THE WALKING DEAD Spoilers - 6 Most Likely Ways The Show Will Write Out Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes
It was revealed last night that Andrew Lincoln is leaving The Walking Dead after only six episodes of season nine and now we take a look at some of the ways the AMC series could say goodbye to Rick Grimes.
Yesterday evening, it was revealed that Lauren Cohan's Maggie won't be the only major character leaving The Walking Dead in the upcoming ninth season. In news which pretty much no one could believe, it was revealed that Andrew Lincoln is also saying goodbye to the AMC series and that the actor is only actually going to appear in six episodes of the sixteen episode season. So, what's next?
That remains to be seen but fans are obviously anxious to learn how The Walking Dead will get rid of Rick Grimes, a character who has been the core of the show since the first episode. We know that Norman Reedus' Daryl will be stepping up to take his place as the show's lead but the series is never going to be the same again and we're now looking at the many ways his departure could play out.
Needless to say, spoilers for both season eight and the comic books follow, so be aware of those if you're not up to date on them. So, to check out what we believe are the six most likely possibilities for how Rick Grimes will be written out of The Walking Dead, simply click on the "View List" button below.
Death By Walker
Rick has gotten in over his head on countless occasions so what if that finally catches up with him? While seeing him slowly die over a number of episodes after being bitten would be a little too similar to what happened to Carl, a group of walkers taking him out would definitely be shocking and the season eight finale made it clear that a massive group of the undead is slowly approaching.
An argument could be made that this would be an underwhelming end for Rick but considering the fact so many beloved characters have died this way, it might not be the worst thing in the world for him to go out like this. It would also be more surprising to viewers than some sort of heroic sacrifice.
Negan Gets His Revenge
In The Walking Dead comic books, Rick and Negan slowly become reluctant allies but the small screen version of the character has a long way to go before reaching that point and it's feasible he'll want to not only escape but make his nemesis pay for destroying the Saviors. While this sort of end for Rick would basically prove that Carl was wrong, it would also up the stakes and make it clear to those that remain that in the world they now find themselves in, forgiveness really isn't the smartest option.
Seeing Rick and Negan team-up would be really cool but the latter then betraying the fan-favourite hero would be a nice twist, especially if he plays the hero and ends up being embraced by the rest of the survivors as a result. It would make him hateful, yes, but hasn't Rick done worse over the years?
A New Threat
Season eight of The Walking Dead introduced a new group of survivors who seem to have a lot going for them but what if one of them kills Rick as a way of either establishing dominance or because he's standing in the way of what's ultimately best for the communities that remain after the All-Out War?
The Whisperers are also rumoured to appear and if you've read the comic books, you'll know that they make a statement by kidnapping a number of survivors, beheading them, and leaving their heads on poles to make it clear that Rick and company shouldn't cross into their territory. That would be a pretty shocking and unexpected way to get rid of Rick and establishes them as a force to be reckoned with.
Daryl Or Maggie Kills Him
The season eight finale of The Walking Dead teased the possibility of Maggie and Daryl turning on Rick so what if their unhappiness over his decision to leave Negan alive boils down to them straight up killing the guy? We know that Lauren Cohan is planning on leaving the series, so it's feasible she could become a villain of sorts and that she winds up killing Rick and then either dies herself or disappears.
Personally, I think that given Rick's history of making dubious decisions which are often detrimental to his fellow survivors that he could end up losing the plot and one of them will need to put him down. Seeing him live long enough to become the villain would be controversial but could actually work.
He Rides Off Into The Sunset
This is probably the most unlikely option here but what if Rick gets a happy ending? While I'm not sure what could lead to him choosing to leave - perhaps his fellow survivors will exile him? - this would be a smart way of leaving the door open to the hero returning somewhere down the line if he chooses to.
I'm just not sure a happy ending will ultimately work best for Rick. Sure, he's earned it but what could be so good about leaving his fellow survivors behind and going on the road by himself? Michonne won't be going with him and if anyone is getting this sort of ending, I'd say Maggie is more likely.
The Ultimate Sacrifice
Rick has given it his all over the years to keep himself and his fellow survivors alive so him sacrificing himself to save everyone else makes perfect sense for the character. There are countless ways this could happen whether it's letting the walkers devour him or offering himself as a sacrifice to a new group to save everyone else. He needs a memorable ending and this would definitely be fitting.
There's also a risk it would be something of a cliche but if he dies saving someone like Carl did, that shows Rick has grown as a character and gives his story arc something of a solid end even if fans won't be happy saying goodbye to him when The Walking Dead returns. What do you guys think? As always, let us know your thoughts on these theories for season nine in the comments section below.
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