Rick Smiling (AMC/The Walking Dead)
At the end of the midseason premiere of The Walking Dead, Season 7, Rick did something strange: he smiled. It was an unusual reaction to what was happening at the very end of the episode. Why did he seem so uncharacteristically pleased? Read on for the answer. This post will have spoilers through the end of Season 7, Episode 9.
Here’s what you need to know.
When Rick and his group went to look for Gabriel, they were suddenly caught in a sneak attack. Out of nowhere, a group of people showed up with guns drawn and surrounded him. Some people, like Tara, looked terrified. But Rick didn’t react that way at all. Instead, this was his reaction:
Me encanta que #Rick se ría después de tanto tiempo pero la risa parece de backstage ajjaja #TheWalkingDead☠ #TWD7enFOX #Fox1 #tdwreturn
Why did Rick have such an unusual reaction to such a dire situation? The answer lies in what else he was trying to do this episode. He was trying to build an army that would be big enough and strong enough to take on Negan and the Saviors. Ezekiel turned him down, afraid of breaking an unsteady peace that he had already achieved, although he offered to keep Daryl safe at The Kingdom.
There was a lot of concern that Rick simply didn’t have the numbers to take on an enemy as powerful as The Saviors. And anyone who worried about that had a really good point. It took their best people just to take on one outpost. And without Ezekiel, they really needed better odds.
When this group of badass people who were well armed and really good at camouflage showed up and surrounded Rick’s group, he knew he had his answer. Yes, they were a danger to him and his people at that moment. But if he could broker some kind of peace deal with them, these are exactly the type of people that he needs to defeat the Saviors.
With this group on his side, and maybe if they can bring in the Oceanside Community too (which he doesn’t know about at this point), perhaps Rick can convince Ezekiel to join him too. And at that point, they will have an army that will be highly formidable to Negan and the Saviors.
Greg Nicotero, executive producer, confirmed this theory with Entertainment Weekly. He said:
When they are surrounded by that new and mysterious group that we’ve only caught a quick glimmer of, Rick sees soldiers. That’s why he smiles. I don’t think he’s worried for a second. I think he looks, and he’s like … there are a lot of people here, and they have weapons, and this is what I need. So the gears are clicking. The gears start turning, and then, boom, we’re out.”
To learn more about the group that surrounded Rick and see theories about them, please see our stories below: