'The Walking Dead's original ending was way different and more emotional than what we saw
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: ‘The Walking Dead’ ended its run with a soul-stirring finale on Sunday, November 20, and gave fans what they wanted to see in the finale. However, it seems the show was not always meant to end like this and an alternate ending was also written to conclude the series more emotionally. So, why wasn’t the original ending used in the finale?
In the ending moments of the finale, we saw the series taking a one-year jump into the future and saw Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne Grimes (Danai Gurira) making a return. The duo was seen writing letters to their children and explaining how the future will be prosperous for them. The final shot of the series saw Rick and Michonne’s children, Judith Grimes (Cailey Fleming), and Rick “RJ” Grimes Jr (Anthony Azor), looking at what lies for them in the future. However, a report suggests that the show was not supposed to end like that and the time jump taken in the finale was supposed to be more than a decade.
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A report from Insider reveals that the ending would have taken a time jump of more than 10 years and seen the children of Rick, Michonne, Aaron, and Rosita searching out for survivors like their parents did. The scene would have started with two twenty-something youngsters sitting in the front seats of a vehicle. A few moments later, it would be revealed that they are the adult versions of Judith and RJ. The report also noted that they would not be alone but accompanied by Coco and Gracie, continuing the legacy of their parents.
“And through the scene, we come to realize it's adult RJ and Judith. Other adult versions of the kids are in the back — Coco, Gracie, etc. They're out there, looking to escort any survivors back to their communities. Continuing the legacy of their parents,” the media outlet reported.
As per Insider, the final moments of the show would have seen RJ speaking over the radio and saying, “If you can hear me, answer back. This is Rick Grimes.” Meanwhile, the show’s final scene would have ended with a survivor answering back “…Hello?”
The line that Rick Grimes Jr says on the radio is the exact same line that his father says in the opening shot of the series.
Meanwhile, one source close to the series confirmed the alternate ending and said that the reason makers didn’t go with it is that it wouldn’t have helped him in expanding the ‘Walking Dead’ universe with the three spin-offs that have already been announced.
The report confirms what the showrunner Angela Kang said about the show’s ending in October, earlier this year. While talking to Radio Times, Kang noted that the final scene of the series has been changed and the scene that they initially shot is “not” the final scene anymore. She added, “I will say without spoiling that our intended final scene is not the final scene anymore. I won't go into that now, so early in the process, but sometimes, even after you've shot things, it changes in the post-production process.”
What do you think of the alternate ending? Do you think it would have been a more befitting end to the show? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.