The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Reminds Us Why Michonne Is A True Survivor
04 -03-2024
The following post contains spoilers about the "Walking Dead" franchise.
As a cruel nod to "Walking Dead", "The Walking Dead : The Ones Who Live," opened, Rick Grimes' (Andrew Lincoln), chopping and cauterizing an arm to try to escape the CRM (Civic Republic Military), was shown. All his pain was in vain, however, because he is quickly recaptured. Rick is enlisted by Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor, played by Craig Tate. There's some strange talk that the CRM divides survivors into Bs and As. They plan to eliminate the As (determined people with leadership skills who are able to survive alone) and feed the Bs. Rick, who is labeled as A by the CRM, secretly plots to escape to reunite with Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, but is unsuccessful despite all his efforts.
After Rick reluctantly lets go of Michonne's hand, destiny intervenes. Okafor is killed when the helicopter they were riding in with Okafor on was mysteriously shot down. Unknown individual immediately kills fellow CRM soldiers and just as they are about to murder Rick, the mysterious person stops them. Michonne is the one who has survived in this post-apocalyptic world since Rick was blown up by a bomb on a road bridge. The second episode jumps straight into Michonne’s perspective, explaining how she survived over the years. This feels more intriguing than anything the show has presented so far.
The Walking Dead's Season 10 ends with Michonne saving Aiden and Bailey, a couple that are in a caravan of survivors. Episode 2 picks up right after Michonne returns them safely to the group. Michonne begins her journey after we saw her last, proving that she is a survivor.
Michonne is a fierce, compassionate and passionate woman.
Michonne, the protagonist of "The Walking Dead", has proven to be a fierce warrior throughout all seasons. Her survival instincts have allowed her to stay alive. Michonne's ruthlessness is not arbitrary, nor driven by revenge. She has always been compassionate to survivors, even after she killed so many people. Michonne, when she was part of Rick’s survivors group, made sure that her primal instinct to survive didn't mean she had to sacrifice humanity. She still holds on to the belief of "The Ones Who live." She has a gradual, steady romance with Rick, which was abruptly ended after he assumed his death.
Michonne, who has just rescued Aiden and Bailey and acquired a horse for them, meets Nat (Matthew Jeffers), a skilled weapon maker and inventor of other technology devices that will keep the caravan alive. Michonne and Nat form an immediate bond. They are both kind and brave people who find themselves in difficult circumstances. Nat teams up with Aiden, Bailey, and Michonne to protect her during the migration from walkers. Unluckily, the CRM helicopter drops deadly chlorine gas onto some caravan survivors. This causes Aiden and Bailey (who are also pregnant) to become enraged. Michonne is forced to take the difficult decision of killing these survivors. Her anguish can be felt as she does so. Nat and Michonne are thankfully saved, but their bodies have been severely affected by the poisonous gas. It takes them months to fully recover.
Michonne is once again tested in her faith in humanity after Nat's passing and Rick's decision to integrate with CRM.
Cost of Belief
In episode 1 of "The Ones Who Live", Rick reveals how he almost gave up on himself and abandoned his search for Michonne, after trying to flee from the rubble of his home. Michonne, on the other hand, continues to hold onto Rick's boot that was found in rubble. She is willing to do anything to locate him. Nat's final words to her, in which he tells her that they have nothing else but hope and faith, underscore this. Nat brings warmth to the show as he's one of few survivors that understands their stakes but puts them first.
Michonne is shaken by Nat's sudden death, and Rick's reunion becomes bittersweet, particularly after Michonne has to pretend she is a "B" after she was accepted into the CRM. Jadis' (Pollyanna McCIntosh's) unexpected return complicates the situation, because she realizes that Michonne will cause the CRM to crumble since she won't accept any plan of survival or tolerate injustice.
Michonne’s faith helped her to find Rick. However, the reunion came at a price. She will now be privy of all of CRM's past crimes and their long history of murdering thousands to keep their hold on the conscripted survivor. Michonne is unwavering in her commitment to doing what's right, and wears it on her sleeves. The road ahead looks hellish, with many painful revelations.
AMC+ is now streaming the first two episodes from "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live". Check out the ranking of all seasons of "The Walking Dead", and 25 of the best episodes from the original series.