5 Ways The Walking Dead Is Actually Better Without Rick (& 5 Ways It’s Worse) – Screen Rant

The Walking Dead centered around the character of Rick Grimes for much of its run. The series began when he awoke from a coma to find the world had changed dramatically and the dead were walking about with whomever managed to survive.

Then he led a group of survivors through various locations as they attempted to stay safe and build some kind of society, fending off threats from both the dead and other living enemies in the new, apocalyptic world.

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Now that Rick has officially left the show, is it better or worse without him?

Let's face it: Rick wasn't always the best leader as much as we want to believe that he was. He often led the group right into the arms of threats, let his ego make decisions for him, flew off the handle, and even hallucinated one time and neglected his leadership duties.

While he did the best he could under the circumstances, he didn't always make the right decisions.

Without Rick as the central person who brings everyone together, everyone seems to be falling apart. Maggie left (though we know from previews that she will come back). Daryl seems to come and go. And now Michonne is gone.

Some have stayed at Oceanside, others at Alexandria. Though they still work together, they don't seem to be working as one cohesive unit anymore without Rick as the glue that holds them together.

Rick's departure gives Daryl a chance to really step up. He was Rick's number two. And now he has the opportunity to show how his amazing tracking and bow and arrow skills can be put to good use.

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He has been forced to make tough decisions, including whether to trust Negan, if he should bring Judith out with him to teach her how to track, and if he should forgive Carol. And even though he isn't the type to stand in front of a crowd and motivate them to fight back with a compelling speech, he is a quiet leader with potential.

While Daryl seems to be the new muscle and Gabriel has taken on a leadership role in Rick and Michonne's absence, neither seem particularly suited to be a level-headed leader. We have already seen that Daryl likes to run off on his own when things don't go his way.

Meanwhile, Gabriel seems to be cracking, as evidenced by his brutal murder of Dante. So whether he can hold it togetherto lead is up in the air.

The show, for a long time, was all about Rick, Rick, Rick. His departure gives other characters the chance to shine, stepping up as leaders and doing what they can in his honor and memory. Not to mention room for new characters to get the spotlight.

Remember, everyone in his former groupbelieve he is dead. And since he was their leader for so long, they want to keep everyone safe to show him that his presumed death was not in vain.

While there are people who have assumed various leadership posts, like Gabriel, Carol, and Daryl, there isn't really a clear leader like there was with Rick. It seems more like a democracy now. And with Michonne gone, it puts into question even more who is going to step up.

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Could there be some discord among the group? Without a clear leader, once there's a difference of opinion and no one person is tasked with making the decision, it could lead to trouble.

As noted, Rick's presumed death can motivate the group to accomplish big things in his honor. That includes taking out the Whisperers, redeeming Negan, and protecting his kids, Judith and R.J.

Remembering the terrible events that led to Rick's presumed death is a great reminder to work hard and do what they can to make sure he didn't perish for nothing. Of course, Rick didn't actually die. But no one knows that yet.

Rick being gone is going to be tough on Judith and R.J., who never got to meet his dad. But now that Michonne realizes Rick might not actually be dead, she's gone in order to try and find him.

This means that Rick's departure has left the kids without either of their parents. Of course, they have the group and their uncle Daryl. But they need their mom and dad.

Let's not forget that Rick leaving the show has led to the creation of three upcoming movies that will center around what happened to him after Jadis swept in and saved him from death, with the assistance of a helicopter and a mysterious group.

This extends The Walking Dead story into the film universe and provides a whole other compelling storyline for the character.

Who misses the wonderful Rick and Negan face-offs? They were both powerful men who were born leaders with different ideas about what leadership and survival meant. They were, in many ways, polar opposites while in others, very much alike.

But forget face offs. Now that five years plus of captivity has appeared to have softened Negan,it would have been great to see them bond as something other than enemies!

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A professional writer and editor with 18+ years of experience, Christine, now a freelance writer/editor, is a self-professed TV fanatic with tastes that vary considerably from comedies to dramas, sci-fi, and more. She can usually be found binging a new show at night, coupled with a glass of red wine. With a long history writing in the field of consumer tech, she now also writes on topics from entertainment to parenting, lifestyle, marketing, and business. She resides in Toronto, Ontario in Canada with her husband and young son.

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5 Ways The Walking Dead Is Actually Better Without Rick (& 5 Ways It's Worse) - Screen Rant