After six emotional and dramatic episodes, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live finished in a wholesome fashion, but its final scene revealed a bitter truth about Rick’s 14-year story. Since 2010, Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes has been the face of The Walking Dead, becoming one of the most iconic TV characters of all time in the process. Despite how popular Lincoln’s performance was, Rick Grimes exited The Walking Dead in 2018, which left his story incomplete. However, this only made fans more excited about Rick’s return to the franchise in The Ones Who Live.
While it is unclear if The Ones Who Live will have a second season, it did give Rick a happy conclusion and offered a potential end to his Walking Dead run. Having lost several loved ones and defeated numerous villains, the spinoff’s final scene provided Rick with the satisfying ending he deserved. He had to overcome arguably his toughest foe yet, but with Michonne’s help, Rick managed to defeat the CRM and make it home. Although the protagonist finally escaped the CRM and embraced his children, there is a bitter truth about The Ones Who Live‘s ending.
The Ones Who Live Ends With Rick Reunited With His Family – But A Different One
Rick Grimes Has A New Family From The One He Started With In The Walking Dead
Although Rick reunites with his family in The Ones Who Live‘s ending, it isn’t the same family he started the apocalypse with. Rick and Michonne having a family reunion was the sort of feel-good ending that is rare in The Walking Dead universe. Having been traded to the CRM while Michonne was pregnant with RJ, the spinoff’s final scene was the first time Rick got to meet his son and see Judith all grown up. Rick reuniting with his family was a long time coming, but it is also a reminder of how much he has lost.
The Ones Who Live paralleled Rick’s Walking Dead season 1 story about looking for his family. Season 1 of The Walking Dead starts with Rick searching for Carl and Lori, and while he manages to find his wife and son, neither of them are alive by The Ones Who Live‘s finale. Instead, the spinoff ends with Rick reuniting with Michonne, Judith, and RJ, highlighting the harsh reality of his story. While Rick gets to embrace the Grimes family over a decade into the apocalypse, it has completely changed since the start of his Walking Dead journey.
The Ones Who Live’s Final Scene Is A Powerful Definition Of “Family”
The Grimes Family Reunion Proved How Strong The Family Is
Some franchises may overuse the importance of family, but The Ones Who Live powerfully defines exactly what family means in The Walking Dead. All four characters being together after all these years completely goes against the odds, but it shows just how much everyone was willing to sacrifice. While RJ may have been too young to understand what was going on, Judith was willing to let Michonne go and search for Rick despite the risk she wouldn’t make it home. Likewise, Michonne had to miss years of her children’s lives to try and bring Rick back to them.
Rick even cut off his own hand in The Ones Who Live to try and escape the CRM and reunite with Michonne and Judith. When Michonne finally came back into his life, he was still willing to let her leave without him for the benefit of their children. This shows that everyone coming together required massive belief and sacrifice, proving how strong the family’s bond is. The warm embrace and emotional dialogue in the final scene proves how much the Grimes family loves each other, and despite everything they’ve been through, they are ready to move on as a family.
Although The Ones Who Live’s finale featured some major Walking Dead characters, some viewers may be wondering why there weren’t more cameos.
If That Was Rick’s Final-Ever Walking Dead Scene, Then It’s Perfect
Rick’s Walking Dead Story Coming Full Circle Is The Protagonist’s Perfect Ending
There is no confirmation that The Ones Who Live season 2 is happening, but season 1’s final scene is a perfect way to cap off Rick’s Walking Dead story. While a second season of the spinoff or Rick returning in a crossover show would be welcomed, the ending of The Ones Who Live feels like an excellent way to conclude his story. It provides a full-circle moment, as his family reunion in the spinoff felt similar to his season 1 reunion, and given everything Rick has been through, ending the apocalypse almost where he started feels fitting.
Waking up from a coma and finding his family is nothing short of a miracle, yet his CRM escape somehow feels more impressive. It may have taken Michonne’s help and inspiration, but breaking out of one of the most secure locations on the planet and changing the entire system shows what kind of person Rick has become. He helped save the world in the process of reuniting with his family, proving how influential Rick has been during the apocalypse. Therefore, he deserves a happy ending, and The Ones Who Live‘s final scene would be the perfect sendoff for Rick.
