The Walking Dead season 9: How will Rick Grimes leave the show following the premiere?
Rick Grimes is about to bow out – but how? (Picture: AMC) The Walking Deads ninth season is haunted..
The Walking Deads ninth season is haunted by Andrew Lincolns confirmed departure from the show, but how will Rick Grimes make his final bow?
The season nine premiere gave us deaths, surprising scares and growing tensions between communities – all hinting towards how the cracks could potentially pan out between Rick, Maggie, Daryl and Negan.
So what clues were there on Ricks exit in the premiere? Lets dive into the emerging tensions and heartbreaking possibilities.
Will Rick take over and leave with the Saviors?
From the premiere, its clear the Saviors are spoiling the post-apocalyptic party. Daryl is leading the charge, but hes expressed to Rick how the Sanctuarys future seems hopeless – with infertile land, dwindling supplies and graffiti on the walls suggesting Negans presence hasnt truly left.
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Maggie, as the new leader of Hilltop, is acting similarly cut-throat to the Saviors. Shes making heavy demands to protect her own community, and forcing them to hand over supplies if they wish for more food from their blossoming crops in a tense exchange with Rick.
As Daryl and Maggie both question whether maintaining Saviors upkeep is worth it, and with the decision to save Negan hanging heavy on Ricks heart, could he take responsibility for his actions and lead the Saviors to a new land allowing Hilltop and Alexandria to prosper?
It might be a disappointing exit in not being so definitive, but it certainly makes thematic sense for Rick to take ownership of his decision in order to serve the perceived greater good. The only question this leaves: Where will Michonne, Negan and Judith go?
Could Rick break the rules?
Rick and Michonne are given some rare on-screen downtime as they mull over events in bed, when the latter brings up the possibility of forming a charter to tie the communities together under one set of rules.
Its met with a positive response from Rick. While, if pursued, it could become a prickly affair now Maggie has just hanged someone – what if this binding contract becomes a promise even the leaders struggle to keep?
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Rick has been on a mentally declining slope for the past few seasons, and coupled with Negans ongoing manipulative presence somewhere in Alexandria, could Ricks arm be twisted into breaking the rules leading to his expulsion?
Its a decision which could bring to light everybodys past doubts about Rick as a leader, tying in nicely with Daryl and Maggies vendetta in season eight.
Will Maggie simply oust him out of control?
Perhaps the main takeaway from the premiere is the growing authoritative rise of Maggie, with the line, I wasnt someone to follow, but that changes now, hitting the point home right through to the walkers in the car park.
As she clamps down on securing deals and enforces the iron rule by hanging Gregory for attempted assassination — shes, arguably, not too far away from Negans barbaric methods which Rick sought to cease in the first place.
So could Maggies reign become the by-product of Ricks decision to save Negan? A twisted, unfortunate cycle which inevitably invades human beings in their desire to lead and protect?
Considering their history together, itd certainly make a dramatic exit.
Will Judiths drawing drive him to abandon his offspring?
A grumpy face and a belly, Judith? Youre on your own in this apocalypse.
The Walking Dead continues on AMC Sundays and airs Mondays on Fox in the UK.
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