Rick Grimes had a lot of iconic moments during his tenure The Walking DeadFrom his badass one-liner in Terminus to his unhinged meltdown in Alexandria. There were many lovely characters in it The Walking Dead That the audience loved to see – Daryl, Carol, Glenn, Maggie, Hershel, Morgan – but every fan has a special place in their heart for Rick. The series was an ensemble piece with a sprawling cast of main characters, but Rick was the undeniable lead of the show.
Although he never received the accolades he deserved, Andrew Lincoln gave a truly captivating performance as Rick. He was introduced as a kind-hearted deputy sheriff, but he gradually devolved into a grizzled post-apocalyptic warrior who would rip a marauder’s jugular with his teeth to protect his son. If Walter White transformed from Mr. Chips into Scarface, Rick transformed from Gary Cooper into High noon In John Wick. Before he left the show in season 9, Rick had a lot of iconic moments.
10
Rick puts down undead Sophia
The Turning Point: Rick’s transformation as a leader
Rick proved what a leader he is in season 2, episode 7, “Pretty Dead Already.” The group spent the entire first half of the season searching the area around Herschel’s farm for Carol’s missing daughter, Sophie. But the end of the season brought the shocking revelation that Sophia was on the farm the whole time – like a walker in Herschel’s barn. It was a jaw-dropping twist, and truly devastating for Carol, who is still holding out hope that her daughter is alive and well somewhere.
This is what makes Rick the perfect leader for the group: He will make the hard decisions and do the hard things that no one else has the stomach for.
As the unconscious Sophia came out of the floor, dying, everyone else froze. But Rick got up, drew his pistol and let her down. This is what makes Rick the perfect leader for the group: He will make the hard decisions and do the hard things that no one else has the stomach for.
9
The Bar Showdown
Rick’s Dominance: Establishing his authority
After all the walkers are freed from his barn and killed – including his deceased, reanimated wife – a depressed Herschel disappears from the farm in season 2, episode 8, “Nebraska”. Rick and Glenn went looking for him and found that he had relapsed and was drinking alone in a bar. They managed to convince him to come home, but at the last second, they called a couple of men who were passing through town. .
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Looking for a safe haven, the men try to figure out where Herschel’s farm is, but a suspicious Rick refuses to tell them. After a tense standoff, the two men try to turn their guns on Rick, but he is quicker on the draw and shoots them both dead. This pub showdown is straight out of a westernAnd shows just how much of a badass Rick is.
8
Rick kills Shane
A brutal necessity
After Shane attacked Larry, freed all the wanderers from Herschel’s loft and killed Otis to save himself, it began to become clear that the group was not safe as long as he was around. Rick loved Shane like a brother. So he didn’t want to have to kill him, but in season 2, episode 12, “Better Angels,” it was clear that if Rick wouldn’t kill Shane, Shane would kill him.
Unfortunately for Shane, Rick has a trick (and a knife) up his sleeve. Rick stabbed Shane to death, then immediately began mourning his fallen friend. Shane’s death was shocking for two reasons: it showed that no one on the show is safe — any character could die at any moment — and it also introduced the idea that every dead person is reanimated as a walker, not just those who are Bitten.
7
Rick destroys the bridge
Rick’s strategic decision
It was a real shame when Andrew Lincoln left The Walking DeadBecause he was the anchor of the series from the beginning, and he was a big reason why the show was so great. But as long as he’s out, at least he’s out with a bang. Lincoln made his last appearance as a main cast member in Season 9, Episode 5, “What’s Next.”
When Rick struggled to separate a herd of walkers from his friends, he had no choice but to lead them to the bridge that the united communities had built, both literally and metaphorically. He led the guards on the bridge, then he blew up the bridge. It was sad to see Rick leave the show (even though it was revealed he was still alive), but it sure was a memorable exit.
6
Rick’s meltdown in Alexandria
A breakdown under pressure
To say that Rick struggled to adapt to the relative civility and normalcy within the walls of Alexandria would be an understatement. After spending months in the desert, contending with the worst humanity has to offer, re-entering civil society is not an easy transition for Rick. Rick’s resentment of the seemingly decent people of Alexandria and his frustration with their naivety came to a head in season 5, episode 15, “Try.”
