Warning: Spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 10

Summary

• Alicia’s impact in The Walking Dead universe is greater than Rick’s, as she has inspired others to carry on her mission and her reputation has spread far and wide.
• Rick’s legacy is mainly rooted in his kids, but his chance to redefine it in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live could revolve around defeating the CRM and creating a safer world for his children.
• A meeting between Alicia and Rick would bring together two powerful leaders with similar goals and could add extra appeal to Rick and Michonne’s spinoff.

The Walking Dead’s ever-expanding universe means viewers meet many characters, and the franchise has confirmed that Rick Grimes is not the apocalypse’s most famous survivor – in-universe. A key protagonist for nine seasons of the parent show, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) has been a hit among fans since day one. With his fearless approach to leadership, whether it’s through orchestrating clear-outs of walkers or striving for a safe community to settle in, Rick’s appeal is evident.

With that being said, Rick’s exit in Walking Dead season 9 left room to explore his impact without him present. While he has natural leadership qualities and is quick to jump to action when needed, Rick’s impact on The Walking Dead isn’t as lasting as it could be. His reach is mainly zeroed in on people he’s encountered or those who have met his group. Mention of him in spinoffs, like Morgan (Lennie James) telling Mo they’re going to search for Rick when leaving Fear The Walking Dead or Jadis talking about Rick in The Walking Dead: World Beyond, suggests he’s at least somewhat known outside those who know him personally.

RELATED: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live – Release Date, Story & Everything We Know About Rick & Michonne’s Spinoff

Alicia’s Influence In The Walking Dead Is Way Bigger Than Rick’s

Upon Alicia’s (Alycia Debnam-Carey) exit from Fear The Walking Dead in season 7, she mentions she’s going to try to meet up with other survivors who heard the radio call about rebuilding the Tower into a safe place. Even before this, she exhibits a deep desire to solidify a refuge for survivors in her pursuit of PADRE. In season 8, episode 10, the extent of her mission is revealed when Strand (Colman Domingo) meets three women whose lives were touched by Alicia.

They wear weaponized arm attachments like Alicia’s, dress similarly to her, and tell Strand that they let people believe they’re Alicia. According to them, there’s even more of these Alicia impersonators out there. This shows that Alicia has reached many people and had an impact that inspires them to carry on her mission and keep her memory alive. Additionally, the characters note multiple times that word about Alicia spread and that it’s best if people believe she’s still out helping others. This, combined with the idea that they didn’t know Alicia for very long, yet are still committed to strengthening her legacy is indicative of how her reputation has superseded Rick’s.

Related: Every Walking Dead Character Who Crossed Over to Fear

Rick’s The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Spinoff Will Redefine His Walking Dead Legacy

Luckily, Rick being front and center again in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live allows the chance for him to reconfigure what his legacy is. Since he’ll predominantly be with the Civic Republic Military for most of the limited series, there’s a strong possibility Rick’s legacy could revolve around defeating the CRM. Unlike previously when he was a figurehead, Rick’s current legacy is mainly rooted in his kids. This, however, hasn’t gone anywhere since Judith and RJ are still children and The Walking Dead‘s final season was focused on stories related to the Commonwealth and its downfall, leaving little space to expand on the remaining Grimes family members.

Related: The Real Problem With Children In The Walking Dead Universe

Moreover, the desire for a safe and better world for Judith and RJ is arguably more due to Carl than Rick, since Carl’s letter to Rick implored him to find a safe place and go on walks with Judith like he used to do with Carl. This call to instill security and pre-apocalyptic normalcy is a recurrent theme in Rick’s goals, yet it fails to have as much of a stamp on other survivors as Alicia’s actions have had. By challenging the secretive CRM, an organization with clear, widespread connections, Rick could expand his legacy as all the CRM’s cohorts and communities will most likely learn about a potential CRM defeat.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live premieres on AMC and AMC+ in February 2024.

Will Alicia & Rick Meet In The Walking Dead (& Why They Should)

Across its franchise, The Walking Dead has successfully teamed up powerful and significant figures before. For instance, Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Michonne worked together to retrieve Judith and other kids who were kidnapped by a woman named Jocelyn in season 9. Even Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan), who have every reason to be at odds, have had to work together, both in the main series and The Walking Dead: Dead City. Following this, a Rick and Alicia meeting could be a brilliant way to join two competent fighters and intelligent leaders who share similar goals of creating safety in a world rife with danger.

Additionally, if Alicia were to meet Rick in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, the latter would have a worthy ally to help in the mission to overturn the CRM. Not only would this solidify The Walking Dead universe’s build to a crossover, but it aligns characters with similar beliefs since Alicia would probably not condone the CRM’s experiments. Plus, Alicia’s exposure to nuclear walkers and human threats that Rick has been sheltered from while at the CRM could be of use in any escape he pulls off. The Walking Dead connecting two of the most influential characters in-universe could add extra appeal to Rick and Michonne’s spinoff.

All 11 seasons of The Walking Dead are available on AMC and AMC+.

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  Fear the Walking Dead

  Release Date:

  2015-08-23

  Cast:

  Cliff Curtis, Frank Dillane, mercedes mason, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Kim Dickens, Ruben Blades, lorenzo james henrie, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo

  Genres:

  Drama, Horror

  Rating:

  TV-MA

  Seasons:

  8

  Story By:

  Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard

  Writers:

  Ian Goldberg, Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson, Andrew Chambliss

  Network:

  AMC

  Streaming Service:

  Hulu, Amazon Prime Video

  Franchise(s):

  The Walking Dead

  Directors:

  The Walking Dead

  Showrunner:

  Dave Erickson, Ian Goldberg, Andrew Chambliss