Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app
On Sunday's episode of "The Walking Dead," Governor Pamela Milton (Laila Robins) tells her right-hand man Lance Hornsby that his life at the Commonwealth is over. Milton recently learned that Lance, power-hungry, and out to prove himself, was going rogue and abusing his power as second-in-command, killing others without her knowledge.
Shocked and in disbelief, Lance warns Pamela that she still needs him: "If something happens to me, certain alliances the Commonwealth has, certain stabilizing factors, are likely to become a problem."
Milton may believe Hornsby is bluffing in order to weasel his way out of getting stripped of his role in the Commonwealth, but she may be very, very wrong.
If you've been watching "TWD" closely, that single line of dialogue should've made your ears perk.
We've seen one group that Lance has an alliance with, but it's possible there's a more important alliance Hornsby formed that hasn't been seen on screen yet. For some time, "TWD" has been dropping potential clues that the Commonwealth has ties to another nameless community.
And it has us wondering: Does Lance Hornsby have some sort of secret arrangement with the Civic Republic Military? In case you don't recall, they're the group of 200,000 people who took Rick and that was at the center of the spin-off series "TWD: World Beyond."
We hope so.
It would be a great way for the series' final episodes to wrap up some loose ends and tie the flagship to some of its spin-offs.
Let's walk through the clues that have us convinced we could see a connection between Lance and the CRM on the show's final episodes.
The final episodes of "TWD" have the opportunity to link together disappearances at the Commonwealth with a few other mysterious ones we've seen over the years on the apocalyptic drama.
We know that Sebastian was inadvertently responsible for the deaths of some people at the Commonwealth, but, as a reminder, there was a pretty long list of missing people that Kelly and her sister Connie acquired on season 11, episode 11.
A few episodes later, on season 11, episode 17, Connie briefly mentioned to Kelly that there are still a lot of missing people whose whereabouts they don't know about. We're hoping that's not a random plot that will be dropped.
Where could they be?
If they're not dead, one thought is that they could've been traded to another community either for supplies or in exchange for an alliance or to be left alone.
If that sounds out of the blue, it's not.
"TWD" has previously brought up the idea of people going missing only to later reveal on or off screen that they wound up in the care of the Civic Republic Military.
Seasons earlier, showrunner Angela Kang told Insider that Jadis traded Heath to the CRM in exchange for supplies.
On season 11, episode 13, we briefly learned that Lance was setting some supplies aside for something, possibly a group. He revealed that he took some of the resources to rebuild Alexandria and directed them toward a secret project, referred to as "that other thing."
Unfortunately, because of Daryl's former girlfriend Leah, those supplies were intercepted and never found their way to their original destination. The hiccup resulted in Lance's rogue Commonwealth militia wrongfully accusing Annie's group of stealing the supplies and murdering a good number of them.
Before getting locked up, Lance became so preoccupied with Daryl's extended group that he never circled back to the fact that his supplies didn't go to "that other thing." Is someone going to come looking for them?
It's becoming increasingly unbelievable that the CRM's massive group of 200,000 wouldn't be aware of a group the size of the Commonwealth's 50,000 in Ohio.
From "TWD: World Beyond," we know that the main three CRM sites were located in and around Ithaca, New York, Portland, Oregon, and Omaha, Nebraska. The latter site was destroyed.
Additionally, season one, episode seven of "World Beyond" revealed that the Civic Republic Military had secret oil reserves hidden throughout the US so they could refuel their helicopters.
Where are these reserves?
Two are in Ohio while others are located in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Virginia, near what appears to be Washington, DC.
The Commonwealth is situated in an unknown spot in Ohio. Additionally, Daryl and his crew's main home is located in Alexandria, Virginia.
Are we supposed to believe the CRM and the Commonwealth haven't crossed paths while Lance has been out forging alliances?
Even if Lance doesn't have some sort of alliance with the CRM that could go sideways, it's a little impossible to believe that the CRM's helicopters haven't caught sight of the Commonwealth or its militia.
And, if by some miracle, the Commonwealth has stayed off their radar, there's another more obvious Civic Republic Military connection to "TWD" who should know about the Commonwealth by now: Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh).
It would be short-sighted of Jadis, as a leader of the CRM, to not be keeping tabs on Daryl's people after leaving them. She knew what they were capable of, after all.
It would make more sense that Jadis, who used to date Father Gabriel, was keeping some sort of tabs on or a spy within Daryl's extended group and learned of the existence of the Commonwealth through them.
It was always a belief that the end of "TWD" was going to set up the long-fabled Rick Grimes movie. Now, that it's becoming a show one of three upcoming shows centered around "TWD" characters "The Walking Dead" has to set up these series somehow, right?
Bringing in the CRM, would be a clever and easy way to wrap up some loose ends while setting up the future of "TWD" universe.
