard. It may be time to pick upThe Walking Deadagain before it happens.
