'The Walking Dead' Season 10 Episode 13 Review: Michonne's final appearance leaves behind many questions
Spoilers for 'The Walking Dead' Season 6 Episode 13 'What We Become'
With the season coming to an end, 'What We Become' attempts to explain Michonne Hawthorne's (Danai Gurira) journey. This is the last we would be seeing the actor as she's heading to HBO to run a show starring her 'Black Panther' co-star Lupita Nyong’o. Again, it might not be the end fans would have hoped for. To get the fears out of the way, she's not going to die on the island and if there were hopes that she'd win the war, then that theory is out of the window as well.
Last we saw of the famed character, she headed with Virgil (Kevin Carroll) to the island after the latter promises weapons and supplies. For those who theorized it was a lie, it was. However, Virgil provides his reasons and it can also be rightly said this move gave Michonne the purpose of what to do next.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that this episode may draw some major flak for the ending, considering this was a pivotal character. But her departure from the show does leave the window open for a possible return.
Virgil's intentions were simple: He's not a fighter and cannot stand up to the walkers. His family were victims and now zombies. He needed Michonne to kill the zombified family after he leaves them locked up. However, Virgil, in a bid to get Michonne to stay after she learns the truth spikes her tea leading her to hallucinate.
The episode is all about Michonne and understandably so. If this was her last appearance, then it makes sense as 'What We Become' also lends a look at alternate history through her hallucinations. There are versions where she is a Savior, one as a hitchhiker and is shot by Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). These multiple storylines lend more depth to the character as they ultimately help in figuring out the next move.
That she goes in search of Rick and his community is not dished out subtly. The storyline sees her find Rick's boots and an iPhone. Michonne's mission: Head north and find Rick and his community. This raises serious questions— Will we see Michonne again before the end of the season or in the upcoming one? (Production on Season 11 has been halted following coronavirus concerns). Is Rick's return a possibility or is his presumed heroic sacrifice the last we have seen or heard of him?
Either way, 'What We Become' gives us a message that AMC will not kill multiple main characters in one season. Alpha's (Samantha Morton) death in the previous episode was an absolute shocker and the network or the showrunners might not risk another major death. Michonne's made peace with her past and that's shown her a way forward, despite her heading to an uncertain future.
With three episodes left before its curtains down for Season 10, the series has left nothing to chance as it manages to keep the fans on the edge of their seats. It will be a painful wait to know Michonne's future, but until then, we can take solace from the fact that she wasn't killed off and there's a possibility of Rick being out there.
'The Walking Dead' airs Sundays 9 pm ET on AMC.