Rick Grimes (Comic Series)

"This world has scarred us, mentally and physically. We carry those scars with us--each and every day. They serve as a reminder of what we've lived through--what others have done to us to survive... sacrifices made... all to get us here. To this point. To have so many of us here. To be safe. To be so close to the way things were before. I used to think we had to put our humanity on hold... embrace a savageness in order to survive... because our world, the one we knew, was never coming back. I was wrong. We are on the road back, I can see our future ahead of us, and it is bright. We no longer live surrounded by the dead. We're not among them--not living on borrowed time... We do not live minute to minute, in minutes stolen from us by the dead. We can be happy... we can be content... we can have peace. We can live again. WE ARE NOT THE WALKING DEAD! At least we don't have to be. Not anymore. I think of this world as a gift... even after all the pain it's caused me. It's a chance to rebuild things... better than they were before. We haven't worked as hard as we have just to bring back old, flawed, unfair systems. We deserve a better world. A world we will appreciate... because of what we've just lived through. We should have an elevated sense of respect for each other... because we know what we've all lived through. But that's not the case, is it? We don't seem to have that respect for each other. And you're clinging to old ways... where the few live a position of power over the many. Why? Governor Milton... I was wrong to support you. I was trying to keep the peace... hoping you would see the error of your ways eventually... that change could come from within. Now I see you for what you truly are... someone who craves power above all else. You would lead your people... into killing each other... just to maintain that power? I ask you, people of the Commonwealth... is this the kind of leader you want? That you deserve? [...] Then let your voice be heard! Take charge of your lives... bring about a Commonwealth that works for you... rather than against you. If you don't want Pamela Milton to lead you--then don't let her lead you!"

- Rick's last inspirational speech to the citizens of the Commonwealth.

Rick Grimes is the former protagonist and a survivor of the Trials first encountered in Issue 1 of Image Comics' The Walking Dead. He is a former police deputy from Cynthiana, Kentucky, who was shot in the line of duty and fell into a coma, only to awaken and find himself in the midst of the apocalypse. He searches for his wife, and son, and encounters many survivors along the way. He gradually becomes the leader of the group and is often faced with many leadership struggles, overcoming them and changing his mindset to prioritize safety in numbers. His leadership qualities and experience lead him to become the leader of a sizable community near Washington, D.C., continuing to deal with many human threats along the way that cost the lives of his friends and loved ones. He acts as the main instigator in the war against the Saviors and years later, leads the network of communities against the Whisperers. Rick was eventually able to reform a large network of communities known as the Commonwealth, but was unceremoniously shot to death soon after by Sebastian Milton. Several years after his death, Rick is remembered as the person responsible for uniting everyone and for inspiring communities to change the world for the better and for the future of civilization. In honor of his decisions since the start of the apocalypse, a statue was built in his homage and his story keeps inspiring future generations.

Cynthiana, Kentucky
Rick experienced an average childhood, where he grew up alongside his younger brother Jeffrey, his father was a noble man who taught him about the moral lessons of bravery and integrity to where Rick inherited his personal moral code from. Throughout elementary school, Rick firmly defended his younger brother from bullies, however he frequently lost these fights which resulted in Rick getting beaten up by his peers, these losses occasionally caused him to lose confidence in himself, his father consoled him with the boys don't cry speech to which Rick tried his best to adhere to but never properly prevailed in.

Academically, he entered college for police administration with the intention of becoming a police officer. During his sophomore year, his parents made Rick chaperone at a New Year’s party set up by them, but his parents had to attend another party elsewhere. Thanks to his younger brother, he was introduced to a high school senior named Lori. Although there was some chemistry between them, they couldn't explore a possible relationship, due to Lori moving away to attend college as well. Despite this, Rick and Lori kept in touch with each other while he finished college. After Lori dropped out of her first year in college, she returned to Cynthiana, where they could finally develop their relationship. Soon after, Rick and Lori were wed, so Lori became Lori Grimes.

During this time, Rick officially became a police officer, where he was assigned a partner, and soon best friend, Shane. Life for Rick was perfect, with a burgeoning career in the police force and the happy news of Lori's pregnancy. Soon they had a son whom they named Carl.

Days Gone Bye
At the beginning of the series, Rick was wounded in a shoot-out, and was put into a coma for about a month. Upon awakening, Rick finds the hospital and the rest of the town desolated and overrun by zombies. Rick remains dazed by all of the confusion as he stumbles out of the hospital and onto the streets of Cynthiana. He makes his way out of the hospital and uses a bike to get back to his house.

He arrives and finds it deserted, he breaks down and after a few minutes heads outside to think, however he is soon hit in the back of the head with a shovel. He wakes up, having been knocked out by the blow to the head, and sees that he is in the house of his old next door neighbors. He is greeted by a man named Morgan Jones, who explains that he and his son Duane Jones have taken refuge in the house. He informs Rick of the outbreak that has happened during his time in a coma. Morgan also informs him that the government was telling everyone to go to Atlanta. Rick is overjoyed upon hearing this, as he sees that Lori might have taken Carl to Atlanta to stay with her parents. He also realizes that he will need both a car and guns. To accomplish this, Rick takes Morgan and Duane to his police department and supplies them with guns, ammo, and a car. He then leaves Morgan and Duane in Cynthiana, so he can go to Atlanta. Along the way, Rick's car runs out of gas, so he decides to continue the trek on foot. Along the way he finds a farm house and goes inside to try and borrow some gas. Upon his entry, he sees that the entire family killed themselves during the initial outbreak. He goes around to the stable, and finds a horse and a hatchet (this becomes his main weapon throughout the rest of the series). He rides the horse for the rest of the trip to Atlanta.

Upon arriving in Atlanta, he finds the entire city overrun. His horse soon becomes spooked, and falls over. The horse is quickly swarmed and eaten, leaving Rick to try and fend for himself. He is, however, thankfully saved by a man named Glenn, who rescues him and leads him to safety along the outskirts of the city, where Glenn stays in a makeshift camp with another group of survivors.

Upon meeting up with the survivor group outside of Atlanta, Rick finds Lori, Carl and Shane. He also meets new survivors including a man with an RV camper named Dale, two sisters taking a road trip named Andrea and Amy, an emotionally burdened man named Jim, a mother named Carol and her six year old daughter Sophia, and a family of four with father Allen, mother Donna, and four year old twins Billy and Ben. Shane explains to him that he was taking Lori and Carl to stay with her parents until the outbreak was over and that he would go back for Rick. Rick quickly takes up a place with the survivors as a hunter along with Shane. During one of their trips Donna is attacked by a zombie that wandered into camp. Rick asks Shane if they could move their camp away from the city but the proposition was rejected. Rick accepted this but realized that they would need guns.

The next day Rick goes into Atlanta with Glenn. They find a gun store and collect as many guns as they can carry and barely escape the city without dying. This gains Rick favor with the other survivors. He also trains them in target practice. A few weeks later the camp is once again attacked, leading to the death of Amy and the infection of Jim. The group decides (against their will) to leave Jim outside of Atlanta, so he can reanimate and be with his family. After these events, and seeing that the only reason this attack happened was because Shane would not move the camp, Rick confronts him, but Shane punches him in the face. After seeing this, Lori smacks Shane and yells at him. Shane runs away but Rick chases him and confronts him once more on what had happened. Shane turns out to be more hostile and attempts to shoot Rick with a shotgun. Rick is saved by his son Carl, who ends up shooting Shane in the neck. The group buries Shane and, after becoming the leader of the group, Rick abandons the Atlanta Camp in search for a safer refuge.

Miles Behind Us
While on the road, Rick and the group meet up with a man named Tyreese, who is traveling with his daughter, Julie, and her boyfriend Chris; although Lori has some reservations about them, Rick invites Tyreese to join their group. Rick spots a walled-off neighborhood called Wiltshire Estates and since it is around twenty miles from Atlanta, it should be relatively safe. While in the process of clearing out the first house, Rick is tackled by a zombie, and saved by Tyreese, gaining Rick's trust. They discover that the house was overly stocked with canned goods, and would make the perfect new residence for the group.

They spend the night in the house and in the morning set out to kill all of the infected in the neighborhood. Rick splits the group into two teams, one headed by Rick and the other by Tyreese. Rick runs back to the RV to grab Tyreese a gun and discovers a previously snow-covered sign that says that the entire neighborhood is festering with zombies. He runs back to the group to inform them that they have to leave, but he is too late, as Donna had just been bitten in the eye.

This event causes Allen to become emotionally compromised, but Rick manages to convince Allen to leave his dying wife. The rest of the group then escapes Wiltshire Estates.

Later, Rick, Tyreese and Carl go hunting. Carl is accidentally shot in the shoulder by another hunter named Otis. Rick, in a fit of rage, places a gun to Otis' head and threatening to kill him. However, Tyreese stops him by saying that Carl is still alive. Otis suggests that they go to his friend Hershel Greene's farm, where he can patch him up. While Rick and Otis run to the farm, Tyreese returns to the RV to inform the other survivors of what had happened. Tyreese and the survivors reach Hershel's farm just as Rick and Otis arrive with Carl.

Rick watches in fear as the two strangers operate on his son. Hershel removes the bullet, stops the bleeding and leaves Carl to rest, so he can introduce Rick's group to his family and friends, Lacey, Arnold, Maggie, Billy, his young daughters Rachel and Susie Greene, and Otis' girlfriend, Patricia. The group stays at the farm while Carl heals.

Rick confronts Hershel about allowing his group to stay in his barn so that they don't have to sleep in the RV anymore. Hershel protests saying that he has been placing all of the zombies that they have encountered in the barn. This information sets Rick off and they begin yelling at each other leading to the discovery that Hershel's oldest son Shawn Greene was bitten and turned at the beginning of the outbreak and that he is in the barn at that moment. Rick tries to explain that it is not his son but Hershel keeps denying the fact and walks off. Carl fully heals and as a show of gratitude Rick gives Hershel the rest of their spare guns and invites them to target practice. Rick hosts the target practice next to Hershel's barn but Hershel screams for them to stop saying that his neighbors' house is next door.

They see another zombie walking in the field outside the fence, and Hershel shows his technique for trapping zombies in the barn. However one of the zombies falls against the barn door and they break out of the barn. Arnold and Lacey attempt to save Hershel but are both bitten and killed. Hershel realizes that there is no saving the zombies and finally accepts that they must be killed. Hershel shoots Arnold, Lacey, and Shawn as a form of closure.

With the barn now cleared out Rick and Allen begin cleaning it up so that they can sleep there. However Rick finally cracks and runs off to yell at Hershel about staying in the rooms of the house. This leads to an argument and Hershel informs Rick that after Carl is fully healed he will throw them out of his house. Rick returns to inform Lori of this. She is outraged and goes to yell at Hershel. Lori begins a fight with Hershel and Rick intervenes. The fight ends with Hershel about to smack Lori when Rick stops him. Hershel places a gun to Rick's head but he is stopped from executing Rick by Otis who takes Rick's side. Rick decides that they will leave and packs everyone into the RV. Glenn decides to stay to live with Maggie, while Rick and the group leaves. The group continues on the road until Dale and Andrea see a prison in the distance.

Safety Behind Bars
Rick instantly sees the prison as a new hope for the group. With three rows of fences, and heavily fortified buildings, he really feels it's the best place for them to start a new life.

The group begins the long process of cleaning out the prison and fixing the fences that had been damaged, when they find that four inmates had been hastily locked in the cafeteria when the place had begun to be overrun. The leader of the inmates, Dexter, introduces the other inmates to Rick's group as Axel, Andrew, and Thomas Richards, as well as giving a tour of the prison to the group. In the weeks since the outbreak, these inmates had survived by the stockpile of food in the cafeteria's pantry, as well as using the walk-in freezer as a latrine.

Wary of the new people, the group attempts to continue the work of fixing up the prison while Rick traveled back to Hershel's farm to bring them all out to their new place. Apparently, things at the farm hadn't been going so well since the weather was warming up, and zombie attacks were on the rise, so the group is happy to come live at the prison. All seems well until Rick is awoken by a gunshot and rushes to see that Chris had killed Julie in a suicide pact by firing too early.

Julie reanimates without being bitten resulting in the revelation that all of the survivors were infected. Julie's corpse attempts to eat Tyreese, who is in turn saved by Chris. However, instead of gratefulness, Tyreese is infuriated and proceeds to murder Chris as Rick looks on in shock. Rick wakes up the next morning after having informed the group of what had happened the previous night, and sees Tyreese burning the bodies, and after a quick talk the two proceed to clear out the rest of the prison.

Hershel brought with him many of the supplies he needed to farm, and begins planting a garden in the prison yard so that they have a renewable source of food for the weeks and months to come. The inclusion of Hershel and his family allowed the group develop a sense that things would be safe from now on.

Upon the revelation that a bite doesn't turn a person, Rick travels back to the Atlanta Camp to dig up, and shoot Shane, commenting, "You were a good man, Shane, I don't know why you did what you did, but you were a good man.", among other things. He then heads back to the prison, having given his final words to Shane saying, "And I ain't gonna bury you again you son of a bitch."

Meanwhile, the feeling of peace at the prison is short-lived, as tragedy strikes when Hershel's two youngest daughters are found murdered in the prison's barber shop. The survivors instantly blame Dexter, the inmate who had told them he had been incarcerated for murder, locking him in his own room while they decide what to do. It eventually turns out that the murderer was actually Thomas, who attempts to murder Andrea. Rick disarms him of his knife, and in a fit of rage, beats him brutally, almost to death. He then precedes to tell the survivors that Thomas is to be hung, and why.

Later, he goes to Dale for medical attention for his hand, which was broken and mutilated by the severity of his attack on Thomas, though he stated he "doesn't regret a thing".

However, before they could hang Thomas, Patricia lets him out of his cell in an attempt to rescue him from his death. Instead of gratefulness, Thomas attempts to kill her resulting in Maggie shooting him several times. They then throw his body out for the zombies to feed on. Rick allows Dexter to leave his cell, and then, with Lori, tries to decide on what they should do with Patricia. This is interrupted by a force consisting of Dexter, Andrew, and Patricia all wanting to force Rick's group out of the prison.

The Heart's Desire
The three soon realize that they hadn't shut the door behind them leading to the prison's A-block. The courtyard is soon swarmed with zombies. Rick sends Lori and the kids back into the prison and forces the "rebels" to assist in clearing out of the courtyard. Rick saves Dexter from a zombie about to kill him, but Dexter is incredibly ungrateful and coaxes Rick with the thought that he should have let it kill him.

Rick then takes the opportunity of the mass confusion to kill Dexter and cover it up as friendly fire. This event is only witnessed by Tyreese who is mortified by Rick's actions. The group finishes the clearing of the zombies, and they let Otis into the prison, as he had stayed at the farm to watch over the livestock. During this induction to the prison, the group also allows in the person who had saved Otis's life while he was outside of the gate: a katana-wielding woman named Michonne. They confiscate the katana from Michonne in fear of another possible uprising of the prison.

The group begins to burn the bodies of the newly killed zombies. As this occurs, Andrew runs out into the wilderness, to his awaited zombified state. The group decides to move on to more pressing issues as Andrea calls a meeting. Andrea, with the assistance of Axel, brings out the prison jumpsuits to make into clothes for the other survivors.

After the meeting, Tyreese confronts Rick with understanding of his decision to murder Dexter. After this course of events, Rick takes Dale, Axel, Tyreese, and Allen to clear out the A-block. Along the way, they find the prison's library, in which Allen is nearly attacked. After this takes place, the group splits up, Dale and Tyreese leave one way, while Rick, Axel, and Allen go another.

Along the way, Dale and Tyreese find a massive generator, meanwhile Allen gets bitten on his ankle. The group carries Allen out into the prison courtyard, where Rick proceeds to amputate his leg. Hershel shows up to assist and stops the bleeding.

The next day, Rick gets his bandages removed by Dale, and then proceeds to be a comfort for Carol, who unbeknownst to Rick, had just kicked Tyreese out of her cell for having an affair with Michonne. Rick then gets Lori to try and see how Carol had been taking things and what made the two of them split up. However, instead of a lamenting Carol, they were presented with an overly distraught Carol that had just slit her wrists in front of her daughter Sophia. Rick and Lori proceed to bring Carol to Hershel who would take care of her, and nurse her back to health.

Rick takes it upon himself to bring the sudden turn of events up to Tyreese, whom he finds in the arms of Michonne. Infuriated at the realization that Tyreese had actually cheated on Carol with Michonne, Rick proceeds to blame not only the suicide attempt on him, but his daughter's death on him as well. This results in a fight in which both parties wound up tossed over the second floor of the prison and on to the ground where they proceed to briefly pass out.

Both Tyreese and Rick are awoken by Glenn and Maggie. However, before they can resume their fight, Andrea enters the room to inform the group that Allen had died. Rick proceeds to get up and shoot him before Allen could reanimate. Suddenly, Michonne and Hershel witness Rick blacking out.

Rick woke up the next morning to find Carol sitting above him, the two talk about the current status of the group before she kissed him with much passion. Rick informed her that he would have to tell Lori, and she left just as Dale walked in. Dale tells him that he won't be the leader anymore, and that the group agreed on forming a committee. This committee consists of Rick, Hershel, Dale, and Tyreese. Rick walks outside to tell everyone he killed Dexter to protect all of them. "You think we hide behind walls to protect us from the walking dead?! Don't you get it?!" he taunts the group.

"We are The Walking Dead"

The Best Defense
On the next day, the generator is running out of gas. Glenn and Rick are about to go get some gasoline, and they spot a helicopter in the sky that is about to crash. Rick tells Glenn to get a car and they proceed to go into the forest to search for survivors, accompanied by Michonne. They discover the wreckage of the helicopter and multiple sets of footprints: Rick surmises that the possible survivor(s) were carried away somewhere close by.

After following the footprints leading away from the crash site, they found a little town called Woodbury. Suddenly, a gunman tells them to get down, and shoots the zombies. A survivor named Wes drags them to Woodbury, and another man named Caesar Martínez, tells Wes to collect their weapons.

He says it's their way to deal with safety and that he can show them around. A fellow survivor, introduced as The Governor, tells Martínez that he can take it from here. Martínez accepts, and The Governor takes the three with him on a tour of the town. Eventually they are led to an arena and Rick asks why they have an arena filled with chained zombies. The Governor explains it replaced television, and tells them that they feed the zombies with strangers.

The Governor's right hand men, Gabe and Bruce, are revealed to be aiming their guns at Rick and the others. The Governor wants to know where they came from but Rick disagrees, claiming that the three of them were on their own.

The Governor doesn't fall for Rick's bluff, and Bruce puts Rick's head onto a table. The Governor tells Rick he doesn't understand the situation, and proceeds to cut off his right hand. Rick proclaims he'll kill the Governor before blacking out. Michonne jumps on The Governor and bites his ear off, but Bruce captures her. He tells The Governor to say the word, and he can snap her neck, but The Governor tells him not to.

Rick is taken to Stevens, Woodbury's head doctor while Glenn and Michonne are taken into cells. Stevens patches up Rick, and when he wakes up, he tries to attack the doctor. Stevens' assistant, Alice, gives Rick a sedative and he falls asleep. Later, Rick wakes up once again and realizing that Stevens isn't like The Governor, asks what's going on. Stevens explains and says that The Governor is a monster, but he did bring a sense of normality back to the town, and reveals that The Governor's name is Philip.

The man himself shows up and wants Stevens to change the bandage on his ear. Rick and The Governor are having a tense discussion, and the latter says that Glenn told him all about the Prison and in thanks, let him go. He leaves a fearful Rick by implying that he had someone track Glenn's movements back to the Prison, saying that "if he's stupid enough to go there, he'll lead us right to it."

Later, a cage fighter named Harold, wants Stevens to fix him up and asks both Rick and Stevens if they will go see the fight planned later; they both decline. Another fighter named Eugene rushes in, and says Harold knocked his teeth out. Harold apologizes but Eugene says that sorry isn't going to cover it, and stabs him in the neck. Stevens tells Rick to help him stop the bleeding, but it is too late.

Martínez pops in, and notices Rick's injury. When asked about what happened, Rick starts to attack him. Stevens stops the fight and tells Martínez to leave. Later, Rick and Alice are talking about Lori, and their child. Martínez splits up the conversation, and tells Rick they have to leave immediately.

Rick is surprised, and tells Martínez not to touch him. Martínez says he has noticed that The Governor has become a real monster, and he has Glenn with him. They leave, and take Michonne, Alice and Stevens with them. Michonne leaves to deal with The Governor. As they are leaving the town, Stevens gets bitten by a roamer. He tells Alice to take the supplies he has with him and go on.

After escaping, they spend a night in the crashed helicopter. Michonne gets back, and when asked about The Governor, she says she isn't sure if The Governor is dead or not. They then start to head back to the Prison.

This Sorrowful Life
When they arrive, Rick discovers that the other survivors had accidentally left the gates wide open for zombies. Glenn, fearful of Maggie's safety, takes their car and drives into the zombies, wrecking the vehicle in the process. Rick and the others go help him, and Rick discovers a zombified Otis. It's assumed Rick shot him. Dale and Andrea discover them from the RV, and Dale tells Rick he saw Otis killed and that Hershel was bitten; the others he can only guess that they made it back inside. The group manage to carve a path through the roamers and reach the doors leading into A-block.

