Season 7 contained one of the franchise’s most controversial stories, proving to be the stopping point for many viewers. This was largely because of season 6’s cliffhanger and two fan-favorite characters being killed off straight away. However, some of the pacing and start-stop storytelling hurt season 7, which Rick and Michonne’s spinoff hasn’t suffered from. With The Ones Who Live teasing cameos and taking place after the main show, it provides a lot of mysteries and uncertainties, making the latest spinoff refreshing. However, it does still possess plenty of parallels to the franchise’s most polarizing story.

The Ones Who Live Is Repeating The Walking Dead’s Savior War Storyline

Rick’s struggle against the CRM is repeating The Walking Dead‘s Savior War storyline. While season 8 of The Walking Dead focuses on the battle between Rick’s communities against the Saviors, season 7 puts the spotlight on the build-up towards this fight, and the mental warfare that comes with it. Before his redemption arc, Negan was one of The Walking Dead‘s biggest villains and remains the toughest threat the survivors have faced on the show. The Saviors were much larger than Rick’s communities combined, which allowed them to essentially take over Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom.

After being mentally broken, Rick submits to the Saviors’ authority and The Ones Who Live replicates this, with Rick eventually giving up hope of escaping and offering his services to the CRM. In both stories, Rick caves to the villains’ demands after losing all belief. In his war with the Saviors, he eventually realizes he can fight back and joins with the Hilltop and the Kingdom to battle Negan. This will likely be explored in The Ones Who Live, with Rick potentially revolutionizing the Civic Republic and getting Portland on board to fight the CRM, highlighting the comparison between both stories.

The Ones Who Live Needs A Different Ending To The Walking Dead’s Savior StoryCustom Image by Kyle McLeod

Although the Savior storyline had a satisfying ending, The Ones Who Live must come up with a different conclusion. After finally beating the Saviors, Rick imprisons Negan, putting a concrete end to the bloodshed. He also welcomed the Saviors into his community, giving them a chance to reform. For The Ones Who Live to feel truly different, the spinoff has to go in a different direction, perhaps exploring a darker and more definitive ending. Rather than overthrowing and reforming the CRM, Rick and Michonne completely destroying the military would prove how much of a threat they were.

With Major General Beale taking many lives, killing him may be the only way to ensure his philosophies don’t live on. Beale has a heavy influence over the military and has had them use chemical weapons, meaning tearing down the entire system could be the only way to truly change it. Rick could still lead the Civic Republic and be the hero of this war but making it bigger and bloodier than the Savior battle would separate the stories. Therefore, The Ones Who Live must end differently from the Saviors War and have more lasting consequences after the final battle.