The Walking Dead Star Was Surprised by Rick Grimes Connections

The Walking Dead had surprising ties to Rick Grimes in the final episode which will feature Danai Gurira as Michonne. Before the episode came to an end, it was revealed that some of Rick’s belongings had washed up and been found, prompting Michonne to investigate their discovery and finally have a glimmer of hope that Rick might still be alive after their six years apart. In the show’s ninth season, Rick Grimes was on a bridge which he exploded as a means to keep his people safe. His family thought he died but he actually washed ashore and flew off in a helicopter. As the show displayed the first sign of Rick’s survival for characters within it, the ties came as a surprise to Virgil actor Kevin Carroll.

Spoilers for The Walking Dead Episode 10×13 follow. Major spoilers!

Prior to her exit, Michonne found Rick’s boots and an iPhone with a picture of herself and Judith carved into its glass. These items belonged to Rick Grimes and prompted Michonne to head out on a journey to find him. Although Virgil introduced Michonne to these items, Kevin Carroll was surprised by their connection to Rick Grimes — just as much as Virgil was.

“To be honest, because I’ve worked in the theater for a lot of years, so being able to get on board with a lot of series watching… I’m so used to working at night, in the theater, that following a lot of series is sort of… I was never a big person like that, you know what I mean?” Carroll explained to ComicBook.com. “So, I have seen and watched episodes here and there over the years, because I think the work is fantastic. The costumes and just knowing what they do with the makeup on the show was always incredible to me.”

Although Carroll would watch episodes in passing, the news of Rick Grimes flying off in a helicopter and those possessions belonging to him was just that to the actor. “I would catch them on some episodes I would watch,” Carroll explained. “One, I didn’t realize the enormous fan base its show had. I wasn’t aware of how dedicated just the whole family of The Walking Dead… And I didn’t realize all of that, because I just hadn’t gotten into a lot of series in the last 10 years, to be honest. So I was working mainly from the script, and it’s only after we finished that I was sort of sat back and said, ‘Oh my God. This is insane. This whole thing..’” I mean, when you go into work and you ride through a town that has a store that is specifically for the episode, and then you figure out that people would come out at four o’clock in the morning to see you, and figure out where you’re shooting and all of this stuff, you start to say, ‘My goodness, this is crazy town.’ Do you know what I mean?”

What’s next for Michonne and Rick Grimes will be a surprise to everyone, as Gurira has exited the series and should be set to appear in one of the upcoming movies where Andrew Lincoln will reprise the role of Rick.

What did you think of Michonne’s final episode of The Walking Dead? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9pm ET on AMC.