Will Rick Grimes return in season 11

The Walking Dead series wouldn’t be the same without its leader Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). He set the story’s tone and served as a great leader from seasons 1-9. Viewers know that he didn’t die in season 9, but only a handful of characters are privy to this information. Four years ago today, November 4, 2018, was the final episode of the series to feature Rick Grimes.

Andrew Lincoln Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

“What Comes Afer” was the fifth episode of season 9 and would mark the final appearance of Rick Grimes. In a heroic move, he would sacrifice himself to save those he loves. But he would soon be discovered along the river by Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) and taken away in a helicopter to the Civic Republic.

This was a devastating loss for his family. Whether he made the right or wrong decisions, Rick was an impressive leader willing to do whatever it took to ensure his family’s safety.

The Walking Dead without Rick Grimes

The series has continued for two more seasons, and Rick’s absence is noted. No one character has really taken his place as leader, but several of our survivors have definitely taken a leadership role in his absence.

Andrew Lincoln Danai Gurira Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

His wife Michonne (Dania Gurira) left in search of her lost love when she discovered he didn’t die in the blast at the bridge. His daughter Judith (Cailey Fleming) also knows her father didn’t die, but his son RJ (Antony Azor) has never met his father, and his father isn’t aware of his existence. Will fans ever see a reunion between the father and his children?

As The Walking Dead quickly approaches its final episode on November 20, 2022, fans long for the reappearance of Rick in the series. Many have been hopeful that he will at least have a cameo, but when it was announced at SDCC 2022 that Rick and Michonne would return in a series of their own, the hopes of seeing Rick in the series finale were diminished. It will be fleeting if he does make an appearance, but fans can rest in the knowledge that Rick will return to TWDU soon.

Follow Undead Walking on Twitter and sign up for the once-daily Undead Walking newsletter to avoid missing out on all things in The Walking Dead universe.

Rick Grimes is the leading man of The Walking Dead but does he die throughout the show’s run, and how does he leave? Will he be back in season 11?

When TV fans think of The Walking Dead, there is a pretty good chance that the first image that comes to mind is one of a sheriff. That sheriff is Rick Grimes.

Portrayed by Andrew Lincoln, Rick Grimes was and always will be the definitive leading man of The Walking Dead. The character debuted on screens in the very first episode when he woke from a coma to discover that the dead had risen and overrun the world, and from that very moment, he has never stopped fighting to ensure that he and his loved ones survive.

If you’re just tuning back into The Walking Dead season 11 before the show’s final season ends, you’ve likely already noticed that Rick is no longer a part of the show. So what happened to him?

Does Rick Grimes die on The Walking Dead?

If you’re worried about whether Rick Grimes died on The Walking Dead, you can relax: Rick isn’t dead. He’s alive and well (or so we think). The twist is that nobody on the show knows it.

Andrew Lincoln left the show in season 9 episode 5, “What Comes After”, when a wounded Rick destroyed the bridge he and the survivors had spent the ninth season building in a desperate bid to protect the Hilltop and other communities from two giant walker herds that had merged into one.

Rick was taken with the blast, leading to his friends and family assuming that he died too. However, Anne (a.k.a. Jadis), found him just as she was set to leave on a mysterious helicopter that required her to trade an asset. In a bid to save the friend who saved her in the past, Ann offered Rick up as a trade and the helicopter took the two of them, saving his life.

Rick hasn’t been seen since, but that is not the last we will see of him.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

Will Rick Grimes return in The Walking Dead season 11?

As of yet, Rick Grimes does not appear in The Walking Dead’s eleventh and final season, but there is always a possibility that he might. The good news is that his story will continue one way or another.

Ever since Andrew Lincoln’s departure, we knew that Rick would be back in a story that showed us what he got up to after being taken away by the helicopter. It was originally set to be a trilogy of films that brought him back to screen, but it was confirmed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con that Lincoln would reprise his role in a six-part series (along with Danai Gurira as Michonne) that would reunite Rick and Michonne and bring their love story to a close.

The good news is that we will see Rick and Michonne on our screens again soon, as the new spin-off is set to premiere on AMC in 2023.

Were you aware of how Rick left The Walking Dead in season 9? Are you excited for his six-part series? Let us know in the comments below!