Rick and Michonne’s spinoff, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, has the change to finally answer a four-year-old mystery from the flagship show’s tenth season. This long-awaited spinoff brings back two beloved characters, as well as explores more about the most powerful organization in the Walking Dead franchise so far, the CRM. With this comes new The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live characters, such as the CRM’s leader, Major General Beale, and the return of interesting characters like Jadis.
Some of the biggest questions about Rick and Michonne that the spinoff needs to address involve their whereabouts since leaving the parent show. Years have passed in-show since both characters made their respective exits, leaving a number of other mysteries without resolve. Luckily, story teases and promotional material seem to hint at some of these questions, suggesting they will be answered.
10 Most Exciting Things To Expect From Rick & Michonne’s Walking Dead Show, The Ones Who Live
With The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live releasing in February 2024, there are exciting expectations audiences have of the Rick and Michonne spinoff.
The Walking Dead Season 10’s Phone Mystery Seems Important For Rick & Michonne’s Spinoff
Michonne’s Walking Dead exit four years ago had her uncover evidence that Rick didn’t die in the bridge explosion. While trying to leave Bloodsworth Island, Michonne spots Rick’s cowboy boots and an old smartphone with the following on it: Rick’s name, scribbled Japanese writing, and a sketch of her and Judith (at her age around season 10). However, Michonne’s only real useful clue is the ship’s manifest that specifies a New Jersey shipyard as its last destination.
Moreover, the season 10 scene between Judith and Michonne where the latter radios the former to let her know Rick may be alive has been shared by AMC’s Walking Dead social media accounts in the build-up to the spinoff’s release. Plus, an emphasis on “Where’s Rick?” and “Where’s Michonne?” is heavily included in promotional images. But more notable is The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live‘s trailer, which confirms the writing on the phone is Japanese for “believe a little bit longer.“ This reaffirms the clues’ intention to help Michonne find Rick and signifies the phone’s importance for the spinoff.
2 Big Questions The Walking Dead Still Needs To Answer About Rick’s Phone
While the trailer teases Rick and Michonne’s much-anticipated reunion, it leaves some questions about the clues on the phone unanswered. Firstly, it’s unclear why the text was left in Japanese. If this is to provide a more covert note for Michonne, it raises who exactly wrote it, since Rick – and all confirmed characters for The Ones Who Live – haven’t shown any knowledge of the Japanese language yet, aside from Nat, who gives Michonne the translation. This could suggest Rick or someone else communicated with CRM contacts that could be outside America, furthering the idea of the organization’s global reach and influence.
Secondly, Judith’s sketch depicts her as older than when Rick last saw her, which was when she was around three years old. Perhaps Jadis was able to keep tabs on Rick’s family, especially since the CRM has extensive resources, including surveillance technology. Although Rick doesn’t reference RJ in the trailer, Jadis, once part of Rick’s community, could’ve told him about his family before becoming a ruthless CRM loyalist. Information about his family could amplify his fierce determination to escape and find them, as teased in the main show’s finale, which ties into The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live‘s confirmed focus on Rick reuniting with his loved ones.
- Release Date
- February 25, 2024
- Cast
- Andrew Lincoln , Danai Gurira , Pollyanna McIntosh , Lesley-Ann Brandt , Terry O’Quinn
- Genres
- Action , Drama , Horror
- Rating
- TV-MA
- Seasons
- 1
- Story By
- Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard
- Writers
- Scott M. Gimple , Danai Gurira
- Network
- AMC
- Streaming Service(s)
- AMC+
- Franchise(s)
- The Walking Dead
- Showrunner
- Scott M. Gimple
