whateverisbeautiful

[whateverisbeautiful]

How do you think Rick would have reacted if when they were dealing with the hoard in 6a, Michonne had been the one to not come back to Alexandria instead of Glenn.

Oh man, Michonne not making it back during that time would have been tough on Rick. It was clear how important it was to him that Michonne and Glenn make it home, even if the Alexandrians don't. So Rick would be quite distraught if she didn't. And Rick already had an outlook where he saw the Alexandrians as separate from his people, and I think that divide would have become even bigger to him since he'd be upset thinking their incompetence contributed to Michonne not returning. Especially without Michonne there to help him see that not building community with these people "is just excuses," I feel he'd be even less inclined to bond with the Alexandrians.

It's also been a consistent thing that whenever Rick and Michonne are apart and in trouble, the other can sense it. So I think he'd know in his bones that wherever she is, she's still alive, and he'd make it a priority to go look for her. And I'd bet everything Carl goes with him to find Michonne, too.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hi! Do you think Judith was excited to be a big sister when RJ was born?

Hey! I do think she was excited to be a big sister. 😊 It might've been an adjustment going from being just her and Michonne during the pregnancy to adding another baby to their home, but I feel like, especially since they showed that Judith had been around babies before, she was probably excited that now there was a baby in her family. I can see Judith being a protective big sister to her baby brother as soon as RJ was born.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello!! I see a lot of RJ criticism and hate on social media from the TWD fandom. I think he gets an unfair shake as he hasn't had much screentime - definitely not enough for the audience to develop such strong disdain towards him. I never buy into their rationale and I think they hate RJ for being half Black and carrying on the Grimes legacy, although the fandom never admits this and when you press them on it, they come up with every reason under the sun to dislike RJ. None of which ever makes a lick of sense to me. What are your thoughts about this? Also, do you have any headcanons about who RJ will be as he gets older and who he will connect the most with. I find his character exciting and the TWD writers have a lot to work with if they decide to do a spinoff based on the next generation. The possibilites are endless if they execute his character arc well. With him having Richonne DNA, he's destined to be bada$$. I always envision him being very bonded to Rick and having both of his parents' quiet demeanor, and strength, and natural instinct, yet also being highly intelligent and diplomatic like Michonne and even connecting with Eugene to develop some new tech that could change their world. I remember Rick not being able to understand what Eugene was talking about during their few interactions and looking at him crazy and Mich getting frustrated with him as well. It could be interesting to see RJ be the one person who gets Eugene. Anyway, sorry for the long, rambling post and interested in hearing your thoughts! Take care 😀

No need to apologize! Thank you for asking these questions! And I agree, I think the hate comes from that very place. There are parts of the TWD fandom who loudly disliked the Richonne pairing for racist reasons, and there are also those who maybe said they're indifferent to Richonne but definitely did not want their relationship to be of any real importance. RJ made it a lot harder for both those parties to dismiss the fact that Rick Grimes genuinely fell in love with Michonne and now has Black/half Black family members who are his whole world.

Some act like their RJ hate is just because of the acting skill of this elementary school-age child, but that's weird because anyone's acting level, especially a young child, should never merit such vitriolic comments. Or they act like they can't stand him since RJ "didn't do anything," and even call him "useless," which has always been a wrong and egregious take. They can comprehend that when Judith was small, her expectation was just to be "the baby" in the story, and yet when RJ is just about kindergarten age, they felt he needed to be doing big things for the plot and biting necks out, or else he serves no purpose. To me, it's largely all thinly veiled ways to skirt around not wanting the next Rick Grimes to be half Black.

And it's crazy because RJ's very existence serves an immense purpose for the show & TWD's closing message of being the ones who live. On a personal scale, RJ is living proof of Rick and Michonne's love and resilience and an extension of their legacy. On a larger scale, he and the other children born in this apocalypse represent a victory for this world, considering Earth became consumed with the dead, and yet the resilient living came out on top and even produced life, giving everyone hope for a future. The kids really represent that life can persist.