How?
I've long postulated that it would be awesome to see some sort of war break out between the Commonwealth and CRM before "TWD" ends.Otherwise, why dress the Civic Republic Military and Commonwealth armies in opposite colors?
I'm partially hoping the CRM comes in guns blazing on the final two episodes of "TWD" and takes over the Commonwealth after someone hears a commotion from the recent outburst that resulted in Sebastian's death. How amazing would it be if Daryl and the Commonwealth were so caught up in their own squabble only for the CRM to blindside them both and turn everything topsy-turvey?
Maybe the CRM come in and kidnap a bunch of people, including Maggie's son, Hershel, and Negan's wife, Annie, setting up their spin-off, "TWD: Dead City," premiering next spring. Maybe this is how Daryl mysteriously gets to his spin-off that will send him to France. Maybe someone smart knows they need to get Daryl out of the way.
Honestly, it's beyond me how AMC has three main "TWD" shows (don't forget "Fear: TWD") and there haven't been crossovers to the main show in years. If there isn't a CRM connection to "The Walking Dead" by the show's end, it will have made "World Beyond" and the many nuggets about that group over the years on "Fear" look pointless. "World Beyond" star Nico Tortorella previously teased to Insider that the show was meant to lead into Rick's "TWD" movie.
What better way to tie the shows together and help tease Rick's return in an eventual spin-off by bringing everything back into the fold?
Do you want to see the CRM make an appearance on "TWD" before it ends? Do you have a prediction for how the show will end? Let me know your thoughts on Twitter @KirstenAcuna or email me at kacuna@insider.com.
You can follow along with our "TWD" coverage here.
More here:
'The Walking Dead' could connect Commonwealth to people who have Rick - Insider
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Not Eligible for Emmys Limited Series Category, Will Submit as Drama (EXCLUSIVE) - Variety - May 1st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: Dead City to film in Worcester - heres when and where - MassLive.com - May 1st, 2024
- 10 Walking Dead Characters Who Need Their Own Spin-Off - CBR - May 1st, 2024
- "She was not in that first movie": Andrew Lincoln Was Devastated 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Nearly Didn ... - FandomWire - May 1st, 2024
- All 11 Fear The Walking Dead Main Villains Ranked - Screen Rant - May 1st, 2024
- All 11 Seasons of 'The Walking Dead', Ranked From Worst to Best - Collider - May 1st, 2024
- She was not in that first movie: Andrew Lincoln Was Devastated The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Nearly Didn ... - imdb - May 1st, 2024
- Where are Rick and Michonne at the End of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live? Here's What We Know - Flickering Myth - May 1st, 2024
- There are other very important characters in the universe: Andrew Lincoln's Selfless Response When Asked if Rick ... - FandomWire - May 1st, 2024
- There are other very important characters in the universe: Andrew Lincolns Selfless Response When Asked if Rick ... - imdb - May 1st, 2024
- 10 Best Episodes of The Walking Dead Season 8, Ranked - CBR - May 1st, 2024
- "I hadn't thought about it that way": The Walking Dead Actress Never Knew Her Character's Death Would Cause Such a ... - FandomWire - May 1st, 2024
- Fear the Walking Dead: The Complete Eighth Season Blu-ray (Netherlands) - Blu-ray.com - May 1st, 2024
- Surprising 14-Year Walking Dead Actor Record Shows Who The Franchise's True Main Character Is - Screen Rant - May 1st, 2024
- The Ones Who Live All But Confirms 1 Walking Dead Mystery Will Never Be Answered - Screen Rant - May 1st, 2024
- "I must have been on their radar": Why The Walking Dead Star Andrew Lincoln Nearly Refused $650000 Per Episode ... - FandomWire - May 1st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Wallpaper You Know You Need - Bleeding Cool News - May 1st, 2024
- This Underrated Netflix Zombie Show Did One Thing Better Than The Walking Dead - MovieWeb - May 1st, 2024
- DEI is the walking dead | Commentary | bgdailynews.com - Bowling Green Daily News - May 1st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: Season 11 | Rotten Tomatoes - April 22nd, 2024
- About The Walking Dead | News, Bios and Photos | AMC - April 22nd, 2024
- How to Recreate the Most Iconic Location From The Walking Dead in 3D - 80.lv - April 22nd, 2024
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol Sets Tribeca Debut - Bleeding Cool News - April 22nd, 2024
- The Walking Dead star joins Superman movie in major role - Digital Spy - April 22nd, 2024
- Rick Grimes' Ending Finally Honored The Big Promise Walking Dead Made In Season 5 - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- When Will 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Season 2 Premiere? - UPROXX - April 21st, 2024
- The Surprising Reason HBO Turned Down 'The Walking Dead' - Collider - April 21st, 2024
- "You Really Have to Consider What He's Been Through": Walking Dead Creator Admits It's Hard to Root for Rick, But ... - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- Robert Kirkman: The Walking Dead Animated Series Can't Happen "Until I Get the Rights Back From AMC" - ComicBook.com - April 21st, 2024
- Morgan Jones' Got The Sendoff He Deserved On Fear The Walking Dead - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead Animated Series Happening Depends On One Important Thing - GameRant - April 21st, 2024
- Robert Kirkman Says The Walking Dead Animated Series Can Only Happen Under One Condition - MovieWeb - April 21st, 2024
- Daryl Dixon season 2 could make the Walking Dead universe even better here's why - Tom's Guide - April 21st, 2024
