Finding love in the middle of the apocalypse on The Walking Dead is no easy feat. Zombies, a lack of food or shelter, and other humans (which are the biggest enemy of all) shift your priorities away from finding a companion to be by your side through the hard times ahead. Rick and Michonne, known as Richonne, have beat all these odds and shown viewers that love can be found in the craziest of circumstances with trust, perseverance, and mutual respect.
With the fight against Negan here, I think it’s time for us to look back at key moments in their relationship that prove that these two are in it for the long-haul. They’re endgame!
1. Their first kiss.
Michonne and Rick didn’t just fall into a passionate kiss fueled by the adrenaline of the zombie apocalypse. Their first kiss was the result of a build up of years of love, confidence, and respect for each other. What tipped the scales for Rick is that he realized that there was no one else he would rather spend his time with, well besides his kids. And as for Michonne, she realized that Rick brings joy to her life even in the tiniest moments, like remembering what kind of mints she likes.
This is going to sound cheesy as hell, but they compliment each other and fit like two pieces of a very complicated puzzle known as the apocalypse. They realized this as soon as their fingers locked together and their eyes met. *swoon alert*
2. Waking in bed together and having some real talk.
As much as we love the moments when Rick and Michonne kick ass and take names, it’s the quiet moments that speak the loudest. Both are hardened warriors of the apocalypse who carry heavy burdens on their shoulders. They feel comfortable laying those burdens down for a second at each other’s sides without fear of reproach and the knowledge that the other will protect them wholeheartedly if danger should pop up. (Looking at you Jesus.) Before Alexandria rises and they have to solve the day’s problem, they can just be a couple in love.
3. Savoring every moment together.
Life is fleeting in the apocalypse and Rick and Michonne make every moment count. They don’t do it with full bodied kisses that end up with the other pressed up against a wall, even though we wouldn’t mind and that’s the stuff fanfiction is made of, but with intimate gestures like a hand cupping a cheek, a lingering kiss, and the gentle press of their foreheads together. Intimacy like this is tender and full of lasting love that clings to you even when you’re apart.
4. Starting their day together as a family w/ the kids.
For a show full of so much doom, gloom, and zombies, we must treasure scenes like this. It’s the simple things in life that sometimes define us. Starting off their day together in this fashion speaks of comfort and a sequence of events they have no problem performing over and over again. Plus who doesn’t like to see a happy family working together and joking around like the zombie apocalypse or Negan aren’t knocking on their door?
5. Not your way. Or my way. Our way.
Humans aren’t perfect. And sometimes it takes a little struggle, a little heartache for us to understand that we can’t do this alone. After struggling to come up with a plan for what’s next, Michonne understood that they’ve always lived to see another day, always succeeded against the bad guys coming for them, by being united. They’re not going to survive by doing it Rick’s way or Michonne’s way. They’re going to survive Negan by working together. Only then will they have a chance to come out on top.
6. Sharing his past.
Sharing the pain of one’s past is key to building a long and stable relationship. It’s opening yourself up to vulnerability and trusting that the other person will take care of your heart. Rick opening up to Michonne about Shane, was about entrusting her with the deepest parts of him that plague him to this day. There’s no one he trusts like her and the confession makes her love him even more.
7. Bonus: Michonne and Carl Bonding
A relationship between Rick and Michonne would’ve been doomed from the start if it wasn’t for the bond Michonne and Carl built throughout the seasons. Michonne is not replacing Lori. She will always be his mother. Michonne is meant to be a guiding hand and a form of support as Carl grows into a man in the apocalypse. And I believe it took both of them until this moment to realize how deeply they care for each other. They’re family and there’s no going back.
Which Richonne moment do you love? When did you realize they were endgame? Let us know in the comments below!
The Walking Dead returns February 12th at 9/8c on AMC.
