It’s time forThe Walking Dead’s main group of survivors to encounter a villain from outside the United States. From the Governor to Lance Hornsby, Rick Grimes and his allies fought all manner of antagonists acrossThe Walking Dead’s 11 seasons, each more powerful than the last. The culmination of that trajectory proved to be the Commonwealth inThe Walking Dead’s ending- a veritable army of well-equipped, armor-clad soldiers that could have wiped communities like Alexandria and Hilltop from the map with little effort.
Naturally, most enemy groups inThe Walking Deadhave been native to the United States - usually not hailing from beyond the south-eastern and eastern states.The Walking Dead’s various spinoffshave introduced evil groups elsewhere too, covering California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and more. As the overarching story ofThe Walking Deadcontinues, however, the franchise has rapidly outgrown the need for more domestic evildoers. If and when the next big bad ofThe Walking Deadappears, they should be entering the United States from a different country altogether.
Rick’s Group Is Part Of A Nationwide Alliance
The biggest problem with another North American villain popping up inThe Walking Deadis that they couldn’t possibly pose a realistic threat. By the end ofThe Walking Dead, the show’s heroes had assimilated the Commonwealth into their own network of communities, covering a large chunk of the eastern United States. Effectively, that big, scary, powerful army winds up under the command of Ezekiel and Mercer, and even if it was somewhat depleted by the various battles ofThe Walking Deadseason 11,the Commonwealth remains a force to be reckoned with.
Anyone packing enough clout to rival the good guys would inevitably have been spotted.
The protagonists became even more protected when Rick Grimes returned home inThe Ones Who Live’s ending. Rick resurfaced having defeated Major General Beale of the CRM, but it seemed that Andrew Lincoln’s character established friendly relations with the Civic Republic’s ruling council before he left, because a Civic Republic helicopter dropped him home. Moving forward intoThe Walking Dead’s future, therefore,one would assume that the Civic Republic becomes an ally of the Commonwealth, Alexandria, Hilltop, and the other communities.
TheCivic Republic Militarytook a massive hit to its personnel and resources when Rick and Michonne blew most of said personnel and resources up in a huge explosion, but the Civic Republic itself is still many times larger and stronger than the Commonwealth, and its military remains a feared behemoth of the zombie apocalypse, even with its numbers cut. The Civic Republic is also friendly with another massive settlement based in Portland. What emerges is an impressive web of Rick-friendly groups spread right across the United States, its numbers totaling hundreds of thousands.
Rick Grimes' Spinoff Made A Key Part Of The Walking Dead’s Ending Totally Pointless
The Walking Dead’s series finale made a big deal out of one character’s ending, but Rick Grimes' spinoff made the whole thing largely pointless.
The post-outbreak United States is crawling with cruel leaders and megalomaniacs, but if any of those were large enough to combat the combined might of Alexandria, Hilltop, the Commonwealth, and the Civic Republic, that group couldn’t possibly have gone unnoticed for so long. It makes sense for shadowy groups like the Whisperers to appear out of nowhere, but anyone packing enough clout to rival the good guys would inevitably have been spotted by the CRM, Portland, or the Commonwealth.
A Battle Between Communities From Different Countries Would Be A New Level For The Walking Dead
The only solution would be drafting in a brand-new villain from another country. Eventhe mighty Civic Republic possessed little knowledge of the situation elsewhere in the world, and that global ambiguity allows for the introduction of a foreign group that makes the CRM look like small-time amateurs. Perhaps a group that, over the course of more than 10 years sinceThe Walking Dead’s timelinebegan, has retaken their country and united its entire surviving population into one. They might be looking to branch into other countries uninvited, triggering a clash against the network of communities brought together by Rick.
2010-2022
2015-2023
2020-2021
2022
2023-
The Ones Who Live
2024
A major threat from abroad would feel considerably more realistic than a North American community bigger than the CRM somehow staying hidden for so long. More importantly,an enemy arriving from another country would represent a genuine escalation in terms of scale and dramacompared to season 11. Any future projects involving the fullcast ofThe Walking Dead- whether that be a crossover, a new season, or something else entirely - would demand higher stakes instead of just another local community for the gang to slowly take control of.
Rick Grimes' Spinoff Ending Made A Future Walking Dead Crossover Way More Likely
The conclusion of Rick Grimes' spinoff set the protagonist up for a permanent return, making the chances of a Walking Dead crossover much more likely.
Any villain that arrives in the U.S. looking to throw their weight around - and that forces the CRM, Commonwealth, and Rick’s other communities to work together - would be bigger than anything elseThe Walking Deadhas dared attempt during its existence. If AMC’steasedThe Walking Deadcrossoverever comes to pass, an invasion storyline would certainly be an angle worthy of such a landmark event.
Daryl Dixon’s Spinoff Can Easily Set Up A Villain From Another Country
Daryl Has Been Attracting International Attention
The Walking Deadalready has a ready-made way to explain why an unseen malicious force might be making its way to the United States.The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixontakes Norman Reedus' titular biker and Melissa McBride’s Carol on a trek around Europe. The duo previously encountered the Pouvoir du Vivant organization that controlled most of France, but will be moving onto Spain inDaryl Dixonseason 3, at which point a new antagonist will inevitably emerge.
The Pouvoir-Union alliance may be preparing to gather more fighters and take their grudge across the Atlantic, straight to Daryl’s home.
AsDaryl Dixonprogresses, it’s possible that one of these nefarious European dictatorships - or perhaps even a coalition of several Euro-baddies Daryl and Carol have annoyed - will advance on North American shores looking to seize supplies, land, or both. Daryl and Carol may arrive home just in time to warn their friends of the coming battle, forcing all major U.S. locations to pool their strength in resistance.
This process might have already started withGenet’s Pouvoir du Vivant inDaryl Dixon. Between them, Daryl and Carol managed to kill Pouvoir’s leader and decimated a large chunk of its forces. Nevertheless, Pouvoir du Vivant was not completely dead whenDaryl Dixonseason 2 ended, and merged with the Union, another villain group that shared Genet’s distaste for gravel-voiced Americans wielding crossbows.
Daryl Dixon’s Zombie Variants Explained: Powers, Origin & Walking Dead Connection
Zombie variants have become an increasingly important part of The Walking Dead, and Daryl Dixon has showcased some unique forms of the undead.
As Daryl and Carol escape the country, the Pouvoir-Union alliance may be preparing to gather more fighters and take their grudge across the Atlantic, straight to Daryl’s home. Pouvoir has already been conducting zombie experiments on U.S. soil, and its variant serum would make for a potent weapon if war against the Commonwealth is whatThe Walking Dead’s future holds.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Deadis a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television seriesThe Walking Deadin 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
