Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) are the best couple on The Walking Dead. After The Ones Who Live, you maybe want to revisit some of their greatest hits, so we decided to compile a list of the best Richonne episodes.
The series is long, and while Andrew Lincoln left in season 9, Michonne was still there for another season, meaning there are lots of episodes to choose from and not every episode of The Walking Dead had our Richonne loving hearts in mind. So let’s talk about the 10 best episodes of The Walking Dead if you’re looking for some Rick and Michonne content.
10. Season 10, Episode 13: “What We Became“
Michonne’s last episode on The Walking Dead as a series regular was traumatic. I say as a regular because she is briefly in the show’s finale but this episode was her swan song and left Richonne fans both hopeful and heartbroken. When Virgil (Kevin Carroll) tricks Michonne and brings her to an island and drugs her, she sees a “sliding doors” reality where she doesn’t save Andrea (Laurie Holden) and never ends up with Rick.
In this alternate timeline, she ends up joining Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and ultimately dies at the hands of Rick Grimes. This, in her mind, is the worst outcome she could have faced and it is devastating to watch because at this time, Michonne thinks Rick is dead.
Why the episode made the list though comes from Michonne finding Rick’s boots. Virgil takes Michonne to a boat and there she not only finds his boots but she also finds a phone that Rick carved her picture (along with Judith’s) on and she is determined more than ever to find him.
9. Season 7, Episode 8: “Hearts Still Beating”
Season 7 was an interesting time for The Walking Dead. We had a lot of time with Rick appeasing Negan and not really fighting back against him but eventually it worked out all because Rick and Michonne had a heart to heart. In episode 8 titled “Hearts Still Beating,” things come to a head when Negan punishes Alexandria because there was a gun there (despite their agreement with the Saviors).
When Olivia (Ann Mahoney) is killed as a result, that as enough for the Alexandrian team. Michonne tells Rick that they have to fight back and he finally agrees with her. While it isn’t the most romantic of episodes, it is a moment that really drives home how much they mean to each other.
8. Season 3, Episode 12: “Clear”
The lead up to Rick and Michonne becoming a couple is filled with little moments. Glances, jokes, trusting each other. Season 3, episode 12 “Clear” is a big one for fans of Richonne because it is one of the first moments where they two really share a moment together that isn’t Rick being very unreasonable with her. The two met in “Hounded” and ever since, he didn’t trust her but “Clear” is a special moment in their relationship.
Carl (Chandler Riggs) plays a big part in Rick trusting Michonne. When they go on a quest together and find Morgan (Lennie James), it all culminates in Carl telling his father that he thinks Michonne is one of them. It does help that she makes it clear to Rick that she saw him hallucinating and talking to Lori but that she also had those episodes with her past boyfriend. It is sweet, starts to build that trust between them, and is one of the first moments where fans could see the potential of them.
7. Season 8, Episode 9: “Honor”
Death brings people closer together, right? Yes, the episode does feature the death of their son but it still is an important one in Rick and Michonne’s story. The episode is important for the rest of the show (Carl’s death stops the war with Negan and his letters change a lot of those who knew him) but it also is hard for Carl’s parents.
Carl tells Rick that he needs to be a better person. He reminds Michonne of how much she meant to him and without each other, who knows what would have happened to Rick Grimes. But because he had Michonne and Carl made sure to remind him of that fact, he was able to let Carl die on his own terms.
6. Season 6, Episode 9: “No Way Out”
The penultimate episode to Rick and Michonne finally sharing their feelings with each other was a big emotional journey for everyone. Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge), who they tried to make a thing with Rick, dies when her son Sam is eaten by walkers and she refuses to let him go. It all happens because of Rick’s plan to lead the herd away from Alexandria and it all ends up with Carl losing his eye thanks to Ron (Austin Abrams).
After making sure Carl is okay, they all rush out to join Rick in a fight and Michonne is at his side. It isn’t the most romantic of episodes but it does show fans how much Michonne cares for not just Rick but his entire family.
5. Season 4, Episode 11: “Claimed”
Rick Grimes refuses to sleep and recover from his injuries and Michonne and Carl have to force him to relax. While that isn’t necessarily a big “Richonne” episode, it does give us a sign about Michonne’s feelings. She cared for him in season 4! So why did we have to wait until season 6 for these two to figure it out?
It is more an episode about Carl and Michonne getting to know each other and the two bonding over their past stories but it really does give us insights into where Michonne was in her feelings way back then.
4. Season 9, Episode 1: “A New Beginning”
In a post Negan and the Saviors world (and also a post-Carl world at that), Rick has found a family with Michonne and Judith. The episode takes place 18 months after the war and while there are some horrific things we see, like what Maggie (Lauren Cohen) does to Gregory (Xander Berkeley), it still has very nice moments between Michonne and Rick now that they’ve settled into their lives together.
This is around the time period when Rick tells Michonne he wants to have a kid with her (which eventually is RJ but Rick won’t know about him until The Ones Who Live). It is sweet, cute, and a beautiful glimpse into their happiness that is short lived (thanks to the CRM) but it was still wonderful to see.
3. Season 11, Episode 24: “Rest in Peace”
Are they barely in this episode? Yes but it got me so excited about The Ones Who Live so I had to include it. In the series finale of The Walking Dead, titled “Rest in Peace,” we briefly get to see Rick Grimes and Michonne trying to get back to each other. We learned in the spin-off series that Rick was captured by the CRM and he couldn’t find his way back home.
But this little moment with the two was special for fans. Rick talked about how he always thought of those he lost (like Carl and Lori and even Shane) and we heard as Michonne talked about trying to reach Judith and RJ. It really set the tone for The Ones Who Live and I loved this moment in the finale.
2. Season 9, Episode 5: “What Comes After”
Rick Grimes’ last episode on the show is one that feels a lot like his swan song. But it also has its moments where Rick is grateful for the love he’s found with Michonne. It is a great last episode for Rick, even if we do know that he comes back in The Ones Who Live, but it also shows how deep the love between these two characters goes.
Rick would die for Michonne and she would do the same for him and that is clear in his actions in “What Comes After.” The episode also features cameos from a lot of characters that helped Rick become the man he is by the end and while yes, it is upsetting to see Michonne think he’s dead for a full season, it is beautiful to know how deeply these two characters love each other.
1. Season 6, Episode 10: “The Next World“
Come on, it has to be when the two kissed for the first time, right? The episode itself is a big deal because it introduces Jesus (Tom Payne) but it also has Rick and Michonne sharing a beautiful moment together in their home. The two live together but were not a couple (yet) but when Rick gets back home from a run where he and Daryl (Norman Reedus) found Jesus, he just wants to sit with Michonne.
The two share a moment, start holding hands, kiss, and the rest is history. It was a perfect first episode for the two as a couple.
What’s your favorite episode for Rick and Michonne? Let us know in the comments!
Published: Aug 27, 2024 01:32 pm