In A-block, everyone is happy to see each other. Hershel confirms that he wasn't bitten, and Carl and Lori are overjoyed to see Rick, but Carl is freaked out from the sight of Rick's missing hand. After explaining to a tearful Lori that it wasn't infected, Rick is told by Tyreese to stay with his family while the others head out to start burning the zombies. While burning them, Rick realizes Martínez hasn't been seen for hours; he's gone to tell The Governor and his men where the Prison is located.

Rick takes Dale's RV and runs over Martínez, crippling him. He kicks Martínez' gun out of his hand and confronts him. Martínez explains that while he was sent by The Governor and that he was going back to Woodbury, he was only going to bring the good people back with him to the prison. Rick reminds him what their people did to him and Michonne. Lastly, Rick strangles Martínez to death. Rick returns and calls for a meeting. Shortly before the meeting, he tells Lori what he had done and asks her if doing this to protect the group makes him a bad person. At the meeting, Rick tells everyone they have to be ready when the Woodbury people get in the Prison.

The Calm Before
Weeks after, the group begin to prepare themselves in case The Governor tries to take the Prison. Almost immediately after Rick's meeting about Woodbury, Dale suggests finding the National Guard station that Woodbury has been getting their supplies from. Eventually Dale (and Tyreese) convince Rick that finding it is essential for their survival and they take a group out to search for it. While Rick wishes that he could be out there with them, he understands that he is unable to due to missing a hand.

While they are gone, Lori tries to tell Rick about her brief relationship with Shane but he stops her, telling Lori that he already knows. He also acknowledges the possibility that the baby isn't his, saying that his family is "all I have left in this world," and that he understands why she did it. He tells Lori that despite this, "I just can't hear you say it." Several days later, Lori goes into labor. Rick and Hershel rush Lori into the infirmary where Alice immediately starts to prep Lori. After several hours, Lori gives birth to a daughter who she decides to name Judith.

After Rick hears that a roamer was brought within the walls, he furiously goes out to shoot it only to be stopped by Alice who wanted to study one and to potentially develop a cure to fight off the infection. Also still angry, he allows it to stay on the condition that it's moved further away from the common area. One day, Carol approaches the roamer and allows it to bite her. After she reanimates, she is shot by Andrea and buried next to Allen. Several more weeks pass by and things start to return back to normal. One day, while Rick and Hershel are inspecting the garden, they are shocked to notice big trucks and a tank containing The Governor starting to assemble in front of the Prison's fences.

Made To Suffer
The Governor and his army begin shooting into the Prison group. Rick tells everyone to get down and Andrea (who's up in one of the guard towers) is able to pick off some army members. The Governor orders a cease-fire and tells everyone inside the Prison they have a chance to survive by opening the gates for them.

Nothing happens, and he orders the Woodbury army to resume firing. Andrea almost gets a clear shot at The Governor, but fails, because of her helmet. Realizing that the people shooting from the towers were causing many casualties for the army, The Governor angrily tells everyone to retreat.

A few of the survivors believe that the Woodbury people are giving up, but Tyreese speculates that they will regroup and eventually be back. Rick stumbles and falls down, and Tyreese discovers he's been shot. Andrea and Axel are revealed to have been shot during the skirmish as well (although not fatally.)

In the hospital, Rick's family is praying for his life. Alice says she'll need to take a sample of everyone's blood to see who would be a compatible match for a blood transfusion. Patricia confirms she has O-negative blood and Alice tells her to clean Rick's arm and prepare for a transfusion.

Dale convinces Andrea to come with him and take Billy and Ben away from the Prison. He tries to talk Lori into coming with them and let the Woodbury army take the Prison. Lori didn't want to split up again so Dale takes Sophia with him. At the last minute, Glenn arrives and tells Dale that Maggie and himself want to come as well.

Michonne and Tyreese leave the Prison in an attempt to ambush the Woodbury army in the woods. Michonne kills two soldiers and disappears while Tyreese gets captured. Rick eventually recovers and is told what happened. Rick believes whereas before they had a chance of surviving; now that half the group has left and Tyreese and Michonne went out to ambush the army, there is little hope.

After trying to fix the place and placing barricades, The Governor brings Tyreese in front of Prison gates. The Governor gives the Prison group two choices; they either let The Governor and his people in to the Prison or Tyreese dies. Rick, Hershel, Alice, Patricia, Axel and Billy, from the tower, can do nothing but watch as Tyreese is decapitated after refusing The Governor's offer.

Rick tells everyone that they have to fight or Tyreese died for nothing. In the Prison, later, Rick tells Lori the news and she angrily lashes out at him for not doing anything. She then leaves to feed Judith. Also, Rick tells Carl the news. He isn't sad, because people die all the time. Rick offers Carl to carry the bag, which includes food and some other supplies.

Finally, the Woodbury army arrives for the last time and immediately kills Axel. Hershel and Patricia join Rick in shooting the people from the relative safety underneath the cars. They are able to kill many more of the soldiers and The Governor, in a fit of blind fury, takes command of Jared's tank and drives it through the fences. The survivors begin to run and prepare to leave. Rick finds Alice pointing a gun into Lori's head. Alice quickly explains that it was a ruse in case any of the Woodbury fighters caught them. Rick tells them they have to run and hope they will not get shot.

Outside, after Patricia and Billy are both killed, Rick discovers Hershel. Rick tells him to get going, but Hershel says to go on without him. The Grimes family starts to run and Alice tries to cover them, but is wounded. Alice is then personally killed by The Governor. As the Grimes family nears the truck, Lilly, one of the army soldiers, fatally shoots Lori in the back, killing her and Judith.

As Lori falls to the ground dead, Rick, with tears in his eyes, keeps running and tells Carl to do the same and not turn back. They change the direction they were going (originally, everyone is told to head towards the truck) and start to run towards the zombie horde. Hershel is killed by The Governor, and The Governor is killed by Lilly after she realized she had killed a baby. After Rick and Carl escaped, Carl notices that Lori and Judith aren't with them and tearfully asks where they are. Rick and Carl hug each other as a couple of zombies slowly approach, the Prison lying in ruins behind them.

Here We Remain
After The Prison assault, Rick and Carl take refuge in an abandoned house, where he falls ill and passes out for several hours, leaving Carl to fend for himself. Eventually he manages to recover, and they later meet up with Michonne. After a long and sleepless night, Glenn and Maggie reach them on horseback. Glenn is curious why there are just the three of them and Maggie asks where her family is. Rick doesn't say a word and realizing what happened, Maggie starts to cry.

They leave the road, and go back to Hershel's farm. Andrea, Dale, Sophia, Ben & Billy are in the farm, and Andrea is happy to see Rick and the others again. Carl runs for Sophia and Dale apologizes to Rick for his previous actions.

Later, Carl says to his father that Sophia is crazy. Rick says he can't say that, and to not patronize her. Carl agrees, and Rick goes outside. Dale is with him out there, and says Sophia's only problem isn't sleeping. He says it's not the undead he's afraid any more. Rick confesses that they should have left with Dale when they had the chance. The latter tries to cheer him up by saying to not focus on the what-if's and to focus on the now, saying he'd be dead if he stays focused on it. Dale then offers to talk with Rick about dealing with the loss of a spouse. Rick thanks him, saying they can talk about it later.

Next morning, they meet three new arrivals; Abraham Ford, Rosita Espinosa, and Eugene Porter. They say they need equipment, and Andrea demands that they drop their guns. They have an argument about the what has happened for the past few months, but Rick is able to diffuse the situation. Abraham says they're on their way to the capital and that Eugene says he knows how the plague began. After some convincing, everyone accepts Abraham's offer to leave the farm and go to Washington. Before leaving, Rick tells Carl not to trust anyone, even if they seem friendly and safe. They all leave the farm afterwards.

What We Become
While on the road, Rick continually has nightmares over feeling guilty and responsible for the deaths of Lori and Judith. One night, Maggie tries to hang herself and Abraham decided to kill her before she could reanimate, not knowing that she merely blacked out from the attempt. Rick stops him from killing her and later on, Abraham threatens to kill Rick "the next time you put a gun to my head."

The following day, Abraham saves Rick from being killed by a roamer and chides Rick for being careless, earning some scorn from Rick. After stopping to check their map, Rick proposes to Abraham that they make a detour to Cynthiana to check in on Morgan and Duane. Abraham is against it until Rick informs him that he still has keys to the local police station, giving them the chance to secure some ammo and guns. Abraham eventually agrees and tells the others that him, Rick and Carl will return in a few days (Rick refused to leave without Carl.)

During the first night Rick, Carl and Abraham are ambushed by a gang of bandits. At first the bandits just want their supplies, but one decides to try and rape Carl. Rick attempts to fight back, but is overpowered by one of the bandits. Rick escapes by biting his captor's neck, releasing him. While Abraham shoots the one guarding him, Rick demands that the one holding Carl be unhurt, growling "he's mine!" Rick then proceeds to chase the bandit down and brutally kills him. After the ordeal, Rick learns of Abraham's past and talks with Carl about the things they've both done.

The next day, the three arrive in Cynthiana. Rick goes and tries to find Morgan when he is hit from behind with a shovel. He looks and sees Morgan above him. Morgan notices who it is and drops the shovel. Rick asks him what happened and Morgan shows him a zombified Duane chained up in the house. After hearing how Duane died, Rick offers Morgan to leave with them and go to Washington, handing him a gun to shoot Duane. Morgan instead shoots Duane's chain and agrees to leave with them. After making a trip to the police station (and taking the rest of the guns and ammo), the four of them begin to make their way back to the group.

Unfortunately on the way back, Rick, Carl, Morgan and Abraham encounter an enormous herd, wrecking their car and forcing them to continue on foot. Noticing that their current path will lead the herd back to the others, Rick and the others try to lose the herd by keeping them busy at a nearby farmhouse.

The attempt fails and the herd follows them back to the group. Rick tells the others they must leave now, but Dale has other plans: Fed up with how Rick always seems to put everyone in danger, Dale wants to stay at a nearby house with Andrea and the twins. Eventually, Andrea convinces Dale that they have to leave with them, much to the latter's disappointment.

Fear The Hunters
After meeting back up with the others, Rick and the group continue to make their way to Washington. While on the road, Ben kills his twin brother, Billy. Abraham says they must kill Ben so he doesn't kill everyone else later. While the idea makes his skin crawl, Rick agrees that it has to be done, angering both Dale and Andrea.

Later that night, a gunshot is heard which wakes Rick up, Ben is found dead and both Rick and Glenn (the former being the first one on the scene and the latter who was on watch) says they didn't see anyone approaching the van, leaving the identity of Ben's killer a mystery. They soon meet Gabriel Stokes, who says that he can lead them all to his church which is close by. Following a zombie attack later on, Rick tries to humor Dale who is grieving over both Billy and Ben's deaths. Dale curses Rick and walks away. Rick tells Andrea to tell Dale that he is sorry.

After learning that Dale has vanished, Rick forms a search party to find him. Eventually Rick calls off the search for the day and they leave to go in search of Gabriel's church, promising Andrea that they'll get back to looking for Dale the following morning. She asks him whether Gabriel had a hand in Dale's disappearance and Rick mentions that the thought had crossed his mind.

Rick and the others eventually arrive at the church. Andrea notices someone watching them from the woods and angrily confronts Gabriel, accusing him of having some part in Dale's disappearance. Rick joins in and Gabriel tells them his story. The following day, Dale is found dropped off in front of the church, missing his other leg. Rick notices someone in the woods as well.

Telling Glenn and Abraham to take Dale to the church, Rick starts shooting towards the forest to provide them with some cover. Abraham informs Rick that the ones who took Dale are toying with them; he pointed out that while Glenn was shot in the leg it was to wound him, not kill him. Rick asks Dale what he remembers of where he was kept. After forming a search party consisting of himself, Abraham, Michonne and Andrea, Rick has Gabriel lead them to several possible locations where Dale may have been kept. Rick finds Chris, the leader of the Hunters who took Dale, and after trying to reason with them, leads the others to brutally kill them.

Rick and the others return and Dale thanks Rick for leading their group, dying later that night. After burying Dale and reminiscing what he did to the Hunters, Rick says that Carl probably couldn't bear to look at him if he knew what he had done. Rick hears something behind him; he turns and finds Carl tearfully looking at him. Carl tells his father that he was the one who killed Ben.

Life Among Them
Several weeks later, Rick is seen looking for supplies with Carl in a nearby town. When they meet up with the rest, he asks Eugene if he could try the radio since they are close to reaching Washington; the latter insists that they should wait at least another day. Rick then tries to take it, which results in a struggle and the revelation that the radio had no batteries inside it. When pressured, Eugene admits that he was lying the whole time about being a scientist and is attacked by Abraham.

That night, Rick and Abraham are approached by Aaron who offers them to join the community he lives at called the Alexandria Safe-Zone. Remembering how friendly The Governor was when he first arrived to Woodbury, Rick knocks out Aaron and has him tied up. After fighting off a small wave of roamers, Aaron asks again if they are interested in going. Only after everyone else agrees with Aaron's offer does Rick finally relent and agree to go, later meeting up with Aaron's partner Eric.

As they are closing in on Alexandria, Rick and his group take part in helping two other residents of the Safe-Zone Heath and Scott, who were out on a supply run, return back safely.

Eventually Rick and his group finally arrive at Alexandria. Taken aback by the sense of normality the community has (noting to Aaron that he saw something he'd never believe he'd ever see again: smiling and happy children), Rick is taken to see the leader of Alexandria named Douglas Monroe.

After hearing of his past background as a police officer, he makes Rick a constable and officially welcomes him and his group to the Safe-Zone. However when they arrived, Abraham told Rick that it was a little suspicious that their weapons were taken from them and locked away, hinting that something may be a bit fishy with the community after all. Rick decides that this does seem odd, so he sends Glenn to scout the armory and to find a way to get their weapons back.

Too Far Gone
Rick later learns that one of the other residents, Peter Anderson, has been abusing his wife and son but is told by Douglas that they cannot get rid of him due to him being a doctor.

Rick then argues over the importance of how the residents behave before attacking Pete in his home and pulling a gun out on Douglas when he tells Rick he has to leave. Michonne attacks Rick from behind and has someone confiscate his gun. Rick looks up at her and realizes what he's done. Shortly afterwards, an angry and vengeful Pete tries to kill Rick but ends up killing Douglas' wife Regina instead, leading Rick to shoot him after Douglas gives him permission to do so.

After the funeral of Scott, Regina and Pete, Douglas relinquishes control of Alexandria to Rick, saying that he is no longer fit to run the community. During this time, Pete's widow, Jessie Anderson, moves in with Rick and the two start a relationship with each other.

No Way Out
During a routine sweep of the perimeter, a herd of roamers are seen approaching the Safe-Zone, prompting Rick to initiate the community to help fend off the herd. When they later break through the walls of the Safe-Zone, Rick is seen killing zombies alongside his friend Morgan, who is bitten on the arm during the assault. Later, when he and Michonne took Morgan to Rick's place, Dr. Denise Cloyd arrives to stop the bleeding. Rick is seen hiding in his house along with Jessie, Ron, Carl, Morgan, Denise, Michonne, Maggie and Sophia.

He wants everyone to escape, and come back for the others once they are safe. Everyone except Maggie and Sophia, and later Denise, agree to leave. Rick employs the technique he used with Glenn earlier in Atlanta; rubbing zombie guts on themselves to mask their scent from the roamers, so they'll ignore them. They get out, but Ron unknowingly attracts the roamers to him, causing him and Jessie to get eaten by zombies. As she's being devoured, Jessie is still grabbing Carl's hand and to prevent Carl being eaten, Rick apologizes to her and cuts off her hand.

Douglas, who had resigned himself to be eaten by roamers, suddenly begins to haphazardly shoot the roamers as they approach him. As he is overtaken by them, he fires his gun and accidentally shoots Carl in the head, destroying his eye and taking out a chunk of his face. Rick takes him to Denise and tearfully asks her to save his life. After several grueling minutes, Denise is able to stop Carl's bleeding. Rick goes out and attacks the herd head-on; this, in turn, inspires others to come out and join him.

After killing a good number of roamers, Michonne tells him to go to Carl and they'll deal with the rest. When he arrives, Denise tells Rick that Carl is alive but is currently in a coma. After she leaves, Rick promises Carl that he knows how to turn Alexandria into a fortified community and will do everything he can to make it an overall better place for him and all the other residents.

We Find Ourselves
During the aftermath of the herd invasion, Rick is mainly seen with Carl by his bedside and eventually Carl coughs. Rick is excited about that but Denise informs that it didn't mean anything.

Andrea offers Rick to come over to her house to eat, which makes Rick grateful for her. Suddenly, Denise tells Rick that Carl is waking up. Rick is happy to see his son alive, until Carl asks where his mother is. Rick doesn't answer yet and just hugs him. Outside, Rick asks Denise what he should tell Carl regarding his mother. Denise becomes speechless.

Later, Rick tells Carl about what happened to Lori and Judith. Carl doesn't remember Judith, but notes he's sad about their death. Carl says he remembers the deaths of Amy, Tyreese, Morgan, Jessie and Ron. Rick is surprised he remembers Jessie and Ron. Carl asks if he can go to sleep, and Rick says he can.

Rick replaces Glenn, when a group of survivors goes to scout the immediate area for provisions. Later, he is found by Andrea crying in an office room. When asked what's wrong, he tells her that Carl isn't the same and while talking to him, he saw no chance of his son ever being a little kid again.

After defusing a tense stand-off with Nicholas, he tells Andrea that he actually thought of killing the man while he was reasoning with him. Rick goes on to tell her that he doesn't feel like he can act within a normal community anymore and with everything that's happened, it feels like he died a long time ago. Andrea disagrees, leading her to comfort him with a kiss.

A Larger World
A few weeks later, Rick is told that Abraham, during a scouting run with Michonne, was being held hostage by a stranger. The man introduces himself as Paul Monroe and offers to establish a trade system with their respective colonies. Rick has him knocked out and held in the infirmary.

After talking with both Aaron and Andrea, Rick decides to go with Paul to see the community the latter belongs to and takes Michonne, Glenn, Andrea and (unknowingly Carl) with him. There, he is shown around and introduced to Gregory. Another resident of the colony, Ethan, returns from a failed mission where all of his companions were killed except for himself and a woman named Crystal.

Ethan then tells Gregory he has a message for him and stabs him. Rick tackles Ethan to the ground and in the struggle cuts his throat, while the rest of the residents stare at him, shocked.

Later, Paul tells Rick, Glenn, Andrea and Michonne about a wandering band of killers that both protect and terrify the residents of Hilltop known as The Saviors. Carl asks if they would be willing to trade with the Safe-Zone if they helped eliminate the Saviors, an idea which Rick agrees with.

After some time, Rick is called to see Gregory and discusses the idea with him as well. Afterwards, it seems as if both Gregory and Paul agree with the plan and send Rick's group back to the Safe-Zone with some supplies. Although Michonne is upset by the idea, Rick says that it'd be worth it, saying "We've been surviving in order to reach this moment; where we can stop surviving and start living."

Something To Fear
As they return from Hilltop colony back to the Safe Zone, Rick's group is ambushed by a group of the Saviors. After threatening the group and subsequently killing them, Rick sends the lone survivor back to Negan with a warning to stop terrorizing the residents of Hilltop. He later calls a meeting with the Safe Zone, suggesting that they can protect the Hilltop colony in exchange for supplies. Andrea then comes to visit Rick at his house and says that despite the looming threat of death around them they can still be happy.

The next morning Carl accidentally walks in on Andrea and Rick in bed together, naked, implying that Rick and Andrea had sex. Rick tries to explain the awkwardness of the situation to Carl but Carl says he already knows it all. Rick then hears Abraham's machine-gun fire and tells Carl to stay in the house. Rick then sees another group of Saviors are outside the walls and have taken Eugene hostage. After killing a good number of them (and the rest retreating back to Negan), Rick and Andrea find Abraham's body being eaten by roamers and take it back to the Safe Zone to be buried. When asked by Andrea what do they do now, Rick is genuinely afraid and says that he doesn't know.

Rick assembles a group comprising of Carl, Glenn, Maggie, Sophia, Heath, Michonne and himself to go immediately to the Hilltop to get Paul and others to fight the Saviors. Although they follow the same route Paul showed them, they are unable to make it to the Hilltop in one day.

During the night, Negan and a large group of fifty Saviors ambush them. Addressing Rick by name, Negan demands that the Safe Zone belongs to them now and has to punish them for killing so many Saviors. He eventually decides on killing Glenn, brutally beating him to death with his bat named 'Lucille'.

Rick breaks down into tears and swears that he will personally kill Negan for what he did. Negan dares him to do it and leaves, giving Rick and the others one week before they return for their first offering to the Saviors.Maggie angry at Rick for not doing anything to prevent Glenn being killed, punches him in the face several times calling him a 'fucking coward'. She then stops when Carl points his gun at her and tells her to stop hurting his father, she stops. Carl is then attacked by Sophia. Rick then decides that they can't stay here, they wrap Glenn's corpse in a blanket and drive the rest of the way to the Hilltop.

Arriving at the Hilltop, Rick is greeted by Paul who is surprised to see them again so soon after their last meeting; Rick shows him Glenn's body and Paul immediately takes them all to Gregory. Rick recounts what happened to Glenn and Abraham and Rick punches Gregory in the face and accuses Gregory of withholding information from them.

