The Militia (Comic Series)

"Once, a long time ago, I made a rule, but after awhile... I thought they were the most naive words I have ever said! But you know what, now... I think maybe it's time I stick with them: YOU KILL, YOU DIE!"

- Rick Grimes to Negan

The Militia is a coalition of people from the Alexandria Safe-Zone, Hilltop Colony, and The Kingdom all in alliance to fight Negan and The Saviors.

Forming The Militia
After Paul Monroe returns from The Sanctuary and Carl provides information on the location and its inhabitants, Paul takes Rick to meet with Ezekiel, who leads The Kingdom. Rick makes his proposal to take down the Saviors, and Ezekiel pledges to join the battle, offering manpower and assistance. Rick later returns to the Kingdom to plan a strategy with Ezekiel and Paul.

Paul later goes to the Hilltop to enlist its citizens as well, and while not quite as successful as the Kingdom campaign he manages to recruit some members. He meets with opposition from Gregory, who thinks opposing Negan is a dangerous move.

Later, when members of the Alexandria community are at Negan's mercy, Ezekiel's troops rescue them and force Negan and the Saviors to retreat. Alexandria become the army's base of operations. Paul tells Rick that, despite Rick's uncertainty he is a symbol of hope for this army and he has to be their leader.

All Out War
Rick leads the army from Alexandria all the way to the Sanctuary, where he confronts Negan and offers an ultimatum: surrender or "whatever happens, happens." Negan refuses, revealing he's taken Hilltop leader Gregory and offers his own ultimatum for those residing in the Hilltop community: leave the fight and be unharmed or the Hilltop will be destroyed. Eight members of the army, including Kal, accept and leave, frustrating Negan. When the fighting starts, snipers take out a few army men and they take cover. Rick commences the plan: snipers take out the windows, and the noise attracts many walkers. While the rest of the army escapes in buses, Rick commences the second phase of his plan and goes to drive a truck through the Sanctuary's gate. However, Holly takes his before he can complete his plan.

The army is later seen celebrating at the success. Rick appears over the hill and says, "this is no time for celebration. The war has only just begun."

While Holly is captive, the army is seen sitting outside and strategizing, a few of them taking out walkers as they come. Rick asks Michonne to take a couple troops to fortify Alexandria in case of attack, which she obliges.

Using Dwight (Comic Series)'s information, Rick leads his forces to take the most heavily fortified Savior outpost. They prove successful, despite a few casualties including Eric. Meanwhile, Ezekiel leads his forces to take another outpost. Unfortunately, they are lead into an ambush and are mowed down, including Richard. Ezekiel is nearly taken prisoner until the dead reanimate, giving Ezekiel a chance to escape into the forest. A lone Ezekiel is saved by Shiva, who is swarmed, and he makes it back to Alexandria alive.

Other members of the militia return to Alexandria after Rick and Paul's successful campaign. Rick calls a meeting, surmising that the Saviors must have regrouped already and may be planning a counter-attack. Sure enough, an explosion rocks the outer walls, where Negan, Dwight and several other Saviors await. Negan offers an olive branch in the form of Holly, bound and face covered. As Denise takes her in and removes her mask, Holly's zombified face is revealed and she bites down into Denise's arm, prompting Negan to mount an attack.

The Safe-Zone is placed in chaos as Negan continuously throws grenades over the wall. One of the explosions obliterates Heath's leg, while another knocks Carl down and incapacitates him. They are both immediately taken to safety as a sick Denise watches over them. Dwight shows his loyalties and shoots several of the Saviors as they prepare to continue their attack. As things reach critical mass in Alexandria, Maggie arrives with reinforcements as they successfully push back the Savior attack for the time being.

