Whatever Is Beautiful

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Richonne in Retrospect (S3 - S6)

Reveling in Richonne (S3 - S7)

Reveling in Richonne (S8-S11)

Richonne Top 30

Reveling in Richonne (TOWL S1)

What is Michonne's preferred way of showing love? How does Rick express love? I know they always engage in physical touch, express love with words, give gifts, do nice deeds, and spend time together, but what truly makes their love connection strong?

I recall Rick was not very expressive verbally when he was around Lori. But, with Michonne, he is always open to showing and sharing his feelings, emotions, and vulnerability.

I love this question, especially because I was just thinking about how Rick and Michonne are both very good at all five love languages.

Gifts

Quality Time

Words of Affirmation

Physical Touch

Acts of Service

There’s oh so much that makes Rick and Michonne Grimes' love connection uniquely strong. And I’d say at the root of what makes their love connection so special and enduring is their “I’m yours” mentality.

Will Michonne consent to Rick going elsewhere without her? Now that they're separated for years, how do you expect Michonne would handle it if Rick went out to help the community and got delayed coming back? Is Michonne now very strict about Rick going anywhere, especially if it's really far from Alexandria and he'll be gone for days before returning home?

I’ve been thinking about these scenarios, too, with my post-TOWL fic idea. And my instant thought is Michonne won’t even have to be strict because Rick “This Is The Last We’re Apart” Grimes would be as, if not more, strict about never being too far away from his family. Like, I have a feeling Slick Rick would be Strict Rick when it came to keeping his family close. Especially when they first get back, I don’t think Rick or Michonne will have a desire to be more than ten feet away from each other or the kids for a while. Like if people in ASZ or the Commonwealth wanted Rick to take on things that would require him to be away from his family for long, he’d decline all on his own, I think. And the same for Michonne.

Over time, of course, they’ll have moments apart, but still, I think any particularly far outings or overnight outings would be ones they try to do together for the most part. But if there were a case where Rick ended up going out and a delay made him gone longer than expected, I imagine Michonne feeling anxious and wanting to go out and locate him the second he wasn’t back when he was meant to. I can see both Rick and Michonne feeling some anxiety whenever the other isn’t back at the expected times because of the PTSD of being separated for years. In my head, they both make it a priority to always communicate exactly how long they expect to be out, and they’d both know the drill that if the other is gone longer without messaging, the other will come looking for them. And considering Rick and Michonne are legitimately magnets, they’d know if they come looking, they’ll always find each other again. 🧲💕

I 100% think so. Of all the terms of endearment, this is the one I can most hear Rick calling Michonne. I already was so elated to hear Michonne call Rick 'baby' in TOWL ep 4. If we had also gotten a scene of Rick calling Michonne baby, I know good, and well, I’d have that scene on a loop for days (years) lol. Like I can hear his voice calling her “baby” so clearly, and I love thinking that’s a go-to term of endearment for them both, because they really are each other's baby. 🥰

I’m doing a rewatch of TWD and wanted to get your thoughts on Terry’s comment during Michonne’s flashback in 4x9, “After.”

When Michonne is serving the charcuterie board, Terry says, “You’ve gotten good with a sword. You know how valuable that is now? You know what that makes you?”

His tone has always stood out to me as resentful, fearful, and a little accusatory. And Michonne seems completely unbothered by it—almost like she’s heard some version of this criticism before.

I wonder if Terry (and maybe Mike, too) were unsettled by the realization that Michonne had become strong, capable, and perhaps didn’t need them in the same way anymore.

What do you make of Terry’s statement and the way Michonne responds to it? Thank you!

Thanks for asking my thoughts! I really enjoy these questions and reading your take on this one. That scene in S4 was always such a striking and devastating insight into Michonne’s backstory. There are a couple of things that come to mind when I try to think about how I interpret Terry saying, “you know what that makes you.” Like, I feel like he could be thinking Michonne getting good with a sword makes her a survivor, makes her a potential threat and target to others - since a valuable skill in the apocalypse is also a skill that puts you on the radar of both good people and corrupt people - and it makes her someone who has adapted to this brutal world in a way that Mike and Terry hadn’t yet been able to.