- 7 New Walking Dead Villains That Could Replace The CRM - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Fails Rick Grimes and Here Are All the Reasons Why He Deserves A Better Fate - Hollywood.com - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Is a Reckoning of Hope - Reactor - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead's Robert Kirkman Shares What's Holding Back the Planned Animated Series - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead Crossover Plans Now Face A Huge Obstacle Thanks To Rick Grimes - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- Behind the scenes as 'Dead City' films in Taunton We talked to zombie, caterer and more - Taunton Daily Gazette - April 21st, 2024
- Die creators Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans' new original graphic novel is a cross between The Walking Dead and ... - Gamesradar - April 21st, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Season 2 and 'Presumed Innocent' Headline the 2024 Tribeca Festival TV Lineup - Collider - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman wants an animated show, but there's one issue - Winter is Coming - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead Crossover Plans Now Face A Huge Obstacle Thanks To Rick Grimes - imdb - April 21st, 2024
- Tom Payne and Wife Jennifer kerman Welcome Twins (Exclusive) - PEOPLE - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 5 Trailer - ComicBook.com - March 24th, 2024
- What The Song Means In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 4 (Does It Reveal The Ending?) - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible Season 2 Is Avoiding A Problem That Nearly Killed The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible Season 2 Has A Walking Dead Easter Egg You Might Have Missed - Looper - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 4 Review What We - Den of Geek - March 24th, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Episode 4 Recap: It's Rick, Michonne, and Carl? - Collider - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead Includes a Rare Sex Scene on The Ones Who Live: 'It Is About Pain,' Says Andrew Lincoln - PEOPLE - March 24th, 2024
- Daryl Dixon Season 2 Release, Cast & Everything We Know - The Direct - March 24th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Episodes 5 & 6 Get Ominous Tease From Walking Dead EP - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- TWD The Ones Who Live Episode 5 Trailer: Rick & Michonne Find Trouble Escaping - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Does Rick Leave the CRM on The Ones Who Live? - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 24th, 2024
- Into The Kirkmanverse? Invincible Teases A Major Connection To The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Pulled a Bait-and-Switch on Walking Dead Fans, But It Works - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 24th, 2024
- Well, That Was The Walking Dead's Raunchiest Episode Since The Show Began In 2010 - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible x The Walking Dead Crossover is Now Likelier Than Ever Due to This Season 2 Character - imdb - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 5 - Release date & time, where to watch, and more - Sportskeeda - March 24th, 2024
- Rick Grimes Just Massively Insulted Lori, 12 Years After Her Walking Dead Exit - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ep. 4 Review: "What We" Needed - Bleeding Cool News - March 24th, 2024
- I Asked AI What TV Characters Who Died Too Soon Would Look Like If They Still Alive Today - BuzzFeed - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Rick has a tough decision to make in "What We" - Winter is Coming - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live - A Testament to Survival and Humanity - Age Of The Nerd - March 16th, 2024
- Which Side Thorne Is On In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live? Why She Tries To Shoot Michonne Explained - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Where The CRM's New US Mountain Base Is Located In The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Season 2 Gets Cryptic Tease From Walking Dead Showrunner - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Theory: The CRM's Echelon Briefing May Have Sinister Plans - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 16th, 2024
- What Would Happen To The Walking Dead's Main Group If The CRM Found Alexandria - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Predicting The CRM's 500-Year Plan In The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead's Creator Admits 1 Criticism of the Franchise Is 100% True - IMDb - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 3 Clip Shows Rick Trying To Make A Deal With Jadis - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live leaves us on the edge of our seats in Episode 3 - Winter is Coming - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live's Villain Just Nailed Rick Grimes' Entire Walking Dead Story With One Line - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Best Horror Games Where Your Choices Matter - TheGamer - March 16th, 2024
- 'The Ones Who Live' Showrunner Wants to Keep Future Plans Open - Collider - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Star Addresses Shocking Return (Exclusive) - ComicBook.com - March 16th, 2024
- Five Thoughts On The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live's Bye - Multiversity Comics - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead: Ones Who Live Star Explains Why Jadis Is Loyal To The CRM - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero