The episode everyone points to is Season 9, Episode 5, titled "What Comes After." It aired back on November 4, 2018. That’s the day we saw Rick blow up a bridge to save his friends.
And what a way to go, right? He’s covered in walkers, bleeding out, and then—boom—he pulls a heroic sacrifice that would make any action star jealous. For years, fans thought that was the end of the line for our favorite sheriff.
But here’s the juicy part: he doesn’t die. Nope. The explosion merely breaks his arm and knocks him out. A mysterious helicopter (yes, a helicopter in a zombie show!) swoops in and whisks him away to safety.
But Wait—Is He Dead in the Comics?
Ah, the comic books! That’s a different, much sadder story. In Robert Kirkman’s original comics, Rick Grimes is gunned down in Issue #192. He’s not even killed by a walker—a kid named Sebastian Milton shoots him in the chest.
It’s brutal, sudden, and honestly, a little unfair. No big explosions, no dramatic goodbyes. Just a pop, and the series’ hero is gone. The comic fans still haven’t fully recovered, and honestly? Neither have I.
But the TV show decided to be a big softie. They gave Rick a “death” that was really a secret exit. Classic Walking Dead, always pulling the rug out from under us!
The Walking Dead: Every Major Character Death In The Comics
