The Walking Dead’s Original Ending is Much Better Than the TV Show’s Finale

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Though the original series ended in 2022, the world of AMC is still expanding with several spin-offs planned. It’s become the network’s most profitable property, so it’s no surprise they’re continuing to build on it.

The show definitely diverged from the original comic books, so viewers probably shouldn’t have expected the finale to follow the source material exactly. Interestingly, an entirely different ending was filmed, but the show’s creators ultimately decided to go in another direction.

How Did The Walking Dead TV Show End?

The series The Walking Dead concludes with a dramatic showdown. Conflicts have reached a peak between Governor Pamela Milton and her people, but some members of the Commonwealth are starting to believe there’s a better path forward for their community. Meanwhile, Daryl and his group are desperately trying to escape both the dangers of Pamela’s soldiers and the ever-present zombies, all while racing to save Judith after she was unintentionally shot by Pamela in the last episode.

Despite their efforts, Rosita is bitten by a walker. This leads to a rebellion against Pamela, resulting in her capture and the successful defense against the walker invasion of the Commonwealth. Sadly, Rosita later dies peacefully from her bite, marking the final loss of a major character.

Negan departs, feeling he needs to be alone. A year later, Ezekiel has become the leader of a thriving and peaceful community called the Commonwealth. Daryl also leaves the group. Though the series, after twelve years of hardship and loss, initially seems to end on a more hopeful note than the original comic book, the story continues.

The episode concluded with a quick update on Rick and Michonne, revealing they are both still searching for each other. We learned Rick had been hiding in Philadelphia, initially escaping but ultimately surrendering after being found by his enemies.

Bringing back Rick and Michonne was a welcome surprise, particularly since Rick hadn’t appeared in over four years. However, their return ultimately made the ending feel less powerful.

The Walking Dead’s Original Ending Was Much Different

The show’s finale was already planned to feature Daryl’s departure, but including Rick and Michonne would have changed things significantly. Instead of just hinting at their future spin-off, their appearance would have likely provided a more conclusive and satisfying ending to the main series.

Business Insider reports that a source involved with the show revealed the originally planned ending: After Daryl leaves, the scene jumps forward to the Freedom Parkway near Atlanta – the same location as Rick’s ride in the very first episode. We see a van, altered to run on ethanol, with a young woman and man in their twenties driving. It’s revealed they are grown-up RJ and Judith, with other grown-up versions of the kids in the back – Coco, Gracie, and others. They’re traveling around, trying to find survivors and bring them back to their settlements, continuing the work of their parents. RJ finishes a radio message with: “If you can hear me, answer back. This is Rick Grimes.” The scene ends with a survivor faintly responding: “…Hello?”

The decision to add a final scene, or coda, came quite late in the production process – after filming had already finished. Greg Nicotero, the show’s executive producer and director of the finale, explained that they had filmed a scene, but once the coda was added, it felt unnecessary. He said they ultimately removed it because it didn’t quite fit.

Okay, so the showrunners made a choice to bring Rick and Michonne back for a quick cameo during The One Who Lives, and honestly, while I get their overall plan for the show’s world, it felt a little off. As a storyteller, I think the original ending they had planned would have ultimately been much more satisfying for the audience. It just would have felt more complete.

How Did The Walking Dead Comics End?

AMC’s The Walking Dead often deviates from the original comic book series. The show frequently changes characters – sometimes leaving them out entirely, letting others survive longer, or creating storylines that are unique to the television adaptation. Considering the challenges of production – like budget limitations, tight schedules, and actors’ availability – a close adaptation would have been very difficult.

The show tried its best with the resources it had. Hopefully, in the future, fans will get an animated series from the creators of Invincible that closely follows the original comic book.

The overall conflict with the Commonwealth remains largely the same. However, certain storylines have been removed, such as Judith facing a near-death experience, as she didn’t experience that in this version of the story. Similarly, Rosita’s role as a border guard with Alpha has been cut. Despite these changes, the tension between the groups still escalates, and Pamela sends her soldiers after Rick and his people.

In the show, Daryl Dixon delivered Rick’s hopeful speech about the future, notably changing a famous line Rick once said. Instead of saying ‘We are the walking dead,’ Daryl declared, ‘We are not the walking dead.’

The main difference between how the comic and the show end revolves around what happens after the big fight. In the comic, Pamela’s son, Sebastian, unexpectedly sneaks into Rick’s room and shoots him. The next morning, Carl finds Rick brought back to life and, realizing what’s happened, quickly kills him again. It was a surprising and ironic moment – a powerful figure defeated by someone weak and spoiled.

Since both Sebastian and Carl were already dead, this moment couldn’t be used as-is in the show, especially with Rick being off with the CRM. The closest they got was Pamela shooting Judith, with a Grimes family member being the target, though thankfully Judith lived.

In the comic books, the time jump after this point was much more substantial – a full 23 years, compared to the show’s one-year leap. Thanks to Eugene’s work rebuilding the railroad, the Commonwealth has been able to extend its influence. Meanwhile, the community’s protected areas have grown considerably, offering survivors a sense of security they haven’t felt in decades.

Hershel, Maggie and Glenn’s son, began using a walker as a sort of performance, which upset Carl and others who had lived through the worst of the zombie outbreak. Annoyed by what he saw as a spectacle, Carl punched Hershel and destroyed the walkers Hershel was using. Hershel wanted Carl to be punished for the attack and the damage to his “show,” but Carl faced no consequences.

The final issue largely focuses on updates about other characters, like Commonwealth President Maggie Greene and Judge Michonne Hawthorne. We also see a statue of Rick has been built to honor his work bringing people together. The comic ends with Carl completing a book for his daughter, Andrea, and telling her it’s about her grandfather. Andrea playfully points out he’s told her that story many times, but happily asks him to read it again.

A More Definitive Ending Would’ve Suited The Walking Dead More

Although the TV finale did a good job of concluding the series, the added ending felt like a promotion for future shows and spin-offs, almost as if they took over. The original ending was better because it would have provided a satisfying conclusion while also hinting at what future spin-offs might look like, giving fans a glimpse of the next generation without feeling like a blatant advertisement.

Ending the show with Rick trying to connect with other survivors on the radio would have been a fitting conclusion, mirroring how the first season began. After so much hardship and tragedy, both the show and its viewers deserved a more optimistic ending, not just a small tease of what could be. Everyone already knew about the spin-offs, so the reassurance that Rick and Michonne would return wasn’t necessary.

As a big fan, I’ve been thinking – what if all these spin-offs aren’t just separate stories? Maybe they’re building towards something huge, a way to give us a really satisfying ending that the original Walking Dead finale didn’t quite deliver. Honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if the whole universe eventually jumps forward in time a bunch of years, like decades even. It feels like that’s where they’re headed.

If the creators of the show are aiming for a satisfying conclusion, The Walking Dead has the potential to deliver the emotional resonance it deserves.

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2026-05-10 06:39