With Rick and Michonne’s spinoff just around the corner, there are some key details revealed in The Walking Dead: World Beyond that may be crucial.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond is one of the franchise’s lesser-known spinoffs, but the show revealed plenty of details that may be crucial for Rick and Michonne’s upcoming spinoff. Despite only lasting two seasons, World Beyond had a big impact on the overall Walking Dead story. While its protagonists may not return in future projects, the show’s villain group will certainly be key going forward as they are set to return in The Ones Who Live. The Civic Republic Military (CRM) may be The Walking Dead‘s most dangerous villains yet, and World Beyond helped introduce them.

Throughout The Walking Dead‘s 11 seasons, subtle references teased the CRM, but it was World Beyond that formally introduced audiences to the group. The spinoff helped explain how powerful they are, the threat they pose, and what their overall goal is. World Beyond was also important in teasing a few characters that may play a big role in The Ones Who Live, including the CRM’s leader. It may not have been The Walking Dead‘s most popular spinoff, but World Beyond did reveal several details that will provide important context to Rick and Michonne’s return to the franchise.

There Are Over 200,000 People In The Civic Republic

Season 10 of The Walking Dead introduced the Commonwealth, a community that was larger than any other group in the show. The main survivors made it their home, with most characters staying there after The Walking Dead season 11’s finale. However, in comparison to the Civic Republic, the Commonwealth seems rather small. With over 200,000 people spread across three safe zones, the Civic Republic is easily The Walking Dead‘s biggest community. World Beyond focused on the Omaha branch of the group, showcasing their stable living conditions, advanced technology, and huge military that aren’t as peaceful as they appear.

9 The Civic Republic Don’t Know The CRM’s True Intentions

Many Of The CRM’s Operations Are Kept A Secret

Although the CRM have sinister motives, this doesn’t reflect on the Civic Republic. One of the big reveals from World Beyond was that most of the CRM’s operations are done in secret. The CRM are more than just soldiers as they lead research and projects to try and cure the zombie virus. This requires scientists and researchers who are not part of the CRM but are key to their overall goals. The CRM’s experiments and missions are kept secret from the CR, meaning many civilians are completely unaware of their military’s actions, which are often ruthless and cause innocent deaths.

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8 A Resistance Against The CRM Already Exists

World Beyond’s Protagonists Already Opposed The CRM

Rick and Michonne look like they’ll be fighting the CRM upon their Walking Dead return, but there is already a resistance against the group. World Beyond‘s central characters opposed the CRM having learned about their true nature. The main characters were once part of the Civic Republic, and some were even part of the CRM themselves but opted to stand against them after learning about their disturbing actions. It is unclear if World Beyond‘s characters will return in future Walking Dead projects, but they proved that the CRM can be opposed, which is a positive sign for Rick and Michonne.

7 The CRM Have Taken Out Many Communities (Including Their Own)

The CRM Eliminates Potential Threats To Their Mission & Secrecy

World Beyond revealed how dangerous the CRM really is, as they wiped out several communities. The group’s large number of soldiers, firepower, and helicopters show how strong of a unit they are. With survivors having next to no chance of opposing them, the CRM could eliminate anyone in their way, even if they’re not a true threat. The CRM’s capabilities are emphasized by the organization killing its own people. They attacked the Omaha community, killing off an entire branch of the Civic Republic, further highlighting how dangerous they could be in The Ones Who Live.

6 The CRM Experiment On Humans

Human Experiments Were Shown Through The CRM’s A & B System

The CRM may seem like a simple military unit on the surface, but their experiments on humans show how complex the group actually are. These experiments require scientists that aren’t part of the military faction, but the projects tend to be overseen by the CRM. To try and cure or at least slow down the virus, the CRM uses test subjects for their potential cure, consisting of both zombies and humans. World Beyond’s finale explains the A and B system, revealing that A’s are special to the group and are therefore experimented on, which outlines the CRM’s inhumane nature.

5 What Happened To Jadis After Her Walking Dead Exit

Jadis Exited The Walking Dead At The Same Time As Rick Grimes

Jadis had a lengthy role in The Walking Dead, despite never being a leading antagonist. Her relationship with Rick has always been complicated, but World Beyond revealed what happened to Jadis after her season 9 exit. Although she doesn’t enter the show until the later arc, Jadis is one of World Beyond‘s main villains and has fully embraced the CRM. Having already had a loose relationship with them through trading, World Beyond showed Jadis is now a significant part of the CRM and has worked her way up the ranks, meaning she may have major authority in Rick’s spinoff.

4 The CRM’s Leader Is Major General Beale

Major General Beale Is Crucial To The CRM’s Operation

Major General Beale never makes a physical appearance in World Beyond, but the show mentions that he is the group’s leader. Given the CRM and Civic Republic are separate, he only has authority over the military, not the entire community. Still, he is an important figure and The Ones Who Live has teased Beale becoming Rick’s most complex villain yet. It is confirmed Beale will be part of Rick and Michonne’s spinoff, presumably playing a pivotal role. World Beyond gave a brief insight into the character, but The Ones Who Live will likely explore him in far more detail.

3 The CRM Has Created & Used A Chemical Weapon

Chlorine Gas Was Used In World Beyond

The Ones Who Live trailer shows the use of a chemical weapon which is likely the same one created and deployed in World Beyond. Part of what makes the CRM so intimidating is how much more advanced they are than the rest of the world during the apocalypse, and having control of chemical weapons proves that. The gas was used against the Omaha branch of the Civic Republic, decimating the secure and self-running community in an instant. Possessing these weapons makes the CRM incredibly powerful, and it appears the gas will come into play once again in the upcoming spinoff.

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2 Jadis Hinted Rick Grimes Was Important To The CRM

Jadis Suggested Rick Was An A In World Beyond

While Jadis ended up becoming a key antagonist in World Beyond, she also proved to have some good in her by not sending Rick to a death sentence. With A’s being experimented on by the CRM, it is likely Rick would have died had Jadis claimed he was an A. Instead, Jadis lied and said Rick was a B, allowing him the chance to live and potentially find his family. Presuming that A’s are more valuable to the CRM, Jadis’ lie proves that she does respect and value Rick, which could give her a potentially heroic role when they return.

1 People Have Escaped The CRM (But Not The Main Facility)

Some Members Of The CRM Escaped A CRM Safe Zone

The Ones Who Live‘s overarching obstacle appears to be Rick escaping the CRM, and World Beyond proved it is possible. Although World Beyond takes place in a different CRM facility than Rick and Michonne’s spinoff, several characters escaped the safe zone. The spinoff’s protagonists wound up in a new branch of the Civic Republic, having originally been part of the Campus colony. They managed to break free of the facility and helped several scientists escape in the process, which could be essential to The Ones Who Live as it offers Rick some hope of achieving his freedom.