Also, I really like your headcanons for RJ. 😊 I can see adult RJ having all those traits you've noted - his parents' quiet demeanor, strength, natural instinct, and being highly intelligent and diplomatic. I always picture RJ being very bright and drawn to STEM. I never thought about how that could lead to him connecting with Eugene, but that's true. I could see a shared interest in science and tech being what helps RJ understand Eugene more than most understood him. I'm so convinced that RJ and Rick will feel very bonded early and have a special lifelong father/son connection.

In terms of who a grown-up RJ would most connect with, outside of his Grimes family, I could also see him maintaining a good bond with Ezekiel. Had he lived, I think RJ would have really liked Nat and his knack for invention as well. 🥲 Being part Rick and part Michonne, I feel like RJ will be a thoughtful fighter. And I also always felt like he'll have this innovative mind that develops something that really enhances their world!

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello, I hope you are doing well.

Love the scene where Rick and Michonne discuss having a baby. Some fans seem to believe she was pregnant already. Others think she literally got pregnant right then and there. The third possibility is sometime after. What’s your best guess of when these two created little RJ?

Hello! I'm doing well, thank you. 🤍 That's such a perfect scene between Rick and Michonne in season 9. I do think Michonne was already pregnant by the time they had that baby conversation in 9.03. My guess is that they created RJ around the time when they were in the Sanctuary together in 9.01. I feel like it would make sense that part of the restlessness we saw Michonne have in early season 9 wasn't only because of the charter and the community building they were doing, but also because her body was going through changes since she was pregnant already. I really could see it being that after Rick and Michonne's stay at the Sanctuary, RJ was probably on the way. 😊

[whateverisbeautiful]

I love all Richonne kisses! But one thing they lack is neck kisses! I'm glad TOWL showed one, the 1st and the only on-screen neck kiss scene ever (1x05). I wish we have more 🥺

Aw yeah I love them all too! And that one and only neck kiss in 1.05 was great 🤩. So glad that was included because I had been hoping for them to show those before TOWL aired too. We really got to witness Richonne go on an undefeated winning streak in delivering perfect kisses throughout TWD & TOWL. Flawless every single time. 🙌🏽

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hi there, do you think Rick and Michonne would have had another child if Carl had lived? Maybe Michonne would have gotten pregnant on accident, but do you think Rick's would have specifically asked for a child with Michonne had Carl lived? Thanks!

Hey! Good question. 😊 I definitely think Rick and Michonne would have still had another child if Carl lived. They felt destined to expand their family with more kids. I think they probably would have planned it around the same timeline that they did in TWD too. Like after the war ended and they took a year and a half or two (i can never quite remember how long some of these time jumps are 😅) to rebuild with all the communities, I think Rick would’ve still specifically had having a baby with Michonne on his mind as they built toward their future. And I think Michonne would be all for it & Carl would love that they were having a kid too.

I always find it so moving that Rick and Michonne were in a healed enough space to want to have another kid after losing Carl. I feel like if they were able to get to that hopeful fruitful headspace after those devestating circumstances, then with Carl still alive and well I think Rick and Michonne would be extra hopeful about the future and adding another member to their Grimes family. 🩷

[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne - Questions

DAY FIVE

#13: How do you think Rick and Michonne would feel about learning Father Gabriel was secretly meeting up with Jadis for years? 

#14: Do you think RJ will start calling Rick “dad” right away, or will it be something he has to warm up to, and he’ll begin to call Rick “dad” once they’ve built that father/son bond more? 

#15: And lastly, what parts of Richonne’s TOWL journey home do you think they will tell their kids about, since there’s some stuff from their roller coaster experience that they’ll likely leave out? For example, do they share with the kids things like Michonne throwing her & Rick out of a moving helicopter - especially when that could lead to questions of why it came to that? 

Thanks for reading and answering my questions this week. 😊 Long Live Richonne. 👑

[whateverisbeautiful]

Have you ever watched anyone on Youtube react to TWD? I've noticed that some of the new people watching seem to like/see Richonne before it happens. Like there's one channel with two guys who are only at season 4 of the show but have been making comments about Rick and Michonne's scenes since the gate lol.