Gregory says that they didn't know that Negan actually existed; since no one had ever seen Negan in person before, they believed that he was made up by the Saviors to intimidate the residents of Hilltop. Paul resolves to go back with them to Alexandria and see what he can do to help. Rick and the others depart, leaving Maggie and Sophia at Hilltop after they expressed their desire to stay, in honor of Glenn's wish to start a new life there. Before they go, Rick embraces Maggie and promises her that he'll do everything he can to make Negan pay for killing Glenn.

When they arrive back to Alexandria, he sees that the Saviors attacked the safe-zone while they were gone. He fears for the worst, but Nicholas and Andrea arrive, telling him that no one in the community was injured or killed and that they killed a good portion of the Saviors who attacked. After hugging Andrea, she shows Rick another piece of good news; during the fight, they were able to capture one of the Saviors as a hostage: Rick recognizes him as Abraham's killer, Dwight.

After Andrea punches Dwight, Rick tells her to stop. Later on, he tells her about what happened to Glenn on the way to Hilltop. She argues that this is the perfect reason they should be fighting back against the Saviors, but Rick disagrees. He blames himself for Glenn's death, saying that he thought of Glenn and Maggie as hope for a better future. He also says that they had no idea what Negan was capable of doing and was caught back with how apathetic he was while killing Glenn.

Realizing that using the same tactics employed against The Governor will not work in this situation, Rick decides that Alexandria has no choice but to submit to Negan's rule for the time being and releases Dwight, much to the anger and uneasiness of several members of the Safe Zone, including Andrea, Michonne, Carl, and Holly. As everyone disperses, Rick, wanting to know what they are up against, tells Paul to tail Dwight and find out as much as he can about the Saviors and report back.

What Comes After
After Rick sends Paul to tail Dwight, Rick goes back home to find Andrea packing her things. When asked, she says she's still angry about him letting Dwight go and that she's moving out. As Andrea leaves, Rick finally tells her why he did it; Rick wants Negan to think that himself and the residents of Alexandria will submit to his rule. After biding their time and resources, then they can strike back at Negan and the Saviors. Andrea forgives Rick and kisses him, but asks why she was left out of the loop. Rick answers that he did it to keep her, Carl and the other residents safe.

The following day Negan arrives to Alexandria with a group of his Saviors. He demands that their one week is up and that they be let into the Safe-Zone. After menacing Rick to 'not make him ask' to be let in, Rick complies. Negan taunts Rick by demanding that he hold Lucille, the same weapon that killed Glenn, while he goes off to search some houses for supplies with the other Saviors.

After hearing that Denise and Carl are threatening Negan, Rick is able to defuse each situation. As the Saviors leave, Negan takes back Lucille from Rick and says to him, "I just slid my dick down your throat and you thanked me for it.'

After the Saviors leave, Rick is confronted by Denise who admonishes him for his actions. He angrily says that he doesn't want anyone to go off half-cocked again and cause them all to be killed. He also says that he's no longer in charge and if anyone wanted to leave, they are free to do so.

After going home, Rick asks Carl to come have a talk with him, but gets no response. After looking around and not finding him anywhere (and noticing that Abraham's machine gun was missing from the armory), Rick realizes that Carl either went off to find the Saviors on his own or was abducted by them while they were at the Safe-Zone. Him, Andrea, Michonne and Nicholas go off to try and find Carl but are forced back at the end of the day.

As Rick is sleeping, he is awoken by Paul who tells him to come take a walk with him. Paul tells Rick that he knows where the Saviors are holding up at and that when he escaped, he had heard machine gun fire; Rick tells him about when Carl went missing and both realize that Carl is with the Saviors.

They immediately wake up Andrea and Michonne and head off to the Saviors' stronghold. When asked how they will get inside (since the Saviors' base is surrounded by a wall of zombies), Rick says that he will simply knock on the front door; he reminds them that he wants Negan to feel that they are submissive to his rule and that knowing where his group resides will throw Negan off and reveal where Carl is.

While on the road, Rick's group is met by Negan and some of the Saviors going in the opposite direction. Negan says that this was mighty convenient because they were on their way to the Safe-Zone; Rick says that they were on their way to see him. Negan is suspicious and asks what they are doing here but Rick demands to know where Carl is. Negan says, believe it or not, that that was the reason he was heading over and that he can't wait for Rick to see what he's done to Carl.

After hearing this, Rick assaults Negan, but is eventually overpowered. He frees himself by biting Negan's arm, something that genuinely surprises the latter. Negan reveals that Carl was unharmed and admits that he was trying to get a rise out of Rick by implying that he did something to his son.

Negan tells Rick that he can be reasonable and that he also takes no pleasure in killing; he only does it to establish boundaries, "to make people aware of the consequences of their actions. I take no joy in those deeds." Rick says that while he is grateful for Carl not being harmed, "this doesn't change anything" and both Rick's group and the Saviors head back home.

Rick addresses the community and says that Carl was returned safely and that Negan can be trusted; when asked by Andrea what the community will think once they realize that Rick has been lying to them, Rick claims that they will be safe and it'll be worth the risk. After hearing from Carl the information he has about the foundry the Saviors reside in, Paul says that 'it's time that you met Ezekiel."

The following day, Rick and Paul are traveling to see Ezekiel when they are stopped by two men on horseback, and are then taken to a school, known as The Kingdom. Paul tells Rick that Ezekiel and his group of survivors live inside the school during the winter months and during the warmer months, they stay outside in tents.

As they arrive, Ezekiel comes out, greets Paul warmly and welcomes Rick to the community. Rick is taken aback when he sees that Ezekiel has a tiger; Paul mentions that he forgot about that and says the tiger is named Shiva. After agreeing to provide assistance to Rick, Ezekiel says they have another visitor and Dwight appears, admitting that he is one of the last people Rick would want to see but asks Rick to trust him.

Rick is furious and yells that as a member of the Saviors, Dwight can NOT be trusted and he refuses to listen to what he has to say.Dwight then says that Negan has his wife Sherry and that Negan would hurt her if he disobeyed and scolds Rick for thinking he has more on the line. Rick calls him a liar and punches Dwight in the jaw. Dwight says that at first, he believed Rick was intimidated by Negan but found out differently when he found Paul had followed him back to the foundry.

Also, Dwight says that until Rick came along, Ezekiel was the only one who "had the balls to stand up to Negan." He goes on to say that he is willing to share everything about the Saviors and offers to kill Negan himself and bring them his "head on a silver platter."

March To War
It appears that Rick decides to ultimately trust Dwight and proceeds to form an alliance with Dwight and Ezekiel in regards to getting rid of Negan once and for all. After returning to Alexandria, he tells Andrea, Carl, and Michonne about his plan to unite The Kingdom, Hilltop and other communities with Alexandria to fight the Saviors.

When Carl insists that he not be left out of fighting, Rick tells him that he is welcome to join them in the assault. Michonne is upset that she will be fighting again so soon and reminds Rick that she wants to be done with fighting all the time, saying that she ultimately wants to destroy her sword; Rick swears to her that once Negan is gone, she is free to 'melt it down.' He later visits Eugene and inquires about ammo production; he then tells Eugene about his plan. Eugene says that he believed his bullets would be used to fight roamers and as part of the offering to the Saviors, not to kill people; Rick counters that the bullets would be used against people who want to kill them. Rick then tells Olivia that they are going on a supply run, Spencer then confronts Rick and starts snobbishly says that Rick is afraid of Negan, Rick then tells Spencer he is talking bullshit. Spencer then he calls them like he sees them, and asks Rick wether he actually does have a clue to what he is doing. Rick then says he does. Spencer then says it isn't over between them.

Andrea, Carl, Michonne, Heath and Aaron prepare to go with Rick for what is believed to be a supply run, but are told by Rick that they are actually going to The Kingdom. After arriving, he introduces them all to Ezekiel and stops Michonne from attacking Ezekiel when the two cross swords; the latter claims that he merely wanted to see whose sword was bigger.

It is revealed that Rick has assembled quite a few people to take down Negan and the Saviors, including twenty people from the Hilltop and roughly thirty from the Kingdom. He tells Andrea that there is a chance they can launch an assault against The Saviors soon, although he wishes that Abraham was still alive because he was good at planning strategies while Rick isn't. Despite the Saviors having higher numbers, he believes that with Eugene's ammunition pipeline they have a good chance at evening the odds and succeeding.

When Paul arrives with the men from the Hilltop, Rick asks Ezekiel if they've heard back from Dwight; Ezekiel reassures him by saying that they'll have to wait for the right moment. Until then, 'focus our forces on their outposts and take them out.'

Unbeknownst to Rick, Negan arrived in Alexandria several days ahead of schedule and decided to wait for him to return. When Rick arrives back, no one is at the gate and roamers begin to surround the van. While Michonne dispatches them, Olivia arrives, opens the gate and informs Rick that Negan is waiting for him.

Immediately following this, Denise runs over and informs them that Negan slashed up and killed Spencer. Rick flies into a rage and confronts Negan leading to a heated debate between the two men. Negan mentions that he has been more than reasonable (giving Carl back despite him killing several Saviors) and says that he never would have allowed his men to abuse Carl in any way. In a surprising act of charity, Negan says they can keep all the supplies they gathered but Rick refuses, saying that "A deal is a deal."

As Negan and his men load up and get ready to leave, Rick runs home and tells Andrea to get up in the bell tower, saying that it's possibly the best chance they'll get at killing Negan; he also tells her to assemble the rest of the Alexandria defenders and have them up on the wall. As Negan leaves, he sees Rick behind him and wonders why Rick is following them; a second later, the driver of the vehicle is shot through the head. Angry and confused, Negan grabs Lucille and exits the vehicle as another Savior is shot and killed.

As Rick aims his gun at Negan's head, it is revealed that Negan had Saviors outside the walls and they shoot the Alexandria defender's guns out of their hands. Negan claims that they are "fucking fucked" and walks up to Rick, holding Lucille in his hands.

Negan insults Andrea, causing Rick to try and strike him several times. Carl shoots off a portion of Lucille, earning Negan's rage. He shouts for Carl to be thrown over the wall, saying "I want him to pay for what he's done!" Rick tries to object, but Negan demands that they "Give me the boy or I'll bash in all four skulls of the people out here!" Eric tells Negan to go fuck himself. Rick says that if Carl dies, their agreement will be over but Negan states that it already IS over.

He orders his men to line up Rick, Heath, Nicholas, and Holly, then begins to decide who to kill first. Negan and Rick notice a figure falling from the bell tower and both believe it to be Andrea, causing Rick to scream out her name.

Negan says that "she went quick" and invites Rick to sing along as he chooses who to kill. With tears streaming down his face, Rick says 'just get on with it.' Suddenly Paul, who was hiding in the trench, causes a diversion resulting in him taking Negan hostage while Rick and the others to run towards the trench. The Kingdom survivors come up from behind the Saviors and attack them as well.

During the commotion, Negan is able to free himself from Paul's grasp and is able to flee. Rick demands that they follow them but Ezekiel disagrees, saying that the Saviors still outnumber them. Rick then runs towards the bell tower and finds Connor's broken corpse. Inside, Rick and Michonne find Andrea's body; despite all the wounds she received from Connor, she is still alive and Rick demands that they get her to Denise immediately.

Rick has his hand looked at by Denise and is told that it should heal in a few weeks. Rick wryly remarks that's good; "otherwise I'd be out of hands." After both Andrea and Michonne question Rick about losing their advantage over Negan, Rick still insists that despite the attack today, Negan still knows nothing about his overall plan. He then wants to have everyone who's able to fight from Alexandria, the Hilltop and the Kingdom gathered up in a few days and ready to "burn their place to the ground."

As Rick walks through Alexandria with his son, he commends Carl on how he acted during the stand-off and showed that he is someone Rick can count on. Despite this, Rick says that he wants Carl to stay in Alexandria.

Carl protests, saying that he's the only one who knows the layout of the foundry, but Rick says there is another reason; he tells Carl that the Safe-Zone won't be safe when the Saviors come again and due to how Carl handled the Alexandria defenders, Rick wants him to be in charge of defending the Safe-Zone while they are taking the fight to Negan. Carl, visibly disappointed, agrees but only if Rick swears that he'll kill Negan; "I will."

As they return home, Rick is greeted by Paul who says that today's attack could have gone better; Rick says it could have worked, but agrees that from now on their attacks will need to be planned out.

Paul then tells Rick that all of this couldn't have happened without him. Paul sees that Rick is building something that can change the world and wants to be a part of that. He also commends Rick that he's the first one to stand up against Negan: Gregory wanted everything to be smooth and Ezekiel hated Negan, but still obeyed for the most part. "You give people courage, you inspire people to stand up... to fight for what's right. You're a leader we can follow."

All Out War - Part One
Several days later, Rick wakes up and prepares himself to begin the war on the Saviors. He admits to Andrea that while everyone looks to him for leadership, he is doubtful about what he can do and is burdened by Paul's view of him being a leader that people can follow. Andrea assures him that despite this, he doesn't give up and keeps going. She says that "whatever comes of this... it'll be worth it."

Later, Rick meets up with Eugene and asks about the ammunition production. Eugene replies that they have made two additional crates of ammo on top of what they've already produced. Rick thanks him and all the other workers on their contribution towards the war. He then meets both Paul and Ezekiel one last time before he calls for volunteers to go with him and the other two to Sanctuary.

He then hugs both Andrea and Carl goodbye, promising them that he'll be back as soon as possible.

Eventually Rick's army arrives and he shoots twice into the air, getting Negan's attention. Rick offers Negan the chance to surrender, saving lives on both sides. Negan initially plays along and asks what they will do with him and the others who have fought against them already.

Rick recalls back to the rule he made back at the prison where 'you kill, you die' and if Negan refuses, they'll come inside and "whatever happens, happens." Negan refuses, and reveals to them Gregory, who was kidnapped after the assault in Alexandria. Gregory states that the Hilltop will be siding with Negan, and that any Hilltop resident who refuses will be ejected from the colony. Rick looks to Paul, saying that he'll understand if Paul wants to leave but the latter says he's staying.

Only eight people leave the army and return to the Hilltop, earning Negan's wrath (due to Gregory saying that half of the assembled army came from the Hilltop.) After Negan kicks Gregory off the balcony and admitting that he thought more would leave, Rick offers Negan one more time to surrender. Negan refuses once again and immediately his snipers open fire, killing several members of Rick's army.

He orders them to fall back and to take out the snipers at the windows. Paul notes that the roamers around the walls are getting agitated and asks Rick if he's sure about this and Rick replies yes.

After several minutes, Rick's goal is revealed; all the sound and noise they made by shooting the windows attracted roamers from several miles to begin surrounding the fences (similar to the herd that attacked and broke through Alexandria.) Rick orders everyone back on the buses and, according to the plan made between him, Paul and Ezekiel, will stay behind and ram a truck through the fence to fill the Sanctuary with roamers. He is confident that once Negan finds him, he won't be killed immediately and Rick can potentially meet up with Dwight inside the foundry.

Unfortunately, another member of the army decided to stay behind as well: Holly. Rick orders her back to the bus, but she responds that Abraham's killer is inside and that she has to be the one to carry this out, saying that she's strong. Rick agrees, but still refuses to allow her to do this. She knees him in the groin and steals the truck, driving off towards the fence and leaving Rick behind, who futilely yells at her to come back. He is then somehow able to make his way back to the rendezvous point and says that the army shouldn't be celebrating right now; "the war has only just begun."

As the army is camping outside, Rick tells his forces about the next phase of his plan: with Negan having to focus his attention towards eliminating the roamers that threaten his life and those inside Sanctuary, the Saviors are essentially cut off from the rest of the world. Therefore, all of the Savior's outposts are now vulnerable and will be easier to attack and conquer. He tasks Michonne to take a group back to Alexandria to provide support for Carl and the other defenders while himself and Ezekiel will take the remaining militia and divide into two groups to take over the outposts.

Rick and his squadron focus their attack on one of the more fortified outposts. The fighting goes back and forth which results in numerous casualties on both sides, including Eric. They are eventually able to kill all of the Saviors except for one; they use him to gain access inside. Despite the Saviors inside putting up a struggle, Rick, Paul and the remaining survivors are successful in killing the remaining Saviors and take over the outpost.

After returning back to Alexandria, Rick is informed by Michonne that Ezekiel's group was annihilated when they attempted to take another outpost. Alarmed by this, Rick orders a meeting inside the church to discuss this new development.

He surmises that Negan must have eliminated all the roamers as well as discovering that Rick's Army overtook a Savior outpost, thus sending more troops to the remaining ones as reinforcements. Just then, an explosion occurs nearby. Rick goes outside and sees a house demolished and asks if there was anyone living inside; fortunately, he's told that it was one of the vacant houses. However, he discovers the source of the explosion; Negan is outside the walls with a large number of Saviors easily as big as the group that arrived the night Glenn was killed.

Although Negan threatens Rick with more grenades, he insists that he's here to strike a deal; unsurprisingly, Rick doesn't believe him until Negan brings Holly out of a truck. Rick only agrees to talk when Holly is safely inside the walls, to which Negan agrees and lets her go. Rick leads Holly (who is blindfolded and unable to see) back to the Safe-Zone and once she gets inside, he orders the gate closed. Unfortunately, Holly was killed and reanimated earlier and Rick unknowingly lured her now-zombified state into Alexandria and she bites Denise's arm several times.

Rick shoots Holly while more grenades are thrown over the wall and begin to explode. As he orders for a knife to amputate Denise's arm, Heath is caught in one of the explosions and ends up getting a leg blown off. Denise pulls away from Rick, saying that it's too late to save her, but not Heath and carries him to the infirmary.

Amid the explosions, Rick runs to find Andrea and Carl. Finding them, he says the perimeter houses are vulnerable and that they must leave. Another explosion goes off right behind Carl, blasting the three of them forward. He frantically shouts for Carl and carries him to Denise.

Rick lays Carl down on one of the gurneys and asks Denise to check him for burns or shrapnel, despite Carl saying he's fine. He makes his way to the front gate and Andrea asks him about the gunfire that came from outside the walls. Puzzled, they both look around to see who drove the Saviors off. He is amazed to find that it's Maggie as well as a squadron from the Hilltop.

She tells Rick that she's brought help from the Hilltop and asks how bad the damage is. Rick asks if she's in charge of the Hilltop now but before she answers, he blacks out from shock due to the attack.

All Out War - Part Two
About an hour later, Rick wakes up in Denise's house. Harlan Carson, the doctor from the Hilltop, says that he suffered a concussion from the blasts and is doing fine. When Rick asks for Denise, he is taken to a separate room where she is along with Heath. Heath says that she's in the final stages of infection due to being bitten by Holly and will die soon.

Rick leaves them alone and meets up with Andrea, Carl and Michonne. He is told by Michonne that Ezekiel and his remaining troops have suffered enough losses and plan to leave. Rick asks if the walls are still intact; Andrea replies yes, but there's not much else. Rick goes outside and sees the total devastation from Negan's bombardment that Andrea was referring to; numerous houses have been damaged/destroyed as wells as casualties including Charles, Betsy and the entire Orson Family.

Rick begins to place blame on himself, but Andrea justifies it. Nicholas comes up and announces that he's leaving Alexandria with his family, saying it's no longer safe. Maggie is planning on returning to the Hilltop and he wishes to take his family with them. Rick has no objections and says that he doesn't expect anyone to. Realizing the damage done was too great, Rick announces that they are all leaving Alexandria.

After talking to Ezekiel, Rick is approached by Paul and tells him that Eugene and his crew are gone. He says that although the building was swarming with roamers, there were no signs of a struggle and they are probably alive; however, due to the building being in the direction the Saviors were going, he believes that Negan captured them. Rick acknowledges this and says that they're too valuable for Negan to kill, but there's nothing they can do right now.

Paul attempts to volunteer and rescue them, but Rick glares at him and firmly says "No." After the funeral for the deceased, Andrea and Rick are packing their belongings to leave. Andrea asks if Maggie is fine with them moving to the Hilltop, Rick says she is. Rick notices the telephone he found after the prison and hesitates, wondering whether he should take it. Andrea asks if there is anything else Rick wants to bring, saying there's still room in the bag. Rick says no, leaving the phone behind. He takes one final look at the ruins of Alexandria before getting on the bus and traveling to the Hilltop.

That night, Rick goes up to the wall to see Andrea. When asked if Carl's asleep, Rick replies that with everything going on right now, no one is probably getting any sleep tonight and also Carl's too busy reading to go looking for him. He says that he's got a busy day tomorrow and has to get some sleep. Rick says that the only way he's guaranteed to get any sleep is to curl up next to Andrea "where I know I'll be safe." Andrea smiles and wishes him goodnight, promising to wake him up if anything happens.

Rick wakes up the next morning in Andrea's lap, commenting that it was the best night of sleep he's had in awhile. He tells her to get some shut-eye because he needs her ready to go in case of an attack. Rick later goes and meets up with Earl Sutton, reintroducing himself. He asks Earl that after the war is over, if there's a possibility for him to make Rick a prosthetic for his missing hand. Earl says that with everything he's heard about what Rick's done, he'd be happy to do so. Just then, the rest of Ezekiel's forces arrive at the Hilltop from the Kingdom.

Later that day, Rick has a meeting with Paul, Ezekiel, and Maggie regarding their next move. Ezekiel says that it was smart to move all their forces in one spot in order to be easier to defend; Rick agrees but also says it's a downside as well since they've "put all our eggs in one basket." He decides to spend the whole day reassessing their resources, manpower and weapons in order to prepare for the next Savior attack.

