After the finale of The Walking Dead, the franchise is growing with spinoffs focusing on long-running characters. Dead City, starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan and Lauren Cohen as Maggie, had a successful first season, enticing viewers with a near-future storyline within the post-apocalyptic world. Fans will soon get another addition to the franchise as Norman Reedus reprises his role as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.

These other spinoffs have already been successful, renewed for Season 2 even before the first season of Dead City was completed and prior to Daryl Dixon even being released. Though viewers appreciated these other additions to the franchise, no other spinoff has been as anticipated as the Rick and Michonne show. After Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) was taken away from his family for several years, and Michonne (Danai Gurira) left to find him in another season, fans have been eager to see their missing storyline. The series won’t be released until early 2024, but the recent release of the Rick and Michonne show title has renewed the thrill of the upcoming spinoff.

Rick and Michonne’s Spinoff Is a Walking Dead Callback

In the teaser for the Rick and Michonne spinoff, it was revealed the title would be The Ones Who Live. This was a pleasant surprise for fans because Dead City was titled based on the setting and Daryl Dixon was titled after the main character, which is not particularly creative. The Ones Who Live, however, is a meaningful callback to the original show and hints at a major theme in the upcoming show. In TWD, Rick said, “We’re the ones who live” to the initial leader of Alexandria, Deanna, as well as the docile citizens of the community. Michonne also repeated this line in a later season.

Though some viewers would argue The Walking Dead improved without Rick Grimes, the main characters being capable survivors compared to others in the world has been a prominent theme throughout the many seasons and various spinoffs. Rick and Michonne were two characters most capable in this dangerous world, using their wit, strength and skill to outlive others. This title highlights a key element of the original series, focusing on why these people have endured the harsh world when others could not.

The Infamous Plot Armor in TWD

The Ones Who Live is also a title that addresses one of the most controversial tropes in this TV universe. Throughout the long-running series, the plot has been criticized for both plot armor and shock killings. A key example of this is Carl dying young in TWD while Rick outlives his son, which does not align with the source material. Though it’s reasonable that fans dislike plot armor, there are a couple of ways the storyline has made the trope more realistic.

These survivors have lived in the post-apocalyptic world for over a decade. At this point, most people that have lived this long are capable survivors. They either went into the apocalypse with survival skills or adapted to the world faster than others. While luck certainly plays a role, especially when it comes to meeting reliable people and finding a safe location, characters like Rick and Michonne are undeniably more equipped to deal with the dangers of their situation. These main characters being more prepared to face the dangerous world has been a consistent theme since Season 1, making The Ones Who Live an exceptionally pointed and relevant title.

Foreshadowing The Ones Who Live

The Rick and Michonne teaser has also suggested a romantic tone to the overall plot of The Ones Who Live. This isn’t surprising considering the two will reunite after spending several years apart. In addition, the title itself foreshadows the themes of this upcoming spinoff. As a callback to the original show and a reminder that Rick and Michonne are key people in the franchise, the title reminds viewers why, these characters are representations of the themes and tone of the universe.

The title could also be a more obvious hint at what is to come in the plot of the spinoff. Since this is likely the final chunk of Michonne and Rick’s long storyline, the title could quash any theories that one or both of them will meet their demise in these final plot points. On the other hand, the title could also be a homage to the long-running character before they meet their demise (which seems less likely of a theory). In all likelihood, The Ones Who Live is very literal while also being poetic. These characters are the ones who have outlived countless other survivors and persevered through terrible conflict and tragedy. Therefore, their missing storyline is titled as such because they are the embodiment of the most capable people in this dangerous world.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Livewill be an epic love story that fans have waited a long time for. Among all the death, sorrow, and fear throughout this horror franchise, the romantic theme of this spinoff will be an interesting twist to combat the sobering themes always present in the storyline. A fresh tone to the universe is a great way to make the show stand out among the various spinoffs.

The title emphasizes the important themes promised in the plot. “The Ones Who Live” are who Michonne and Rick are. They have outlasted every conflict in their story and lived on even after not being a relevant part of the final seasons of TWD. This tile choice has created more hype to keep fans interested, even when the release of the spinoff is nearly a year away. Since the creators chose such an impactful title, the show will have to live up to expectations by stressing the critical aspects of Rick and Michonne’s characters.