Yes! I love YouTube TWD reactions. When I got in my accident earlier this year and was recovering, one of the most comforting things was watching people react to TWD. It’s great seeing the show through fresh eyes and hearing commentary that’s full of emotion, insightfulness, and hilarity at times too lol. I noticed that as well, how some reactors quickly pick up on & like Richonne before they officially get together. That always makes me very happy when they catch it early and root for them. I don’t think I’ve seen the two guys you’re referring to yet, but I want to watch them cuz noting Richonne at the fence is my kind of people. 😋 I think bingeing the show makes Richonne’s slow burn especially impossible to miss.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello! How do you think Shane and Michonne would interact and what would they think of eachother? If he had stuck around longer to see Michonne and Rick develop a relationship, do you think he'd be jealous? Sorry in advance if you already answered this before.

Hi! I don’t think I have answered this before, so thank you for asking, because whenever I think of two TWD characters I’d have been so curious to see interact that never crossed paths in the franchise, my answer is always Michonne and Shane. They were the two most impactful adults we saw in Rick’s life, with one bringing out the wounds in him and one bringing out the very best in him, so Michonne and Shane’s interaction would be quite fascinating to me. Wrote out the rest of my answer to the questions below ⬇️💗:

Michonne’s radar for knowing when someone is unhinged is very high, and I think she’d pick up on that in Shane even before he more blatantly crashed out. Michonne is never here for BS or the kind of stupidity that gets you killed, and Shane has both of those in droves and so Michonne would not think highly of Shane. She’d find Rick to be an infinitely more honorable man and would probably gently help Rick start assessing the volatile company he keeps, similar to how she got Nat and the caravan folks in TOWL Ep 2 to reassess their own community’s character of leaving people behind.

I think of the dynamics we did get to see Michonne have on the show, the closest one that could reflect how she’d be with Shane would be Merle. Like I don’t think she’d be as intense with her disdain of Shane as she was with the Governor, and she’d see that there’s some vulnerability buried beneath Shane’s bravado, but she’d still be skeptical of him and not afraid to hold her own if he was doing too much or trying to steamroll her.

Meanwhile, I think Shane would be intrigued, begrudgingly impressed, & intimidated by Michonne. All that posturing machismo he’d have with other women & bulldozing he’d do with the group, wouldn’t work on Michonne & he’d learn that quick. I could see Shane being frustrated that Michonne has a pull on Rick and that Rick starts turning to her more as his “partner in crime.” I think about how in season 2, Shane clearly felt a type of way that Rick chose to do something with Daryl over him, and so he’d be sensitive about Rick not deferring to him nearly as much because he has Michonne & starts to trust her sound judgment most

I could see Shane assuming that his louder alpha persona would be something Michonne would be drawn to more, and thinking Rick wouldn’t be enough of that for Michonne. But when Michonne so naturally gravitates toward Rick and thinks so much higher of him, and they develop a relationship, I do think Shane would feel envious. Not even because I think Shane would want Michonne for himself. He’s just always seemed to envy what Rick had, because his own life was so much more superficial.

Shane knew Rick and Lori weren’t each other’s person, and yet he still envied them, so I think seeing Rick find a solid, flourishing, as-real-as-can-be love with Michonne could stir up some negative feelings in Shane. Especially seeing Rick become a healthier, more confident, and assured version of himself with Michonne. He’d see Rick fully outgrow him and thrive with a love that has a depth Shane has never experienced, and I think Shane could resent that.

But I think what would have been quite therapeutic for Rick (and me lol) if Michonne and Shane crossed paths, is Rick getting to see how unquestioningly Michonne chooses Rick and is 100% loyal to him. Like she wouldn’t pay Shane no never mind, and I think Michonne's sincere & certain belief in Rick over Shane would mean a lot for Rick since he seemed to feel people, including his former wife, often had more belief in Shane than in him. Had Shane been around, Michonne would still make it so crystal clear that Rick is the only man she’d want to lead and the only man she’d want to love.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne - Questions

DAY FOUR 

#10: I know this one is so open ended but I’m curious if you have thoughts - How do you think Rick and Michonne’s narrative and plan of action would have changed had Nat lived? What would Nat think of Rick?

