'The Walking Dead': Is There More Story To Be Told?

After years of waiting, The Ones Who Live delivered by bringing the Grimes family story to a definitive close. The finale saw Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) reunited with their children back home, albeit briefly before the show wrapped. Its set the tone for Walking Dead’s last legs, but perhaps this isn’t the end.

While the family reunion gave off a sense of finality during those last minutes, more happened after the credits rolled. A deleted scene depicts the Grimes family having a picnic wherein Rick also brandishes a prosthetic claw, as his graphic novel counterpart has. That detail is important to note because Rick comes back to Judith and RJ in that last scene without a prosthetic. So, to see him with a new one implies the picnic sequence happens sometime after the pair returns home.

Learning that the writers laid out a narrative beyond the Grimes’s simply reuniting means they intended for things to progress further. Who knows how long the TOWL timeline went on for, although it appears that the writing staff wanted more to happen following the journey back to Alexandria. Fans obviously wanted to see the Grimes sharing hugs, shaking hands, and shedding tears with their old comrades. However, lots of factors probably made that impossible. Fortunately, the aforementioned interactions can still happen.

Scott Gimple, Walking Dead’s executive producer, is eyeing a reunion for the original cast in the form of another show. AMC is still undecided on the prospective spinoff, but after looking at how popular The Ones Who Live is, another show holds potential. Keep in mind that a new project could evolve over time.

Since some actors may not be able to commit due to other obligations or scheduling conflicts, a reunion may have to center around one or two mainstays—with the occasional cameo from well-known characters. That may hurt its appeal, but fans will tune in just for Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira. More actors won’t hurt, though the point is the pair can carry a show on their own. TOWL proved so, and then some.

Where Would The Reunion Show Go?

As far as what a new spinoff will entail, it might be drastically different from the Walking Dead shows seen in the past. TOWL established that the newly minted CRC would assist all communities, including Alexandria. Because of that, the Grimes have no reason to continue risking their lives out in the apocalyptic wastelands, nor do they don’t have to scout for supplies or guard transports between settlements anymore. The biggest danger to Alexandria was always venturing outside the walls, so without the need to, the Grimes clan could focus their energy elsewhere.

With the lack of life-or-death situations, Rick and Michonne would have no option but to settle into domestic life. They’d have nothing else except time, so if the camera were to follow them around again, audiences would witness a more tame story. The status quo, too, would be more like Alexandria when the group arrived in Season Five versus the more chaotic state in the latter seasons. A peaceful existence is a good thing, though. There are dozens of conversations between Rick and the others that have to happen.

For one, Rick needs to catch up with Aaron (Ross Marquand). These characters are two of only a few people left who were at Alexandria in the beginning, making their reunion an important one to consider. He and Aaron would also bond over their shared amputee problems upon seeing each other again. More importantly, though, Aaron would likely be the one to fill Rick in on all their losses. Jesus, Tara, Henry, Enid, and Siddiq, all of whom they knew at one time.

Daryl (Norman Reedus) in France is yet another matter requiring resolution. Carol sets out to bring him home, so there’s definitely a conversation between Dixon and Grimes at the end of the road. Daryl spent years searching for his lost brother-in-arms, so their subplot requires resolution now that Rick is back home. The big question is, how long will it take the estranged survivor to get back to see for himself? Carol can relay the information to her friend, but for an appropriate conclusion, the longtime comrades have to embrace one another again. Audiences, too, need that cathartic moment for these characters—much like how we wanted to see the Grimes family all back together again. When a potential reunion will take place is up in the air. Of course, AMC could shock fans with Daryl Dixon: Season Two.

Considering how AMC kept a lid on Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) making an appearance on TOWL, the network may include a few more bombshell guest spots in the upcoming season of Daryl Dixon. One might think it a stretch to suggest Rick Grimes could be the one, but he may very well be. The Grimes family is all sorted for a change, opening Rick up to more adventures. In turn, he could seek Daryl out. Watching it play out would be a tear-jerker moment, presumably eliciting the same reaction that the Grimes reunion had. Plus, it would be apropos that Rick be the one to bring his friend home, seeing as how Daryl spent years of his life searching for him.

In any case, a reunion of TWD alums sounds tantalizing. Whether the next chapter is reminiscent of Rick's dream sequence where he saw Alexandria in a state of prosperity or the group is in for another fight for survival, fans will tune in. The Ones Who Live is evidence that audiences will come back for more Walking Dead. With that in mind, we only have to wait and see what AMC cooks up.

All episodes of The Ones Who Live are streaming on AMC+. Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol premieres Summer 2024.