Rick reaches his boiling point when he notices that no one is doing anything about Jessie’s abusive husband, Pete. When Rick takes matters into his own hands, their fight spills out into the street, where a blood-soaked Rick angrily lectures the Alexandrians on “The real world.“ The fascinating thing about this monologue is that Rick essentially makes all the same points that Shane made before Rick killed him.
5
“This is no longer a democracy”
A declaration of power
After Herschel’s farm was destroyed and the group was forced to flee in Season 2, Episode 13, “Beside the Dying Fire,” everyone looked to Rick for answers. Alarmed that they both judged him for killing Shane and relied on him for protection, Rick snapped. He told them that he never asked to be their leader and dared them all to leave the safety of the camp and fend for themselves. When no one left, he told them that if they chose to stay, “This is no longer a democracy.“What he says goes.
This is the moment Rick started to become unhinged. All the guilt and trauma of the terrible things he had to do to survive the apocalypse began to weigh on his conscience – especially after killing Shane – and the pressure and responsibility of protecting all these people became too much. After spending the entire season discussing ethical issues as a group, Rick decides it would be easier to become a dictator.
4
Rick rips out Joe’s throat
A Brutal Act of Revenge: Rick’s Ruthlessness
Rick showed how far he would go to protect his family in season 4, episode 16, “A.” On the way to Terminus, Rick, Daryl, Michonne and Carl are captured by Joe and the Climbers, a sadistic group that Rick unwittingly tangled with while hiding out in the suburbs. In retaliation for Rick killing one of their guys, the climbers planned to attack and kill everyone in his group, forcing Rick to guard before killing him, too.
As one of the climbers prepared to attack Karl, Rick discovered a new depth of depravity that he was capable of. Disoriented by a nearby gunshot, Rick bit into Joe’s carotid artery and ripped out his jugular vein, killing him in the most gruesome way possible. Rick was still haunted by this years later; in Those who liveHe names it as the worst thing he ever had to survive.
3
Rick kills Pete
A defining moment
In season 5, episode 16, “Conquer,” the Alexandrians hold a town meeting to decide whether to release Rick after his outburst. But Rick is late to the meeting because he’s busy single-handedly killing a bunch of walkers that got through the walls. He brings one of their corpses to illustrate the downside of Alexandria’s lax security, and Pete approaches him with Michonne’s katana. After Pete accidentally kills Deanna’s husband, a grief-stricken Deanna orders Rick to execute Pete.
The shocked look on a long-lost Morgan’s face when he sees Rick kill Pete highlights just how far gone Rick is psychologically.
Rick doesn’t hesitate to shoot Pete dead. He waited for an opportunity to kill the boy and didn’t waste a second when the opportunity came. The shocked look on a long-lost Morgan’s face when he sees Rick kill Pete highlights just how far gone Rick is psychologically. He is no longer the kind-hearted public servant Morgan met immediately after the outbreak.
2
“They’re cheating with the wrong people”
A Warning to the Saviors: Rick’s Defiance
After the fall of the prison, Rick’s group was divided into various different factions, and they all followed signs to a clear paradise called Terminus. Terminus was supposedly an idyllic community that welcomed anyone and everyone seeking sanctuary. It was too good to be true, and of course, when Rick and his friends arrived there in season 4, episode 16, “A,” it was too good to be true.
Rick was locked in a train car with the rest of his group, who were all dejected and lost. But Rick remained optimistic. He told his friends that the termites would feel pretty stupid when they found out, “They screw with the wrong people.“The moment was even cooler in The Walking Dead Comics, because Rick was allowed to drop an F-bomb, give his line even more impact.
1
Rick defeats Negan (then spares his life)
The final showdown
Rick’s conflict with Negan has been building for three whole seasons. Negan did everything in his power to break Rick’s spirit, but Rick never let go of his promise to eventually take Negan down. It took three long seasons to get there, but when the “All Out War” storyline finally reached its conclusion in season 8, episode 16, “Wrath,” it was worth the wait. Rick’s war with the Saviors came down to a final battle in a large field. As Rick confronted Negan, he told him about Carl’s wish for a peaceful end to the fighting.
Just when Negan was about to come around, Rika knocked out a broken glass and cut Negan’s neck. Then, he ordered Siddique to save him. Rick has a fate worse than death in mind for Negan: life in prison, watching Alexandria thrive. This was the culmination of Rick’s entire arc The Walking Dead: His mercy, over his wrath.