Paul reveals that there's a small town about a half mile away from the Hilltop that can be used as a staging ground for their forces. Rick agrees and says that it could also serve as a rendezvous point in case the Hilltop becomes compromised: seeing the looks on everyone else's faces, he says that he's only preparing for the worst. Rick estimates that it'd take about one full day to set this whole plan in motion, hoping that Negan will take longer than that to strike again. He contemplates the safe zone through the window, unaware that The Saviors are in the nearby woods watching the Hilltop.

Rick is seen eating with Andrea and many other members from Alexandria, Hilltop and the Kingdom. He notes how much food they have here. When Andrea asks if they'll be staying for good, Rick says they'll go back to Alexandria when Negan is defeated. Looking at the other survivors around him, Rick says that he looks at the world and "I just don't see how Negan ever defeats this."

Soon, Kal notifies them all that the Saviors have arrived. After refusing to talk with Negan, the Saviors break down the front gates and swarm the Hilltop. Rick orders the survivors to open fire, destroying the truck that smashed through and killing several Saviors in the process. During the firefight, Rick takes Nicholas and Aaron to box in the attackers. While they take cover, Rick unknowingly leaves himself vulnerable from behind.

Negan, who got separated from the other Saviors and has Dwight with him, notices this and the former demands that Dwight shoot him. Dwight shows some hesitation, but is ultimately forced to shoot Rick. An arrow pierces Rick's side, taking him down and possibly infecting him with the zombie virus.

After a few hours, the sun sets and Nicholas manages to help an injured Rick go back to the house. Eventually, several survivors injured by the Saviors' weapons start getting sick and dying. A knife coated in zombie-residue is the proof they need to realize that everyone injured by The Saviors, no matter how minor the injury is, will die.

Twelve hours later, several survivors have succumbed to the infection, but Rick continues healthy. He realizes Dwight shot him with a clean arrow and orders a small group to leave Hilltop through the back exit to outflank The Saviors when they arrive.

Negan arrives, yelling that he knows Rick is dead and demanding whoever passes as a leader to go out and talk to him. Much to his shock, Rick shows up. They start talking about the whole meaning of the war, with Rick showing several reasons why the war won't end well for all sides, and that their communities could do so much better united. Eventually, Negan agrees, commenting he now sees things from Rick's point of view. Just as he says this, Rick slashes his throat.

Negan falls down, and Rick announces that the war is over and that they have a doctor who can save Negan. With his last strength, Negan brutally attacks Rick and breaks his leg before finally passing out. As Dwight takes control of The Saviors and the survivors arrive to help, Rick insists to save Negan first.

With his leg bandaged, Rick explains to the others that he won't kill Negan because they're going, from now on, rebuild civilization and he'd like to "skip the ugly parts". He then makes a speech to all survivors about the rebuilding ahead of them.

Later, Rick notices Carl is gone and immediately deduces he went to kill Negan. He arrives just before Carl pulls the trigger and manages to convince Carl to not kill him.

Negan wakes up and asks that he's kept him alive, and now what. Rick then responds saying they will undo the damage Negan did and he will rot in jail while watching the survivors thrive without him, finishing off saying "he's fucked".

A New Beginning
Two years have passed since the end of the war with Negan. During this time, Rick has Alexandria rebuilt and transformed into a thriving sanctuary. Due to his leg never healing properly after it was broken by Negan during the war, he is unable to have a more active role in the community and decides to take more of a behind the scenes approach to leading Alexandria. Rick has also changed his appearance now appearing with a number two haircut and a long beard to avoid being swamped by too many admirers.

Because of his leg never properly healing at the knee, Rick uses a cane to walk comfortably. He also has a prosthetic made by Earl Sutton to cover his right hand. Carl decides to be a blacksmith and wants to apprentice under Sutton, but Rick is hesitant to let him. He overhears that a new group were saved by Paul and Aaron's group so he decides to check them out to see if they'd like to join Alexandria.

He meets Magna and tells her the rules: they can stay as long as they surrender their weapons for two weeks. After discussing it with her other members, Magna agrees to the terms and is welcomed into the community. Rick then meets with Eugene, who reports on the munitions factory report and the herd duty. He says Eugene has become too valuable and won't go out on herd duty anymore.

After a long day, Rick returns home and is met by Carl, who tries again to let him go to the Hilltop to apprentice under Sutton. After some convincing, Rick agrees to think about it. Later, Rick and Andrea have a talk about how he's growing up. Andrea says to Rick, "your boy is growing up". Rick smiles and says, "Our boy".

Rick and Eugene are walking towards the mill when Rick asks if his relationship with Rosita is okay. Eugene says that he thinks it is. Rick questions what he meant and Eugene says that  he's not sure if Rosita really wants to be with him and that he may make his fear of her leaving him a reality. Rick says that maybe he shouldn't do that.

Olivia is inside the mill, getting ready to take a new batch of bread out of the furnace soon. Rick says that he never realized how much he missed the smell of fresh bread. Eugene tells Rick that things are going well enough to start gearing towards ramping up production and when Alexandria has a surplus, they can start trading with other communities. Rick tells Eugene and Olivia that he doesn't think they realize how valuable the mill is to the community.

He says that if things keep progressing they way they are now, bread could be more valuable than bullets soon. Olivia says that she's felt that way for a while and is glad that the world is catching up to her. Eugene tells Rick that they should be getting over to the factory. Rick says that his speed won't slow them down. Rick thanks Olivia for showing him around the mill and states that it's amazing. Mikey arrives and asks if there's any more deliveries.

Rick says that Carl's told him that Mikey's been apprenticing here and asks how he likes it here. Mikey says that it's alright but he only does deliveries and that he wants to be able to one day run the entire mill by himself and that he just wants to make his dad, Nicholas, who died during the war with the Saviors, proud. Rick places his hand on Mikey's shoulder and says that he believes Nicholas would be very proud of him and to keep up the good work.

Carl is waiting for Rick to return from the mill on the porch of their house. Rick tells Andrea to give them a moment. Carl tells his father that he did nothing that day besides hanging out with Josh and carving some wood. He says that doing nothing felt wrong and that he needs to learn how to do something. Rick says that he knows how Carl feels. Carl stands up and asks him if he really knows how he feels.

He says that everyone worships what Rick's done. Rick tells Carl to calm down and that he's going to have to save his strength for tomorrow. Carl asks what's happening tomorrow. Rick tells his son that he's been holding his son back from taking on a trade while all his friends are working and that he just wanted to hold onto his 'little boy' a while longer and that he's sorry for doing that. He tells his son that him and Carl will be going to the Hilltop when Carl interrupts Rick mid-sentence with a hug, thanking him.

Carl asks if he can tell Josh, Rick says sure but Carl's already taken off, leaving Rick to look after his son as he runs away.

Negan says to Rick that his least favorite part of the day is shitting in a bucket but it's also his favorite as Rick has to be the one to come get it. Rick says that he's only bringing him food and that someone else will be out to clean his bucket later. Negan asks if Rick is taking Carl to the Hilltop, slightly shocking Rick.

Negan says that him and Carl are friends and that Rick couldn't break that bond. Negan asks if the creaking he can hear is a windmill, making Rick say that life would go on without him just as he said it would. Negan tells Rick that he's just getting things ready for him, and that he won't be in his cell forever.

Rick says that he knows Negan will die behind bars, Negan says that he won't and that deep down, Rick knows he should have killed Negan. Rick asks Negan if he's noticed that he doesn't use profanity all that much anymore and asks why that is.

Negan says he doesn't see the point and that it's best to save his energy. Rick tells Negan that it's not it and that "It's because I've fucking neutered you like a dog. You've got no fight left, you pathetic sack of shit." Negan stares at Rick angrilly as he turns around and leaves, telling Negan to enjoy his food.

Rick and Carl saddle up on horseback as Anna hands Carl a note. Rick teases Carl and says that it is a love note. Carl feels embarrassed and asks Rick to stop teasing him.

On the road, Rick and Carl pass by many people patrolling the area for roamers. They eventually stop for a lunch break when a few roamers begin walking out of the woods. Rick grabs his hatchet and tells Carl not to shoot unless it is needed.

Rick kills two roamers and then his leg gives in, Carl having to shoot the remaining roamers as Rick nearly gets bitten. A guard in riot armor approaches Rick and Carl. The rider dismounts and apologizes for the area not being clear, as he had just cleared it 5 minutes ago. When the rider realizes that it is Rick he apologizes even more.

Rick is angry and begins to beat the rider with his cane. Once he tries to protect himself in the fetal position, Rick stops. Rick asks the rider who he is and where he is from. The rider tells his name to be Benjamin, and he is from The Kingdom. Rick screams at Benjamin telling him that others would be grateful for this job and that he messed up badly. Rick says that he hopes this is is his first incident. Benjamin tells him that it is and that it won't happen again.

Rick and Carl arrive at the hilltop, where Rick is swarmed by admirers, much to his annoyance. Maggie takes him to see her child, named Hershel in honor of her late father. Maggie remarks that Hershel's peaceful sleep was only made possible because of the sacrifices Rick made in the past, which shocks Rick.

Rick protests that Maggie sacrificed as much as he did and deserves more credit. He, along with Maggie, Harlon Carson and Carl, are utterly shocked when Marco reveals the walkers were speaking.

Later, Rick and Maggie have a talk about the past and how everything has changed, and how the world is much more peaceful, and that things are almost better than they were before the apocalypse. Rick remarks that he still misses some of it, also saying he misses Maggie and "even after all this time", he still misses Michonne.

The next day, Rick, along with Maggie, Hershel, Carl and Sophia, sits on the deck of the Hilltop Mansion and watches the sunset, remarking how beautiful it is.

Whispers Into Screams
Rick prepares to leave and has a chat with Carl about remaining in the Hilltop and the letter he received from Anna. The two part ways with love, though Rick looks back at Carl with worry, and he leaves via carriage back to Alexandria. Rick then arrives back at Alexandria safely and is greeted with a passionate hug by Andrea. Rick then notices that Andrea and Magna are getting along really well and asks what he missed.

Life And Death
Rick and a group from Alexandria meets Ezekiel at Oceanside as they wait for a fishing crew to return from its expedition. The crew, of which Michonne is a part, docks, and Rick talks to her about her reasons for leaving the Kingdom and Ezekiel, with Rick declaring her his best friend.

Rick and crew return to Alexandria and is immediately confronted by Dwight. He reveals his disinterest in leading the Saviors anymore and tells Rick to find a new leader. This idea is met with Rick's suggestion that they hold a vote.

After the Saviors leave, Rick briefly meets with Andrea before going to see Negan. He is shocked to find the gate open and Negan sitting in his cell in wait. Negan reveals that Olivia had failed to lock the gate, and he decided to stay in order to gain Rick's trust a little. However, Rick tells him he still distrusts him and says he will NEVER trust Negan. Rick then leaves an angry Negan.

Later that night, Rick explains to Andrea that he is trying to set an example by keeping Negan alive, and that his "you kill, you die" rule was a poor rule of thumb.

With the fair preparations in full bloom, Maggie and the other Hilltop survivors travel to the Hilltop, and Maggie reveals that Carl's gone missing, likely headed after The Whisperers. Rick makes the decision to go after Carl, with a crew of Andrea, Michonne, and Dante.

The crew is traveling on the road when they run into a group of Whisperers. They take Rick with them to their main base, where Rick is reunited with Carl. He implores Carl to try and escape with him, but Carl declares he wants to be with Lydia. Alpha arrives shortly after, with her machete mattered with blood, Rick angrily asks what she has done before being punched in the mouth by another whisperer and says if he has hurt Andrea, Michonne or anyone in his community he will remember this, wiping blood from his lips. Alpha then escorts him at gunpoint to a building to reveal a field of zombies, which she says she would use to destroy Rick's community and is NOT an empty threat.

Rick asks her what she wants, to which she replies nothing, because he has nothing to offer her. She tells how she walked through the streets of Alexandria, calling their lifestyle a joke and a lie, a shrine to a long dead world. She says they are all animals who have always pretended otherwise, telling him the life of her people are true, that they live full lives the way they are meant to be, while his people strive to return to a live of slavery and petty desires instead of recognizing the gift the new world has to offer: freedom.

In response, Rick tells her that she's full of shit, asking if the ones who call her Alpha are truly free. Free to wear human skin and sleep out in the cold. He tells her that it's all bullshit to keep the sheep in line and answering to her. An overblown power trip. She then reaffirms her position that humans are animals and need an Alpha and a Beta, lest there be chaos.

They arrive back at the camp, where Rick tells Carl that they're leaving. The boy protests they won't leave without Lydia. He replies that they have a chance to leave in peace and that Lydia's place is with her mother. Carl then reveals that sometimes, at night, the men do things to her, and that her mother lets them, to Rick's shock. He angrily questions Alpha if that's true. Alpha asks why do they pretend rape is such a powerful act and does so much damage, since it is part of a nature far older than the word itself.

Rick then asks Lydia about it, she says it's true, that it hurt her and she didn't like it, but her mother said it wasn't something that should bother her, but knowing that there are people out there willing to protect her in ways her own mother doesn't, she can't go back to her old lifestyle.

Alpha says that emotion is something they can't afford, a weakness. That pain is supposed to be endured without emotion, something for the weak, and that Whisperers are not weak. That the world is not for the weak, not for the victims, but for the strong. She walks away and kneels, crying. When Lydia approaches, Alpha punches her, leading to Rick's intervention.

Alpha whispers in Rick's ear that she can't offer her daughter the life she needs, not there, not safety, but he can. To avoid the other Whisperers' intervention, she yells saying she doesn't need their help. She then banishes Lydia from The Whisperers.

Before Rick, Carl and Lydia can leave, she mentions she marked a border at the edge of their territory, telling them to never cross it again, or else their horde will cross onto theirs. Eventually they find the horses dead and the group gone. Rick, Carl, and Lydia jump onto the horses and ride for a while until Rick discovers the border marked by Alpha.

12 spikes with decapitated heads on top of them including Olivia, Josh, Carson, Tammy, Luke, Erin, Ken, Amber, Larry, Oscar, Rosita and Ezekiel. Distraught by the sight of the decapitated heads Rick falls to his knees and angrily asks himself why Alpha would ever do something this monstrous. They are later joined by Andrea, Dante, and Michonne. Andrea then asks Rick what do they do now.

No Turning Back
Michonne reaches to put down Ezekiel when Rick stops her saying he can do it for her. She pushes him to the ground declining his offer. She later apologizes to Rick and opens up to him about her and Ezekiel's relationship. She tells Rick that there is something wrong with her. Rick replies with, "there's something wrong with all of us.".

After helping put down the rest of the reanimated heads, Rick leads the group back to the fair. He addresses a crowd, telling them "I'm afraid I have terrible news." Rick reveals to the crowd what has happened to the 12 missing people.

After a funeral service, loved ones of the deceased approach Rick. They begin to yell and demand war and retaliation. Rick tells them that they should not try to rush into things and that they need to be well prepared. Marco calls Rick a pussy and suggests Maggie should lead all of the communities. Rick asks Maggie what he meant by that. When Maggie tells Rick that she executed Gregory, Rick explodes on her, yelling and screaming that she has ignored everything he has been saying, and that she is ruining everything he has built. Maggie says that he snapped and is too crazy for her to follow his lead, which enrages Rick. Rick punches Maggie across the face with his cane. Maggie jumps onto Rick, beating him, saying that this is all Carl's fault for going after Alpha.

They later apologize to each other. Rick decides to go home and get rest. On his way home he gets glares from the community. As he walks inside he sees Eugene and Andrea. Eugene explains that these people aren't smart and that they want to go into battle half-cocked. Eugene goes on to explain that they have one advantage over Alpha they have overlooked, they have her daughter.

Eugene pitches Rick the idea of using Lydia against Alpha as a form of payback for the recent massacre of the colony members. He argues that Lydia has killed people as well and has lost her innocence, even going so far as to say they would kill Lydia if the Whisperers call their bluff. Rick dismisses the idea several times, saying that the girl is still a child, and she will not be put in any more danger. Andrea asks Eugene to leave, and he storms out of the house.

After Eugene's departure, Rick and Andrea speak about how Lydia will not be safe as long as Eugene and the other survivors have the same idea in their heads. Andrea agrees to escort Carl and Lydia to the Hilltop until the hostility blows over and they can form a more concrete plan.

Afterwards, Michonne is shown stealthily sneaking into the Grimes house, katana drawn, and sneaking up the stairs. When Rick pulls a gun to the back of her head, she explains that she was only trying to find Lydia and get her to safety. She fills Rick in with how Eugene's words are getting around town, and that tomorrow will be a very rough day for Rick. They go to the kitchen and talk over drinks.

Rick breaks the ice and asks Michonne how she has been holding up since Ezekiel was killed. She begins to cry a bit, explaining that she is upset and angry, then tries to dismiss it and leave, but Rick tells her to wait. He explains that she needs to stop pushing people away.

Rick begins to open up to Michonne, telling her about how he had started to grow distant towards Lori when he was still a police officer. His work brought to him experiences that Lori would have a hard time sharing even if he wanted to, making his emotional reactions increasingly inescrutable to Lori. When he found out about her and Shane, he did not really blame either of them, but he was still hurt. By contrast, Andrea and Rick have lived through a lot of significant experiences together. They understand each other and have no secrets from each other. They have bonded and grow together to an extent that he did not even think possible before. Rick feels closer to Andrea than he ever was to Lori.

Rick goes on to speculate that perhaps Michonne has a bad habit of feeling undeserving of happiness. Rick feels that Michonne let her ex-husband have the custody of her two daughters and pushed Ezekiel away from her life because at some level she wants to punish herself for no good reason.

He goes on to offer that Michonne is likely to move on and learn to live and be happy despite her losses and guilts, yet deep down she will hate herself for that. Rick himself feels that he would not manage to be quite as happy as he is now had Lori and their daughter Judith not died. He would still bring them back if he had any means to, but the fact of the matter is that there is nothing he can do to advance such a goal. As such, he has to accept reality for what it is and go on despite all the conflicting feelings, as has Michonne.

Michonne asks him if the pain will ever go away, and he answers point-blank that it will not, prompting a rare emotional outburst from Michonne. She begins to cry openly and admits that she never stopped missing Ezekiel, but at the same time felt that she was punishing herself properly for having failed her daughters. But now she sees that this is just a sick, pointless game of imposing needless guilts on herself for no good reason.

Rick encourages her to perceive the current situation as "being even": she lost Ezekiel, so she can allow herself to let go of the guilt over her daughters as well. Now she better let go of all dark feelings and pursue happiness as opposed to punishment. Michonne cries a bit more, wipes her tears and smiles at Rick, telling him that he is messes up yet she loves him.

The next day at Alexandria, the citizens are furious that Rick will not strike back at the Whisperers. The angry crowd becomes even more furious after Rick tells them that he has sent Lydia away for her protection. A small scuffle ensues and quickly escalates as everyone starts to fight one another. After being tackled, Rick gets up and pulls out his gun. He fires a shot into the air and aims at the still group of people. He tells the Alexandrians to go home or he'll shoot them dead. He explains that they will resume talks the next day when everyone has calmed down. That night, Rick goes to Negan and states that he needs his help. Negan has a grin on his face.

Negan becomes delighted as Rick states he need his help. However, Rick says he will never unlock his cage, which makes Negan feel embarrassed. Rick informs Negan about the Whisperers, and Negan asks Rick are they "us" or "them". Rick is about to leave, but Negan convinces him to stay. Negan gives him advice about him being the leader, and tells him that he has to lie to keep people alive and happy. Rick leaves and Negan starts to smile. Rick greets Eugene, who tells him that the radio is working but there is no one out there. Rick tells Eugene he wants to form a military, train people to use guns, and be prepared for the war with the Whisperers. Grinning, Rick says to Eugene the Whisperers "won't know what fucking hit them," which gives Eugene confidence as well.

Later that night as Rick is leaving Eugene's house, he is suddenly confronted and pushed to the ground by two hooded men. One of the hooded men proceeds to beat Rick while his hood happens to fall down, revealing him to be Morton. He is then told to stop by the other hooded man, who is revealed to be Vincent, and is subsequently tackled to the ground. Morton fights back against Vincent and then leans in to pick up Rick's walking cane. Rick intervenes by biting into Morton's neck, in which he dies in the process due to blood loss. Rick succumbs to his injuries and falls unconscious.

Rick, after being found by a panicking Maggie, is taken to Dr. Carson's house where he is surrounded by Jesus, Maggie, and Michonne. Rick tells Michonne to go find "him", after which she is then seen chasing after Vincent. Rick walks outside to see his people while Maggie is convincing him to go back in and get cleaned up and recover. Rick states, "they need to see me like this."

Rick proceeds to give a speech and talks to his people about how he was attacked by "two of our own" and that he is "Scared of things going back to the way they were." He goes on to say that he "Doesn't want to return to those days", in which he lost the ones he cared about, especially Lori and Judith. Rick states that they need to move forward instead of back. During this, Dwight and Laura walk in, Dwight having left the Saviors' leadership. Rick says that "out of frustration we attacked ourselves" as a retaliation to the "multiple heads on pikes" incident in Issue 144. He informs them that an army is being formed so that they can "wipe the Whisperers off the face of the Earth." Vincent is then brought up to the podium in which Rick forgives him for his actions. At the end of his speech, the crowd begins to chant Rick's Everyone is seen chanting "Rick Grimes" and Negan's cell is shown. Negan smiles while saying to himself, "'atta boy."

