The Walking Dead is coming to an end with the final part of season 11, but the upcoming spinoffs could be ruined if the show follows the same storyline as the comics. The Walking Dead comics came to an end in 2019 with Issue 193, the final part of Volume 32: Rest in Peace, wrapping up almost 16 years of stories from the zombie apocalypse. The first two parts of The Walking Dead season 11 have been heading in the same direction as the comics' ending, building up to a war within the Commonwealth, but if this continues, the impact of the upcoming spinoffs could be ruined.
The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman shocked readers in 2019 when he abruptly ended the comic series with no warning or announcements, reasoning that The Walking Dead was built on surprise, meaning a sudden ending would be very fitting. The ending of the comic books meant that the series could adapt the final stories in their own closure, with The Walking Dead season 11 being announced as the final season in September 2020. However, this won't be the last time viewers will see the rich world developed over the last 13 years as several new spinoffs have been announced that will continue fan-favorite characters' stories after the main show finishes in November 2022.
The Walking Dead is no stranger to time jumps, the most notable of which coming after Rick Grimes' (Andrew Lincoln) apparent death during season 9, episode 5, "What Comes After", which saw the series jump six years into the future. It seems the series is set to use this technique once again in the final episodes of season 11, since the final issue of the comics takes place 25 years after Rick Grimes' death in the previous issue. Many fans are expecting familiar faces to return after the time jump, living happily alongside the established group, but this could damage the integrity of the upcoming spinoffs in very big ways. As a result, adhering too closely to the comics' approach could be bad news for other The Walking Dead media. Here's how every upcoming spin-off could potentially be affected.
Tales Of The Walking Dead
Announced in September 2020, Tales of the Walking Dead is an anthology spinoff from The Walking Dead that shows viewers the zombie apocalypse from new perspectives, introducing new characters and new settings in each episode. The first season premiered on 14 August 2022, featuring Terry Crews and Olivia Munn in episode 1, while subsequent episodes feature the likes of Jessie T. Usher, Parker Posey, and the return of Samantha Morton to her role of Alpha/Dee. Since each episode of Tales of the Walking Dead takes place at a different time in the apocalypse and the characters are, for the most part, unrelated to the group viewers have become familiar with, it's unlikely that these characters will show up in the final episodes of The Walking Dead, or that the closure of the main show will have much of an effect on the new stories that are uncovered. As a result, even though a time-jump technique could potentially be employed, this is perhaps one of the few The Walking Dead spin-offs that may not be adversely affected by copying the comics.
Daryl Spinoff
A time jump at the end of The Walking Dead season 11 could have a huge impact on an upcoming spinoff focusing on Daryl Dixon. Originally featuring long-term TWD stars Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride, the spinoff was confirmed to be in development in September 2020, but had to be remodeled into a Daryl-only show after McBride departed the project. Despite there being a theory that this news could spell the end for Carol Peletier in The Walking Dead, both characters are still a huge part of the main series, meaning its unlikely that viewers will see Daryl's demise in the upcoming episodes.
There are ways that a decades-long time jump could benefit the Daryl spinoff, as shown previously during The Walking Dead season 10, episode 18, "Find Me," which features a flashback to Daryl's time searching for Rick during the last six-year time jump. A spinoff for the crossbow-wielding hero could investigate the character's experiences during the time jump before the finale of season 11, or even pick up where season 11 ends after the time jump (although Daryl would be considerably older). However, if Reedus is involved in the season 11 finale and his upcoming show takes place during the time jump, the stakes will be significantly lowered as viewers would know that no harm would come to him.
Isle Of The Dead
The unlikely pairing of Maggie and Negan has been getting a lot of airtime during The Walking Dead season 11, with their strange relationship developing in often touching ways throughout their arc. All the way back in the season 7 premiere, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be," Negan brutally murdered Maggie's husband, Glenn, in a show of strength to the Alexandria group, which obviously caused a huge amount of tension that is still felt between the pair in their recent interactions. So it came as a bit of a shock when a spinoff starring Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan was confirmed in March 2022. Isle of the Dead will see the pair take on a mission together in a new Manhattan setting.
While not much has been revealed about the spinoff, save for a 2023 release date, set photos have shown that both Maggie and Negan look the same as they do during The Walking Dead season 11, suggesting that this series takes place before any potential time jump. If this is the case, any tension between the unlikely pair will be ruined immediately if they appear after the time jump in The Walking Dead's main show. One of the most interesting themes in Maggie and Negan's dynamic is that either could kill the other at any moment, adding suspense to their tumultuous relationship that makes them so enjoyable to watch together, this would be completely ruined if the pair make an appearance after a decades-long time jump at the end of the final season of The Walking Dead.
Rick & Michonne Spinoff
Since Rick Grimes' sacrifice during The Walking Dead season 9, episode 5, "What Comes After," and Michonne's departure from the series in season 10, episode 13, "What We Become," viewers have been yearning to see the couple reunite back on screen. It was revealed at San Diego Comic Con 2022 that AMC's trilogy of original Rick Grimes films had been remodeled into a six-part series, set to air in 2023 and star Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira returning to their fan-favorite roles. But while it would be great to see Rick and Michonne back on The Walking Dead living happily once again with their apocalypse family, their appearance in the final episodes of season 11 would seriously diminish the impact of their spinoff.
If Rick and Michonne return to The Walking Dead after a time jump at the end of season 11, viewers would know for sure that, whatever adventures the pair find themselves in, they'd be facing no real danger during their spinoff. While Rick Grimes plays a huge role in the final issues of The Walking Dead comics (his death is the incident that diffuses a war in the Commonwealth and creates a good moment to hop forward 25 years to see the new world from Carl's new perspective) it makes sense that Rick won't make a return to The Walking Dead's main show. Perhaps it would be more powerful for subtle hints to Rick and Michonne's current whereabouts to be dropped before a time jump during season 11, building anticipation for their 2023 spinoff series while not spoiling any of the drama that might unfold.
The final episodes of The Walking Dead are set to air from October 2, 2022, meaning viewers won't have to wait too long to see how the end of the ground-breaking series is dealt with. Following a comic accurate ending could mean that a huge time jump would show audiences the world long after the initial outbreak, perhaps where long-term characters might actually be able to live in a peaceful civilization. Even though the main show might be ending, spinoffs such as Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, and Tales of the Walking Dead have already expanded the universe, while they will soon be joined by a Daryl series, Isle of the Dead featuring Maggie and Negan, and a return for Rick and Michonne, meaning several characters will continue to be developed, and the legacy of The Walking Dead will carry on for years.