At this point in The Walking Dead universe, we are beyond any of the comic material. The comics wrap up with a final battle at the Commonwealth that results in Rick Grimes’ heartbreaking death before time jumping to relative peace decades later. Obviously, The Walking Dead TV series and its spinoffs are quite different. Rick is still alive and we discover what he’s been up to at the Civic Republic in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’s first episode. We are in a place where anything can happen with Rick, Michonne, and other characters: however, The Ones Who Live took fans (mostly) by surprise and cut Rick Grimes’ hand off, which is a major moment from the comics.
Early in the episode, Rick is trying to escape the CRM during a consignee mission. He’s attached to an officer via a wire rope and a metal bracelet on his left hand. In a very desperate attempt to escape, Rick Grimes takes a hatchet and cuts off his right hand. He cauterizes the wound and tries to run, but it doesn’t work. This shows just how miserable he is without his family. While Rick Grimes losing his hand in The Ones Who Live is shocking for many, a few keen-eyed fans saw this moment coming. The show’s trailers cleverly show Rick fighting and sitting with only one hand clearly visible or neither of his hands in view. Sometimes, the theories and speculation are true.
This is wildly different from how Rick Grimes loses his hand in the source material. Comic book Rick lost his hand way back during the prison arc. The Governor took him hostage and sawed off his right hand to prove that he meant business. This was a major blow to Rick, who had to learn how to shoot and fight with his nondominant hand. He eventually got a metal hand from a blacksmith at Hilltop.
In The Walking Dead TV show, we got a couple of fake out moments. Negan acted like he was going to cut Rick’s hand off at the RV back in season seven. Rick also badly injured his hand once to the point that fans thought he’d have to amputate it. Creator Robert Kirkman later said he regretted not cutting Rick’s hand off, so it seems he finally got his wish.
In the original television series, Alexandria resident Aaron lost his left arm after a walker outbreak at a work site led to a log falling on his arm. He eventually got a cool prosthetic that Bucky Barnes would be proud of. Most fans assumed that this would be the only time that a live-action series would honor that big moment. But alas, Rick Grimes is now without a hand. And, just like the comics, he is still a total badass.
Featured Image: AMC Networks