Call To Arms
Rick and Dwight are training a group of people whom has volunteered to be part of the communities new militia. During training the group draws out a sizable pack of zombies for practice. For a moment it seems they may have overreached but Dwight assumes command and gets them out of the situation. Rick meets with Dwight afterwards and compliments him on his military instincts and implies that he wants him to become a leading figure in the militia. Dwight complains that he left The Sanctuary to avoid having to be a leader but Rick tells him it's too late and that they need him.

When they return to Alexandria, Maggie is getting ready to depart for The Hilltop. Rick asks her if she has decided how many people she can send to join the militia. She tells him that because Paul has decided to stay she could probably send ten but possibly more. Rick thanks her and tells her to inform Andrea, Carl and Lydia that they can come back. Rick heads home but Vincent catches up to him and thanks him for keeping him around. Rick assures him that killing him would only serve to rob him of the opportunity to make up for his one mistake and do more good. While talking to Vincent about this he suddenly stops to think and heads to Negan's cell. Negan wonders what he can do for him this time but Rick tells him he's just checking up on him, much to Negan's delight. Arriving at his home Rick discovers Gabriel waiting on the doorsteps. Gabriel tells him that having served as Alexandria's official reverend is something he is grateful for and feels he's been good at. Nonetheless, he has decided that protecting peoples souls aren't enough for him anymore and asks to join the newly formed militia. Rick agrees and says that he can start in the morning.

Going inside his house he finds a sleeping Michonne who awakens upon his arrival. She tells Rick that she is going out on the boat again with Pete but Rick argues that she shouldn't anymore and that he needs her at the The Kingdom to assume the vacant leadership left by Ezekiel. Michonne tells him that she saw this coming and admits that the people there need her to lead them but herself needed someone to push her in the right direction to actually commit. The conversation then turns to the Sanctuary which also lacks leadership since Dwight left. Rick asks for Michonne's opinion and she tells him she'll think about it and asks how old Carl is.

Rick meets Brandon, and tells him he is sorry about Morton. Brandon attacks Rick, but Rick knocks him over and states he has to behave or Rick will kill him. Michonne catches the two and Rick leaves. Later Paula informs Rick that the keys to Negan's cell are gone. Rick and Michonne run to the basement and see an empty cell.

Rick and Michonne walk up to the gate and come to the conclusion that Negan most likely escaped with Maggie's group headed to the Hilltop. Michonne and Aaron talk with Rick about going after Negan. Aaron tells Rick if Negan was smart, he would just leave and never come back, but Rick tells him that Negan will probably try to hurt Rick, the Alexandrians, and destroy everything they have.Rick asks Paul, the man who shot Marco, about what had happened. Paul tells Rick he was scared and that he thought Marco had snuck in like Alpha had, and that he was just trying to prevent more deaths. A shocked Rick then walks away, while Paul gets worried about what will be done with him. Later, Andrea returns to Alexandria and angrily asks Rick about the "SILENCE THE WHISPERERS" signs set up around Alexandria and is horrified to see that he has suffered severe injuries in her absence. When she tries ask what happened to him, Rick tells her that he has become a "better leader".

Andrea and Rick are arguing in their house. Andrea is telling Rick to take down the signs, to no avail. Rick says the people of the communities need to direct their anger towards someone, and it can't be him. He reveals to Andrea of the plan to hurt Lydia and how he was attacked. He says he's manipulating the residents for their own good. Andrea says he sounds like Negan, to which Rick responds with silence. He tells her there's something she should know. Later on, he is seen with Siddiq, asking him to report straight to him if he see's something.

The Whisperer War
A week after Negan disappeared Negan turns up with Alpha's decapitated head and shows it to Rick and Andrea, who are very hesitant to believe and trust him. Negan reassures them that he only wants trust. He says Rick's way of thinking is inspiring and tries to convince them that his time in prison has rehabilitated him. He says he could've taken several chances and attacked Rick, but he didn't. He wants to fight with him, not against him. Rick finally agrees to let Negan out of the cell, but not in a community. He will live in an outpost, alone, with only enough food and weaponry to keep him surviving. He is not allowed these freedoms yet, though. He is going to be monitored for a long time and will fight on the front lines against the Whisperers. He will earn his freedom after the war, unless he slips up, in which case he will be immediately killed.

Rick speaks with Dwight on how this war will be different; it won't be a land war. They have the advantage in terms of firepower and strategy, unlike in All Out War. They won't attack until the Whisperers retreat, and when that happens they hunt down and kill every single one. They will also need people on horseback to redirect the herd of roamers. Rick remarks that although he doesn't trust Negan, he is a great asset to have. He asks Dwight to keep an eye on Negan, and Dwight agrees.

Rick laments to Andrea on not being able to fight in the war. Andrea mentions how she will be spending most of her time in the bell tower, making sure nobody slips through. He asks if she agrees with him on Negan, and she says that at first she wasn't sure about his call, but she has grown to trust Rick Grimes regardless of whether or not she trusts Negan. Rick addresses the people of Alexandria who are not fighting. "We are safe" he assures them, "and we are doing everything in our power to remain safe. There is no cause for worry."

Annie, Andrea, and Eugene praise Rick on his speech. Rick asks Eugene what he has been working on, but he tells him he cannot say anything right now. Andrea is on lookout when Rick arrives with lunch for her. He jokes he should have made Negan carry him around for breaking his leg, but Andrea says that would have been too good for him and dying on the front lines is better. Later, Rick is seen looking over maps to see if there's an advantage point to be found, telling Andrea he just wants to be "of some use". Later, Rick comments that Eugene had been busy making ammunition for them. However, Rick hopes that none of it will be used.

Rick is then seen questioning Heath and Vincent on what happened with the Saviors. Later at the bell tower, Rick tells Andrea that she not only has to watch for the Whisperers, but also the Saviors.. Andrea asks if things are that bad, to which Rick replies they might be and all they can do is be prepared. Rick and Andrea are discussing what to do if a herd or the Saviors approach; 2 rapid shots for the Whisperers and 3 rapid shots for the Saviors. Andrea mocks Rick's old man act, and he comments that being behind the walls is making him soft. Andrea disagrees with him, but Rick stays with his standpoint regardless. Eugene arrives with a large supply of ammunition. Rick greets him just as he falls from the horse, exhausted from working entire days without sleeping or even taking breaks. Inside, he tells Rick that it's the only way he can contribute. Rick tells him he has done a lot more for them than he thinks. They hear a single shot fired and race outside.

The Militia have returned, having defeated the Whisperers much to Rick's surprise. He greets Dwight as the others reunite, and Negan watches on. Dwight comments that they haven't heard from Father Gabriel, and Rick says they will search the area later. He asks Dwight to tell him everything. He explains how they were able to defeat them, but becomes agitated when Rick asks if he's sure they got them all. Dwight mentions it wasn't easy and that there were hundreds of the dead, and Rick yells that they need to get back out there. Dwight says that they won the war, but Rick tells him they didn't, as he saw thousands of the dead that the horde is still out there, heading for Alexandria.

A Certain Doom
Rick and Dwight turn to see the remnants of The Whisperer's herd rapidly approaching Alexandria. Rick tries to persuade Andrea from going out to help lead the herd away but she says that she'll be fine, a statement Dwight agrees with. Rick informs a worried Siddiq that they won't be evacuating Alexandria and that the walls will hold. As the herd starts gathering outside the fence, part of the fence collapses and Rick is knocked to the ground. He watches Paula get devoured and before he is bitten as well, Negan saves him and leads him away from the herd. While hiding from the herd, Negan tries to start a conversation with Rick while they wait for the herd to disperse but the latter stays silent. Eventually, Rick is asked what the worst thing he's ever done and he says to Negan that for him, it was living when so many others didn't who should have. Eventually, the herd thins out enough that the two are able to return to Alexandria. As more walkers approach, they are gunned down by the Saviors, now led by Sherry. A confrontation between the two groups leads to a standoff, but Rick offers to talk with Sherry in order to defuse the situation. Inside, Sherry says that the Saviors want out of their trade deal and then tries to kill Rick. He holds her off and accidentally kills her in self defense.

Andrea arrives back from herd duty and collapses in Rick's arms, showing him her bite. Horrified, Rick calls out for help and has Michonne help bring her to their house. Rick confesses how much Andrea has meant to him but she says to knock off the crying. He laments that despite everything he's done, there wasn't anything he could do to save her. He asks how he'll keep going on without her but Andrea says he will just like when anyone else dies. After professing their love for each other one more time, Andrea passes away. Rick aims his gun at her, but ultimately can't pull the trigger. Then, Andrea reanimates and knocks him down. After trying to shoot her again, Rick pulls out his knife and stabs Andrea in the head. After mourning Andrea's death, Rick remembers her last words of inspiration and goes outside, where members of Alexandria and the Hilltop are there waiting for him. After hugging Carl and several moments of silence, Rick says that "there is still so much for them to do."

Dwight approaches Rick and tells him he got everyone organized and everything back in working order. Rick thanks him and tries to apologize for Sherry's death, but Dwight tells him he doesn't need to. John calls out to Rick and tells him that they respected Andrea and they are sorry for his loss. Rick tells them that he appreciates everything they have done and hopes this can bring them closer to peace. John asks where Sherry is, and Rick tries to remind him where they were before they began to cooperate. John demands to know where Sherry is, and Rick admits she is dead. John points his gun at Rick and tells him any hope for peace died with Sherry. Dwight pulls his gun and tells Rick to go inside, but Rick insists everyone stays calm before explaining that Sherry attacked him and her death was an accident.

Negan steps forward and insists that he handle the situation. He tells the Saviors that they are alive thanks to him and Rick. He offers them the chance to go back to how things were when he was in charge. Dwight starts to panic, but Rick insists they let him finish.The Saviors start to leave, and Negan offers his condolences to Rick. As everyone helps to rebuild Alexandria, Maggie and Michonne carry Andrea's body outside as Rick and Carlhug. They hold a funeral for those who died. Back inside, Carl tries to comfort a despondent Rick before going to bed with Lydia. Rick takes off his shirt and his prosthetic arm before heading outside, and he falls asleep at Andrea's grave.

Lines We Cross
The next morning Rick walks through the burial ground and is greeted by an angry Maggie, who then demands explanation about Negan being free. Rick explains that he is no better than him, since he killed just as much husbands and wives as Negan did. Rick assures Maggie Negan will be on his way very soon. Rick has been informed about the radio, and he arrives at Eugene's with Siddiq. Eugene assures Stephanie Rick can be trusted and the two have a conversation. Rick suggests they should form a route to her community, and Stephanie asks for a day to think about it.

Rick plans to establish a small team to send to Ohio. He is then greeted by Dwight, who wants to have a word with him later. Carl states he will go back to Hilltop and help to rebuild it even if Rick wants him to stay. Rick tells Jesus he wants him to be part of the team that is travelling to Ohio. Jesus declines and tells him he has something worth staying for but will go if desperately needed. Rick suggests Aaron go instead, to which Jesus reveals they are in a relationship and he won’t want to go either. Rick says he is happy for them.

Rick approaches Dwight later in the day and offers him to go on the trip to Ohio. Dwight bluntly declines and challenges Rick's leadership, saying that his current decisions have made him unfit to lead; he cites escalating a conflict with the Saviors, having Negan diffuse said conflict and killing Sherry (even if it was accidental). Angered by this, Rick vows to keep his eye on Dwight and threatens not to provoke him in his current state as at that point, "What's one more fucking grave?" he asks.

Michonne asks Rick about the trip to Ohio, but he tells her he needs her elsewhere. She says the Kingdom will be busy and now is a bad time for her to swoop in and shake things up. Rick says he needs her in Alexandria, but Michonne insists she is going on the trip and she will take Magna, Yumiko and Siddiq. She tells him to take care of himself as Carl approaches and tells him he's going back to the Hilltop. They hug and Rick tells him he's proud that he wants to live his life. While the scavenge team start their journey to Ohio to meet Stephanie, Rick tells Jesus about the Dwight situation. Jesus promises to keep his eye on him. Annie asks Rick to check on Mikey, who had recently lost his mother. Rick comforts Mikey, and talks about their losses.

Rick Grimes encounters Annie at the front gates bringing in a couple of horses. They talk about how Rick is worrying too much about the party taking such a long trip outside the walls and she leaves, telling Rick that Mikey is looking for him. Rick finds him working in the community's garden and helps teach him how to plant some seeds. Aaron and Paul Monroe decide to move from Alexandria back to the Hilltop colony; they find Rick sleeping at Andrea's grave and tell him their intentions. Back in Alexandria, Rick thanks Paul for staying longer than he intended in Alexandria and asks for Maggie to send Carl back if she can to report in. Rick is later seen at Andrea's grave and returns to his house.

New World Order
In Alexandria, Rick hears a poem written by Mikey to help deal with losing his mother. He mentions that it was really well written; Mikey confesses that he had never even knew what a poem was until Annie explained it to him. He says that the words started to come naturally once he started writing. Rick thanks him for sharing, telling the boy that it is never easy sharing feelings with other people; Mikey says that Rick should do one about Andrea, but the latter says he wouldn't know where to start.When Eugene's group returns from the Commonwealth Rick is alarmed to see Eugene carrying Michonne's sword, quickly asking what happened. Eugene explains Michonne gave him the sword after she decided to stay at The Commonwealth, so she could show Rick how much she trusted them. Eugene goes on to reveal that Michonne was reunited with her daughter who is living in The Commonwealth, shocking Rick even more. Rick wonders how this is possible, and Eugene acknowledges it's a mathematical improbability, "but an equally wonderful coincidence". Relieved, Rick states that's wonderful. Eugene says their leader is waiting outside to meet Rick, and Rick in turn asks Eugene to tell him everything he learned about The Commonwealth.

Rick arrives outside to meet Governor Milton. Pamela is somewhat appalled by his appearance. They make their introductions, and Rick is somewhat wary of her styling herself as "governor", before being interrupted by Princess, who is overjoyed to finally meet Rick, much to his confusion. He tells Pamela that some of her soldiers were "rather colorful", but Pamela says that she was told Princess belonged to Rick's group. Princess clarifies that she met the group along the way while they were passing through Pittsburgh. Rick welcomes the new addition, before politely asking Princess to leave him and Pamela to talk, which she does. Resuming their conversation, Rick tells Pamela that he's looking forward to getting to know her, as he had been told a lot of impressive things about her community. Pamela corrects him, stating that The Commonwealth isn't hers, as she didn't found the community, but was merely appointed to administer it after she arrived. Rick acknowledges he did the same, and offers to trade war stories. Pamela responds that she doesn't actually have any, and Rick, frowning, states that he wishes he could say the same. He goes on to ask Pamela about the platoon of soldiers that accompanied her, which she states are for her protection. Rick asks if she could send one of her men out to meet them, and states that he'd prefer if she kept them at a small lookout station, about a mile away, for the duration of their talks. Pamela is worried about the safety of the man she'd send out, but Rick assures her the area around Alexandria is safe. Looking behind him, an unamused Pamela says that she may need all of her soldiers after all. Confused, Rick turns around only to find Dwight standing behind him with The Militia. Dwight warns Pamela that she is mistaken if she thinks they are helpless or vulnerable. Pamela asserts that she is not impressed by The Militia, while Rick furiously tells Dwight to stand down. Rick apologizes to Pamela for Dwight's behavior, explaining that he's the leader of their military and is just making sure they're safe. Rick proposes that Dwight's troops accompany one of Pamela's men to the lookout station, so they could meet her platoon. Pamela agrees to send Mercer. With the issue solved, Rick offers Pamela a grand tour, which she gladly accepts. Maxwell attempts to accompany him, but Pamela says she'll be fine, and walks away with Rick while Maxwell glares at them unamused.

Pamela cautiously asks Rick how he lost his hand, to which he recounts his story with The Governor. Pamela expresses her condolences, acknowledging that makes her title rather awkward, and encourages Rick to call her by her first name only. Rick says it's no trouble, and that he didn't tell her the story to make her uncomfortable, but to point out the kind of people his group has had to deal with thus far. This was partially so she'd understand Dwight's actions, and partially so she'd know what she's up against. Somewhat impressed, Pamela states that things just got intense, but Rick reassures her that they don't have to be, as they'll get to know each other. After taking a tour of the mill, Pamela compliments the taste of the bread. Rick elaborates that Eugene designed the mill, and also fixed the radio that allowed them to contact The Commonwealth. Pamela compliments Eugene's resourcefulness, and states she's excited to learn what he could do with the resources of the Commonwealth at his disposal. Rick is surprised, and somewhat unimpressed, that such a large community needs Eugene, as he'd expect they'd have at least 5 like him. Pamela reassures him that, while they do have their "free thinkers", people like Eugene are always in high demand, which Rick agrees with.

After sampling Alexandria's apples, Pamela asks Rick about his house. When Rick points it out, Pamela is shocked that he lives with everyone else and has the same house as everyone else. Rick tells her that, while he is the leader, his benefits and chores are the same as the rest of the community’s, proclaiming that they're all equal in Alexandria. Pamela questions this philosophy, stressing that people need to look up to Rick and aspire to his level or the whole thing falls apart. Rick retorts that people look up to him because of what he's done and what he continues to do, not because of what he did or has. Pamela asks him about his status before the apocalypse, wondering why he doesn't want it restored. Rick points out that he used to be a small-town cop, and that his house was actually smaller than the one he currently has. He goes on to state that whatever status they had before died with that life and that they have to earn their place in this new world. While assuring Pamela he doesn't want to offend her he questions the system under which the Commonwealth operates. Pamela describes this system as fair, though Rick disagrees. Pamela adamantly tells him that people need something to aspire to and work towards, and that mobility is important. While it may not be possible for everyone, it still keeps things running. She goes on to state that the working class forms the foundation of the Commonwealth, and that you can't build anything without a strong foundation. Rick questions why anything should be built upon the foundation at all, as in his opinion it ruins it by burdening it with supporting others. Pamela replies that that is the world order and always has been, to which Rick retorts that perhaps it's time for a new world order, much to Pamela's dismay.

The Rotten Core
Rick, Pamela, and their entourage reach the outskirts of Oceanside. Pamela is awestruck by the sight of the ocean, which she says she hasn't seen since before the apocalypse. Maxwell corrects her, pointing out that it's more of an inlet, though is quick to praise the sight nonetheless when Pamela glares at him,much to Mercer's amusement. Rick takes Pamela with him to introduce her to Pete. On the road, Princess thanks Rick for allowing her to join them, and Rick awkwardly tells her not to mention it. Princess asks if Rick trusts her, to which he answers yes, as long as Princess isn't acting the way she is at the moment. As Princess continues to babble, Rick stares at her in confusion. Suddenly, Dwight signals from the front for everybody to get down. A herd is blocking their way. Dwight asks Rick if they should let it pass, but Rick rejects this, as even a slight deviation from the herd's current course could result in Oceanside being overrun. Rick wonders where their lookouts are, and how they missed the herd. Dwight points out that Rick, Heath and himself can't steer it alone, but Rick interjects that they're not alone, and notes that the herd isn't that large. Rick informs Mercer about the change of plans, and asks for their assistance in steering the heard away from Oceanside. Mercer coldly states that he won't do anything that might endanger the Governor, but Rick points out that they'll be leading the herd away from Pamela, and not doing so would actually be endangering her. Mercer and his soldiers reluctantly agree.

Even further upfront, Rick and Heath notice the heard breaking away as well, and are shocked to learn Pamela that followed them. As Rick frantically searches for the members of his group, the Militia arrive, and begin killing the walkers. Together they mow down the entire herd, impressing Governor Milton. As the herd is eliminated, Dwight congratulates the soldiers. Rick asks if Dwight had his soldiers follow them, and Dwight confirms, and asks if Rick isn't glad that he had. Rick angrily tells him that if he hadn't pulled Annieand Vincent from lookout duty, they might have avoided the herd altogether, leaving Dwight to contemplate his decisions. Rick and Pamela then go to the Sanctuary and are greeted by the de facto leader John. Pamela is somewhat intimidated by the Sanctuary's appearance, but Rick points out it used to be much worse, and that hopefully times have changed. John appears at the gates, and bluntly asks who Pamela is. Rick introduces her as the leader of the Commonwealth. John apologizes for seeming inhospitable, and invites them inside. Rick commends John's leadership, saying that he really turned things around and John replies that he's "all about making friends now". Afterwards, Rick asks for Pamela's opinion on the Sanctuary. While she is impressed with the community, she is less optimistic when it comes to their leadership, and adds that she sees why they need to be supervised by Rick. She asks what John did before the apocalypse, but Rick doesn't know. Pamela supposes that it doesn't matter and, switching the topic, asks about Negan. Rick is hesitant, claiming it's a long story, but proceeds to tell it nonetheless when Pamela prompts him.

