This article has videos that contain violence, blood, murder, and gore. Viewers' discretion is advised.
After over a decade as the world's leading zombie television series, The Walking Dead has finally come to an end with its eleventh and final season. Fans shouldn't despair, however, for many favorite characters, such as Rick and Michonne, will return in spinoffs set to premiere in 2023 and beyond.
As fans look back on The Walking Dead in its entirety, there is no denying the effect that Rick Grimes had on the series. Andrew Lincoln's character was certainly the greatest leader ever depicted in the show and several of his most iconic quotes prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
"This Isn't A Democracy Anymore."
2x13: "Beside The Dying Fire"
After two seasons of insubordination, outrage, and political vying on the parts of The Walking Dead's main survivors, Rick Grimes finally took matters into his own hands in the season 2 finale. In an imioned speech, he declares that their will be no more democracy among the group, finally solidifying himself as their leader.
While one might question Rick's judgment in this proclamation, there is no denying the sheer strength of character that it took for him to accept this position after everything the group had put him through. From this point on, Rick was the de facto leader of his family of survivors, establishing himself as the strongest of them all.
"There's Always Hope."
1x06: "TS-19"
The zombie apocalypse has driven many to despair over the years, including Dr. Edwin Jenner, who worked for the CDC. In The Walking Dead's season 1 finale, Rick argues with Dr. Jenner over whether survival is worth it in the end, declaring that hope is always worth fighting for.
Throughout the entire series, Rick was motivated that hope would exist in the better world. Though he went through phases of despair, he always returned to the hopeful man that the audience first met in the pilot episode. This refusal to give up helped him survive for many years in the apocalypse, helping many others along the way.
"I'm Not Your Governor."
3x15: "This Sorrowful Life"
Though Rick ended season 2 by declaring himself the sole leader of his group of survivors, the following season saw him learning to be better than the Governor, who was a dictator over the people of Woodberry. Finally, Rick goes back on his former statement, itting that he isn't another Governor, nor does he want to be.
Rick's change of heart in season three proves that he is a better leader than most others in the zombie apocalypse. He was willing to recognize his mistakes and change for the better, whereas many others would have doubled-down on their errors in order to preserve their reputation. Rick's willingness to correct his own missteps serve him and his people well over the years.
"There's Gotta Be Something After."
8x16: "Wrath"
Though the Savior War took everything that the Coalition of Communities had as they battled Negan and his Saviors, Rick came to an important realization during the course of the conflict. For so long he had been focused on defeating Negan, but he also came to see that his people needed to be prepared for what came after their victory.
Rick was one of the few characters in the series who always looked to the future, though it was often uncertain. He knew that the world would keep on spinning, no matter what happened, and that he had to be prepared for the future just as much as he was for the present. This quality saved his people on numerous occasions, keeping them prepared for any eventuality.
"We Survive By Pulling Together, Not Apart."
1x02: "Guts"
In the second episode of The Walking Dead, Rick made his philosophy on survival quite clear. Rather than letting his new group of survivors unravel under pressure, he reminded them that the only way anyone is going to survive in the new world is if they stick together.
Rick's philosophy on teamwork perseveres throughout the series, even long after his departure. By working together, the main characters of the series are able to accomplish far more than they ever could have apart.
"No Matter What Comes Next, We've Already Won."
8x01: "Mercy"
"If we start tomorrow, right now, with everything we’ve beaten, everything we’ve endured, everything we’ve risen above, everything we’ve become. If we start tomorrow right now, no matter what comes next, we’ve won. We’ve already won."
In the season 8 premiere of The Walking Dead, Rick gives a ionate speech to his people as they prepare for an all-out war with the Saviors. Though the future was uncertain, Rick declared with full confidence that they had already won.
Though it occasionally got him into trouble, Rick's confidence was a key part of his leadership style. He never wavered after making a decision, committing himself fully to carrying out the plans he had settled upon. Even if things went awry, Rick saw his endeavors through to the very end, always delivering on his promises, even the very grandest ones.
"My Mercy Prevails Over My Wrath."
8x16: "Wrath"
Negan was one of Rick's greatest enemies on The Walking Dead, and one that Rick vowed to kill on several occasions. However, after slitting Negan's throat with a shard of glass, Rick ordered Siddiq to save him, later commenting in surprise that his mercy prevailed over his wrath against all odds.
Though Rick is shown to be a good man, he always had a dark side, especially when it came to people who threatened his loved ones. However, in his final years on The Walking Dead, Rick learned to replace his anger with mercy, to the point of sparing his greatest enemy as a show of good faith to the Saviors that would soon be ing the Coalition.
"We Tell Ourselves That We Are The Walking Dead."
5x10: "Them"
One of Rick's most bone-chilling lines comes at the end of his most famous speech in the entire series. As his family of survivors holes up in a decrepit shack, he comments on the nature of survival in this world and, at their lowest point, convinces his companions to keep fighting for survival.
Even in the worst situations, when Rick himself had little drive to carry on, he always knew how to keep his family from giving up. Sometimes, this meant leaning into the darkness that grasped at them. Regardless, Rick always had the perfect speech to keep himself and his friends fighting.
"We're Not Just Fighting To Survive Anymore."
9x02: "The Bridge"
"We're not just fighting to survive anymore. We're making a new beginning."
Rick spent many of his final episodes arguing with his closest allies about the merits of protecting the Saviors after their integration into the Coalition of Communities. During this time, Rick always fell back on the notion that they were working to build a new world--one that was far less brutal than the zombie-infested land beyond their walls.
For so long, it had taken all of Rick's energy just to keep his family and friends alive. However, as the series progressed, Rick came to see that survival was only one part of the puzzle. In order to truly endure, he had to focus on building the foundations for a world in which everyone could thrive, regardless of who they had been in the world outside.
"We're Not Too Far Gone. We Get To Come Back."
4x08: "Too Far Gone"
When the Governor arrived at the prison gates in the season four midseason finale, Rick made a surprising choice. Instead of ordering his men to kill their enemy, Rick offered him and his army entrance into their community, insisting that they could find a way to make peace between their two factions rather than allow any more bloodshed.
Rick suffered through many dark times during his tenure on The Walking Dead. However, at his heart, he only wanted to help people--even those who didn't want his help. In his finest moments, Rick was a man who loved even his enemies enough to attempt to preserve their lives--but would only allow himself to be pushed so far before retaliating.