It makes me think about when Rick ripped Joe’s throat out with his teeth. When he talks with Daryl after, Rick suggests that the place he went to is one that most wouldn’t and couldn’t tap into. Michonne was able to tap into what it takes to survive without also losing her humanity, which is rare and makes her distinct, too. I could see Terry and Mike having to try and comprehend what’s in Michonne that she could lock in in ways they couldn’t, and knowing what she’s become is valuable and also dangerous.

Terry and Mike seemed to want to check out and mentally escape the world, and so I could also see Terry knowing Michonne is showing signs that she can make it, which makes it likely she’ll outlive them, since they perhaps were feeling more like giving up.

And, from what I can remember of Michonne’s response to the comment, part of me thinks her response is also to the mix of the dream and the past flashback. Like her pre-ZA dream self not yet catching up to her post-ZA dream self, if that makes sense. But it did always stand out to me how Michonne’s dream felt like she was remembering herself as maybe too hopeful or convinced that things were going to work out, and then everything was ripped from her. I always felt like that was Michonne being hard on herself for how, in the early days of the ZA, she thought if she adapted and became a survivor, she could protect her family, but then, even with everything she was willing to do to protect them, it still didn’t keep Andre, Mike, and Terry alive.

I could see Michonne feeling crushed that her ability to survive didn’t translate to them, and left her to survive alone with the guilt and pain. That’s another reason it’s so moving that in the same episode as that dream, she finds Rick and Carl in the home, as they’ll help bring her back and be able to deeply and personally understand the survivor and fighter she is.

In season 9 of The Walking Dead, did you think Rick knew that Michonne was sneaking outside at night to kill the walkers? I remember when Michonne left the bed and Rick wasn't with her in bed, possibly as he had gone near the bridge to fix something.

I lean toward thinking he was aware. Rick and Michonne pick up on lots of things about each other, even before the other outright says it. When Michonne isn’t restless, Rick still always takes note of her, so I can only imagine that with her feeling that restlessness in S9, he’d be paying attention even more. But Rick’s always understood and respected Michonne’s independence, so I like to think if he did know she was going out there to kill walkers, he was being patient waiting for her to tell him about it when she was ready. I’ve read some good fics that address this time period (I can't remember the exact titles, but if I can find them, I'll put them in the comments), and I always like how they depict Rick already knowing Michonne was going out there and how he comforts her once she decides to open up to him about it.

I have this scenario in my mind and I want to ask you about it 💁🏻‍♀️ What if there's a new woman in Alexandria who finds Rick particularly alluring and craves his attention, even if she's aware that he's married to Michonne? Like she’s desperately trying to seduce him through constant conversation, always being close to him, flirting, and touching him whenever possible? And it happened a lot, but Rick, however, has no clue about the woman's intentions because he just wants to help. And the most observant Michonne sees it or catches sight of it many times right in front of her until she can no longer stand it. How would you interpret her response, or what action will she undertake regarding that woman?

Hi! 💕 Thank you! It brings me joy to know these posts have been offering up a daily dose of Richonne for you. Appreciate you reading and reaching out! 🥰

I feel like the way Michonne responded to Jadis is a good indicator of how she’d react to a woman behaving the way you described. She won’t be threatened. But she’ll put someone in their place when needed. I think at first, Michonne would quietly clock what was going on without confronting it right away. She’d be confident it’s nothing to worry about on Rick’s end because he wouldn’t entertain another woman in the slightest. But then, when the woman continued to be disrespectful by persistently coming onto and pursuing Rick, knowing he’s a married man, I think Michonne would have a very no-nonsense dynamic with the woman, like she had with Jadis - only interacting when they have to and keeping it very short. Like, Michonne wouldn’t need to use too many words to still make it very clear to the woman that she needs to step all the way back.

