The Walking Dead’s Old Man Rick flash-forward scenes finally explained in midseason 8 premiere
Old Man Rick was finally explained in The Walking Dead (Picture: AMC) Warning: Contains spoilers for..
Warning: Contains spoilers for The Walking Dead season eight.
The Walking Dead returned with an overwhelmingly emotional episode in the midseason eight premiere, along with massive revelations.
The show has teased audiences throughout this season with numerous flash-forward sequences, showing Rick Grimes sporting a greying beard and a grown up Judith.
The latest episode, titled Honor, however finally answered whether these seeming flash-forward sequences were actually visions of the future, with results sure to divide fans.
After seeing more flash-forwards of Jerry and Siddiq in the latest episode, Carl shared a heartbreaking scene on his deathbed opposite Rick and Michonne – where he explained how he sees an idyllic vision of Alexandria where everyone is working harmoniously together.
He directs this as a plea towards his father Rick, for him to revert back to his old ways of welcoming and embracing strangers instead of dismissing them as menacing threats.
Speaking to Rick, Carl says: ‘I know you can’t see it yet, how it could be but I have. You have a beard. It’s bigger and greyer. Michonne’s happy. Judith is older and she’s listening to songs I used to before.
‘Alexandria is bigger. There’s new houses, crops. People working. Everybody living, helping everybody else live. If you could still be who you were, that’s how it could be. It could.’
Rick replies in tears: ‘Carl, it was all for you. Right from the start.
‘Back in Atlanta, the farm, everything I did was for you. And the prison was for you and Judith, it still is. It’s going to be and nothing’s going to change that.
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‘I’m going to make it real Carl, I promise. I’m going to make it real.’
During this scene, we’re also shown dreamy flash-forwards of Eugene giving Judith an apple, before a final gut punch shows Negan working alongside them harmoniously at Alexandria too.
With Rick now determined to fulfil Carl’s vision, could the end of All Out War result in Rick and Negan dancing off into the zombie sunset? Is this confirmation he’s going to stay alive for a long time yet? We’ll have to wait and see.
The Walking Dead returns on February 25 in the US, and airs on Fox February 26 in the UK at 9pm.
MORE: The Walking Dead: Why season 8’s return will be a make or break turning point for the show
