Some cultural phenomena take the world by storm and gradually fade from memory. Others become less notable but never disappear. The zombie craze of the late 2000s and early 2010s saw the shambling hordes of the undead climb from mild popularity to all-consuming obsession.The Walking Deadwas the catalyst and favorite symptom of zombie fever, and its upcoming spin-offs are set to keep the story going. The world’s favorite post-apocalypse may never end, but what was its original final moment, and how did Rick Jr. fit into it?
There’s a substantial contingent ofWalking Deadviewers who feel that the show never once reached the standard of quality itattained in its first season. Frank Darabont, the developer of the first six episodes and director of the pilot, was unceremoniously fired after the show’s groundbreaking debut. His replacement never found the poignant brilliance that Darabont brought to the beginning. Some folks on the team either agreed or catered to those who did with their original ending.
RELATED:Was Fear The Walking Dead A Good Spin-off?
The final episode ofThe Walking Deadcame out on July 23, 2025. The eleventh season follows the main characters' encounter with a vast network of shelters called the Commonwealth. Like almost every other season ofThe Walking Dead, the protagonists go to a place, discover corruption, fight the local dictator, then fight the walkers as they appear. Thelatest iron-fisted monster is Pamela. She initially seems generous and caring, but her desire for power drowns out every other aspect of her personality. Pamela creates a haves and have-nots system among survivors, caring more about subjugating the poor than dealing with zombies. The finale depicts the heroes dismantling her power to create a better world.
Negan and Maggie initially plan to shoot Pamela from a distance, but a long-termplan lands Daryl inthe middle of the fight. He delivers an inspirational speech ripped straight from Rick’s mouth in a similar comic book moment. Daryl manages to de-escalate the situation with words, eventually convincing Pamela’s armed forces to drop their weapons. He opens the gates to let struggling survivors in and closes the fight with very few lives lost. There are a ton of walkers on their way to kill everyone. Pamela tries to feed herself to a walker, but Maggie andNegan decide that prisonis a suitable fate worse than death for her. They legally depose her before blowing up the Commonwealth’s rich area to kill all the oncoming threats. Ezekiel takes Pamela’s job, and the final moments of the show depict a much happier world.
The Walking Deadends on a broadly positive note. The new Commonwealth seems to have instilled peace and resilience in survivors. Judith Grimes survives her seemingly impossible situation. The most notable loss in the finale is Rosita. She’s bitten but dies relatively happy after a perfect dinner with her friends. A one-year time skip exhibits the beauty of the new Commonwealth. The heroes, all of whom have survived through violence, have found a new way to live. Daryl finds his own peace by riding off into the sunset.Finally, Rick and Michonneenjoy a brief cameo. Michonne is searching for Rick while the former sheriff is picked up by a Civic Republic Military helicopter. He leaves behind some belongings for her to find before he surrenders. Rick Jr. and Judith get the final line, “We get to start over. We’re the ones who live.”
The Walking Deadfinale that aired was a moment of happiness that spent most of its time setting up future spin-offs. The original pitch would have jumped much further into the future. Rather than skipping a year to show the audience how well the Commonwealth turned out under Ezekiel, the original ending would haveleaped ahead ten years. Judith, Ezra, Coco, Gracie, and Rick Jr. would have aged into independent young adults. The finale would depict them driving along Interstate 85 in a modified van, just as Rick had in his police cruiser in the first season. Rick Jr. would quote his father’s iconic line into a radio verbatim “If you’re able to hear me, answer back. This is Rick Grimes.” A survivor would answer. Rather than setting up yet another spin-off, this ending would be a blatant attempt to call back to the warmfeelings of Frank Darabont’s first season. It would establish a new generation of survivors following the example of their predecessors. The idea has been controversial among fans and commentators.
The Walking Deadseason finale was seen as serviceable. Most critics felt that the show had far outlived its glory days but still wrapped up with some much-needed catharsis. The need to buildfoundations for future sequelsdidn’t help, but some fans are still excited to see what this shambling corpse has to offer.The Walking Deadis over, but neither ending would have been a clean kill.
