#twd 4.01

I love that as the queen arrives on her horse it’s Rick and Carl who rush to let her in. Like Rick hears her coming and eagerly stands up (with a subtle smile I do believe) and immediately looks over to Carl, who is ready to run over, because they know they’ve both grown really fond of our girl Michonne.

The way Rick and Carl hustle over to her with smiles on their faces will forever melt my heart. And as if their whole body language didn’t make it clear they were happy she’s back, the first thing Rick sweetly tells Michonne is, “We’re glad to see you.” I love how much Rick and Carl like her and can’t hide it.

It's funny too because I always thought it was both Rick and Carl donning big smiles when they run to her, but watching it back, Carl is actually way more subtle in his expression than Rick lol. Gotta love that extra man. 😋

It’s sweet the way Michonne says, “Glad to see you too.” Rick and Michonne are both just the cutest, and they already look like they go together. Every scene they have reminds you that they are meant to be each other's person.

I love that Michonne got Carl that comic, and he’s so excited about it. And she's clearly so happy to have put a smile on his face. Their friendship is everything. And Carl's sincere little thank you. She brings out such a sweet side of him.

I adore that Michonne's personality is coming out more with her boys and Rick gets to witness her bond with his son here. Through Carl, Michonne began to be a mom again and I just so appreciate that. 

And Michonne saying, "I get to read them when you’re done" - it's pretty much canon that she and her kids love books together and it’s adorable. 😊

Then it's so sweet Michonne's playful teasing of Rick with the razor and saying his face is losing the war. Sis told on herself a little bit, thinking about his face while out on her run. But I mean again, who can blame her? 

And it's interesting that the show highlights her getting gifts for Carl and Rick specifically, showing how they're who she's grown closest to and who she thinks about while she's out. Even while somewhat still in her lone wolf era, they were already becoming family. 🥹

I like how getting gifts for both of them helps suggest that Michonne's not just on the fast track to becoming Carl's future mom, but also Rick's future wife. She's growing an undeniable bond with both of them.

I think it’s cute how Rick takes the razor and ponders what it all means, and then Michonne brings some playfulness when teasing him and smiling. She likes him, y’all. 😊 And Rick needs this kind of levity in his life. It's great how before Rick and Michonne loved each other, they really really liked each other as people and it didn't take long for them to realize that.

Also, one of the many things I so adore about how Andy and Danai play their characters is that they never play them one-dimensional. Instead of just coming across as typical 'strong and stoic survivors,' they instead add such compelling layers to their characters.

Rick isn't just tough, he's also capable of being truly warm and affectionate. Michonne isn't just a warrior, she's capable of being genuinely warm, affectionate, and playful too. 👌🏽

So Rick gives a little laugh when she teases him, and then he’s quiet for a bit. And watching this back, I'm tickled because he’s definitely a little nervous around her. 😊 This is Richonne's crush era after all, and so he seems to be feeling a lot inside perhaps.

And then he steps closer to her and asks if she’s going to stay a little while, which is something Rick always wants - Michonne to stay with him awhile. And I like that he can’t help but make it clear he wants her around.

I'm telling you, they’re so adorable in every frame of the scene, and their body language is giving ‘this won’t be platonic for long’ lol. 

Michonne answers, “Just a little while,” and Rick nods cuz more time around her is always music to his ears.

Then Daryl arrives, and y’all, this part of the scene will always be curious to me.

Cuz they have Daryl say glad to see Michonne in one piece and look right over at Rick, almost like he’s especially speaking for Rick (who we already know is particularly glad to see her from their moment just seconds before). And then Rick looks from Daryl over to Michonne like he wants Daryl to be more subtle or something lol. Which had me like...

Rick has that little frustrated reaction when Michonne says she’s going to look over near Macon, and Michonne seems to notice Rick’s reaction cuz she then emphasizes, "it’s worth a shot."

It’s interesting how Rick isn’t very talkative at this moment, but his face is giving away that he clearly has thoughts and doesn't want her to go lol. But he knows Michonne can do what she wants, even if he most wants her here safe. 

Rick says he’s going to stay at the prison when Daryl says he’s going on a run, and then Michonne quickly volunteers to go. And y'all, again...

Cuz idk, it almost reads like knowing Rick was staying makes Michonne quickly volunteer to go since she can’t let herself get too close to him yet - cuz the sparks be sparking when they’re together and right now that's a bit too vulnerable after her traumas from the last time she let people in close. I mean, I'm just saying.

And Carl is quick to remind Michonne that she just got here, which is super cute. It's clear that, like his dad, Carl really wants her around and fully a part of the family. But we’re not there yet in their journey, so Michonne just smiles and says she’ll be back and then walks away. My heart is always so warmed to see her presence so wanted by her boys. 

Rick watches her go, of course, and then Daryl pats him in a seemingly sympathetic way before Rick goes to help them head out. And, y’all, I stand by it…Daryl knew something. 😋

I might not know what exactly, but brother Daryl knew early that something was stirring between Rick and Michonne and that she was special to Rick somehow.

I've noticed how several characters seemed to be picking up on something between Rick and Michonne even before Rick and Michonne became fully aware of their feelings - Carl in s3’s Clear, Daryl in this s4 premiere, Sasha in s5 when she tells Michonne “it worked out for you,” Deanna clocked Richonne real early, and even Abe in s6 wondered if Rick and Michonne had been intimate for awhile. Lol by the time Rick and Michonne made their romance official, you know team family was just like…

Season 4 is a big one in the making of Richonne, and Rick and Michonne's first scene together in season 4 effectively planted more seeds toward how much their relationship would blossom as this season progressed.

Establishing Rick, Michonne, and Carl’s dynamic and heightened fondness for each other in the season 4 premiere was a great way to set up how they would soon become family in the fullest sense by the end of the season.

Like to go from this scene at the prison to traveling as a trio in 4b and having such familial moments in the s4 finale is perfection. Rick and Michonne's fondness for each other only strengthened, and they became an undeniable family unit that managed to carve out some genuine happiness even wandering the woods with no home base. This truly is the season when Rick and Michonne start to become home to each other.

And I love that from the premiere to the finale of season four, these two only grew closer and closer and more and more glad to see each other. 😌