Moving to the Hilltop
After the attack on Alexandria, Rick decides to move the militia to the Hilltop Colony and consolidate all their forces. They make it there and post additional guards by nightfall. Rick, Paul, Ezekiel, Maggie, and other trusted members of the militia gather in the mansion and discuss tactical plans to defeat The Saviors when they attack. Paul mentions a nearby town that can be used as a rendezvous point. Rick likens the plans made and hopes that the people they have can be able to fight when the time comes. Meanwhile, outside of the Hilltop in the forest, Negan and his men watch over the Hilltop. Negan gives the order to attack at nightfall.

Later that day, while eating dinner, The Saviors arrive at the gates with Negan demanding to speak to Rick, their weapons rubbed against walkers. Kal bravely taunts him and The Saviors and warns them not to attack or they will surely die. Negan becomes annoyed and orders him to be shot. Negan gives one final order for Rick to come out and he does not, which results with Negan having one of his trucks run through the wall. The fight begins and many members from both sides are killed.

The Epidemic
During the assault, Rick is hit with one of Dwight's bolts which, according to Negan are covered in walker muck. Aaron provides cover fire for Nicholas and Rick as the darkness envelops the battlefield. Just on the steps of the Hilltop mansion, a couple Saviors spot the two and slash Nicholas in the back and nearly kills Rick before they are both saved by Carl and brought in by Gregory.

Harlan tends to the wounded as Negan and his men begin their attack on the mansion. Behind them though, Ezekiel and Michonne turn on the lights of several vehicles, revealing the location of many of The Saviors and Negan himself. Negan calls his men to retreat and is nearly shot as the remaining survivors shoot down the Saviors in the spotlight.

The Saviors retreat out of the Hilltop and return to their camp in the nearby woods. That morning, many of the survivors wounded during the battle become deathly ill, showing signs as if they were bitten, including Nicholas. Out in the field, Paul and Michonne walk through the field dispatching the reanimated when they come across an odd sight.

Paul and Michonne returns to the mansion with a knife covered in dried blood, and gives it to Carson. He quickly deduces that the blood is too dry to have been from the battle and that Negan and his men must have coated their weapons in fluids from the walkers. He comes to the horrifying realization that anyone injured, no matter how minor, will die.

Nicholas, on his deathbed, sweating profusely, asks his wife to leave him as he does not want her to see him this way. Paula ignores this and stays with him till the end as their son walks out of the room into the hallway where Rick, Andrea, and Carl are waiting. Paula tells Nicholas that the two of them will remain safe and have always been safe. She credits him with saving their family as he had brought them to the Alexandria Safe-Zone. Nicholas breaks down in tears saying, "I'm so scared."

The Final Fight
Eugene, Carson, and the remaining ammo crew arrives just as Nicholas passes, his body escorted away by Paula, Harlan and his assistants. Rick brings together the remaining leaders and announces that he is not sick and reveals that Dwight is officially on their side. He devises a plan and orders Paul, Aaron, Michonne, and Ezekiel gather up some able soldiers and go around back to flank the returning Saviors.

Maggie closes the back gate as Paul and the group go out and approaches Earl, who is hard at work making equipment for the survivors. Just then shots ring out and Negan demands to see their new leader, believing that Rick is dead. Rick climbs over The Kingdom's bus, blocking the hole made by The Saviors.

Rick approaches Negan and calls him out for all of his doings. He tells him that he must be the dumbest person left alive, throwing Negan off. He explains that the survivors are trying to live the best they can and be safe while dealing with a psychopath who kills them for not giving half of their stuff. He elaborates that the two sides can work together and make the world better, not like how it was before, but close.

Negan in awe by the realization, agrees with Rick who then swiftly slices his neck with a knife. Negan clutches his neck and drops Lucille, dropping to a knee Rick stands over him and announces to the other Saviors that they have the option to leave now or fight and be the cause of their leaders death. Negan, fueled by rage tackles Rick down and the two begin to brawl. Dwight halts some of the Saviors as they go to help Negan, telling them, "Let them fight."

Just then, Paul and the flanking squad charge at The Saviors from behind. During the attack Michonne is bashed in the head but is saved by Ezekiel who is nearly killed. A bolt then thrusts through the mans skull as he collapses. Dwight catches the dead man as Ezekiel thanks him. Dwight warns Ezekiel that more men are coming and to take the bolt out of the guys head so his cover is not blown.

