Rick Grimes

Rick Grimes was a sheriff’s deputy who awoke from a coma to a strange new world. Reanimated by an unknown pathogen, the dead now walked the Earth, single-mindedly hunting the living. As society fell, so too did the constructs that were taken for granted. Rick was no longer an officer of the law, but a survivor like every living human in the early days of the apocalypse. Due in part to his ability to adapt to the harsh new world without entirely sacrificing his morality, Rick became the de facto leader of a group of survivors. They scrambled to find food and shelter in a world overrun by "walkers"—the name given to the resurrected dead. Though they fared better than most, Rick lost countless friends and family members over the years, including his wife and son. Safe havens were often all-too temporary, as human-led conflicts proved deadlier than the walkers they sheltered from. Despite hardships, there were moments of joy to be had. Rick discovered that even after all the trauma he endured and despite his endless sense of duty, he still had the capacity for intimacy. He fell in love with Michonne, a woman with keen wits matched only by her skill with a sword. Together they joined the community of Alexandria, finally finding some semblance of normalcy. Peace proved to be fleeting, and when a herd of walkers threatened the community, Rick acted as a decoy to lead them away. Exhausted and gravely injured, he brought the walkers to a bridge and set off explosives. Caught in the blast, Rick was thrown to the ground. Black fog billowed over his vision. He lost consciousness. Somewhere in the darkness, he heard Michonne calling for him. With the last of his strength, he reached out to her. But it was not her hand that met him—only the chilling fog and the crackling sounds of a campfire.