The Walking Dead: World Beyond hints at Rick Grimes’ whereabouts

As The Walking Dead franchise continues to expand, we’re seeing more characters crossover into other shows in the extended universe. For instance, Morgan (Lennie James) has become a central character in Fear the Walking Dead; the same goes for characters like Dwight (Austin Amelio) and Sherry (Christine Evangelista). And now we’ve got our first World Beyond crossover, as Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) turned up on the series as a high-ranking officer of the Civic Republic, sporting a formal uniform and an all-new haircut.

Jadis, also known as Anne, was last seen in The Walking Dead boarding a CRM helicopter alongside a severely injured Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). This was the last time we’d seen Rick, so Jadis’ return in the spinoff has naturally prompted fans to once again to ask, “What happened to Rick Grimes?”

While World Beyond season 1 gave no hints at all as to the whereabouts of Rick Grimes, Jadis has given us a tiny clue. She tells Huck (Annet Mahendru) that she “gave the CRM something very valuable.” She doesn’t explicitly drop Rick’s name, but Mcintosh confirmed in an interview with TV Insider that it was indeed a reference to the man himself.

"I think we can assume it is, yes. It’s safe to assume so. It is difficult to talk about Rick, as Jadis, and not put a bit of heart in there. She did have a true connection and relationship with him. I quite liked that he was valuable, at least! She did at least say that."

And McIntosh reveals that there are plenty more hints to come. “That was sort of hint number one; you’ll have to keep watching for more info!”

If you’re not already watching World Beyond, now is the perfect time to jump on board. The limited show is currently nearing the end of its second and final season, and things are about to get crazy. Not only are we learning more about the inner workings of the Civic Republic — a network of communities with links to all three shows in the franchise — but we’re also going to get one step closer to reuniting with Rick.

Pollyanna McIntosh talks about Jadis crossing over into The Walking Dead: World Beyond

We’re seeing a very different version of Jadis in World Beyond compared to the leader of a ragtag scrapyard group she was in The Walking Dead. As McIntosh tells Entertainment Weekly, we’re seeing the “third iteration” of her character in this spinoff, someone who is more formal and organized.

Carrying Rick Grimes away in a helicopter was never planned to be Jadis’ final bow. “Five months before I left The Walking Dead, [Walking Dead chief content officer Scott M. Gimple and TWD showrunner Angela Kang] spoke to me about what was going to happen,” McIntosh remembered. “They said, ‘It’s not going to be the end for Jadis, and we want to carry on story lines with her, so watch this space.'”

Also, on World Beyond, Anne is gone back to calling herself Jadis. Even more interestingly, she’s given herself the surname Stokes, after Father Gabriel Stokes (Seth Gilliam). “Even I was surprised in hearing that she was Jadis Stokes,” McIntosh said. “I was like, ‘What? What? What?’ But she left him behind, and she had to.”

"I think the idea for her of being Mrs. Stokes is hilarious, because she’s not the marrying type. But in a way, if you’re married you’re not available, and she isn’t available in that regard anymore. She’s closed herself off to those things."

Perhaps we’ll learn more about that bizarre name change later in the season. Now I’d like Jadis to somehow run into Gabriel and have to explain herself.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2 is currently airing on AMC. New episodes arrive Sundays.

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