Rick Might be Turning Heel in the Michonne Spinoff

credit: The Walking Dead

Rick might be turning heel in the Michonne spinoff. The stranger thing is that a lot of people kind of expect it. Rick Grimes has been a hero at times, but he’s also done several shady things during his time in The Walking Dead. The hero role that was foisted upon a lot of people in this show was ill-fitting 

But in a post-apocalyptic world where survival is the only core rule, many things change. Rick Grimes lived in a world with rules and regulations, and he even upheld many of them. But when the world ended, and he had to integrate himself into it, things weren’t the same. He tried to keep his old lawman habits, but they no longer applied like before. 

With the ending of The Walking Dead in season 11, it was made clear that Rick is still out there. But the final clips that were shown made a lot of people believe that Rick will experience a heel turn in the days to come. His time as a captive of the Civil Republic Military, or CRM, is thought to be why he’ll turn heel. 

credit: The Walking Dead

Rick has been brutal before

The world of The Walking Dead had few, if any, rules that weren’t created out of necessity. Any rules that existed during the world of before were tossed out the window until people established that various rules were needed. Some characters didn’t even follow these rules. But Rick tried to stay on the straight and narrow. 

It wasn’t all that long until he started making compromises, from leaving Merle on a roof to other acts, such as killing Shane. Rick has never been a saint, but he’s tried to be a good man for much of the show. Unfortunately, Rick’s justifications have fallen kind of short over the years. 

He’s done several dodgy things that have made it clear that his character has fallen slightly. But up until Alexandria, he was at least justified in trying to keep his people safe. The necessary brutality hasn’t always been pretty. But thinking that he’s going to get worse is difficult for some fans to believe. 

Michonne will help with Rick’s redemption

For a while now, Michonne has been one of the balance points that Rick has needed so badly. His mental state hasn’t been all that stable at times. But she’s managed to calm him down and put him back on the right path.

Since she appears to be on the lookout for him, it’s fair to state that her interaction with the CRM will be less than friendly. But the general feeling is that she’ll need to do more than act like a living buzzsaw as she has in the past. Some moments call for more than a slice-and-dice maneuver, even though she’s quite good at it.  

How this will go down is anyone’s guess at the moment. But seeing Michonne as Rick’s failsafe and a main character makes her character arc a little more interesting. 

credit: The Walking Dead

Many believe this will strengthen the comparison between Rick and Negan

Trying to compare Rick and Negan early on was a shock for many fans of the show.  For one,  Rick and Negan felt like complete opposites. Rick tried to save his people and keep them safe, as did Negan. Unfortunately, Negan kept his people in line through fear and a skewed sense of order that was a brutal version of the world that came before. 

Through time, Rick would eventually become more brutal with each new scenario. He justified his actions in many ways and made compromises to keep people alive. The belief that the CRM will indoctrinate and/or change him is too strong to ignore. It could be Rick’s way of escaping or bringing the CRM down.

But it does feel that he will become even more brutal in his methods. It does feel like a natural progression, even though it’s bound to affect Rick negatively. 

How brutal Rick could get is interesting to consider

It’s already been seen how tough Rick can be. He’s killed people without hesitation and even used deceptive methods to get what he wants. Despite his flaws, many folks still want to see Rick as the hero. But perhaps this coming show will make it clear that he does have a level of brutality that hasn’t been seen yet. 

That does make his character a little more interesting since it means he’s just susceptible to anger as anyone. But it feels like he’ll have a way to redeem himself, especially with Michonne involved.