Summary

• Rick Grimes' quotes in The Walking Dead helped establish him as the hero and provide insight into the world of the zombie apocalypse. They became more profound as the series progressed.
• Rick's character went through a transformation driven by trauma, chaos, and bloodshed. His evolution was marked by profound quotes that showcased his changing morals and leadership.
• The return of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in the show's closing sequence sets up his spinoff series and ensures that his iconic quotes will continue to haunt fans for years.

The Walking Dead's main story starts out after the zombie apocalypse and the best Rick Grimes quotes in the series helped the audience latch onto him as the hero and helped them understand the world he and his fellow survivors were living in. Actor Andrew Lincoln departed the show in season 9, but his presence lived on, thanks largely to a series of long-lasting quotes. Many of the quotes sent shivers down the spines of longtime fans, as they became more profound over time. Rick's character went through many twists and turns, from salvation to damnation, and back again, and his evolution was driven largely by trauma, chaos, and bloodshed.

At long last, The Walking Dead came to an end after 11 seasons and over a decade on the air. In a stunning turn of events, the show's closing sequence saw the return of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in a thrilling set-up to set up for his spinoff series starring himself and Danai Gurira as Michonne. Though some of the best Rick Grimes quotes may ultimately be attributed to that spin-off, there's no denying that some of Rick's lines on The Walking Dead will haunt fans for years to come.

25 "At Least Have The Balls To Call This What It Is: Murder."

2x12: "Better Angels"

In the first season of The Walking Dead, Rick Grimes woke up from a coma and then set out to find his wife, son, and best friend during a zombie apocalypse. Through most of those first two seasons, Rick was a good guy, pure at heart, and he set rules about what was murder and what wasn't. Sadly, he also had to face his best friend, Shane, who had fallen in love with Rick's wife Lori, and had established himself as a leader, something Rick threatened on both sides. Shane took Rick out to kill him, and this line shows Rick's morals, something that changed drastically in the years after this shocking moment when Rick had to kill Shane.

24 "Either Way, I Don't Pretend To Be A Governor."

3x13: "Arrow on the Doorpost"

One of the biggest motifs in The Walking Dead is showing Rick Grimes as a leader and then contrasting him to other leaders they encounter. It seems that no matter what Rick does that is purely evil and vile to outsiders, he is still the good guy when he is compared to others. Looking at Negan, the Commonwealth, and even Deanna in The Commonwealth, Rick was the one most suited to lead people and keep them both alive and safe. The first major comparison was when Rick met The Governor in Woodbury. The two quipped back and forth about morals and leadership, and Rick delivered the perfect quote to show how they differed.

23 "I Killed My Best Friend For You People, For Christ's Sake."

2x13: "Beside The Dying Fire"

Rick Grimes did a lot of bad things in The Walking Dead. Many of them were for good reason or for the greater good, but there was one case where it was simply a case of self-defense. He killed people for poor reasons (like the sleeping people whom Negan protected) and for good reasons (the Terminus cannibals). However, it was his murder of his best friend Shane that helped morph Rick into someone who could - and would - kill when needed. When the other people at the camp questioned his leadership after this, Rick broke down and exclaimed that he killed his best friend to protect them. This was the start of a long dark road for the former police officer.

22 "I'm Gonna Make It Real, Carl."

8x9: "Honor"

Rick Grimes had a lot of plans for the future with his son Carl. He had lost his wife, but he had a family of friends with the other survivors. However, it was Carl and young Judith who were Rick's real family. Rick wanted to create a world that would be safer for Carl and Judith to grow up in. He did this in the comics and Carl lived a long life. It wasn't his job in the TV show, and Carl didn't even live long enough to see it. As Carl lay dying, he begged his dad not to keep killing and reminded him of the future in which they dreamed. That is when Rick broke down and made his promise, saying

"I'm gonna make it real, Carl. I promise."

21 "They're Fu**ing With The Wrong People."

4x16: "A"

In the fourth season of The Walking Dead, Rick and the other survivors were all captured. This was when they battled the cannibals from Terminus and they had finally pushed Rick to the limit. They were in a gunfight with Gareth, but he had snipers and the survivors had no way out. They surrendered and Gareth locked them in a boxcar and that is when Rick turned and delivered one of the most intense quotes of his entire time on the show. He said, "They're gonna feel pretty stupid when they find out." When Abraham asked what he meant, Rick simply said, "They're fu**ing with the wrong people." What happened after this was some of Rick's most gruesome kills.

20 "How You Live, How You Die... It Isn't Up To Me..."

3x15: "This Sorrowful Life"

"How you live, how you die... it isn't up to me. I'm not your Governor."

In the early seasons of The Walking Dead, character development was essential when it came to establishing the paths taken in future episodes. After Hershel's (Scott Wilson) farm burned down, Rick made it clear to the other survivors that they needed to show absolute obedience to his orders if they wanted to remain a part of his group. Season 3 saw the rise of the Governor (David Morrissey), a character who was one of the most dangerous Walking Dead villains. This Rick Grimes quote made a profound statement when he essentially backed off of his previously tyrannical attitude and referenced the Governor directly.

19 "I'm Not The Good Guy Anymore."

2x10: "18 Miles Away"

In season 2 of The Walking Dead, Shane (Jon Bernthal) criticized Rick for trying to survive while also trying to be the good guy, something Shane believed to be impossible. Rick corrected his ex-best friend by dropping this quote to show that he was starting to change, and not in a good way. Fans saw what Shane was becoming, but Rick was already heading down a similar path. By the time Shane was killed, and the survivors had scattered, Rick was fed up, frustrated, and paranoid. He was starting to slip from hero to villain, with all the psychological trappings that come with such a shift.

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18 "I Try Not To Mix It Up With The Almighty Anymore."

2x04: "Cherokee Rose"

"Last time I asked God for a favor and stopped to ire a view, my son got shot. I try not to mix it up with the almighty anymore."

Season 2 saw new challenges, threats, and heartbreaking Walking Dead events, not the least of which was Rick's young son Carl getting shot by accident whilst in the woods. For a while, Carl's life teetered on the edge of a knife, but he finally managed to pull through and recover. Rick was left devastated by the ordeal, and it changed his way of looking at the concept of religious belief. He was used to praying for good things to happen, only for terrible events to unfold at almost precisely the same time, as evidenced by this powerful Rick Grimes quote.

17 "Rest In Peace. Now, Get Up, And Go To War."

5x10: "Them"

During a heavy storm in season 5, Rick and the group took shelter in a barn where he spoke about his grandfather, who had fought in WWII. The anecdote was designed to show the survivors that fear of dying would end up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. He shared his grandfather's wisdom on the subject, which was summed up in this quote. In Rick's own words, "And then after a few years of pretending he was dead, he made it out alive." Ironically, this sentiment would be mirrored in future seasons featuring the Whisperers, who shared the same outlook but with a much more different approach.

16 "That's What I'm Gonna' Use To Kill You."

5x01: "No Sanctuary"

"There's a compound bow and a machete with a red handle. That's what I'm gonna use to kill you."

When Rick and the group made it to the town of Terminus, they didn't expect the kind of reception they got. Terminus was a community that just so happened to cannibalize other humans for food, and they became eerily comfortable with the entire process. Their leader Gareth (Andrew J. West) was eager to get his hands on a bag of guns belonging to Rick's group, to which Rick offered to take him out into the forest and show him where they were. He then added this quote at the end with a sense of complete relaxation and confidence, which was spine-tingling to watch.