Does Rick die in The Walking Dead?

No, Rick Grimes did not die in The Walking Dead.

Based on Robert Kirkman’s well-known comic book series, The Walking Dead had an impressive run on AMC. The show follows Rick Grimes, a post-apocalypse survivor who wakes from a coma to find the world overrun by zombies, called walkers. As he struggled to understand what caused the outbreak, the show gained a strong following and spawned several spinoffs.

Fan-favorite Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) heads to France in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, while Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) team up in The Walking Dead: Dead City, set in Manhattan. The main Walking Dead series aired for 11 seasons, wrapping up in November 2022, but left Rick Grimes’ fate up in the air. That changed, however, thanks to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which is a spin-off starring Rick and Michonne although it does leave a few questions about Rick Grimes and his future up in the air.

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Walking Dead and its various spin-offs.

Is Rick dead in The Walking Dead?

No, Rick Grimes doesn't die in The Walking Dead but instead, the writers of the show trick both the viewers and the characters into believing that he's dead although that is later revealed to be a twist to the tale. In season 9, Rick and the community are facing an overwhelming walker horde, and to stop them, Rick blows up a bridge.

However, due to an unforeseen issue, Rick gets caught up in the explosion on the bridge and is dragged away by the river. Thus, both the audience and the characters within the show believe that the former Sheriff is gone for good. However, it is later revealed that Grimes survived the blast, although he was left seriously injured. Yet, viewers were shown an injured Rick who was taken away by a mysterious helicopter that Anne called in.

What happens to Rick in The Walking Dead?

After his presumed death in season 9 of The Walking Dead, Rick Grimes' journey takes a turn as following the explosion on the bridge, the injured Rick is secretly taken away by a Civic Republic Military helicopter (CRM). That was thanks to Anne, who radioed the chopper in, partly to save Rick and partly to rescue her. However, things don't go well for Rick though as after he recovers from his injuries, he discovers that he is cut off from his family and friends.

Instead, he finds himself in an undisclosed location and in the series finale of The Walking Dead, alongside the trailer for "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live", Rick keeps trying to escape time and time again without any success. Eventually, he becomes a part of the CRM and works to find another way back home which sets the stage for the spin-off series, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

Do Michone and Carl ever find Rick again?

Michonne ultimately reunites with Rick, but sadly, Carl does not. In the series finale of "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live," after years apart, Rick and Michonne join forces to prevent the Civic Republic Military (CRM) from executing a plan that could have catastrophic effects on humanity. Following their successful mission, they are airlifted back to their community, warmly welcomed by their children, Judith and RJ.

The reunion brings the end of their long separation but more importantly for Rick, it allows him to meet his son RJ, who was born after the incident on the bridge. But, Carl, who passed away earlier in the series, is not a part of this moment although he is remembered thanks to a drawing Michonne had made for Rick.