Mind-Blowing Revelation: Rick Grimes' Shocking True Identity Finally Exposed in The Walking Dead Spinoff Theory

Summary

Rick's history with the CRM may go back further than initially thought, suggesting a longstanding connection between him and the organization.

The CRM expresses interest in Rick due to his physical characteristics, resilience, and technical expertise, deeming him a valuable candidate for their research and experimentation. The foreshadowing of the CRM through various clues and allusions in previous seasons, such as the presence of a helicopter in the pilot episode, hints at an upcoming plotline depicting the organization and Rick's connection to them.

The Walking Dead encompasses multiple years and spinoffs, including some that have sparked speculation about Rick Grimes' involvement with the Civic Republic Military (CRM) from the very beginning. The recent announcement of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, a spinoff focused on Rick, has left fans wondering about the extent of his connection with the CRM. It appears that this connection may be more longstanding than initially believed.

Throughout the various shows in the franchise, the walker population has generally followed a standard pattern. However, there have been exceptions like the nuclear walkers in Fear The Walking Dead and the multi-armed variant in The Walking Dead: Dead City's sewers in New York. Additionally, hints of faster and more cognitively aware walkers have been teased in The Walking Dead: World Beyond and in teasers for Daryl Dixon. Given the CRM's focus on scientific research and their high level of secrecy, it is possible to speculate that their scientific efforts extend beyond just studying the virus itself and include any variant mutations.

The mentions of Rick in relation to the CRM, along with references to different timeframes scattered throughout the shows, further suggest that Rick's history with the CRM may stretch back as far as the show itself.

Rick Is Valuable To The CRM - But Why?

Rick, one of the primary characters in The Walking Dead, exhibits remarkable resilience and transformation throughout the series. Initially a man of authority, he evolves into a merciless killer and eventually becomes a compassionate leader. Despite this, his knowledge of the CRM, an enigmatic group, has been limited and uncertain thus far. In seasons 7 and 8, Jadis, the leader of the Scavengers, coerces Rick into confronting heavily guarded walkers, possibly indicating further examinations of his strength and agility. After the conflict against the Saviors concludes and Jadis' group is eradicated, she joins forces with Rick. It is later revealed that she had been trading lives for resources with the CRM and had planned to do the same with Rick and Gabriel.

The CRM's interest in Rick may derive from his evident strength, resourcefulness, and aforementioned resilience. These qualities can be adequately tested in the harsh conditions of a post-apocalyptic world, exemplified by Rick's confrontations with walkers in the Scavengers' junkyard. However, the situation takes a different turn when considering the potential testing of viral mutations on humans. Due to his physical attributes, Rick becomes a logical choice for the CRM to evaluate their scientific research in practical settings. Furthermore, his former role as a deputy sheriff prior to the outbreak may explain why they identified him as a potential target early on.

The Walking Dead Hinted At The CRM In Season 1

Officer Friendly himself appears fragile and bewildered upon waking up alone in an apocalypse. In the main show's pilot, there are two instances where the CRM, an organization that becomes significant later on, is hinted at. The first is when Rick passes by a helicopter as he wanders outside the hospital, and the second is when he sees another helicopter flying overhead towards the end of the episode. This second sighting is especially intriguing as Rick tries to follow its direction but is hindered by a horde of walkers.

During the episode's release in 2010, there was no indication that the show would focus on a CRM-centric storyline. However, it is speculated that the CRM may have played a role in Rick's survival during his month-long coma, while the majority of people were turning into walkers. Although the helicopter in the pilot episode does not bear the official CRM logo, it is seen as a subtle reference to the powerful antagonist organization in retrospect. This treatment of the helicopter as a clue foreshadows its significance in Season 8 (where Rick encounters a CRM helicopter in Episode 5), Season 9 of the main show, briefly in Seasons 5 and 6 of Fear The Walking Dead, and in both seasons of World Beyond, where the CRM becomes part of various storylines.

What The CRM Could've Done To Rick Before The Walking Dead

Fear The Walking Dead and the main show tantalize fans with glimpses of the organization but fail to provide any real follow-up. However, World Beyond offers substantial evidence to support the theory that Rick has been an experimental subject for CRM all along. In the finale of the second season, a post-credit scene unveils the franchise's first venture beyond the U.S. A French doctor is shown watching a video message from Dr. Jenner, who had appeared in season 1, episode 6 of the main show, when a man interrupts, pointing a gun at her.

This encounter emphasizes the crucial role of the French research team, not only in the supposed attempts to find a cure for the virus but also in the spread of the virus in America and the emergence of variant mutations. Theoretically, the Primrose team, mentioned by the gunman, may have joined forces with the CRM and used a "variant cohort" of the virus on Rick to investigate any adverse reactions or even to experiment with a potential cure by infecting him initially. If these experiments were successful, it is possible that the CRM may have extracted and stored his blood as a potential cure for future use.

Rick As A CRM Subject Sets Up His Spinoff (& Changes His Past)

Andrew Lincoln departed The Walking Dead in season 9, where his character Rick leaves with Jadis in a CRM helicopter after sustaining severe injuries in a bridge explosion. Despite the circumstances, Rick survives. Jadis had previously lied to the organization, claiming she had a person classified as a "B," but in World Beyond, she reveals that Rick is actually classified as an "A" and she had lied to protect him from experimental reanimation drugs.

However, it is believed that the CRM had already begun experimenting on Rick in season 1 of the main show, rendering Jadis' efforts futile. If Rick had indeed been subjected to a virus mutation and initial cure, his future in the spinoff with Michonne may present a significantly different version of him that fans are not accustomed to. This becomes more evident if further testing occurred after Jadis' confession in World Beyond. Alternatively, if Rick remained classified as a "B," he may have uncovered the truth about the variants and testing, which could have influenced his decision to escape, as hinted in The Ones Who Live teaser at the end of season 11.

The question that arises from this theory is what would have happened if Rick had died or been bitten in previous seasons. It also suggests that, during moments when loved ones were lost, Rick may have had the answer to saving them without even realizing it. For example, when Carl Grimes dies after being bitten, Rick could have potentially saved him if he had a cure on him. Therefore, the outcome of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is uncertain. However, what is certain is the strong connection between Rick and the CRM, as well as their scientific endeavors.