In the morning, as they leave the Sanctuary, Rick asks Dwight if he got any sleep. He replies that he hasn't, as his former home brings out too many bad memories. Rick takes the opportunity to apologize for Sherry, but Dwight interjects, saying there is no need to "reopen old wounds". He adds that he was wrong to blame Rick, and also thanks him for not killing him. Rick humorously replies that thanking him for that doesn't exactly paint the best picture of him. Dwight goes on to elaborate that he always blamed the wrong people, be it Rick for Sherry or himself for Negan's actions, and reveals that Laura has been helping him with that, before she gleefully interrupts him. Rick states that he's glad Laura and Dwight have each other, before looking on saddened as they ride further ahead. After making their introductions, William welcomes Pamela to the Kingdom, adding that the name made more sense when there was a tiger around. Pamela inquires, and Rick recounts Ezekiel and Shiva, and mournfully adds they are no longer with them. Pamela notes that the communities are very colorful and asks how many more there are, to which Rick replies that there is only one left, the Hilltop. On the road, Mercer asks Rick if the roads between the communities are relatively safe, and Rick confirms. Mercer inquires if people in Rick's communities do whatever they choose, regardless of what they did before. Rick replies that "before" has got nothing to do with "now" and goes on to elaborate that people who had more important jobs before tend to stick to those jobs, citing Earl as an example. Mercer asks what Rick was before the apocalypse, and Rick recounts his backstory, asking if his profession in the Commonwealth would be "hassling rowdy teenagers and giving the odd speeding ticket". Mercer, somewhat bitterly, confirms. Rick, in turn, asks Mercer about his profession. Mercer reveals that he was, and still is, a marine.

Rick jokingly asks if he would rather be a florist, but Mercer denies this, as he is quite comfortable in his line of work, though adds that there are people in the Commonwealth who are not. Rick expresses his condolences, revealing that in the DCcommunities everyone usually finds a place where they'll be most useful, and Mercer stoically grunts in reply. As they approach the Hilltop, Rick is dumbfounded at the speed at which the community was rebuilt, as is Dwight. Maggie meets them at the gates, regretting the restoration not being quite finished yet, though Rick praises their work nonetheless. Maggie attributes this to the whole community's hard work, as well as the workers William sent from the Kingdom. Pamela interrupts them by asking about the destruction of the community, and Maggie, annoyed, asks who she is. Rick begins to introduce governor Milton, when he is interrupted by Carl, who is overjoyed to see his father. As father and son embrace, Rick says that it's nice to know Carl has missed him. Carl claims he was also worried about father. Rick is about to ask why, before being painfully reminded of the loss of Andrea. Rick says that he didn't realize he wasn't thinking about the loss anymore until Carl said he was worried. Carl says he was worried he had made a mistake by coming to the Hilltop, as Rick needed him, though Carl thought the people at the Hilltop needed him more. Rick commends his son's actions, claiming he doesn't blame him for leaving and that he needed the time alone. Carl notices Rick isn't using his cane, and Rick claims that he doesn't need it anymore, as the pain either went away or he had gotten used to it. Rick humorously adds he still won't be winning any footraces, and Carl assures him he'll be fast enough for both of them.

At the meeting, Maggie is skeptical about Pamela's good intentions, asking if the proposed alliance would entail trading knowledge and resources or a picture of Pamela hanging in every room and "pledging allegiance to the women who smiles too much". Pamela claims it's the former and, slightly embarrassed, says she didn't know it was possible for a person to smile too much. Maggie claims that it is, especially when one is trying to earn the trust of new people, as everything they say seems like it could be a lie. Rick gently reprimands Maggie for being rude, irritating her even further. Jesus asks about the conditions in the Commonwealth, and Rick begins to tell them about Michonne staying in the Commonwealth, but is interrupted by a shocked Maggie, who asks if Michonne is being kept prisoner. Pamela denies this and explains that Michonne has been reunited with her daughter who had been happily living there for years, and chose to stay with her, as the entire room stares at her in disbelief. Maggie agrees with Rick's plan to visit the Commonwealth, and agrees to the alliance if Rick approves of what he sees there. In the morning, Rick meets Eugene on the road. He is driving a cart full of Commonwealth soldiers, as he figured they'd move quicker with the soldiers being on their feet less. Rick notices a bunch of tools in Eugene's bag and asks what they're for, but Eugene doesn't want to spoil the surprise. Dwight instructs Heath to take his group back to Alexandria and stay alert, telling him they would hopefully be back in less than a month, but adding that he would send someone to report back in if they stay longer. Pamela invites Rick to ride with her in her carriage, and Rick gladly accepts. She asks what happened to his son's eye and Rick tells her that Carl was shot. Pamela claims that, though they've had a fair share of conflict, they've never had children on the front lines. Rick grimly tells her that that luxury had always escaped them. Pamela says that she hopes those days are behind them. She goes on to praise the communities, deeming them good Commonwealth material, though adding that distance would be an issue. All that is needed now, she claims, is for the Commonwealth to bring the Rick's group to their way of thinking. Rick counters that his group could bring the Commonwealth to their way of thinking as well. Pamela jokingly hypothesizes that Rick will be trouble, and Rick replies that hopefully he won't be too much.

Later, when Rick arrives with Pamela and the entourage to the Commonwealth, he is shocked to find a riot taking place. Immediately, Mercer stops the commotion.

Afterward, Rick talks with Michonne at her apartment. He asks if she believed in what she told the judge, and Michonne replies that she did, for the most part. She assures Rick that despite what he's seen, the Commonwealth is a really special place and that things in it are almost back to the way they were, adding that she would sell her soul to keep it as good as it is and, in fact, thinks she already has. Rick seems concerned by this revelation.

A while later, Pamela spots Rick helping with the cleanup from her office, much to her dismay. Pamela confronts him, but Rick tells her he figured helping out is the least he could do. This prompts Pamela to help with the cleanup herself to save face, much to Mercer's satisfaction.

At night, Rick is greeted by a couple on the street. They thank him for helping with the cleanup and ask if they have room in Alexandria, as they might consider moving. Rick assures them that Alexandria leaves much to be desired when compared to the Commonwealth, but the two aren't so sure. After they part ways, Rick finds Dwight sitting in his apartment. Dwight wants to be put in charge of the Commonwealth, as he thinks the people in it are being oppressed, but Rick denies his request. Furious and in disbelief, Dwight asks him what he means by that. Later, Rick talks to Michonne about Mercer supporting him against the Governor. Rick starts to think that Dwight was right all along, and that the people will back them if they try to take over, much to Michonne's horror. Rick says that he can't simply ignore the corrupt system of the Commonwealth, and can't believe Michonne is able to. Michonne explains that she knows the Commonwealth has a lot of room for improvement, and that is what excites her about being there, but believes change can be achieved through peaceful means.

Later, Pamela and her entourage are on a "hunt", accompanied by Rick, Michonne and Dwight. They spot a group of roamers, so Pamela asks for a shotgun. She shoots one roamer in the shoulder, and instructs Mercer to deal with the rest. Pamela invites everybody to head back. Michonne is concerned about Mercer, but Pamela assures her he will be fine. Dwight and Rick confront Mercer in the locker room. Mercer explains that Pamela has them leave a few roamers in the wild so she can organize "hunting parties" and put on a show, so the people think she is keeping them safe. This disgusts Dwight. Mercer once again reiterates the Commonwealth is long due for a change, which Dwight agrees with.

Dwight and Rick are invited by Michonne to her apartment. Once there, she tells them that she thinks they are making a mistake by planning to overthrow Pamela. Dwight disagrees, and chastises Michonne for selling out for a nice apartment. Rick, however, agrees that they should work with Pamela to change things in the Commonwealth. Michonne is relieved to hear this, so she reveals that she has invited Pamela to the meeting as well. In that moment, Pamela bursts into the room with two armed guards. She says that she's glad Rick is on the same page as her, but tells Dwight he needs to go. Michonne is shocked, as she just invited Pamela to talk, but the Governor will hear none of it, as she can't simply allow people to plot behind her back. Dwight and Rick are shocked that Michonne would betray them to the Governor, but Michonne clarifies that she invited Pamela to talk and nothing more. Dwight accuses Michonne of being with "them" now. He tells Rick that there is no way he can peacefully convince someone like Pamela to give up power. Pamela assures Dwight that she's willing to do whatever is necessary for the well-being of the Commonwealth, but Dwight doesn't believe her. Pamela orders her men to arrest Dwight, prompting the latter to pull a gun on Pamela, shocking everyone. Rick tells Dwight to put the gun down, but Dwight refuses. He believes Pamela is the same as Negan, and thinks the only thing people like them respect is power. Dwight demonstrates this by threatening Pamela to instruct her guards not to move, which she does. Dwight says that they could take down Pamela right now, and that everything would fall in place without her, adding that the people of the Commonwealth would be thankful. Before anything can happen, Dwight is suddenly shot in the head by Rick. Pamela thanks Rick and assures him she won't forget him saving her life, before leaving.

As Laura is mourning Dwight, Rick sarcastically asks Michonne if she's happy, accusing her of causing Dwight's demise by bringing Pamela to the meeting. He angrily tells Michonne he will never forgive her for making him kill Dwight. This causes Michonne to snap at Rick. She tells him that Dwight was unhinged and that he would have snapped at some point. She is abashed that Rick is haunted by what he did, as it saved lives by avoiding a war. Rick wonders if he really avoided a war or simply joined the wrong side of it.

Rest In Peace
Afterwards, Governor Milton thanks the residents for gathering for her speech. She acknowledges that tensions in the community have been high, and says that she wanted to inform them of the latest news before it gut spun into something else. She then reveals that there was an attempt on her life, and that Rick saved her. She tells the Commonwealth that the would-be-assassin, Dwight, was a disturbed individual who didn't understand their way of life, and that, even though Dwight was a member of Rick's group, they are all still welcome in the Commonwealth. She then asks Rick to give a few words. Rick says that, while he knows things have been difficult, he will do his best to find a peaceful solution to the conflicts inside the Commonwealth. As Rick delivers his speech, Mercer scowls.Later, Michonne finds Rick sitting in a café. She apologizes for her actions and acknowledges that she made a mistake. Rick says that her apology isn't going to bring Dwight back. Michonne says that she created a bad situation, but tells Rick that he can't blame her for Dwight's actions. She reiterates that Dwight was a loose cannon, and that his death was inevitable. Rick finally accepts her apology and tells her that he came to the café to remind himself of what's at stake, and tells Michonne that, while he wants to change things, he doesn't want to screw up what they already have. Michonne agrees with him, and wants to work with him to change things for the better.

Rick later visits Michonne in her office and informs her of Mercer's arrest. Michonne is none-to-pleased to hear this, as the people are already on the edge of revolt. She points out that while the people don't trust the guards anymore, everyone liked Mercer, but now that the guards have turned against him, the situation is very bad. She states that Elodie told her that the people are already taking sides, and that they could have a full-fledged civil war on their hands soon. Rick is abashed to hear this, as he killed Dwight to prevent that exact thing. Michonne points out that Dwight was only stoking the flames of what was already there, as the hatred the people felt towards the ruling class was present for years. Rick concludes that it's their presence that is tearing the Commonwealth apart, as there was no alternative before they arrived. He wonders how the situation is deteriorating so fast without Dwight, before coming to a sudden realization and asking where Laura is.

A powerful explosion rings out through the Commonwealth, and is heard by Jesus and the rest of the expedition as they approach the community, as well as by Rick, Pamela and Maxwell, Michonne, and Elodie. Rick rushes into Pamela's office and tells her she needs to go. Pamela is resistant at first, but Rick explains that the explosion came from the prison, meaning that Mercer has been freed. He invites her to ponder how he got past her guards in the first place, and tells her that they've turned against her. Sebastian arrives and tells Pamela that someone is banging on the door and trying to get in. Rick tells them that it's the conspirators, and asks Maxwell to lead them to a back exit.Once outside, Sebastian grabs Rick and demands somebody explain to him what's going on. Rick tells him they're in the beginnings of a revolt and that he is trying to save Sebastian and his mother. Sebastian doesn't believe him, since he thinks nobody is brave enough to defy them. Rick angrily grabs Sebastian by the throat and tells him that everyone hates him and his family, since they take advantage of people and treat them "like shit". He asserts that they are the worst of the Commonwealth, but he doesn't believe they deserve to die because of it, citing this as the only reason he is helping them. He lets go of Sebastian when Pamela asks him to, and they continue with their escape. They wait for some guards to pass and go out into the street. Rick asks Pamela if she knows of a safe place to hide, to which she replies that they need to get to Greenville, where Cloris will be able to help them. They follow Maxwell and manage to escape to the woods, where Rick is reunited with Paul, Carl and the rest of their entourage. After exchanging pleasantries, Rick instructs Jesus to escort Pamela, Sebastian and Maxwell to Greenville.

Rick tells Carl that he shouldn't have come, since the Commonwealth is starting to revolt. Carl asks what he can do, but Rick proudly tells Carl that he doesn't need to consult his father, and that he will know when the time comes. Rick greets Mercer, who asks Mercer what he is doing. Frustrated, Mercer tells him that he is doing what Rick should be; trying to help the Commonwealth. Mercer tells Rick that the people don't trust him and his guards, and believe that things will get worse under his leadership. Rick tells him to look around and points out that they're right. Mercer concedes and asks Rick for his help. He tells Rick that while the Commonwealth might not choose him over Governor Milton, they might choose Rick instead. Just then, Pamela arrives with an army of her own and orders them to attack.

Pleading for her to stop, Rick asks the members of Pamela's army if they are willing to fight and even kill members of their own community. Noticing none of them respond to Pamela's order, Rick takes off his prosthetic and gives a rousing speech to the Commonwealth to make the change they want to see (including voting for a leader they want instead of having Pamela in charge.) He notices with some surprise that Pamela is led away by Mercer to one of the cells; he goes later to visit her. While he does admit that he did not see that coming, he sticks to how Pamela was addicted to power and was willing to have the community engage in a civil war in order for her to keep that power. Nevertheless, he decides to let her go. After hearing from both Carl and Michonne that he is the leading candidate to succeed Pamela in an upcoming election, he refuses to run, stating that his home is in Alexandria. That night, Sebastian breaks into Rick's room and threatens him with a gun. After he insults Rick, Sebastian shoots him in the chest; surprised, Rick is left gasping for breath, weakly demanding to know what Sebastian has just done. He is then shot three more times by Sebastian, killing him. Rick's reanimated corpse is discovered by Carl, who shoots his father in the head. He is then taken back to Alexandria to be buried next to his wife Andrea.

Post Trials and Legacy
The memory of Rick Grimes and his efforts to bring civilization back from the brink would continue to live on in the communities and the people he interacted with. While there are many citizens who did not view Rick as favorably and harbored some lingering grudges for his actions, he is still mentioned in a favorable light up to at least twenty years since his untimely passing. For his peacetime efforts, the Commonwealth erected a statue in Rick's honor at the spot where his last speech took place outside the Commonwealth courthouse.

Death
Following Rick's speech to the citizens of the Commonwealth, Sebastian breaks into his room at night and threatens him with a gun. After shooting him in the chest, seemingly accidentally, Sebastian shoots Rick three more times, killing him.
 * Killed By
 * Sebastian Milton (Alive)

In the morning, a reanimated Rick is found by Carl and is shot in the head.
 * Carl Grimes (Zombified)

Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Rick has killed:
 * Bicycle Girl (Zombified)
 * Front (Zombified)
 * Shane (Zombified)
 * Dexter
 * Allen (Accidental; Before Reanimation)
 * Otis (Zombified)
 * Caesar Ramón Martínez (Alive)
 * Andy
 * Jud
 * Chris (Along with his fellow survivors)
 * Theresa (Along with his fellow survivors)
 * Albert (Along with his fellow survivors)
 * David (Along with his fellow survivors)
 * Greg (Along with his fellow survivors)
 * Charlie (Along with his fellow survivors)
 * Peter Anderson
 * Sandra (Alongside his fellows Alexandrians)
 * Patrick
 * Ethan
 * Abraham Ford (Indirectly Caused)
 * Glenn (Indirectly Caused)
 * Seth
 * Holly (Zombified)
 * Mike
 * Olivia (Zombified, along with his fellows survivors)
 * Carson (Zombified, along with his fellows survivors)
 * Luke (Zombified, along with his fellows survivors)
 * Tammy Rose (Zombified, along with his fellows survivors)
 * Morton Rose
 * Sherry (Accidental)
 * Andrea Grimes (Zombified)
 * Dwight
 * 1 horse (Indirectly Caused)
 * At least 1 unnamed Scavenger (Alongside his fellows Alexandrians)
 * At least 5 unnamed Saviors
 * Numerous counts of zombies

Relationships
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Lori Grimes
Lori was Rick's wife. Lori resisted some of Rick's decisions, like giving Carl a gun and allowing him to join the group during target practice. Lori was also mad about Rick's disregard when people in the group died. However, Lori and Rick are shown to love each other fiercely and only want the best for their family and the group. After Lori is killed, Rick began to lose his mind from guilt and although later telling Andrea that he doesn't like to reflect on what happened to her, Shane or anyone else they've lost, he still mourns her and honors her by keeping Carl safe above all else. In Issue 121, Rick leaves the phone that he used to talk to his hallucination of Lori in Alexandria, signifying that he was finally moving on from his grief, though he would continue to mourn her. Even after the two year time skip, Rick is shown to miss and mourn Lori, telling Michonne that despite how far he's come, he would still give anything to bring her and Judith back.

Carl Grimes
"I think about the road ahead of us, and for the first time it seems... bright. After everything we've been through, after all the people we lost. I suddenly find myself overcome with something I thought we'd lost... Hope. I want to show you this new world. I want to make it a reality for you. Please Carl -- Live so that I can show you... Please..."

- Rick to a comatose Carl.

Rick's 13-year-old son and the source of his motivation to survive, Carl and Rick have been close since the very beginning of the series. Since the outbreak, Rick has been very straightforward about the danger that constantly surrounds them, and has done his best to ensure that Carl is prepared. He even trusted Carl with his gun, despite his age and Lori's protests, and Carl has proven to be very responsible and capable with it's use, notably when he saved Rick's life from Shane.

After Lori and Judith died, Carl was forced to defend an ailing Rick when they were surrounded by roamers, all the while fearing that Rick would become one himself. In a moment of hysteria, Carl berated an unconscious Rick for failing to protect Lori, Judith and the others they'd lost, but was nonetheless relieved when Rick came to.

Since they'd left the prison, Carl became colder and very matter-of-fact about death and their lost in life, something Rick feared was his influence because of the morally questionable decisions he had to make. Carl would later assure him that he loved him for the things he did to keep himself and the group safe, reminding him that he'd also taken a life to defend someone he loved.

A major turning point for Carl came when Ben killed his twin brother Billy. When the adults were unable to execute him, Carl took action and killed him discretely, choosing only to confide in Rick. During their stay in the Alexandria Safe Zone, Carl was the first to point out that the sense of security the zone provided the people was a crutch, and that the peace they'd enjoyed wouldn't last, and Rick soon realized that he was right.

After Carl was shot, Rick swore that if he survived, he would fight to create a world that Carl and other children would be able to live in peacefully, and has since taken over as leader of the Safe Zone to accomplish just that. Following the deaths of Glenn and Abraham, Carl was shown to be disgusted by Rick's apparent compliance with Negan, unaware of the steps Rick was taking against him. He attempted to kill Negan on his own, but failed. Upon being reunited, Carl was shown to be apologetic, and though angry, Rick was more than relieved to know he was alright.

Rick respects Carl's skills and has started to treat him as an adult to some degree, to the point where he has allowed him to move to the Hilltop to begin his career as a blacksmith.

Judith Grimes
"I love you so much, little Judy."

- Rick to Judith.

As a possibility that Judith was actually Shane's daughter, Rick was still ready to raise her as his own. Shortly after Judith was born, The Governor and men from Woodbury attacked the prison where Rick's group were staying. As Rick, Carl, and Lori (who was carrying Judith) tried to escape during the final attack, Lori was shot through the chest by Lilly. Lori fell and Judith was killed after being crushed by Lori's dead body. This devastated Rick for a long time, but he was eventually able to move on. He would continue to miss her though, even after the two year time skip.

Andrea
"Things are so different with Andrea. We've lived through everything together. We've lost together... survived together... had to push ourselves, do things we never thought we'd be able to do... together. There are no secrets between us. There's an... understanding... a bond... I never thought possible between two people. I've never said this out loud before, Michonne. I'm closer to Andrea than I ever was to Lori."

- Rick to Michonne on his relationship with Andrea.

Rick and Andrea have been good friends since Atlanta, and have saved each others lives on more than one occasion. After losing Dale and breaking off ties with Spencer, Andrea turned to Rick for comfort. She's spent much of her time with Rick, such as when he's checking in on Carl while he was recovering from his gunshot wound. At the end of issue 90, Andrea kissed Rick, confirming her romantic interest, but Rick pushed her away in the following issue, citing their respective losses. Later, he hugged and kissed Andrea on the cheek, showing that he does in fact have feelings for her. Eventually, their relationship is taken to the next level after returning from the Hilltop and Andrea laying into Rick about his feelings. The next morning Carl walks in on Andrea and Rick in bed together, naked, implying that Rick and Andrea had sex and that they are officially in a relationship. They go through a rough patch when Rick releases Dwight back to the Saviors causing Andrea to nearly move out, but are eventually able to reconcile.

Later, Rick breaks down to tears when he believes Andrea has been thrown from the bell tower. At the end of the war, Rick and Andrea's relationship has come to the point where Carl calls her "mom." Rick would later tell Michonne that he feels closer to Andrea than he ever did to Lori, due to the fact that they have lived through so many experiences and have no secrets from each other.

When Rick sees Andrea's bite wound, he is devastated and shocked. As she slowly succumbs to the infection, he breaks down several times, admitting how much he loves her and how close he feels to her. When she finally passes, Rick is unable to put her down before she reanimates, crying profusely as he does so, and being quite mournful when he puts her down after she reanimates.

