The Surprising Link Between Rick's Spinoff and TWD Season 1 & Fear The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 1 contains spoilers.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live demonstrates the interconnected nature of its universe, introducing a new character that ties back to the main show's first season and Fear The Walking Dead. As the Walking Dead franchise expands rapidly, the continuity of the series begins to show signs of strain. The lack of diverse zombies in The Walking Dead: Dead City and Daryl Dixon's actions affecting the significance of a key character's final scene in the main show raise questions about canon and continuity.

Okafor's Involvement in Operation Cobalt: A Connection in The Walking Dead

Craig Tate as Okafor in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. - Okafor Was Involved In The Walking Dead's Operation Cobalt

Operation Cobalt, referenced in The Walking Dead's debut season, was further explored in season 2 and Fear The Walking Dead season 1. The US military, in a desperate attempt to contain the zombie outbreak, resorted to dropping napalm on major cities, including Atlanta. Clues of Cobalt's execution were hinted at during season 1, when Shane tried to rescue Rick from the hospital. The operation was later depicted more explicitly in a season 2 flashback and its name was revealed in Fear The Walking Dead. Okafor, Rick's commanding officer in The Ones Who Live, was identified as an Operation Cobalt pilot.

Lt. Col. Donald Okafor, a former US military pilot, played a significant role in Operation Cobalt during The Walking Dead's zombie outbreak. He rebelled against his orders to commence napalm bombings and turned the weapons on his own comrades in Pennsylvania. This act of defiance led to his alliance with the Pennsylvania National Guard, which ultimately led to the formation of the CRM.

How Operation Cobalt Connects The Ones Who Live To TWD Season 1 & Fear

Operation Cobalt in The Walking Dead - How Operation Cobalt Connects The Ones Who Live To TWD Season 1 & Fear

The most intriguing aspect of Okafor as a character bridging three distinct The Walking Dead TV shows is his specific involvement in Operation Cobalt. In The Ones Who Live episode 1, Craig Tate's character explicitly states that he was piloting one of the aircraft that devastated both Atlanta and California. This means that during the chaos when Shane, Lori, and Carl were fleeing from the bombing in The Walking Dead, a young Okafor was there in the background, somberly releasing his destructive payload while the main characters looked on.

Okafor's connection to Operation Cobalt in California is another link between his character and the franchise's past, this time with Fear The Walking Dead season 1. In the debut season of the first Walking Dead spinoff, the Clark family and other survivors narrowly escaped Los Angeles before it was destroyed by the US military. This suggests that Okafor was also involved in the events of Fear The Walking Dead, working behind the scenes to destroy Los Angeles despite his ethical concerns.

Although Okafor did not physically appear in The Walking Dead or Fear The Walking Dead, he is a rare example of a character intricately tied to three separate shows in AMC's zombie franchise. It is even more unusual for a past event, such as the US military bombings, to become significant 14 years later, but Okafor manages to accomplish just that. As a new member of The Ones Who Live's cast, he brings a new perspective to the bombings depicted in episodes from 2010, 2011, and 2015, adding relevance to the narrative in 2024.

Yes, The Walking Dead Has Been Setting Up The CRM Since 2010

Operation Cobalt bombing in The Walking Dead season 2 - Yes, The Walking Dead Has Been Setting Up The CRM Since 2010

When Frank Darabont first began adapting Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book, he did not have the Civic Republic Military in mind as a villainous entity. However, The Walking Dead has been hinting at the existence of the CRM since 2010, unknowingly setting the stage for the Beale Brigade. The Ones Who Live reveals that the CRM emerged directly from the aftermath of Operation Cobalt, the earliest major military concept introduced in the Walking Dead universe.

The early seasons of The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead inadvertently laid the groundwork for the rise of an antagonistic group through depictions of the bombing of US cities, helicopters, and soldiers. Operation Cobalt also gave rise to the concept of a rebellious US soldier who would eventually become part of a militaristic survivor community. While not explicitly stated, The Ones Who Live hints that Okafor may not be the sole remnant of the armed forces to join the CRM. This suggests that other soldiers involved in Operation Cobalt could now be defending the Civic Republic in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

Editor's P/S:

The Walking Dead universe continues to expand, and the new spin-off series, The Ones Who Live, provides a fascinating connection to the franchise's past. The introduction of Lt. Col. Donald Okafor, a former US military pilot, ties together events from the original series, Fear The Walking Dead, and The Ones Who Live. Okafor's involvement in Operation Cobalt, a desperate attempt by the US military to contain the zombie outbreak by dropping napalm on major cities, adds depth and continuity to the franchise.

The article highlights how The Walking Dead has been subtly hinting at the existence of the CRM, the villainous entity that emerges in later seasons, since its inception. The early seasons' depictions of bombings, helicopters, and soldiers laid the groundwork for the rise of a militaristic survivor community. The Ones Who Live reveals that the CRM emerged directly from the aftermath of Operation Cobalt, giving a sense of interconnectedness and long-term planning to the franchise's narrative.