‘The Walking Dead’ Star Shoots Down Popular Theory About Rick Grimes’ Fate

The Walking Dead star Pollyanna McIntosh has shot down speculation Jadis-slash-Anne’s rescue of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) is part of a feverish coma dream.

Questioned at Walker Stalker Con New Jersey about the ‘A’ and ‘B’ classification system used to categorize Rick, Father Gabriel (Seth Gillaim) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), McIntosh confirmed the future reveal will not be a fake out.

“I’ve heard some great theories. I even had a theory from a fan the other day that it was a blood type, which is a very cool one,” McIntosh said.

“They had this idea that Rick’s been having a dream this whole time and that we’re paramedics asking him if he’s an A or a B for his blood type, isn’t that cool?”

A bloodied and hallucinating Rick, suffering from a gaping wound after a run-in with a piece of rebar, experienced multiple visions and heard the voices of past figures, including good friend Morgan (Lennie James), who the theory argues is a first responder.

“And that really it’s just us standing over him and he’s created this whole coma dream,” McIntosh said.

“Which of course would be very Dallas, and [The Walking Dead creator Robert] Kirkman has already said that’s not the plan, so I can safely say that without ruining anything.”

Kirkman previously confirmed there is “zero” chance a comatose Rick imagined the entirety of The Walking Dead, explaining such a revelation would “be a terrible story.”

The trope most famously played out in soap opera Dallas, which killed off Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) before having him later emerge from a shower alive — revealing his death and subsequent events belonged to a dream imagined by wife Pam (Victoria Principal).

“I think that’s been done in a lot of things, but he is definitely not in a coma, I promise,” Kirkman said. “Like, he’d wake up and Negan would be the plumber. He’d be like, ‘Oh, you were there. It was so weird.’ Yeah, that’d be awful. Judith is a ghost. Yeah, Rick is definitely not in a coma.”

Other theories floated to McIntosh include a potential jump over to spinoff Fear the Walking Dead, set in the west, or ties to the Commonwealth, a sizable community now playing a major role in the ongoing comic books.

“I’ve heard some amazing fan theories. I’ve heard some fan theories that him being passed out in the helicopter, that some naughtiness is going to be going on,” McIntosh said.

“I’ve also heard that we’re in Texas, I don’t know why. Some people think that we’re at the Commonwealth. And I can’t wait to find out.”

McIntosh will next return alongside Lincoln in the first Walking Dead movie, set to explore where Anne transported Rick via helicopter and bring answers surrounding the ‘A’ and ‘B’ classification system.

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