If Rick didn’t initially pick up on the motives this woman has, I could see Rick noticing Michonne’s energy with the woman being more terse, and he’d follow suit by keeping his interaction with the woman very limited and strictly business. In scenarios like this, I feel it’s as some have pointed out: Rick and Michonne could be territorial but not jealous, threatened, or worried about someone trying to get between them, because they know their love is rock-solid and secure. Also, this question made me think about the moment when Michonne saw Jadis for the first time since her out-of-pocket “I lay with him after” comment. I love Michonne’s ‘don’t play with me’ stance and the way Rick mirrors her energy. 😋 I think this is the energy they’d have with anyone trying to get between them.

Yes! 😊 I think this was extremely refreshing for Rick and I love this aspect of their dynamic. They say to be loved is to be known, and Rick got to feel deeply known, seen, and understood by Michonne. Every time Michonne responded to his intensity with unwavering composure, Rick seemed quite captivated. Like he’d finally met his match and someone he could be all of himself with without judgment. When he’s staring her down in the woods and she doesn’t back down, when he asks if she has a problem with that approach in Clear, when he bites someone’s neck and Michonne isn’t afraid of him at all and instead assures him he’s okay, and when she steps up to the plate in the barn when Aaron wants the group to go to Alexandria. Those are just a few of the moments that come to mind for me when I think about how Rick would’ve noticed that Michonne responds differently to him than the rest.

And I think overtime it made Rick know that in Michonne he’d found a true partner who could stand beside him and even take the lead at times. Part of why I always say Michonne is Rick’s source of sanity is because anytime he hopped off the deep end, she was always there to help him find his way back because she understood how he operates, and it didn’t make her scared of him; it made her empathize with him because a lot of what’s in him is in her too. That’s one of the many things that’s so special about Richonne, is that they didn’t just get each other in theory, but in a very personal way where they could relate to each other. And I love that, as intimidating as they are to those they come across, with each other, they both were able to be loved, known, and embraced as their most honest human self. 😌

Yeah, that time is one of the saddest for me to think about because of how deeply somber it was for Michonne. 💔 I think about how she told Ezekiel it’s harder the second time around, because it already took so much for her to come back after what she lost at the beginning. And then to open your heart just for it to get so wounded all over again from losing her son Carl and then her soulmate, is very painful. She’s very resilient to have kept going after that. And I love that wearing Rick’s clothes was part of how Michonne healed and remained close to him. She often finds a lot of sentimental value in items that remind her of her loved ones. Wearing Rick’s clothes was a way to feel like he was still with her and they were still connected. It also probably helped her feel like she was garnering some strength from Rick, the way Carl felt wearing Rick’s hat.

Michonne and Rick had expressed in different scenes throughout the series that they wanted to take on the future together, and I love how Michonne was still determined to take on the future with Rick, even when he was away. When the 6-year time jump happened, she was still so in love with him, and it warmed my heart to see that desire to still do life together communicated through all these different ways, including wearing his clothes. Especially her wearing Rick's denim shirt that he wore during so many memorable Richonne scenes. 🥲

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this, thanks! 💗

It’s interesting because we really only got to see everyone's parenting styles in an apocalypse, which are such unique high-stakes circumstances. So their approach to parenting pre-ZA and post-ZA likely had some notable differences. But regardless, I think Michonne has so many great qualities as a parent. She exhibited such a good balance of carrying authority while still being warm and relatable with her kids. I think something that made Michonne and Carl’s relationship special was that they got to build a foundation of friendship first, and then that camaraderie between them was able to remain even when Michonne became his stepmom. Michonne had set the tone early that she wasn’t going to be manipulated or played by little Carl, while also allowing him to be real with her and her to be real with him. And Carl really appreciated the way Michonne operated with him. She made him feel like he wasn’t just a little kid to write off, while also making him feel safe enough to be a kid who needs her nurturing, too. And I feel she did the same with Judith and RJ. Raising them to be survivors who still get to enjoy a childhood. She’s really TV's most well-balanced character to me.  Michonne had a more selfless nature than what we saw from Lori, which made her nurturing side more evident and well-rounded. Michonne's bond with each of her kids was so heartwarming to watch.