Shane
"So I guess it's not an isolated thing--coming back without being bitten. I thought it might be. Julie turned pretty quick, but it took us hours to get you into the ground. So many damn questions when I realized you might be at the bottom of that hole, alive--or whatever-- I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't sleep--knowing you were down there. Would you have left me? You were a good man, Shane. I don't know why you did what you did... but you were a good man. Had things turned differently, if you had killed me... I wonder if you would have just assumed being buried "alive" wouldn't effect me. Could you have lived with yourself? Not me. I had to set things right."

- Rick to a zombified Shane before putting him out of mercy.

Shane was Rick's best friend. He was the one who took Rick to the hospital after getting shot in the line of duty. It was later revealed that he had sex with Lori while Rick was in the hospital and possibly being the father of Judith. Dale warns Rick of Shane's true intentions, but Rick ignores this.

At first he is happy to see Rick once the latter arrives at the Atlanta camp, but as time goes on he is seen to be jealous of Rick due to the other survivors looking to him as their leader and when Lori tells Shane that the two of them having sex 'was a mistake.' He eventually snaps and runs into the woods with Rick following him. He then tries to kill Rick after an argument only to be shot by Carl. Rick returns to put Shane down when he learns that everyone is infected, showing he still had a small amount of respect for Shane even after the snap.

Morgan Jones
One of the single most important survivors of the zombie apocalypse in Rick's life. He owed Morgan his life after leaving the hospital in Cynthiana after the surviving Jones family received him. After filling him in on the current situation of the world, Morgan and his son Duane would part ways with Rick and remain dormant.

After much time passed, Rick would eventually go out of his way to find the Jones family in his hometown while raiding for more weapons and ammunition. Sadly, he would find that things had changed for them and only Morgan was left alive. Morgan's son, Duane, had in fact become a zombie though Morgan decided to come with Rick to safety with Abraham and Carl. He even develops a relationship with Carl because of his son's death.

While others would mock his insanity, Rick would always be there to stand by his side as he was so much like him. After his death, Rick thinks he should have talked to him more, and at least said goodbye.

Duane Jones
Not much is revealed of their two relationship. Rick is still seen sad and shocked after his death. Rick didn't remember his name, and thought his name was "David". He had, however, remembered it by the time he, Abraham and Carl got to Rick's neighborhood; when Morgan hit Rick in the head with a shovel, Rick spontaneously exclaimed "Duane?", only to find out it was the boy's father who attacked him this time.

Glenn
Glenn was one of the first people Rick met since the outbreak, as well as the one who brought Rick to the Atlanta group, and has since become one of his best friends. As one of the original survivors from the Atlanta group, Rick  trusted Glenn with important tasks, such as scavenging for supplies and reconnaissance. When Rick's group was first brought to the Alexandria Safe-Zone, Glenn was the one Rick trusted to help smuggle weapons out of storage in case of an emergency, in direct defiance of the safe-zone's rules. He also appeared to have cared very much for Glenn as he cried when he was being killed and also threatened to kill Negan. Even two years after Glenn's death, Rick is shown to still mourn his friend, and is still angry about his murder at Negan's hands.

Jim
Rick and Jim weren't seen interacting very much, although Rick did seem to be very saddened when he learnt that Jim's family had all been eaten by roamers allowing Jim to escape and did feel sorry for him. Also Jim helped Glenn and Rick find the gun store in Atlanta on the map, which both Rick and Glenn were grateful for. Rick was also shocked when he discovered that Jim was bitten and got into a fight with Shane as he blamed Jim and Amy's deaths on him. Rick, like everyone else in the Atlanta group, was devastated as they left Jim against the tree.

Michonne
"Get your shit together, Michonne... and stop punishing yourself for shit that wasn't your fault... and go home."

- Rick to Michonne.

Both Michonne and Rick have lost a lot during the zombie apocalypse. They began to truly understand and have a mutual respect for one another when Rick, upon finding out that Michonne talks to her deceased boyfriend, he confided in her about talking to the deceased Lori over a telephone. Since meeting, Rick has been able to look to Michonne as somewhat of a confidant, and they are seen talking in private on various occasions. After their experiences together in Woodbury and escaping the prison, he trusts Michonne to watch over Carl several times.

They continue their strong relationship throughout Alexandria and the conflict with The Saviors. After Michonne disappeared, everyone spent a great amount of time looking for her. He disagrees with her decision of self-exile, living at the sea with the others, even going as far as calling her his best friend, before telling her to get her shit together and come back home. Rick considers Michonne his best friend, and is always concerned for her well-being, especially after hearing that she chose to stay in the Commonwealth with her daughter.

Rick becomes concerned about Michonne upon being reunited with her at the Commonwealth due to her seeming compliance with the unjust system there. Rick becomes very angry with Michonne after she accidentally causes Dwight's death by inviting Pamela to their meeting, going as far as saying he will never forgive her for making him kill his friend. This causes a rift in their relationship.

Amy
Rick and Amy were not seen interacting much, but Rick and Lori trusted Andrea and Amy to babysit Carl and the other children, showing they trusted her. Rick was also seen shocked and upset once Amy was bitten and quickly was trying to persuade Andrea to get Amy into the RV before she died and Andrea put her down, before reanimation. Rick was seen sad at her funeral with his family and the rest of the group, he then got into a fight with Shane blaming him for Amy and Jim's deaths.

Dale
As with the rest of the group, Dale acted as a sort of surrogate father/grandfather figure to Rick. Rick's first encounter with Dale was when he voiced his concerns about Shane, and although Rick initially wrote him off as a 'crazy old man', Dale was ultimately right. He was a loyal supporter of Rick, trusting him as a leader and agreeing with many of his decisions. When Dale was bitten, Rick was the one who saved his life by cutting his off leg.

More than anyone, Dale seemed to understand what Rick was going through after he lost Lori, having lost his own wife. Shortly after this however, Dale grew resentful of him for bringing an unstable Morgan to the group, luring a horde that forced them to relocate, and was outraged at Rick for implying that his surrogate son Ben had to die for killing his twin Billy. Before his death however, Dale thanked Rick for keeping the group alive for as long as he had.

Allen
"Take Care of my boys Rick... take care of them like they were your own. Your a good father"

- Allen to Rick before Rick cuts off Allens leg

Allen and Rick are good friends. When Allen gets bit in the ankle Rick tells him he is going to live, Allen tells Rick then to take care of Ben and Billy, Rick tells Allen he is going to live, then Rick cuts off his leg. When Allen dies from the infection Rick puts him down and starts to cry meaning they were good friends.

Donna
To Be Added

Ben and Billy
To Be Added

Carol
"I heard what you did for me--with Tyreese. You sticking up for me like that -- me finding out about it... It meant a lot to me."

- Carol to Rick.

She was relatively close to Rick, looking up to him as the de-facto leader of the group like everyone else. She also never hesitated to give her opinion when she believed it was needed, similar to Dale (although not as regularly). Before her death, she realized that his perspective of her had changed after she proposed that he, Lori, and herself get married and raise their children together.

Sophia
Rick and Sophia were shown to have a good relationship. Rick was happy to see Carl playing and having fun with her, after Carol committed suicide Sophia fell into depression and convinced herself that Glenn and Maggie were her real parents. At first Carl thought it was strange and that she was going insane but Rick supported Sophia understanding that it is hard for her, possibly due to him going through his mental issues after the death of Lori and Judith.

Tyreese
Rick and Tyreese met shortly after Shane's death while the Atlanta group was relocating, and though Rick was hesitant to trust him, Tyreese proved to be an invaluable asset to the group, as well as a good friend. Tyreese soon became an unofficial second-in-command of the group, as his brute strength and willingness to put himself in danger helped the group many times. The first and only major conflict between the two was after Carol caught Tyreese having an affair with Michonne, and subsequently attempted to kill herself. Rick confronted Tyreese, resulting in the two nearly killing each other in a fist fight. Though they maintained a civil relationship afterwards, they were never quite as close as before. Despite this, Tyreese still risked his life to look for Rick when he didn't return from Woodbury, and Rick was still distraught over his loss.

Julie
Rick and Julie had a stable relationship. After roamers attacked Wiltshire Estates, Rick ran back to the house to save Chris, Julie and Tyreese which shows he cared about all three of them greatly. He also helped teach Julie in target practice on the Greene Family Farm. At the prison, Julie and her boyfriend (Chris) tried to kill each other in a suicide pact but Chris pulled the trigger too fast and killed her. Rick was deeply upset about this and seeing Julie reanimate without being bitten shocked him and later led Rick to the realization that after dying, reanimation will occur whether someone was bitten or not.

Hershel Greene
Another of Rick's close friends. Hershel was the one who saved Carl's life after having been shot by Otis, as well as having provided shelter for the group on his farm, for which Rick was extremely grateful. The two initially got along well, and even when Hershel revealed that he was keeping roamers in the barn, Rick was willing to compromise, until they broke out and killed Hershel's son and daughter. The two only came to blows when Rick asked if the group could use their rooms the following day. After almost hitting Lori and then nearly shooting Rick, he demanded that the group leave his property. When the group found the prison, out of sympathy and a need for his expertise in farming and first aid, Rick went back to the farm to invite Hershel and his family despite objections from the group. Hershel agreed and would go on to treat many of the groups injuries, as well as participate in the fight against The Governor, where he died alongside his son Billy.

Maggie Greene
Usually seen talking about Glenn. Rick seems to show some level of caring for her, by saving her from being shot  during the Woodbury army shootings as well as when Abraham believed she had hung herself and wanted to shoot her to prevent reanimation. Their relationship goes through a rough patch when Maggie assaults Rick for not trying to save Glenn from being killed by Negan, but they are able to reconcile. Maggie later states that she believes in Rick's plan to oust the Saviors.

Susie and Rachel Greene
Greene's twin sisters and Rick did not talk very much if at all on Hershel's farm or the Prison but when he found their bodies he was both devastated and furious. When he found out Thomas killed Susie and Rachel he beat him almost to death.

Billy Greene
Rick and Billy did not interact much, but it can be told that they respected each other very well. Rick cares for Billy and is a little sadden when he dies.

Dexter
"We were living in the prison, there was an inmate Dexter--had us at gunpoint, threatened to kick us out. We got attacked by a group of roamers--it was chaos. Dexter was a criminal, to be sure, but maybe I could have talked him down--he was helping us fight off the roamers. Who knows how things could have gone down... I shot him. During the confusion of the fight---I blew his brain out."

- Rick to Abraham about their regrets.

At first Dexter seemed to tolerate Rick, and even welcomed him and Tyreese warmly. But only after he was falsely accused, Dexter started to see Rick as a threat even more than he did to the other Atlanta survivors, due to the fact that he was the leader of their group. Dexter hated all of the Atlanta survivors, but none more than Rick. Later, when Rick spoke to Abraham about the prison and Dexter's death, he admitted that he regretted killing him, as he later felt he could have convinced Dexter not to kick them out.

Axel
Though Rick was initially wary of Axel (as he was with all of the other prisoners), he eventually came to trust him. This was evident when Axel took sides with Rick's group when Dexter tried to force them out. Axel showed himself to be a hard worker by helping Tyreese dispose of the dead zombie corpses, which led to him being placed upon Rick's list of necessary people. Rick was saddened for a bit after Axel's death during the final assault of the Woodbury colony. His death had an impact on Rick's mind, as he felt guilty for it, (along with Lori, Judith, Hershel, Billy, Patricia, and Alice's deaths).

Andrew
To Be Added

Thomas Richards
At first Rick and Thomas didn't seem to mind one another, Thomas was also was one of the more trusted prisoner as he lied about what he was really imprisoned for and helped the woman moving in on the first day. But after Susie and Rachel's bodies were found decrepitude Rick felt severely guilty as he had suggested to Hershel that he and his family should join them in the prison.

Once Rick discovered that it was in fact Thomas that had murdered both Susie and Rachel and was trying to kill Andrea, Rick savagely beat his face to a pulp and calling him a 'sick fuck', this destroyed any relationship between the two and made them despises one another. Rick suggested that they should hang Thomas and even after he was instead shot by Maggie, Rick decided to feed his corpse to the roamers instead of burying him.

Rick had wanted Thomas's death to be as painful as possible this was shown several times like how he told Tyreese to get Thomas out of the freezer as he would suffocate and that would be too easy and not painful enough.

Patricia
Rick and Patricia seemed to have a stable friendship, even though Patricia let out Thomas from his cell and realized Dexter and helped him and Andrew get the guns, he seemed to forgive her. She and Rick became quite close in target practice when he was praising her for her good shooting. Patricia was also the person that saved Ricks life after he got shot. Rick felt guilty and missed Patricia and everyone else that died in the prison attack and blamed himself for their deaths.

Otis
Rick and Otis seemed to have a stable friendship, at first Rick despised Otis for shooting Carl but after Carl recovered and Otis was shown to be feeling bad about it, Rick forgave him. Otis also defended Rick and the group after Hershel pointed a gun at Rick and kicked the group of the farm. Otis was later seen torn in half and his upper half was reanimated, Rick shouted in shock as he saw Otis and was shown to be saddened when putting him down, showing the two repaired the relationship and Rick did like him.

Alice Warren
After The Governor cut off Rick's hand, Stevens and Alice cleaned the wound and made sure he recovered. After Rick fully recovered Alice and Stevens were going to help him escape and go to the prison with him. While escaping, Stevens was bit but the rest of the group made it to the Prison safe. Alice and Rick's friendship continued to grow. She delivered Lori's baby (Judith) with the help of Hershel and she helped Patricia save Rick's life after he got shot. Alice also provided cover for Rick, Lori, Judith and Carl, but was killed doing so.

The Governor
"How about now?!"

- The Governor after sadistically cutting off Rick's hand.

Rick and Brian hate each other very much. When they first meet Brian seemed friendly at first and then chops off Ricks hand. When Rick, Glenn, Michonne, Alice, Martanez and Stevens attempt and succeed to escape from Woodbury The Governor leads an attack on Ricks group leading too many of the prison members to die and Rick becomes stronger after the deaths.

In Issue 180 through dialogue with Pamela, it's shown that Rick is still fearful of The Governor.

Caesar Martínez
"There was a man named Martinez. He lived in Woodbury, the town of people who drove us from the prison. He worked for the man who cut off my hand--killed my wife. He tricked us, helped us escape Woodbury so we'd take him back to the prison. Soon as we got back, he left to go get his people. Told me he just wanted to save some people from The Governor, the man who ran Woodbury--bring them to the prison to live with us. He might have been telling the truth. He seemed like a good man. But my wife was pregnant, Carl--I couldn't risk it--Couldn't risk putting them in danger. I drove over him with the RV--I think I crippled him, fucked him pretty bad. I got out--beat him to death. Left him dead in a field. I just left him there."

- Rick to Abraham about their regrets.

Rick seemed to like, and respect Martínez very much. Martínez lets Rick, Glenn, and Michonne out and helps them escape Woodbury. When the small group of Rick, Glenn, Michonne, Alice, and Martinez get to the prison, Martínez starts to run to Woodbury to tell the Governor were the prison is located. Rick then drives Dale's R.V. and hits Martínez, possibly breaking his back. Rick then chokes Martínez to death.

Eugene Porter
During the introduction of Abraham's group to Rick and his, Eugene had been under his guise as an important scientist on his way to Washington, something Rick took seriously. However, when Rick took Eugene's radio from Carl to take a look at it himself, Eugene became defensive and during a brief struggle it was revealed that the radio had no batteries, leading to the revelation that Eugene was in fact not a the savior he had claimed to be.

Rick, along with the others, would treat Eugene as a worthless tag along for some time. This revelation would go on to mark the slow, but persistent transformation in Eugene's character from a worthless liar to a now integral member of the group. Most notably, Eugene told Rick that he can produce ammunition for firearms if given the right tools. Eugene's mechanical prowess and passion has facilitated the creation of many great feats of civilization for the communities, including bread and grain mills, housing, and more, which Rick recognizes as an accomplishment that makes Eugene one of the most vital members of the community. Rick refused to allow Eugene to continue going outside the walls on herd missions because he believes Eugene to be too valuable. The two men currently have a good relationship of mutual respect and historic closeness.

Abraham Ford
Rick and Abraham met shortly after the groups escape from the prison. Being that they had been the leaders of their respective groups, they initially clashed over who would take charge when they joined together. The two very nearly came to blows after Maggie's suicide attempt. When Abraham was prepared to shoot her before they knew for certain if she was dead, Rick pulled a gun on him, and even though Maggie survived, Abraham admitted that he came close to killing Rick.

The two eventually came to an understanding during the incident with the Marauders, in which they shared their experiences. From then on, Abraham took over Tyreese's role as second in command of the group, such as when he participated in the execution of the The Hunters, and fought alongside him against the horde in the Safe Zone. Though he sometimes questioned Rick's decisions, he trusted his judgement. Abraham's death left Rick badly shaken and was the first death in a long time that caused him to show fear and uncertainty.

Rosita
Rick and Rosita did not interact much but the two respected each other and cared for each other. Rick was sadden to see Alpha had killed her.

Gabriel Stokes
"Welcome Aboard. Thank you."

- Rick to Gabriel about joining the Milita.

Rick and Gabriel have a strained relationship, at first Rick didn't trust Gabriel and was on guard while travelling to Gabriel's church. Rick became very suspicious after Dale was kidnapped and like Andrea believed it was related to Gabriel. Rick pinned Gabriel against the wall at his church and Gabriel burst into tears revealing how he had survived by locking his church doors and ignoring the people begging for help.

Rick believed his story and after Dale was returned by the hunters and he revealed that their camp was in a house Father Gabriel helped the group find the hunters base. But Gabriel watched in horror as Rick and the others slaughtered the hunters for eating Dale's leg, shooting Glenn and eating many Unnamed people including their own children. Once arriving at Alexandria Safe-Zone Gabriel feels like Rick and the others do not fit in and are dangerous and tries to persuade Douglas to throw them out, Douglas angrily refuses to do so but it is assumed Rick is unaware that Gabriel had asked.

After two year time skip, Gabriel asks Rick if he join the milita and Rick accepts him.

Aaron
Aaron was the one who initially invited Rick and the group to the Alexandria Safe Zone. Initially wary of strangers after his experience with The Governor and the Hunters, Rick assumed he was leading them into a trap. Going out on a limb, Rick chose to trust him and the two have become friends ever since. It was largely due to Aaron's endorsement that Douglas allowed Rick to live with them.

Heath
At first, Heath shows a slight dislike towards him claiming he could turn out to be like Alexander Davidson. However, after Rick takes lead of the Alexandria Safe-Zone from Douglas, he defends Rick and his group against Nicholas when Nicholas shows signs of an uprising. Heath has seemed to integrate into Rick's inner circle. Participating in most meeting's and being picked to go to The Kingdom. Overall Heath has proven to be a loyal member of Rick's group. He shows great concern for Heath when he was hit in a grenade explosion.

Nicholas
"You're taking back this community? Really? From Andrea? From Abraham? From Michonne? From Glenn? From me? Do you have any fucking idea who you're talking to?"

- Rick to Nicholas.

Rick met Nicholas shortly after moving into the Safe Zone. They initially met when Nicholas approached him about a fight between his son Mikey and Carl, but they soon resolved the issue and were later seen talking at the party. However, in Issue 88, during the cleanup of the Herd's attack on the Safe Zone, Nicholas came to hold Rick responsible for the Safe Zone's recent misfortunes: the deaths of Pete, Regina, the attack by the Scavengers and the aforementioned herd that swept through and caused several more deaths. Fearing that Rick was going to get them all killed, he attempted to lead a revolt against him.

Rick was later able to talk him down before anyone was hurt, and both have since reconciled. Nicholas later participated in several of Rick's meetings and helped Rick in the initial search for Carl once he disappeared from the Safe-Zone.He was also by Rick's side during the war against Negan. During the Battle of The Hilltop Nicholas helped an injured Rick to the hotel after he was pierced by an arrow by Dwight. Rick was saddened by Nicholas's death after he was stuck with an infected machete by a Saviour.

Jessie Anderson
Rick's second love in-apocalypse. They fell in love when Rick killed Pete to protect the rest of the Anderson family and moved in with Rick shortly before the zombie herd broke through the Safe-Zone's walls. Unfortunately, their romantic relationship ended as fast as it started; during their attempted escape of the Safe-Zone, Jessie got swarmed by roamers and was dragging Carl towards roamers. Rick wasn't able to risk Carl's life and was forced to cut Jessie's hand off to protect his son.

Ron Anderson
Rick saw Ron playing football and noticed his black eye from his abusive father. When Rick finds out Pete did it he fights and then kills Pete, to protect Ron and Jessie which shows he cares about them but Ron saw it as Rick killing his father and Rick was a horrible man. When Ron was eaten by roamers Rick was upset. Rick visited Jessie and Ron's graves daily after their death.

Peter Anderson
Rick and Pete have a bad relationship, once Rick finds out Pete is abusive to Jessie and Ron. Rick fights off Pete and warns Douglas about Pete, but Douglas says the community needs him sense he is a surgeon. When Pete kills Regina Douglas orders Rick to kill Pete, which Rick does.