#11: I feel like Rick will be really happy to see how true Michonne’s “they’re us” statement is about their kids. What are some traits of his and traits of Michonne’s that you think Rick will be most happy to observe Judith & RJ have also?

#12: How do you think Rick will interpret Negan still being alive? More positive - will it make him feel that Carl’s hope for the world was honored, and Maggie came around to see that he was right? Or more negative - would he feel like he’d rather Maggie have at least gone through with killing Negan after all that behind-the-back plotting contributed to his years long separation from his family? Or some other outlook?

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hi there 👋🏽👋🏽I've just spent all weekend reading your Rick and Michonne analyses and they're stunning👏🏾 if I may, can I ask you what you think will be the most challenging adjustment for Rick now that he's back with his family and for Michonne having also lost a chunk of time with her kids to find Rick?

Also, do you think Rick's parenting style will be different with RJ and Judith vs. Carl now that he has seen much bigger threats in the world and after what he learned during the Echelon briefing? I can see him being a bit more overprotective with them now.

Thanks in advance for your perspective!

Thank you!! This made me so happy to hear. 🥰 And these are great questions. I’d be curious to hear people’s thoughts. I wrote out my perspective below. Thanks for asking! ⬇️💗:

What will be the most challenging adjustment for Rick now that he's back with his family?

I think it’ll take some time for Rick to settle into knowing he really gets to be home for good now and doesn’t have to anxiously have his head on a swivel in constant worry about losing his family. But I think Michonne will be so good at reassuring him of that. He experienced a pain worse than death by having to suddenly live without the family he held dear for years & losing their image. I can envision Rick still dealing with some anxiety that all this good that has re-entered his life can be taken away again, & having some restless nights where his mind panics, thinking he’ll wake up and be back trapped in the CRM.

That’s part of why I’m so glad Rick got to go home freely rather than through escape. Because had he escaped home, he’d always have to be on edge about whether his escape would bring the CRM right to his family’s doorstep at some point down the line.

I also think being involved in the community after years of living so isolated from communal connection will be an adjustment. But Rick is familial by nature, so I think he’ll be good at building bonds again. It’ll just feel a bit foreign since he went nearly a decade, only making one good friend in Esteban. (I know Pearl said she and Rick were family, but they were more like coworker acquaintances imo). 

With Rick being back home, a scene I often picture for some reason is Rick being asleep alone in bed, and he gets restless thinking he hears the whirring of helicopters outside the bedroom, like he so often heard outside his CRM apartment. But when he stirs awake, his face softens as he realizes the whirring sound is actually a blender, and he can hear the kids and Michonne downstairs making breakfast to surprise him.

And for Michonne having also lost a chunk of time with her kids to find Rick?

I think the big adjustment for Michonne will be just how much her kids have grown in the time she’s been gone. They’re her babies, and I feel like while she’s a bit more accustom to Judith being more grown up, RJ especially is like forever her little one in her eyes so the kids not being so little anymore will be new territory to navigate, especially if they’ve outgrown any of the things she used to love to do with them before she went to bring Rick home.

On the other side, something I think will be a smooth adjustment for Richonne is going from Michonne being a solo parent to now sharing an equal role with Rick as a parent. Other couples could struggle with the adjustment of going from sole parent for years to shared parent, but Richonne are so one that I believe they’ll navigate that really well & Michonne will be happy to let Rick take on an equal role. 

Also, do you think Rick's parenting style will be different with RJ and Judith vs. Carl now that he has seen much bigger threats in the world and after what he learned during the Echelon briefing?

I do think that Richonne will try to have a healthy parenting style that’s not overbearing, but if they had to tip the scale more toward underprotective or overprotective, they definitely could dip more into overprotective.

I think there will be a couple of similarities and differences in Rick’s parenting style with RJ and Judith vs. Carl. The clear differences would derive from the fact that he’s having to get to know his kids as they’re older now, and so I think he’ll work up to maybe being disciplinary, since first he has to establish a trusted relationship with them. Whereas with Carl, Rick was able to be an authority with him from the jump, since their bond was established & maintained since birth.