I do like to think that part of her restlessness in season 9 was pregnancy-related - on top of the established reasons like her pull to keep fighting the fight, even as she lives a more domestic diplomat life during the day. I feel like Michonne and her famous Rick Grimes made RJ in 9.01 while they were away at the Sanctuary. I also feel like she had so much hope in what they were building and knew they were going to need to blend their survivor side with their civilian side to make this society work, so she was staying sharp on the survivor/fighter end and trying to be proactive about any threats that could threaten what they were building by going out at night to take down walkers.

It’s interesting that Michonne was seemingly keeping her walker-slaying outings from Rick at the time. Had Rick not been taken, I think her sleepless nights were something that she would have eventually told Rick about, especially after Negan tried to get into her head about why she goes out there in 9x04. I also sorta feel like Rick might’ve already noticed she was going out, but wanted to wait a bit to give Michonne the chance to tell him on his own. The way that man took note of her every move, I can see him being aware of what she was doing. I also imagine that when she learned she was pregnant, she put it together that that could be part of what was contributing to her restless nights.

I can recall the moment in S3 of TWD when Michonne first arrived at the prison fence and found Rick there, when she also found Rick after the prison collapse caused by the governor in S4, when she found out that Rick is alive after she thought the walkers ate him in S7, and when she found Rick 8 years later after the bridge in S1 episode 1 of TOWL. ✨

They are truly soulmates and they remain connected no matter where they are. ❤️

I am curious about your perspective on it. 🌸

I love this. Rick and Michonne really are soulmates who find each other every time. 🥹 And since they are truly magnets, I think even if Michonne had left that apartment and gone home, it wouldn’t have been the final time she and Rick saw each other. They’d come back together at some point, as always. Wrote out the rest below 💗:

Hi! Thank you. 💖 It had been one of those tougher weeks for me. 😅 But getting to take some time to reflect on these questions is always a welcome change of pace, so thank you for asking.  Seeing a young kid taken out by walkers would’ve been a horrific sight, and I think Michonne sympathized with Jessie going through that as a mother, especially. The chaos of that moment all happened so fast, but I’m sure seeing a mother scream in agony at the loss of her son could’ve triggered flashbacks for Michonne of losing Andre. Also, as a mother tho, I think her biggest concern in that moment would be Carl - even before he got shot. So she’d feel for Jessie losing her child so brutally in front of her, while also being very focused on making sure all the noise and commotion didn’t lead to Carl now being put in harm’s way. 

I've thought about scenarios for this, too. 🥀I can see Rick being so deeply moved by being back with his family and getting to do life with them. And sometimes in the beginning, maybe he’d be looking at his kids and Michonne at home and feeling really guilty that he almost chose not to come back to this, and that without Michonne fighting for him, even when he pushed her away, he might’ve missed out on all these precious moments he’s now present for. I could see after one of their family nights, when Rick and Michonne are alone getting ready for bed, Rick comments on how he almost missed out on the best thing that ever happened to him, and that he’s so sorry he made her think for even a second that he wouldn’t come home. I can see him directly apologizing for how he hurt her, and I feel like Michonne would then remind him that they’re here now and that’s what matters most, and he doesn’t have to carry guilt because, like she said in ep 5, being back with their family is more than enough. Plus, while she appreciates words, Michonne seems like an actions-over-words person. So the way we know Rick would show how committed he is to their family through actions would be what most effectively communicates how determined he is to not hurt her again.

I'm thinking about how Michonne and Mike were in their past relationship. Do you think they were similar to Rick and Michonne in terms of their openness and communication with each other? Do you think Michonne and Mike had an affectionate and sweet relationship? Just how does Michonne show love to Rick? I don't want to imagine it because my heart is for Richonne only but I'm really curious about it.

