The Walking Dead: Rick's Transformation Throughout The Series

When The Walking Dead initially kicked off, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) was just a small-town sheriff in an apocalyptic landscape, fighting to reunite with his family. He managed to do so successfully, and that path inevitably became very transformative for him. Rick went from playing the role of a plain ole' beat cop to becoming the Sheriff in charge of cleaning up the town—the boots in his ensemble reiterated this stance to audiences. The country twang in Lincoln's acting voice also added to the character's standpoint as a hometown boy "jus' trying to set thangs right." That, however, changed as future seasons progressed.

In Season 3, Rick went from the voice of reason in his group to its de facto leader. His transformation set the stage for what audiences consider the "Ricktatorship" wherein Grimes made all the decisions for the group, albeit some of them being mistakes. He changed substantially from trying to put out fires to making sure that embers never ignite another one. In essence, that meant preventing his comrades from making decisions by controlling their path moving forward. The group's takedown of the Prison was one instance, and it, unfortunately, turned out tragic because Rick forced the situation before they were prepared to take it on. Lori died as a result, and subsequently led to another change in the story's central character.

The Walking Dead's Third Season Tested Rick Grimes' Fortitude

After the untimely demise of his wife, Rick became unhinged. He transitioned from a respectable leader to an unforgiving executioner in no time flat. The new Rick, for example, sent Tyreese's group away when the old him would've never sentenced innocents to be devoured by the masses. Said change made it clear that Officer Grimes transformed for the worse as a result of his wife's death.

Luckily, Rick's disposition shifted again once he realized that living isn't based solely on survival. Around the halfway point of season three, Herschel put in the time to bring Rick back from the brink of insanity by convincing him of such realities, and his efforts proved fruitful. Rick came back from his harrowing trauma to understand that survival isn't the only thing that matters. What truly grounded the titular hero was realizing that his son needed more than knowing how to shoot a gun. Rick had to show him how to be a man, and that approach simultaneously changed how the elder Grimes viewed the outside world.

While Rick Grimes learned to live and let live, that position had to change after his encounter with Gareth of Terminus. Said confrontation convinced Rick that he couldn't take chances moving forward because of how deadly a seemingly innocuous meeting became. Grimes even admits as much when Morgan (Lennie James) eventually arrives in Alexandria, reiterating that his shoot-first, ask-questions-later approach is how he's kept people alive. Alexandria's leader retains this mentality for some time, going well into the Negan era of TWD.

Morgan Brought Out The Best In Rick Grimes

The good news is that the man who comes out of the war with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is better off for everything he experiences. Rick becomes willing to fight and die for the cause but also retains the ability to show mercy when the situation calls for it. One instance of this stance on display was Rick's last confrontation with Negan. In it, he wound up with the upper hand during a fistfight, but instead of stabbing his adversary to death, Rick only maims Negan to send the message that life is precious—all life. The message harkens back to the words Eastman (John Carroll Lynch) imparted to Morgan—words that made a substantial impact on Rick, too.

Changes in Rick Grimes don't stop there. Even after he departs from the North Virginia area, the former Atlanta Sheriff continues to evolve in the post-apocalyptic landscape. Although, the next shift in personality didn't go so well because it broke Rick down.

'The Ones Who Live' Introduced A Broken Rick Grimes

Upon arriving at CRM headquarters, Rick is immediately worn down to nothing. The soldiers there refuse to let him go home despite making several escape attempts. Eventually, though, Rick loses all hope. It takes chopping off a limb and failing to escape with a bloody stump to convince Rick that he can't leave, but he admits defeat nonetheless. Afterward, the former Alexandrian becomes a hollow shell of himself, reminiscent of the man he transformed into following Lori's death.

The hits don't stop there, though. Rick finds himself at even lower depths when he and Michonne finally reunite because despite seeing his wife for the first time in years, Rick defers to CRM command for orders on what to do next. He doesn't think to run away or escape. He's more concerned with following orders—something the old Rick Grimes would've never done. What surprises audiences further is how many opportunities Rick has to escape, yet never takes advantage of them. Of course, his inability to leave reinforces the idea that CRM made Rick into someone he didn't want to be.

Fortunately, the final turn in Rick Grimes' story sees him become a man of honor and integrity while simultaneously saving the world. Technically, Rick and Michonne didn't save the world, but by stopping Beale's extermination efforts, other communities were spared his wrath, so they did save the world in a way.

Still, the change audiences witness in Rick Grimes reaffirms that he's become the best version of himself at the end. He's not playing by the rules of the old world, but he's also not denying people their lives or freedoms. Rick is also about giving people chances. Of course, that leniency only goes so far, as evidenced by his last encounter with Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt), wherein Rick leaves her to the undead instead of returning her to headquarters.

All seasons of The Walking Dead and The Ones Who Live are currently streaming on AMC+.