I feel like, since this world has been riddled with danger and threats since the beginning of the apocalypse, I think the level of extra protectiveness he had with Carl will be similar to Judith & RJ. But it is true that being in the CRM, he felt the world is bigger and worse than he knew, so that could have an impact on how he prepares them for the world. I can see the fear of losing his family again showing up in his parenting style sometimes and making him extra cautious to ensure they’re always reachable and as safe as can be.

Another similarity in parenting style is that I think Rick will be a pretty transparent parent who’s honest with his kids and lets them see a human side of him. Which I think will be impactful for Judith and RJ to see because they’ll learn their dad’s not the Brave Man because nothing scares him, but because he’s willing to do the brave thing even when he’s afraid.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Your questions are interesting!

4) My headcanon is that brave man story originated with Michonne and it's how she told Judith what happened with Rick. Maybe Rosita, Siddiq and Aaron were there for Michonne. I can't see Maggie and Carol being there too long because of their own communities/families. 5) I think maybe finding out she was pregnant made her sad but also happy to still have a reminder of him with their child. She probably told Judith she was going to be a big sister. I can picture Rosita holding her hand during the birth as well.

6) I think they had a memorial and I can see Michonne being okay with it because she seemed to want to just have answers or closure of some kind for herself and for Judith and RJ. It also seems like she told them that he died so they wouldn't wonder like she did.

Love these replies! I definitely can see Michonne telling Judith about Rick not coming home through telling the Brave Man story. 🥲 I always envision that toddler Judith became extra clingy to Michonne in the weeks after Rick was gone, and it breaks Michonne’s heart knowing part of why Judith never wants Michonne out of her sight is because, even at her young age, she’s come to understand that people can be here one day and gone the next.

Rosita, Siddiq, & Aaron are good answers. Siddiq & Rosita were top of mind for me as well, both being there for Michonne in the early weeks of Rick’s disappearance and the birth of RJ. I could even see that being how Rosita and Siddiq started to develop a closer relationship between them, since they could have started being around each other more while they were there for Michonne.

I think Michonne learning she was pregnant was extremely bittersweet, but ultimately a comfort for her. She’s someone who finds so many sentimental ways to remain close to those she’s lost, like wearing Rick’s ring and clothes. So to learn she’d have the greatest reflection of Rick in the baby they both wanted together would give her some true solace amid everything. Even tho I know she’d also wish every day that Rick could be with her during this new chapter. I can picture Judith being excited to learn that her baby sibling was on the way. 🥰

For #6, I feel like Michonne would be up for them throwing a gathering that celebrates and honors Rick and the immense impact he had. I could just see Michonne also avoiding using terminology that concretely suggested Rick was dead when she spoke at the memorial. Like she’d commemorate who he is, not who he was in the past tense. But you’re right, the Brave Man story Judith told did include Rick going to heaven, so it does seem she told them Rick died, probably to try and free them from the constant what-ifs, like you said. That was such a tough situation for Michonne, longing for closure and living in this limbo of needing to accept her husband was indefinitely gone while also deep down feeling him alive out there. 🥺

[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne - Questions

DAY THREE

#7: Would you rather Michonne got to have a scene or two with Beale or Okafor & why? 

#8: What dynamic do you think Okafor would try to have with Michonne had he lived - Respected "A" Recruit, Threatening Enemy, Intriguing Interest, A Powerful Chess Piece to Hold Over Rick’s Head, All of the Above? And do you think Okafor would instantly know that "Dana" was really Rick's wife?

#9: How would Rick respond if he saw a guy in the CRM trying to flirt with “Dana Bethune”? How would Michonne respond to the CRM guy flirting with her, too? Are Richonne remembering to play their CRM roles, or does that quickly go out the window if someone there keeps attempting to come on to Michonne?

[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne - Questions

DAY TWO 

#4: How do you picture Michonne telling Judith about Rick not coming home after the bridge? And who do you think was most there for Michonne during those first few weeks of Rick’s disappearance? 

#5: How soon after the bridge do you think Michonne learned she was pregnant, and how do you picture her reacting & also telling Judith? Who do you think was with her when she gave birth?