Rick is knocked down onto the ground and kicked repeatedly in the gut by Negan as he loses more and more blood. Rick throws up a kick which is caught by Negan, who exclaims, "Fuck-- you." before breaking his leg. He laughs at him as he screams in pain before collapsing next to him, passed out. Rick, struggling to get up looks over to see Dwight approaching him. Andrea screams at him from the wall, her sights aimed at him, to not to take another step.

Dwight looks over at her and hollers back that he is on their side and picks up Lucille. Dwight gathers his men's attention and orders them to retreat. He asks them to follow him as he were Negan and his men return to camp. Harlan, followed by Maggie and Carl rush over to Rick and begins healing him. Rick orders Harlan to heal Negan first much to his opposition; at the cost that his leg may not heal correctly in the future.

The Conclusion
Negan is handcuffed to a bed, his neck wound patched. Rick, his leg in a cast and in crutches meets negative feedback about his decision letting Negan live. He replies that the reason that he lives is that they are better than him but he will be punished for his actions. Rick asks where's Carl and is helped to Negan's room.

Carl stands over the former leader of The Saviors with a gun in his hand. Rick tells him to stop as Carl explains that he made the wrong decision letting him live. He persists that he has to die, but Rick won't allow it. Negan begins to stir and Rick orders everyone out of the room.

Rick asks how long has he been conscious to which Negan replies that he has been in and out for a while. He asks Rick what will he do to him to which Rick reveals his punishment; life in prison. Rick looks down at him and adds, "You're going to rot in jail until you die an old man, Negan. You're fucked."

After the War
Once Negan and the threat of The Saviors was dealt with, Rick returns to Alexandria with the residents there to rebuild their community. No longer needing a military leader, The Hilltop returns to normal life with Maggie Greene as their new leader. Presumably, Ezekiel returned to The Kingdom with his few remaining fighters and resumed their normal life there. Dwight returns to The Sanctuary as the new leader of The Saviors. The end of the war marks the official disbanding of the need for an armed militia, although the four communities remain allies.

After Alpha's attack, Michonne immediately proposes reforming the militia to attack The Whisperers, a suggestion Rick declines.

Members

 * Rick Grimes - Leader
 * Paul Monroe - Leader
 * Maggie Greene - Leader
 * Ezekiel - Leader  (Deceased)
 * Carl Grimes
 * Andrea
 * Michonne
 * Aaron
 * Heath
 * Eugene Porter
 * Kal  (Deceased)
 * Holly (Deceased)
 * Eric (Deceased)
 * Richard  (Deceased)
 * Nicholas (Deceased)
 * Arnold (Deceased)
 * Shiva  (Deceased)
 * Unnamed Alexandria Safe-Zone residents.
 * Unnamed Hilltop members
 * Unnamed Kingdom members.

Killed Victims

 * Gary
 * Davis
 * Mike
 * Donnie
 * Many unnamed Saviors.
 * Numerous counts of zombies.

Deaths

 * Eric
 * Richard
 * Shiva
 * Holly
 * Denise Cloyd
 * John
 * Kal
 * Nicholas
 * Marcus
 * Richard
 * Arnold
 * Many unnamed Kingdom residents.
 * Many unnamed Hilltop Colony residents
 * Several Alexandria Safe-Zone residents.

Appearances
{{Scroll
 * content=

Volume 20: All Out War - Part One

 * Issue 115
 * Issue 116
 * Issue 117
 * Issue 118
 * Issue 119
 * Issue 120

Volume 21: All Out War - Part Two
}}
 * Issue 121
 * Issue 122
 * Issue 123
 * Issue 124
 * Issue 125
 * Issue 126

Trivia

 * This is the first group where other single groups have merged to make one larger and stronger one.
 * This is the first army or militia formed post-apocalypse to be commanded by the protagonist's group.