What happened to Michonne in ‘The Walking Dead?’

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the final season of The Walking Dead.

The popular American horror series The Walking Dead aired on AMC in 2010 and has since maintained a strong similarity with some renowned cult hit shows such as Game of Thrones and Grey’s Anatomy, to name a few. In The Walking Dead‘s case, the greatness emanates from the series’ ability to pull off some of the major, heart-wrenching deaths of the show’s primary characters, leaving the fans disheartened and wanting more.

However, there is one character whose departure from the show has impacted the large fanbase to a considerable extent, and that is Michonne (Danai Gurira). She was introduced at the end of the season two finale, “Beside the Dying Fire,” where she encountered Andrea (Laurie Holden) in the woods and saved her from the zombies. The story of her character differs in comics and the series, but Gurira successfully adapted and retained the overall badassery of the iconic katana-wielding character.

As the show progresses, we see Michonne undergoing major emotional and psychological changes that transform her into one of the most resourceful, driven, ambitious, and logical characters of the series. Be it the ultimate fight with The Governor (David Morrissey), a display of maternal love for Carl, leading the Alexandrian pack, or the heartfelt romance with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) leading to the creation of the fan-favorite ‘Richonne,’ Michonne epitomizes the character development that is one of the series’ most notable aspects.

Unfortunately, the tenth season saw Michonne’s last appearance in the show. As Gurira bid adieu to the show approximately seven years after her first on-screen appearance, fans are keen to revisit the events that contributed to her final journey.

Is Michonne of The Walking Dead alive?

Season nine saw Rick blow up a bridge to protect the communities from a horde of walkers. Only the viewers knew Rick survived. At that moment, Michonne thought she had lost the love of her life, and it was a heartbreaking scene for her.

Following the time jump in season nine, we have the revelation that Michonne has given birth to Rick’s son, R.J., whom she raised with Rick’s daughter, Judith. As Alexandria’s leading figure, she was also very wary of newcomers, owing to her past experiences with Jocelyn.

The thirteenth episode of season 10 of the show called “What We Become” saw Michonne’s last appearance after she set out on a mission to find her lover, Rick Grimes. The episode showed Michonne accompanying Virgil to Bloodsworth Island to acquire a stash of weapons for continuing the war with the Whisperers.

On reaching their destination, Virgil revealed to Michonne about his family’s death and how all the members were reanimated as walkers. He went on to ask her to put their bodies down to rest, to which she obliged. That night, Michonne became impatient to find the weapons on her own. While investigating, she entered a room but, to her shock, found herself trapped inside, only to realize that it was a trap set by Virgil.

Later, she received information from Virgil’s captors in the adjacent cell about how he started to lose his mind after locking his family inside the cell. After that, she consumed some drug-laced tea given to her by Virgil and went on a drug-induced trip to “hell,” where she started to hallucinate the alternate versions of her life had she made different choices. She began to envision how her life would have been different had she refused to save Andrea and joined Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) group.

After regaining consciousness, she attacked Virgil and also freed his captives, only to find that the way off the island was destroyed after Virgil set her boat ablaze. This caused her and the freed captives to attack him, but Michonne dissuaded them from killing him and successfully reasoned with him to help them escape.

She rummaged through the room to recover the objects Virgil had been hoarding and discovered Rick’s boots, which he had been wearing since season one. She demanded to know where Virgil found them, and he led her to a ship that landed on the island. She also found his smartphone with Rick’s name, paintings of Judith and her, and a few Japanese engravings, showing that Rick survived the explosion. As soon as she realized that her soulmate may still be alive, she felt a renewed sense of hope.

After the startling discovery, she radioed Judith with the news and revealed that the ‘brave man’ might be alive, and Judith encouraged her to search for her missing father. Michonne’s last appearance is when she discovers two travelers, one of whom is injured. As she looks down toward the valley below, a caravan of survivors is gathered. Michonne decides to help them and thus begins her search for Rick.

Will we get to see Michonne again?  

There is no doubt that the status of the television powerhouse couple has been conferred on Michonne and Rick. There was something about the exemplary chemistry, brilliant performances, and, most importantly, mature and open communication between the characters that made the slower development of their relationship less monotonous.

Fans had been shipping Richonne ever since the duo strengthened their romantic bond in season six, and it would not come as a surprise if there is a demand for their return. Saying so, the announcement has been made by showrunner Scott M. Gimple regarding the couple’s return in a spin-off that would exclusively focus on their love story and provide them with a much-desirable closure.

Speaking at AMC Networks Summit in New York, he said that the show would take place at a location with which the fans of the show have been unfamiliar till now. On the subject of their “epic love story,” he added

“These are two people that have been separated for a very long time. They’ve lived whole other existences and they have to find themselves again, let alone each other. It’s hopefully going to be mindblowing”.

As of May 2023, the Rick and Michonne series was completed. The official title, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, along with a teaser trailer.

As the story of the epic romance between the apocalypse couple expands, it is expected to center around the CR (Civic Republic), which is a new community in which Jadis trades Rick in order to advance her career.

The official description states:

“Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead… And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they’ve ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive — or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?”

Well, it’s unknown how the show will fare, but it’s definitely worth the wait. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will premiere on AMC and AMC+ in February 2024.