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)

As a side note, I always thought it was not a good look from the show having the two white women main characters getting proposed to and married, but the Black woman main character very noticeably not. Like, we know Rick and Michonne were committed to each other and that they were as good as married, but the optics of not formally having them get married were not great. Even if they were going for Michonne is non-traditional/anti-patriarchy/feminist or something, the end result still looks like they only wanted to legitimize some of the show’s unions (obviously their relationship was legitimate either way, but them not getting married is sending some kind of message when marriage is still valued by many characters in the ZA). Thank goodness for TOWL giving us what the main show should have.

See this one is interesting because I would absolutely think Rick and Michonne talked about marriage and, considering they’d been in a relationship for over two years by season 9, I feel like they would’ve directly established their relationship as a marriage at some point before Rick was taken. It really feels like the only reason they didn’t is because of the writers.

In terms of how I envision them talking about it, I could see Rick having marriage with Michonne on his mind and asking her how she felt about marriage since he knows he feels it’s a meaningful way to acknowledge commitment.

And I could see Michonne telling Rick how ever since she was young she knew marriage was something she only would’ve been open to with the right person and then she looks at Rick, saying so it’s something she’s open to now. And Rick would’ve been shopping for rings on walkers’ fingers the very next day, if he hadn’t already found one before she even said that.

Your side note perfectly put into words what I’ve always felt. It never sat right with me that the writers didn’t outright classify Rick and Michonne’s relationship as a marriage in TWD when that’s so obviously what they were. And it did feel like a suspicious thing to have avoided when the writers took time to show other relationships with less build up as marriages.

Like I think nearly every white woman who was in a relationship in TWD was married, and none of the women of color were until much later in the series. Which definitely got a side eye from me. There are characters who I could see genuinely just not being into the concept of marriage. But I just do not think that applies to Rick and Michonne.

Like you said, it’s not like their relationship was any less valid without rings or labels, but part of why I for years would mention how I wanted Rick and Michonne to exchange rings is because it’s absolutely something I think those two characters would do.

I agree with you that pre-ZA Michonne likely didn’t put much stock in needing to be married and felt it was more important that the relationship was genuinely solid. But I also never got the sense that Michonne was ever against marriage as a whole. I always felt that with the right man Michonne would’ve welcomed marriage.

And since, especially in the ZA, marriage is more of a heart thing than a government approved union, the rings ultimately just serve as a symbol of the depth of their love and commitment. And considering Michonne always found sentimental value in items that remind her of loved ones, I think a ring that symbolized her love with Rick would’ve meant a lot to her.

And Rick for sure would not be one to drag his feet in marrying Michonne. Like that man wanted to wife her up in every way possible. To the point where I feel like he would’ve been down to go to the abandoned County Clerk’s office and find a marriage certificate for them to sign too lol.

I remember before season 9 aired I was hoping they’d at least show Rick and Michonne wearing rings in the premiere to even just imply they got married during the year and half time jump. I had to side-eye even more when they didn’t let Rick and Michonne have their own rings, but then had Michonne wear Rick’s previous wedding ring from his broken marriage once he was taken. Like on one hand I liked that her wearing the ring at least affirmed the way she viewed Rick as her husband but I so wished it could’ve been a ring from their own marriage.

But in the end, TOWL covers over a multitude of sins. 😌 And I’m so happy with how the proposal moment played out in TOWL. I wouldn’t trade that special ep 5 scene. And I’m really grateful to Danai for knowing that Rick and Michonne deserved to have that clearcut marriage proposal moment considering they’re the ultimate husband and wife.

I'm not sure if anyone has asked this before, but I'd really love to know your thoughts on episode 9x14, where Michonne goes through all that torture and brutality. There’s a constant debate in the fandom about how Michonne was subjected to excessive violence, and how that episode only served to reinforce the "Strong Black Woman" trope—showing that even while dealing with so much trauma (Rick’s "death," facing a pregnancy completely alone, an impending war), she still has to endure it all and be this indestructible "superwoman." And whenever this topic comes up, someone always chimes in to say that white characters suffered just as much as she did.

Plus, it's an episode that clearly explains why Michonne isolated Alexandria, yet people still think she was wrong for doing whatever it took to protect her children.

Also, do you think Danai—who was always known for bringing her own ideas and improvements to the scripts—might have altered something in this specific storyline? She rarely speaks about this episode, and the few times she did, she was very vague. What's your take on all of this? Thank you! 😊

Thank you! And yeah 9x14 always stirs up mixed feelings for me for these reasons. Danai’s performance was excellent throughout, she and Rutina had presence together, and there’s some genuinely powerful moving moments with Michonne and Judith. At the same time I absolutely felt the violence toward Michonne was unnecessarily excessive in that episode.

I really don’t think they would’ve depicted a pregnant Maggie or Carol being beaten with a pipe. Like the show could’ve totally communicated the intensity and even brutality of Michonne’s situation with Jocelyn and the children of the corn without it being as graphic. I get that it’s TWD and they don’t hold back with the violence, but this felt like an overboard attack on Michonne’s body.

What’s interesting with the suffering comparisons is that I have a feeling if those other characters went through what Michonne did in Scars, people would be adamant that it was easily one of the worst things anyone had to go through. But when it’s Michonne there’s this want to downplay her suffering and I do think it has to do with the way people consciously and subconsciously think pain inflicted on Black bodies is less brutal. Which is a shame.

There’s strong elements of this episode, and elements I think could’ve been adjusted. I’d be curious what thoughts Danai might’ve had about this ep.

I remember seeing the way some viewers refused to understand the reasons behind Michonne’s leadership choices both before this ep and after which was frustrating because one; Michonne’s human and allowed to not always make the perfect choice, especially when she has a pretty sterling track record of making the right choice.

And two; her choice was never rooted in selfishness or lack of care. She wanted to do whatever she could to protect her children and all the children and she felt less travel would keep everyone else safe too. She’d been validly traumatized from that 9x14 experience and I wish more people in-show and outside of the show could’ve shown more understanding.

That’s interesting with the whistling. It reminded me that a few years ago I was in a high school auditorium and someone’s phone went off and their ping notification was the Savior’s whistle sound. It was pretty unsettling to hear so unexpectedly in a quiet crowd of people.

I don't think Rick would be hesitant about it. I feel like "baby" is common enough that it doesn't come across like recycling someone's specific term of endearment. Like it'd be different if someone called their former partner something unique to them and then started calling their new partner that exact word/nickname. But with "baby," it's such a universal one. I also think it's the kind of word that carries different meanings based on who it's applied to. Like Michonne calls her kids "baby" and Rick, and it carries its own meaning for each of them. So even with Rick calling Michonne "baby," it would carry its own meaning between them, and I believe it'd hold an even more affectionate meaning, considering the two have a deeper, more affectionate love.

Sometimes I'll try to think of which TWD or TOWL scene I could've most seen Rick calling Michonne, "baby." I'd be curious to hear if anyone has a scene in mind. There are a couple that come to mind for me, but I could really hear a "Michonne, baby, I promise" in this TOWL ep 2 moment. 😊

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.