Former ‘Walking Dead’ Star Chandler Riggs Says Carl Without Rick Would Have Been “Really Interesting”

Former The Walking Dead star Chandler Riggs says it would have been “really interesting” to see Carl Grimes in the six-year time skip that followed the presumed “death” of father Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln).

“It’s kind of hard to know what Carl would be like after a six-year time jump,” Riggs said at San Jose Fan Fest when asked what role Carl would play in a post-Rick future had the teen not died in Season Eight.

“I think he definitely would take on this, if Rick wasn’t in the picture anymore, I think Carl would definitely take on this, I guess, just the older brother role, and really take care of [his siblings], and do what he’s been doing — or do what he was doing — for the years that he spent with Judith.”

A gravely wounded Rick appeared to die at the bridge when saving his people from a horde of walkers, but was secretly rescued by Anne (Pollyanna McIntosh) and whisked away in a helicopter to parts unknown during the closing moments of Lincoln’s final episode.

Six years later, lover Michonne (Danai Gurira) is the guarded leader of Alexandria and single parent to daughter Judith (Cailey Fleming) and son RJ (Antony Azor).

“I honestly don’t really know what he’d be like, but it would have been really interesting to see,” Riggs said of Carl, whose comic book counterpart is poised to succeed his father in the primary role in creator Robert Kirkman’s ongoing comic book series.

Carl’s comic book storylines have since been divvied up and given to other characters, playing out in Season Nine through Judith and teenaged Kingdom member Henry (Matt Lintz), adopted son of Carol (Melissa McBride) and husband King Ezekiel (Khary Payton).

Speaking at Walker Stalker Con Orlando in September before the premiere of The Walking Dead‘s ninth season, Riggs said he is “actually excited to kinda see what they do” with Carl’s comic book plots.

“I was actually really excited for the rest of Carl’s story arcs,” Riggs said. “But it will be interesting to see what they fill that gap with.”

The Walking Dead returns with new episodes Sunday, February 10 on AMC.