Michonne May Have A Tough Decision Ahead On 'TWD'

Rick and Michonne have become one of The Walking Dead's most beloved couples, not to mention a rare bright spot of hope on the AMC series, since the two officially got together last season. But Negan's new reign means that nothing lasts forever, and with the stress and the terror of Lucille looming over their heads, things look like they're becoming difficult for our favorite pairing. In the Nov. 13 episode, viewers saw Michonne start to pull away from Rick and question his leadership in light of everything that's happened since Glenn and Abraham were killed. It was heartbreaking to see Rick and Michonne clash on their opposing viewpoints of how to fight back against Negan, but the conflict also gave us some interesting things to think about going forward. Namely, will Michonne actually leave Alexandria on The Walking Dead, or will she stay with the group to help protect the community from the Saviors?

It's hard to think about our group splitting up more than they already have. But Michonne clearly needs her space and it might be too much for her to stay with a group that thinks they have no chance of defeating Negan. Much like Carol, Michonne has always been ready to fight, and given everything that happened, she's especially determined now.

Michonne is taking on a new attitude and taking her survival into her own hands. It would be easy for her to go off on her own, since we know she's more the capable of taking care of herself. But can she really leave behind the people she loves? Michonne may be stubborn, but she cares a great deal for her surrogate family, and I'm not sure if she would be willing to sacrifice her place in the group, no matter how dire the situation with Negan becomes.

One of the biggest way's Michonne is distancing herself from Rick is by giving up her sword in favor of a rifle. Making Michonne a sharpshooter is a major change from the comic books the series is based on, not to mention the fact Michonne is presumably training without telling Rick. "Michonne has been garnering a very real reaction to Rick’s inertia," Danai Gurira told Variety in a post-episode interview. "It is really a very frustrating disconnect and lack of communication, which they’ve never had. It causes her to retreat. She goes back to being a loner and being by herself, figuring out how to handle this in a solo way. Being part of a team has its flaws when you’re not on the same page."

Once Rick told Michonne the truth about Judith being Shane's son, the information seemed to help her soften a little towards him and better understand his perspective on the situation. It provided the two with an intimate moment that seemed to give fans hope. But their issues can't be resolved with a quick fix, and with Negan's reign of terror just starting, Michonne and Rick will likely continue to butt heads over how to handle it. Let's just hope that Michonne sticks around to continue protecting Alexandria, even if she does so in a way that Rick doesn't agree with.

Images: AMC; Giphy