Douglas Monroe
Rick and Douglas had a civil, yet sometimes rocky relationship. Upon the groups arrival at the Safe-Zone, Douglas befriended Rick and sensed that his keen instincts and survival skills would be tremendous assets, despite objections from his wife. Conflict first arose between the two over a disagreement on how to handle Pete's abusive behavior towards his family. Despite Rick's violation of the Safe-Zone's rule against weapons, Douglas chose to let him off under the condition that he never publicly opposed him again. Following Regina's death and the DC Scavengers attack, Douglas fell into a depression, leaving Rick no choice but to take over as leader.

Spencer Monroe
"Do you have any damn clue as to what you're actually doing?"

- Spencer, questioning Rick's leadership.

Initially, Spencer and Rick had a stable relationship, with the former seeing Rick as a suitable replacement for his father as the leader of Alexandria. Recently, they have begun to act more hostile towards each other after Andrea began a relationship with Rick, rather than with Spencer. Spencer is shown to be extremely jealous about the situation. Furthermore, he has questioned Rick's plan authority numerous times, specifically regarding his repeated absences from the Safe-Zone.

Later, he questioned Rick's plan for dealing with The Saviors and even went so far as to recommend that Negan kill him and install Spencer himself as leader of the Safe-Zone. This is ultimately what got him killed.

It's assumed that Rick was saddened by Spencer's death, which is shown when Rick orders Andrea to get her rifle to kill Negan in Issue 112.

Denise Cloyd
Rick's and Denise's relationship improved when Carl got shot in the face and she successfully patched him up. Rick breaks slightly with Denise when he tells her about Jessie and Ron's deaths, that he had cut Jessie's hand off because she was getting eaten and slowing them down. Denise then agrees not to tell anyone.

Rick and Denise relationship then becomes slightly strained after Denise points a gun at a Savior after they took more medicine than they agreed to, Rick calmed Denise down and after the Saviors left Denise and Rick got into a argument, which Heath tried to defuse causing Rick to start shouting at her, telling her if she would rather try her chances out there then fine, no one will stop her.

Tobin
Tobin and Rick don't interact much, but when Rick goes to kill roamers and sees Tobin dead he is shocked and a littles sadden

Holly
At first Holly viewed Rick as a good leader to replace Douglas Monroe but eventually thought that while he was capable, he didn't seem to be the right choice. She later confided in Abraham and said that he would be much better suited to lead the community. Her feelings about Rick quickly turned to hatred and outright disgust after he made the decision to release Dwight, the man who had killed Abraham, and let him go back to the Saviors. She later ignored his plan to attack the Sanctuary's gate and took it upon herself to drive the truck through the gate, which ultimately got her killed.

Olivia
Not much has been entirely shown with them. When they arrived, Olivia appeared friendly and kind to Rick. But for whatever the reason, Olivia was uncomfortable with him being the leader of the Safe-Zone and became a co-conspirator to assassinate Rick. However, shortly after this incident, Rick held a group meeting with a select few that he could trust to inform about the newcomer Paul, and Olivia was one of the few he chose to share this important information with, showing that he somewhat trusted Olivia. After Negan's imprisonment, Rick was angry with Olivia for accidently left Negan's gate open and threatened her that if it happened again, she would be exiled. The pair parted on a bad note, but after Olivia's death, Rick was clearly distraught.

Paul Monroe
Due to his prior encounter with The Governor, Rick did not believe Paul's intentions to establish a trade relationship with his people. This led to him being tied up in the infirmary for several days.

Eventually Rick agreed to let Paul take him to the Hilltop though he still remained suspicious of his intent, warning Paul that he would kill him on the spot if things didn't add up. Paul's offer turned out to be genuine and Rick finally began to fully trust him, even offering to help them deal with the Saviors. During their conflict with the Saviors, Paul and Rick often confer with and fight alongside each other, eventually becoming Rick's right-hand man in the subsequent war.

Gregory
Rick is shown to be amazed at what Gregory has done to help the Hilltop colony prosper, implying that he has some level of respect for him. This takes a bit of a blow when Rick accuses Gregory of having a hand in the deaths of Abraham and Glenn by withholding valuable information about the Saviors. Their relationship is presumably severed when Rick glares at Gregory after the latter reveals that he sided with Negan.

Earl Sutton
Rick and Earl have a good relationship. During All Out War Rick requests Earl to make him something for his missing hand. Earl builds him a prosthetic that Rick wears from A New Beginning and onward.

Harlan Carson
To Be Added

Negan
"I just came to talk. I'd like your thoughts on some things"

- Rick asking Negan for advice

Rick has shown nothing but anger and rage at Negan. Although he acts like a laid-back bully, rather than a psychotic murderer around Rick, Glenn's gruesome death was proof to Rick of the violence and brutality that Negan and his Saviors are capable of.

This leads Rick to realize that striking back immediately will most likely result in the destruction of the Safe-Zone, leading him to choose a passive course of action until he can stand a chance to avenge Glenn's death. His first step was to allow their prisoner, Dwight, to be set free so that Paul could follow him to their base. After returning Carl unhurt (after implying to Rick that he had done something to the boy), Negan tried to assure Rick that it was a gesture of good faith and shows that he could be reasonable as long as Rick was compliant.

Although Rick was grateful, he made it clear that things hadn't changed between the two of them, to which Negan didn't seemed surprised. In Issue 111, it is shown that Negan harbors some respect for Rick and his willingness to carry out The Saviors' will and keep the Alexandria Safe -Zone safe despite clearly hating Negan. This respect is shattered after Rick's failed attempt to kill Negan at Alexandria.

Rick shows no hesitation in slashing Negan's throat during the final battle as a way of ending the conflict, but still shows mercy by leaving him alive, but condemned to spend the rest of his life as a prisoner. Despite this, Rick has come to Negan for advise regarding the Whisperers and leadership.

Rick and Negan's relationship soon turns into an uneasy alliance as Negan escapes his cell and aids the joint communities in their fight against the Whisperers. Negan even saves Rick's life when the Whisperer's herd invades Alexandria. Despite his aid, Rick continued to treat Negan's loyalty with severe skepticism. Regardless, Rick does end up honoring his word and allows Negan to leave Alexandria with a few supplies.

Ezekiel
"I'm sorry to break it to you. But everyone knows you're not over her"

- Rick to Ezekiel about Michonne

Ezekiel is seen as an ally in Rick's plan of revenge against the Saviors. Both communities have suffered by the hands of the Saviors and Ezekiel refers to Negan as a tyrant. He wants to "right the wrongs that have befallen to the people" under Negan's rule. Also, he shares Rick's view of Negan; both men deeply hate him and want Negan dead. Despite not getting a clear read on Ezekiel's motives, Rick trusts him enough to be one of the commanders of his army to fight the Saviors. Rick is saddened by his passing.

Dwight
"I have a rage boiling inside me. At times like this it's really hard to control and it wants out. Don't give me a reason to let it out, Dwight. Because at this point, what's one more fucking grave?"

- Rick threatening Dwight.

Rick initially viewed Dwight as an enemy and nothing more. When Dwight claimed that he wasn't a full supporter of the Saviors, Rick brought up the fact that he killed Abraham, kidnapped Eugene and participated in several assaults on the Safe-Zone. Although he remains suspicious of Dwight's motives, Rick was still seen listening to Dwight's reasons for helping the members of the Kingdom and the Safe-Zone. Rick appears to at least somewhat trust Dwight, agreeing to form an alliance with him and using the information provided by Dwight to attack the Savior outposts. Since the end of the war, Rick, Maggie, and Ezekiel have begun working with Dwight and the Saviors as a whole.

After the time skip, Rick is shown to have great trust in Dwight to lead the Saviors and thinks of him as a friend. Dwight later becomes Rick's right-hand man during the war with the Whisperers. Rick's relationship with Dwight however becomes strained after the deaths of their two significant others, Andrea and Sherry respectively. Dwight openly challenges Rick's leadership after learning he killed Sherry (despite it being accidental) as well as his newfound trust in Negan. Rick threatens Dwight that he will keep an eye on him given his hostility and that he is at a point where he shouldn't be provoked. Fortunately, after sometime, Rick and Dwight restored their friendship and trust.

When Rick and Dwight arrive at The Commonwealth they both see the pluses and the negatives to the Commonwealth; however, Rick's diplomatic approach doesn't sit well with Dwight and thus threatens their friendship once again. Dwight ultimately pulls a gun on Pamela Milton and threatens to kill her, leaving Rick no choice but to shoot him dead. Despite the circumstances, Rick deeply regrets having to kill Dwight and starts to reevaluate his decision to not overthrow Pamela.

Erin
"Spencer--I think I've maybe said two words to the guy, but he seems like he's got our best interests in mind. I think the good Lord himself brought Rick here to protect us."

- Erin to Spencer about Rick.

Although Rick and Erin don't interact much it is shown that Erin has a lot of respect for him as she defends his choice to search for Carl and tells Spencer that Rick has the community's best interests in mind. She even goes as far as to say that Rick must have been brought to the Safe-Zone by God.

Alpha
"I've seen how you live. I've walked your streets. It's a joke. Life is blood and pain and sacrifice. You think you have accomplished so much, but I look around at what you've done... and I see children playing a game of make believe. You've built a shrine to a long dead world. We are animals who always pretended we are not. You work and toil towards restoring a life where you exercise so you can sit in a chair and let a box lie to you until all your thoughts are gone. My people? The Whisperers... our lives are true. We live the full lives we were always meant to. You strive to return to a life as slaves to our pretty desires... instead of recognizing the gift this world has to offer. The gift of freedom."

- Alpha to Rick

Rick and Alpha have completely different views on how the world should operate, and she openly threatens to end Rick's goal for re-establishing any sort of civilization. Rick believes Alpha to be delusional in her cause, telling her that she makes people wear human skin and sleep out in the cold to answer to her authority. However, Alpha believes that there needs to be an authority figure to assert themselves, because if not, there would be chaos. Alpha considers Rick to be a slave to reforming society as to how it was, with no sense of freedom. After she killed 12 members of the communities, it's assumed that Rick hates Alpha.

Morton Rose
"Hey, Rick! See how easy it is to take action?! You ignored us... and we're taking care of it... right away! See?!"

- Morton, trying to intimidate Rick to attack the Whisperers.

Morton had a hostile relationship against Rick, as he often harassed him since he didn't declare war against the Whisperers after Tammy's death and didn't agree with Rick's plan to defeat the Whisperers, believing it to be too simplistic. His harassing behavior towards Rick would eventually lead to his death, when Rick himself rips out his jugular.

Brandon Rose
"You think I don't know about you? How you tried to hurt my son? You hit him in the head with a brick, you fucking idiot! And your idiot fucking parents tried to help Gregory kill Maggie... and then your stupid fucking father tried to kill me. I want to give you a chance... I want to help you... but now... I just don't know... maybe I'll just choke you the fuck out instead."

- Rick to Brandon, about his families' despicable deeds against Carl, Maggie and himself.

Magna
Rick and Magna have a good relationship. Even though she and her group are new to Alexandria in A New Beginning, Rick is friendly and gladly welcomes them to the community. As time went on Rick has gained more and more trust in her, eventually allowing her to travel with Michonne to Ohio to meet with Stephanie.

Dante
Rick and Dante seem to be on good terms.

Marco
"I never thought I see the day, Rick Grimes Became a fucking Pussy"

- Marco to Rick

To Be Added

Lydia
To Be Added

Vincent
"We Need You Vincent"

- Rick to Vincent after the attack Rick and Vincent currently have a good relationship. However, their relationship started off very poorly. With the death of his son, Vincent was furious over Rick for not taking action against The Whisperers at one point even admitting Douglas was a better leader than Rick. One night he and Morton attack Rick in the middle of the night. However Vincent comes to his senses realizing that they went too far. Vincent and his wife flees but are captured by Michonne and brought to Rick. Rick offers Vincent forgiveness and spares him from punishment. After this Vincent and Rick began to build a friendship. Vincent starts to prove himself as a vital member of the community and remains thankful to Rick for giving him a second chance.

Juanita Sanchez
To Be Added

Pamela Milton
"Then maybe we need a new world order."

- Rick to Pamela Both Rick and Pamela have mutual respect for each other has leaders of their own community. However they do not share similar ideals for how their own community, or civilization should be run. This potentially can be very problematic in their relationship.

Sebastian Milton
"Everyone fucking hates you! Your family takes advantage of the people here! You treat them like shit! And YOU'RE the worst among them! But you don't deserve to die for what you've done! That's the only reason why I'm helping you!"

- Rick to Sebastian

Rick and Sebastian have a poor relationship. Rick blames Sebastian for why there is a revolt in the Commonwealth in the first place. However, Rick doesn't think he should die for this and is willing to show mercy and help him escape the Commonwealth. Later, Sebastian takes revenge against Rick for ousting his mother from power, holding him at gunpoint. He expresses disdain for Rick and for the way people talk about him. Sebastian ultimately shoots and kills Rick.}}

Appearances
{{scroll
 * content = ===Comic Series===

Volume 1: Days Gone Bye

 * Issue 1
 * Issue 2
 * Issue 3
 * Issue 4
 * Issue 5
 * Issue 6

Volume 2: Miles Behind Us

 * Issue 7
 * Issue 8
 * Issue 9
 * Issue 10
 * Issue 11
 * Issue 12

Volume 3: Safety Behind Bars

 * Issue 13
 * Issue 14
 * Issue 15
 * Issue 16
 * Issue 17
 * Issue 18

Volume 4: The Heart's Desire

 * Issue 19
 * Issue 20
 * Issue 21
 * Issue 22
 * Issue 23
 * Issue 24

Volume 5: The Best Defense

 * Issue 25
 * Issue 26
 * Issue 27
 * Issue 28
 * Issue 29

Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life

 * Issue 31
 * Issue 32
 * Issue 33
 * Issue 34
 * Issue 35
 * Issue 36

Volume 7: The Calm Before

 * Issue 37
 * Issue 38
 * Issue 39
 * Issue 40
 * Issue 41
 * Issue 42

Volume 8: Made To Suffer

 * Issue 44
 * Issue 45
 * Issue 46
 * Issue 47
 * Issue 48

Volume 9: Here We Remain

 * Issue 49
 * Issue 50
 * Issue 51
 * Issue 52
 * Issue 53
 * Issue 54

Volume 10: What We Become

 * Issue 55
 * Issue 56
 * Issue 57
 * Issue 58
 * Issue 59
 * Issue 60

Volume 11: Fear The Hunters

 * Issue 61
 * Issue 62
 * Issue 63
 * Issue 64
 * Issue 65
 * Issue 66

Volume 12: Life Among Them

 * Issue 67
 * Issue 68
 * Issue 69
 * Issue 70
 * Issue 71
 * Issue 72

Volume 13: Too Far Gone

 * Issue 73
 * Issue 74
 * Issue 75
 * Issue 76
 * Issue 77
 * Issue 78

Volume 14: No Way Out

 * Issue 79
 * Issue 80
 * Issue 81
 * Issue 82
 * Issue 83
 * Issue 84

Volume 15: We Find Ourselves

 * Issue 85
 * Issue 86
 * Issue 87
 * Issue 88
 * Issue 89
 * Issue 90

Volume 16: A Larger World

 * Issue 91
 * Issue 92
 * Issue 93
 * Issue 94
 * Issue 95
 * Issue 96

Volume 17: Something To Fear

 * Issue 97
 * Issue 98
 * Issue 99
 * Issue 100
 * Issue 101
 * Issue 102

Volume 18: What Comes After

 * Issue 103
 * Issue 104
 * Issue 106
 * Issue 107
 * Issue 108

Volume 19: March To War

 * Issue 109
 * Issue 110
 * Issue 111
 * Issue 112
 * Issue 113
 * Issue 114

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

Volume 22: A New Beginning

 * Issue 127
 * Issue 128
 * Issue 129
 * Issue 130
 * Issue 131
 * Issue 132

Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams

 * Issue 133
 * Issue 136

Volume 24: Life And Death

 * Issue 139
 * Issue 140
 * Issue 141
 * Issue 142
 * Issue 143
 * Issue 144

Volume 25: No Turning Back

 * Issue 145
 * Issue 146
 * Issue 147
 * Issue 148
 * Issue 149
 * Issue 150

Volume 26: Call To Arms

 * Issue 151
 * Issue 152
 * Issue 153
 * Issue 154
 * Issue 155

Volume 27: The Whisperer War

 * Issue 157
 * Issue 158
 * Issue 159
 * Issue 160
 * Issue 161
 * Issue 162

Volume 28: A Certain Doom

 * Issue 163
 * Issue 164
 * Issue 165
 * Issue 166
 * Issue 167
 * Issue 168

Volume 29: Lines We Cross

 * Issue 169
 * Issue 170
 * Issue 172
 * Issue 173

Volume 30: New World Order

 * Issue 177
 * Issue 180

Volume 31: The Rotten Core

 * Issue 181
 * Issue 182
 * Issue 183 (No Lines)
 * Issue 184
 * Issue 185
 * Issue 186

Volume 32: Rest In Peace
}}
 * Issue 187
 * Issue 188
 * Issue 189
 * Issue 190
 * Issue 191
 * Issue 192
 * Issue 193 (Statue)

Trivia

 * Robert Kirkman has said that early on, he was willing to kill Rick in #6, instead of Shane and show how it would affect Carl, having a dead father with Shane being with Lori, etc.
 * With Rick's death, there are no living adults of the original Atlanta Survivor Camp left.
 * Rick currently has the most appearances out of any deceased character in the Comic Series.
 * Rick is one of the many amputee victims in the series.
 * Robert Kirkman has expressed annoyance that Rick lost his hand so early on and has said it has caused great difficulty in writing for the character in the issues that followed.
 * Every member of the Grimes family (excluding Jeffrey) have been shot at some point in time.
 * Rick got shot prior to the apocalypse by an unnamed criminal, causing him to fall into a coma. He was later shot in the first attack on the prison by Woodbury and was pierced by an arrow in "All Out War" by Dwight. Years later, he was shot multiple times by Sebastian Milton, killing him. He was later shot by Carl after reanimation.
 * Carl was shot in the chest by Otis and later in the eye by Douglas Monroe, both times being accidental.
 * Lori was shot while carrying Judith by Lilly Caul, killing both of them.
 * Rick Grimes was named the 26th Top Comic Book Hero by IGN.
 * Rick's physical appearance has undoubtedly changed the most since the beginning of the apocalypse (not including visible injuries). At the start of the apocalypse, he has short hair and is clean shaven. After the fall of the prison and during the subsequent journey to the Alexandria Safe-Zone, Rick's hair and beard grow to great lengths until he eventually shaves and has his hair trimmed as he tries to assimilate in Alexandria. This process repeats throughout his life in Alexandria and during the conflict with the Saviors. Afterwards he decides to alter his appearance by having a buzz cut-like hair style and decides to grow his beard to great proportions. It is interesting to note that his appearance now closely resembles that of Douglas Monroe, the former leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone.
 * His similar appearance to Douglas has been noted in Letter Hacks, Kirkman stating that it's a pure coincidence.
 * It's also been noted in the comic series, where Rick states that he doesn't want to be recognized by those who think he is some kind of war hero.
 * It has been "promised" by Robert Kirkman that Rick will not survive the entire series.
 * This was proven true, with Rick dying in Issue 192.
 * In the Walking Dead spin-off "The Walking Dead: The Alien", it is mentioned Rick went by the name Richie.
 * Rick reveals that he is 38 years old in Issue 162, although it's said in the script book he was 29 when the outbreak started.
 * In the Letter Hacks of Issue 165, Robert Kirkman thinks that Rick's physical limitations make him a better character.
 * Carl is the only relative of Rick currently alive in the comic series.
 * In Issue 182, when Carl asks Rick about his missing cane, Rick states that he hasn't been using it anymore because he doesn't feel pain in his leg anymore and believes it could have possibly further healed or he's just gotten used to it, but he says he still isn't in any shape to "win any footraces".
 * Rick, along with Andrea, Michonne, Brian, Abraham, Negan, and Alpha, have killed the most named characters, either as a zombie or as a living person.
 * Issue 183 is the only issue in which Rick Grimes appears but doesn't speak.
 * Rick is one of nine protagonists to die in the entire Walking Dead universe thus far, the others being Lee Everett from the Video Game, Jeffrey Grimes from The Walking Dead: The Alien, Brian Blake from the Novel Series, Karina and Hannah from the Webisodes, Jake Powell from the Flight 462 Webisodes, Madison Clark from Fear The Walking Dead, and Heather Campbell from Overkill's The Walking Dead.
 * As of Rick's death, Carl is the new protagonist.
 * As of Rick's death, Clementine and Javier García (as well as Rick's film series counterpart) are the only primary protagonists of their respective main series who are confirmed to survive the events of it.

Continuity Error(s)

 * Even though Rick lost his right hand in Issue 28, there have been several times that he's been seen with both of his hands;
 * Issue 48, while hugging his family.
 * Issue 49, while looking for some supplies with Carl in an abandoned house.
 * Issue 53, while he jumps out of bed.
 * Issue 54, while walking with Carl, it shows Ricks left hand is missing instead.
 * Issue 59, while escaping from the herd.
 * Issue 61, while holding the telephone with his right hand in one panel.
 * Issue 69, while he's talking with Abraham about Alexandria.
 * Issue 72, while leaving the house.
 * Issue 97, while talking with Andrea.
 * Issue 123, while shooting his handgun.
 * On the Compendium Three Barnes & Noble Variant cover.
 * Issue 168, where he is instead missing his left hand instead of his right in the second-to-last panel.
 * Issue 185, when visiting Dwight in a holding cell.