WARNING: The following contains spoilers for “Rick Grimes 2000,” in Skybound X #1 from Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, Cliff Rathburn, Rus Wooton and Dave McCaig, on sale now.
In The Walking Dead comics, Michonne has been a staple in Rick Grimes’ life. Not only did she help him evolve the alliance at Alexandria, she aided in forming a coalition with the Hilltop and Kingdom, which translated over to the TV show too. Michonne eventually helped pave the way to paradise as the series ended with the team integrating into the Commonwealth, making her the book’s biggest hero after Rick.
But in Skybound X #1’s short story, “Rick Grimes 2000,” Michonne gets a fate the main story never dealt her — a shocking death to kick off a new world Rick may not be equipped to handle.
This story kicks off from the end of The Walking Dead #75 where Michonne knocked Rick out for insubordination at Alexandria. In a backup story, Rick was abducted by aliens, so this short picks up where #75 left off.
It turns out, Rick’s been experimented on by UFOs and given a suit that makes him a super-soldier. But when he’s dropped back down to Earth, it’s total carnage as the zombie outbreak is bigger and badder than ever. In the midst of the massacre, though, he finds the likes of Tyreese, Axel and even enemies like Martinez (the Governor’s henchman) turned into superheroes too.
Sadly, Rick can’t find Carl and can only watch as friends like Glenn and Dale are ripped to pieces, clearly breaking continuity in what’s a sordid alternate reality. In an echo of the original pitch Kirkman presented Image, Michonne confirms that aliens were the source of the zombie outbreak as she shows up with a lightsaber, slaughtering the undead like a rampaging Luke Skywalker. Michonne admits their alien overlords seeded out the plague to weaken humanity, turning key individuals into super-soldiers to then help them finish off civilization and harness water — the universe’s ultimate currency. However, just as she informs Rick about the resistance they’re forming, a pincer hand smashes her jaw and rips the top part of her head off in a Fatality suited for Mortal Kombat.
It turns out, this is none other than a semi-robotic version of the Governor. He’s even more of a sadist, making it clear he’s working for the aliens and that Rick has to join them or die like Michonne. He’s got Lori as a hostage, leaving Rick petrified t0 see his wife by his side. He uses his retractable arm to grab Michonne’s lightsaber for battle, but if she can’t survive this new dark era, one has to wonder how long Rick will too.
Michonne, after all, isn’t someone who gets blindsided easily, as seen in so many adventures with her katana. It seems like this hectic world, with all the gore and bloodshed, not to mention the aliens’ augmentation might have actually made her a weaker warrior. It’s really the perfect way to break Rick mentally as Michonne was someone he held dear. That said, this death fits Kirkman’s twisted moments, as seen with Lori and Baby Judith getting blasted by gunshots, Carl being shot through the eye and Negan bashing Glenn’s brains out with a barb-wired bat, Lucille. It once more reminds us that while this is an alternate world, the stakes are still high. And in true Walking Dead style, anyone can die at any time.
About The Author
