What would The Walking Dead be without Rick Grimes? Creator Robert Kirkman almost took the story down a very different path early on.
What would the world of The Walking Dead be like if Rick Grimes had died in the sixth issue of the comic book? It’s hard to imagine the comic, and the TV series, without Grimes leading the way. In The Walking Dead Deluxe #6, creator Robert Kirkman explains that he once had very different plans for his leading man.
"Rather than Carl killing Shane, I considered having Carl find them in the woods just as Shane was killing RICK. That’s right… I considered killing Rick Grimes as early as issue No. 6. Shane wouldn’t have known Carl had seen him, so there would have been a lot of tense exchanges between the two of them. Shane would have been the first real big villain in the book, and he would have been with the group, on the same side as them, the enemy sleeping the next tent over."
Of course, Rick Grimes went on to become the face of the franchise, both in the comics and on TV. Kirkman notes that the idea came about because #6 marked the end of the first volume, and at the time no one knew how many issues there would be before the series ended.
As much as it would have pained the TWD Family to lose Rick so early, there’s no question that his death early on would have paved the way for some very interesting stories. Who would have led the fight against the Governor? Who would have gone toe to toe with Negan? How long would Carl have kept the secret? Would Shane always be a villain, or could he find redemption?
In many ways, now that the comic book’s run has ended and the flagship series is set to bow out in 2022, these “what if” scenarios are becoming very entertaining fodder among fans. It’s possible that fans will be treated to more of this through the upcoming spinoff, Tales of The Walking Dead, coming after the show ends. Tales will be an exploration of minor characters, dead and alive, and it could be a place to explore these “what if” stories that would have changed the outcome of the show.
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