‘The Walking Dead’: Scene From Rick Grimes’ Last Episode Is Straight from the Comics

The Walking Dead 905, “What Comes After,” will send off Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) with tributes and homages to the series’ storied history — including one eerie moment inspired by a variant cover from creator Robert Kirkman’s comic book series.

Rick, gravely wounded and hallucinating, trips through his journey from a small town sheriff’s deputy who ventured into Atlanta searching for his missing son (Chandler Riggs) and wife (Sarah Wayne Callies) to an accomplished leader credited with shepherding a tight-knit band of survivors through the apocalypse.

One moment spotted in the preview for episode 905 reveals Rick stood amongst a sea of corpses, borrowing a variant cover from The Walking Dead #100 by Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn. That milestone issue, penned by Kirkman, saw the first appearance of barbwire bat-swinging villain Negan and his subsequent brutal execution of Glenn Rhee.

The comic cover sees Rick stood in the endless pile of blood-covered bodies, which includes such foes as the one-eyed Governor, former best friend Shane Walsh, and wife Lori.

Shane (Jon Bernthal) will be one of the dead characters returning to the series, alongside Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson). The returns of all three stars were officially announced by showrunner Angela Kang at New York Comic Con on Oct. 6.

“I think it was about day two of filming and I asked Greg Nicotero, who was shooting the episode, ‘How many pints of blood does a human actually hold? Because I’m not sure I’m going to make it through the credit sequence,’” Lincoln told Entertainment Tonight of his final episode, directed by the longtime Walking Dead producer-director.

Despite Rick’s gruesome injury and seemingly hopeless peril, both Lincoln and Kang have hinted at Rick’s possible survival.

“My relationship with this part is far from over,” Lincoln told ComicBook.com. “I’m not gonna say anything more than that but I will say, ‘Watch this season.’”

Lincoln later told press other actors have left the franchise without dying, pointing to Morgan Jones star Lennie James, who left the flagship series and boarded spinoff Fear the Walking Dead in its fourth season.

“Lennie James is a perfect example of leaving without dying and doing rather well on it, so there is that way,” Lincoln noted during San Diego Comic-Con.

“And then there is obviously the other way, which we’ve done quite a lot… Obviously I’m not going to tell you which way [Rick leaves]. I mean, I’d prefer the Lennie James of it all. But I think what we have in store this season is truly remarkable, and I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done.”

Rick Grimes’ final episode airs Sunday, November 4 at 9/8c on AMC.