The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 2 confirmed that Michonne went through several trying experiences after leaving Alexandria. Though Michonne’s departure from the main show came years after Rick’s exit in season 9, it’s important to note that both characters had major gaps in their timelines that needed to be filled. The passing of time in The Walking Dead’s final season meant that the franchise had a lot of explaining to do in regards to why Michonne remained absent.

The Walking Dead series finale jumped a year forward in time, and yet Michonne nor Rick still hadn’t returned. Being away from her family was obviously not part of her initial plan, meaning that there had to be specific reasons for her prolonged absence. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 2 proved that to be the case by offering a deep dive into Michonne’s post-season 10 adventures in The Walking Dead timeline.

7Michonne Returned The Survivors From Her Final Walking Dead Episode To Their Group

Rather than picking up where the series premiere left off with Rick and Michonne finally crossing paths, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’s second episode went back in time to show how Michonne came to be in this position. The first thing the episode did was resolve a loose end from her season 10 exit. Her last episode as a main character saw Michonne come across two survivors who were members of a large community. She came to their assistance, but what happened next was left ambiguous, but The Ones Who Live cleared that up by revealing she succeeded in getting the pair to safety.

The woman told Michonne in The Walking Dead that their group would leave them behind. This was addressed in The Ones Who Live, with Michonne expressing disapproval of their methods. She brought them back to their group anyway, though, and refused an offer to continue traveling with them. Instead, Michonne elected to keep traveling north, believing this path would lead her to Rick.

6Where Michonne’s Armor Came From

As it turns out, meeting those people is what facilitated Michonne’s new Walking Dead look. Both the marketing and her cameo in The Walking Dead’s ending showed off Michonne in a new set of armor. In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 2, Michonne was reluctant to remain in the new community’s company for long, prompting Nat to invite her to stay for one night. He claimed that if she did, they’d equip her with some new gear. The armor was apparently designed by Nat, who has a talent for “building” things.

5Michonne Made It Through A Massive Wall Of Zombies

The Ones Who Live episode 2 saw Michonne deal with what the wagon community called “the migration,” which seemingly made the road north unpassable. Explosive weapons built by Nat weren’t enough to make a way for her, but the character wound up creating a pathway for her regardless. Purple fires burning on opposite sides of the valley drew the zombies toward them, splitting the zombie wall in two and paving a clear path for the survivors. Nat explained later that they were made with chemicals.

4Michonne Formed A New Walking Dead Group

Though the result was unintentional on her part, Michonne’s heroic actions gave the character her own group to lead. After Michonne pointed out the selfish nature of the community’s ways, specifically their unwillingness to take any risks to save their own people, various members chose to leave. The two people she saved in season 10, plus a new Walking Dead character named Nat, were among those who joined Michonne. Several other people – who weren’t named in the show – decided to come along as well. Together, they all headed north to Bridgers Terminal.

3Michonne Was Badly Injured By A CRM Gas Attack

Michonne and her new friends made it through the difficult trek to Bridgers Terminal relatively unscathed, but not their subsequent encounter with the CRM. Michonne unknowingly laid eyes on Rick Grimes’ captors for the first time when a CRM helicopter appeared and bombarded them with chlorine gas. Everyone but Michonne and Nat perished at Bridgers Terminal. But while Michonne survived, the gas left her severely injured for months. As Nat had told her, the gas had “burned down” their lungs, causing long-term damage.

MIchonne spent a great deal of exercising in the hopes of speeding up her recovery. She and Nat holed up together in a house and lived there for quite some time while they waited for their injuries to heal. This significantly slowed down Michonne’s efforts to find Rick and also helped explain why Michonne didn’t return to Alexandria. The effects of the chlorine gas left her in no condition to travel. Getting to a point where she could take care of herself on the road took a lot of time.

2Michonne Reunited With Rick Grimes

The ending of Michonne’s travels with Nat amounted to a roller coaster of emotions for Michonne. While heading back home to Alexandria, the two caught sight of another CRM helicopter. Seeing an opportunity to avenge their fallen friends, Nat used one of his inventions to shoot it down. Unmasking and killing each of the survivors of the crash culminated in Michonne coming face to face with Rick Grimes, who had been promoted to a military position by Walking Dead’s Donald Okafor years after being abducted by them.

What would have been an otherwise happy moment for Michonne was ruined by Nat’s shocking death. One of the injured CRM operatives managed to shoot him in the back after the crash. His death left Michonne as the sole survivor of her group, and in turn, even more reasons to despise the CRM and everything they stand for in the Walking Dead universe.

1Michonne Was Taken In By The CRM

By taking down the helicopter, Michonne and Nat invited the attention of more CRM troops. At Rick’s direction, Michonne developed a false identity, complete with a personality that masked her true character, and passed a CRM interview. Told by the CRM that she can “never leave,” Michonne has found herself trapped behind their walls. Similar to what happened with Rick, Michonne has no clear way out. However, their situations have a key difference: the CRM are unaware that Michonne is someone they’d likely classify as an A. If they underestimate her, she may be able to outsmart them in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.