From Michonne's statement to Rick that she only feels safe when she's with him, do you think Mike was a partner who didn't prioritize Michonne's well-being? Although he was there, I didn't think he checked on her as Rick and Michonne do every day and night as part of their nightly routine.

It seems like Mike wasn't entirely dedicated to Michonne because of the way he gave up easily instead of protecting her and their son and also Michonne seemed to be the one who always ran outside to get supplies. In my opinion, he was a man who didn’t deep dive into what Michonne's feelings were and was constantly late to come home from work while also being high with his friend pre-ZA. What are your thoughts?

Good question! I definitely don’t think Michonne and Mike’s relationship was on a similar level of openness and communication. I believe Rick and Michonne introduced each other to a higher love, where they felt more seen and understood than ever before. Michonne felt safe enough to be all of herself with Rick, including being someone who sometimes needs to not be strong and just be vulnerable and comforted. Whereas perhaps with Mike, she felt like she couldn’t fully depend on him to hear and see her when she’s vulnerable or depend on him when the going gets tough. I think Michonne is someone who speaks her mind, so I imagine she still did that with Mike, but I just think maybe Mike was more passive when it came to taking her words to heart and taking action.

But I have always felt like, while Michonne and Mike weren’t each other's person, their relationship wasn’t as unhealthy as Rick and Lori’s. Rick and Lori’s marriage was going to fall apart, apocalypse or not. I get the sense that the partner Mike was before the ZA was flawed, but likely wasn’t as problematic as the partner he became after the stress and pressure of the apocalypse. The Mike we saw in the season 4 flashback wasn’t giving a checked-out or incompetent vibe, and I don’t think Michonne would’ve been attracted to a man like that. So I feel like maybe Mike was adept at navigating their old world, but couldn’t adjust to the new world, and it made him want to check out and give up. And being so focused on that made Michonne feel like she was fighting for their family’s survival all by herself.

Michonne does say she missed Mike even before he died in season 4, so I feel like she might have been accustomed to Mike not being present with her, which is vital to a healthy relationship. Even if Michonne and Mike had stayed together, had the ZA never happened, it still wouldn’t have been close to the love supreme she found with Rick. I feel like Mike and Rick are an example of the difference between just having a partner and having a soulmate. And with Michonne telling Rick during the TOWL proposal that it could only ever have been him, she knows she found her one and only soulmate in Rick.

I always imagine this time period being so bleak for Michonne. 😥 She says when Rick was gone, she was lost, so I feel like those first few days and nights were not only super painful but disorienting. Losing Carl was already devastating, and then to lose Rick about a year and a half later, it had to feel so cruel to have lost Andre and Mike, open herself up so fully to her Grimes family, and then have Rick and Carl taken from her, too. She had told Rick in season 7 that she wanted to take on this world and this life with Rick by her side, and in season 9, they were prepared to keep doing that in so many ways, so it had to be so depressing for her to now have to consider the future without him.  Wrote out the rest below ❤️‍🩹:

I've been curious about the flirting situation between Rick and Jessie. Do you think Michonne had any idea or awareness of it at that time? Her observant nature is particularly noteworthy. Do you think she felt bothered inside if the answer is yes? I'm pretty sure at that time, I think she was developing feelings for Rick, but she was not entertaining the idea of it.

And after they became an official couple, was there any possibility that Michonne mentioned to Rick about the flirting things between him and Jessie? They are very open to one another and they talk about anything and everything every night before they cuddle and sleep.

I'm happy to know your thoughts. 😊

Thanks! Hope you’re well! I agree this stretch of story was when Michonne had fallen for Rick but wasn’t letting herself entertain/embrace it yet, since she still hadn’t let herself assess what she wants just for her. One thing I’m always glad about is that Michonne wasn’t involved in that messy storyline. I wrote out the rest below 😊: