‘The Walking Dead’ Episode 906’s Rick Grimes Easter Eggs

The Walking Dead hasn't forgotten about Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln).

Six years after his "death" at the bridge — in reality, a gravely wounded Rick has been flown off somewhere far away by Anne (Pollyanna McIntosh) and will return in a trilogy of TV movies — Rick's memory lingers.

He was remembered when lover Michonne (Danai Gurira) discovered a sheriff toy that later fell into the possession of 10-year-old daughter Judith Grimes (Cailey Fleming), who later admitted she was beginning to forget the voices that belonged to both her father and late half-brother Carl (Chandler Riggs).

The toy acted as a homage to the Season Three poster that saw Rick, with Colt Python readied and raised, stood atop an overturned bus outside the prison — where Rick and Michonne first met.

Michonne has also taken to wearing Rick's wedding ring around her neck and has since given birth to her and Rick's son, R.J., or "Rick junior."

The boy plays an important part in Michonne's new hardened outlook on the world: as the de facto leader and head of security at Alexandria, a new and more-protective-than-ever Michonne is initially against welcoming a needy group of travelers led by Magna (Nadia Hilkes) before softening and offering to get the survivors set up at Hilltop.

That group is part of the new new beginning brought on both by the loss of Rick and the subsequent six-year time jump, the mysteries of which will continue to unfold as The Walking Dead moves on from Rick Grimes.

"It was a lot of fun, but also it's just very daunting," showrunner Angela Kang told EW of the series' newest chapter.

"Rick's departure was so huge. Then episode 6 was almost like piloting a whole new show while still trying to keep the DNA of the show that we've been watching for so many years."

The dramatic shift brought about massive changes for the series: besides Michonne's new status quo, Judith is older and semi-friendly with a jailed Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Daryl (Norman Reedus) has taken to living a Rambo-like existence in the woods with only a dog for company, Carol ended a six-year pacifist streak because of now-teenaged son Henry (Matt Lintz), Hilltop has a new leader following the departure of Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and a dangerous new enemy has moved into the area.