The Walking Dead: How will Michonne react to Carl’s death?

Now that Carl is close to making his exit from The Walking Dead, the aftermath will leave Rick reeling. Of course, Michonne may be impacted more significantly.

To quickly recap, the mid-season finale of The Walking Deaddepicted Carl revealing the walker bite on his chest. Rick, Michonne, and the rest of the gang looked on as Carl showed everyone the cause of his impending death. The episode’s final moments saw Rick tear up at this revelation, which was expected. Though, there’s one person who might be more broken up over Carl’s death than Rick: Michonne.

Whether or not you see it, Michonne (Danai Gurira) has grown much closer to Carl than Rick has. Over the past several seasons, her bond with Carl has seen her become somewhat of a surrogate mother to him. We saw their bond take form during Rick’s mission to save a crazed Morgan back in Season 4, and it’s only grown stronger since. That said, Michonne might find herself more broken than Rick will.

Will Losing Carl Be Too Much For Michonne To Bare?

There’s no doubt of Rick being changed by Carl’s departure but Michonne sinking back into the crazed shell she once found comfort in. After losing her biological son, Michonne spent an undetermined amount of time alone, seeking to spend her final days in the apocalypse as a loner. It was when Andrea showed up that things started to change for Michonne. But it was Carl who really brought Michonne back from the brink of madness. Carl was able to persuade her into talking about the past, confirming the deep cut losses she endured. In doing so, Carl helped Michonne break free of it, opening up to the people around her.

Furthermore, the bond which Michonne shares with Carl could see her revert back to a loner state. She’s lost one son before, and it was almost too much for her mind to bare. Losing another could be the final straw. One that leads Michonne on a suicidal rampage. Although, Michonne’s response could vary.

For all we know, Michonne could take Carl’s death in stride, becoming stronger in the process. And to be honest, she’ll have to be strong for Rick—and for Judith. They’re going to need someone to hold on to and Michonne fits the bill. We’ve also witnessed how Rick reacts to loss in the past and it isn’t good—evidenced by Lori’s death. In lieu of that, Michonne could be the only person capable of preventing Rick from retreating back into his psychotic mind-set. Then again, Rick may need the ferocity he showed back in Season 3 to end Negan’s reign. In which case, Michonne’s efforts to keep Rick level-headed would be for naught.

All things considered, Michonne’s reaction to Carl’s death will be interesting to see. Either, the loss will strengthen her resolve further, or Michonne will succumb to the despair which the post-apocalypse breeds.