#6: Do you think TF had a big memorial for Rick after “dying” on the bridge? And would Michonne have been hesitant about any funeral proceedings since she was still searching for Rick & strongly believed he was still alive?

[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne - Questions 

I always enjoy the many interesting and thoughtful asks that I’ve received here, and lately I’ve been having lots of Richonne/TOWL-related questions of my own that I’m curious if others have thoughts on. I know my Q’s are more like short answer questions than poll questions, but I’ve just been ruminating on these so wanted to ask here. I figured this week I’d share a few questions each day, and if you want to weigh in on any of them, I’d love to hear your take! 😊💗

DAY ONE 

#1: How do you think Rick would respond if Jadis had told him early that Michonne had a baby named RJ back home? Or if he was able to get yearly updates on his family’s well-being? Would it have helped him to know or made it hurt even more, since he’s still being kept from them? 

#2: How soon, upon arriving at the CRM and getting medical treatment, do you think Rick made his first escape attempt home? Do you think he tried to break out even before his body was back to full strength? 

#3: How do you think Rick described Michonne & Judith to the portraitist Benjiro? And when Rick is with Michonne, what are some ways you can envision Rick verbally complimenting Michonne’s external beauty/do you think it’s something he vocalizes often to her? 

[whateverisbeautiful]

I know TWD is supposed to be an ensemble show but I personally felt like Rick was the main character while watching. But because it's becoming an ensemble it feels like the show ends up sidelining the stories featuring Rick's family later on. Like there aren't as many scenes with Rick/Michonne/Carl. Do you think they got enough screentime? If no, if you could take away screen time from another character and give it to them who would you take it from? (I personally would take it from Eugene)

Yeah that was one of the things I most wished we would have seen more of in TWD. I’d have loved for the Grimes family to have got more screen time during Richonne’s canon era. Post 6.10, Rick, Carl, & Michonne really only had like 3 brief scenes between them before Carl’s final episode. And I agree, Rick is the show’s protagonist and so even as ensemble-feeling as the show became, he was still always meant to be the center. I think sidelining him and his immediate family in the name of bottle episodes and focusing a ton on other characters contributed to some of the shows issues in later seasons.

That’s an interesting question and I think Eugene is a good answer. 👌🏽 I liked the stuff with him, but he did get quite a bit of focus. Also, Swear (the Tara bottle ep in s7) is my least favorite from TWD and so rather than give that a whole episode, I’d have loved to swap that for an episode featuring a storyline between Rick, Carl, Michonne, and with little Judith getting some screen time in there too.

[whateverisbeautiful]

I love richonne and RJ, but it was a choice to have a kid with rick. He's great as a character and leader but imo he won't be winning father of the year anytime soon

I think we’ll have to agree to disagree with this one. I believe Rick was a very good and admirable father and it made complete sense for Michonne to be willing to have a kid with him. If ever there was a man that would make a woman feel it’s worth taking the risk of being pregnant in an apocalypse it’s Rick Grimes. Because he guarantees to be a devoted father like no other.

I always got the sense that for Rick, being a husband and father with a loving family wasn’t just one of the things he wanted in life, it was his ultimate dream for his life. Yes, Rick was not a perfect parent, but no one is. And that man would do anything for his kids, like even the things most wouldn’t think of. I also think what made him a standout father was that he didn’t just show his kids tough love but genuinely vulnerable affectionate love too.

I was actually just thinking about something the other day when I was watching a clip of Rick and Carl in season 1 and how young Carl was. I was thinking how Rick had to be looking at his little boy and maybe even having moments where he felt particularly overwhelmed that this apocalypse occurred when his son is still so small, dependent, and vulnerable. Everyday this fallen world threatened to take away his kid’s chance at growing older. But even with the weight of the world thrown on him and having to protect his young boy in a dangerous world, we saw how determined Rick was to keep Carl alive not just in body but also keep his humanity alive too.

Under unimaginable circumstances and battling everything from villains to major PTSD, I’d say Rick still found a way to be a great and commendable dad to Carl and Judith. And will be to RJ too now. Plus, I love that it was clear throughout TWD that one of the things Michonne really respected about Rick was how he was as a father.