Although “The Ones Who Live” reunited the “The Walking Dead” dream couple, there’s a secret between them that Rick can’t even begin to fathom.
After fate tore them apart in a gruesome way in “The Walking Dead,” Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne Hawthorne (Danai Gurira) are finally able to embrace again in “The Ones Who Live.” However, the years of separation have taken a toll not only on their psyche but also on their love. This is evident, among other things, by Michonne keeping silent about something that should be of great importance to the former police officer…
— Warning: Spoilers for “The Ones Who Live” Episode 2 and “The Walking Dead” Seasons 9 to 11 follow —
Rick’s lifelong dream has already come true – but he knows nothing about it If you’ve remained faithful to “The Walking Dead” over the years, you surely know that in his relationship with Michonne, Rick has longed for nothing more than a child. Although he became a father once at the beginning of the post-apocalypse, it remains unclear to this day whether Judith (Cailey Fleming) is actually his biological daughter or if she resulted from an affair between his now-deceased wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and his former best friend Shane (Jon Bernthal).
This doesn’t change the fact that Rick and Michonne cared for Judith and her older brother Carl (Chandler Riggs) with great devotion. However, Carl lost his life in “The Walking Dead” Season 8 due to a zombie bite – a loss that was difficult for Rick to bear but could be overcome thanks to Michonne.
Just one season later, Rick was also torn from the lives of his allies and abducted by the Civic Republic Military (CRM). Since then, he has been seeking a way to leave the Civic Republic (CR) and return to his family. What Rick doesn’t suspect is that his last intimacy with Michonne has indeed led to a pregnancy. Rick is the father of a little boy who has even been named after him: Rick Junior alias RJ (Antony Azor).
Michonne keeps secret a secret that “TWD” fans have known for a long time Six years after Rick’s disappearance, Michonne still cannot come to terms with the possibility of never seeing her beloved again. That’s why she reluctantly leaves Judith and RJ in Alexandria in “The Walking Dead” Season 10 to search for Rick – with success, as “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” has now revealed. Around eight years after their separation, they are reunited in each other’s arms.
Unexpectedly, however, they don’t flee together. Instead, Rick smuggles Michonne into the Civic Republic under a false name. The risk of being found by the CRM without a sophisticated plan is too great. Nevertheless, the lovers seize every opportunity to secretly come together. During one such meeting, Rick inquires about the well-being of his former community and his daughter Judith.
Michonne confirms that she is doing well. However, when she tries to elaborate further, she backtracks. Upon Rick’s inquiry, Michonne insists that this information can wait: “She’s like us, Rick. Everything else, when we escape.” Attentive fans can surely guess what Michonne actually wanted to tell her beloved: “She’s fine. She…” has a little brother.
Why doesn’t Michonne tell Rick about his son RJ? We don’t learn why Michonne withholds this significant detail from Rick. However, her expression reveals that the thought is accompanied by great concern. Presumably, she fears that telling Rick about RJ would throw him off balance. As a high-ranking CRM soldier, he currently has other priorities that he must not neglect if he wants to continue concealing his past with Michonne from the CR. If Rick were to learn that besides Judith, there is also a boy waiting for him whom he has never met, it could lead to a hasty action that would jeopardize their entire escape plan…
Similarly possible is that Michonne is struggling with self-doubt because she not only left Judith but also RJ without a parent – and lost contact with them via radio months ago. Would Rick even approve of her search for him instead of focusing on the safety of their offspring? Perhaps she is also worried about his reaction. While he had still desired another child, how will he cope with having missed years of RJ’s life? To avoid the answers to these questions, Michonne refrains from informing Rick about the family secrets for the time being. Whether she will reconsider this decision, we will find out in the coming weeks on MagentaTV. The Telekom streaming service releases a new episode of “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” every Monday. However, this fact may only become significant in Season 2.
By the way, if Rick and Michonne manage to escape from the Civic Republic together, the search for their children is likely to be anything but easy. When Michonne left, she had left Judith and RJ with Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) in Alexandria. However, they haven’t lived there for quite some time. After the victory over the Commonwealth in “The Walking Dead” Season 11, they rebuilt the place and settled there. However, both communities are approximately 350 to 600 kilometers apart. Alexandria is located in the state of Virginia near Washington D.C. (via Undead Walking), while the Commonwealth is located in Ohio (via ComicBook.com). Did you already know that? Then the following questions are surely a breeze for you, right?
