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Norman Reedus, Danai Gurira and more in AMC drama's season premiere.
Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) stands ready to crumble as civilization returns from the rubble. Tea Walking Dead hero will fight his final battle in the weeks ahead, as the season ends for the line for Lincoln's time on the AMC zombie drama. (In front of the camera, at least, Lincoln has announced his intention to return, albeit as a director.)
How can the series withstand such a loss? It's not so prominent Walking Dead Rick … it's different. It almost feels unfathomable.
Almost.
Enter: "A New Beginning," the season premiere, and the beginning of the end for Rick Grimes. It's the first new episode of the series since Lincoln's looming departure first spread, resulting in an entirely new watching experience. For one thing, the countdown clock is on; Rick Grimes is a ticking time bomb, and there is no telling when the story is about to kick in and kill. For another, in the beginning of the future, it will be the future of the future.
In that regard, five major players stand front and center as torchbearers. The season premiere offered insight into what they are dealing with, and what their lives might look like with Rick no longer around. Here's the round-up, with some spoilers from the comic books included.
1. Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus)
He served as acting leader of the Sanctuary, until he could not stand it anymore. Daryl stepping down from his leadership position with a different character's arc comic book: Dwight (Austin Amelio), last seen riding away at the end of the season. In the comics, Dwight and Rick's relationship becomes more important in the post-war climate; the tension exists very much on the show, too, as Daryl blames Rick for the way things have changed. Whenever Rick leaves, HOWEVER Rick leaves, one imagines Daryl changing course and moving forward in a way that honors his old friend's optimistic vision of the future.
2. Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride)
When Daryl steps down, Carol steps up. The only other season is one of the leadership roles, but also a romantic one, just barely resisting a marriage proposal from the great King Ezekiel (Khary Payton). As she becomes more prominent in the Alexandria Safe-Zone's hierarchy, Carol could fill out Rick's shoes on the leadership side of the aisle. More distressingly, Carol's relationship with Ezekiel puts her in line with the Michonne-Ezekiel romance from the comic books – an entanglement that does not end cleanly.
3. Michonne (Danai Gurira)
Speaking of Michonne, the sword-swinging warrior exits the season with a new mission: crafting a charter for the Alexandria Safe-Zone and surrounding communities. More than any other character, Michonne stands ready to pick up the political power when Rick's time with the series draws to an end. With Gurira's star on the rise, it makes sense that the show would have Michonne in an even more central role, quite likely the new leader in Rick's absence – a governor in her own right, "The Famous Michonne," as she may come to be known.
4. Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohan)
Maggie's bow is a complicated one, due to what we know about her future: Lauren Cohan is starring on ABC's Whiskey Cavalierit will only appear in a portion of The Walking Dead season nine. With that said, Maggie's story in the first place, but temporary it may be. She's finally taking a stand against Rick's style of leadership, executing Gregory's (Xander Berkeley) publicly, Ricky with Negan at the end of "All-Out War." Will the clash in leadership style, followed by whatever fate awaits Rick, cause Maggie to move on the Hilltop for some soul-searching? At the moment, it 's the likeliest avenue on the board – assuming she' s not in for a fatal collision with a walker, or even Negan himself.
5. Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan)
The big bad baseball bat-wielding maniac was entirely absent from the season premiere, except in name. But his ghost looms large over the proceedings, fueling Maggie's move against Gregory. Based on his continued association with The Walking Dead press events, including the most recent episode of Talking Dead, it certainly seems like Negan's an active force through the late stages of season nine. Based on his arc in the comics, Negan stands out as one of the greatest power players in the world. Whisperer War. He already has a big enough story on his own plate. Could Negan shoulder some of the load left behind by Rick, too?
Follow THR.com/WalkingDead as the stories of Daryl, Carol, Michonne, Maggie, and Negan.
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