Michonne and Rick are set to return in the upcoming Walking Dead spinoff, but it’s unclear if Rick will return unscathed from his time away.

Warning: Spoilers for The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead Universe continues to expand since the series finale of the original show, with some spinoffs encountering less enthusiasm than others. However, it’s safe to say the most anticipated spinoff has yet to grace the small screen, seeing as it won’t premiere until early next year. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will bring back Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) and will likely follow Michonne’s journey as she searches for Rick, whose location remains unknown. The newest teaser for the upcoming spinoff was recently released, and keen-eyed viewers spotted a major possible change for Rick: his left hand might be gone.

Rick was long assumed dead after blowing up a bridge full of walkers and sacrificing himself to save the rest of the group. However, viewers last saw him at the end of The Walking Dead series finale, still very much alive and attempting to escape a roving helicopter. After discovering he might still be alive years later, Michonne set off in season 10 to find him, leaving behind Judith (Cailey Fleming) and RJ (Antony Azor). Unsure whether Rick and Michonne would ever make a reappearance, audiences were left to speculate their fate. However, now that the teaser for the newest spinoff has dropped along with a timeframe for the show’s release, questions about Rick’s potential hand loss, where he’s been since the bridge blew up, and whether Michonne will ever find him will eventually be answered.

Did Rick Lose His Hand?

In the comics, Rick loses his hand after the Governor cuts it off. However, that particular scene never made it to the series. Although, many fans are now speculating it might finally have come to fruition in the upcoming spinoff The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Keen-eyed viewers spotted a moment in the show’s teaser, around the 7-second mark, in which Rick’s left hand appears replaced by some sort of hook or other appendage. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to see clearly, which doesn’t help quell such speculation with diehard fans.

It should be noted that viewers are unable to see Rick’s left hand at all throughout the entire teaser except for that one moment, which could indicate he no longer has it. While his right hand is visible numerous times throughout the preview, his left hand is only seen once. Either he did lose his hand at some point, and the creators of the series don’t want to reveal such a huge event yet, or they’re simply baiting viewers and building anticipation for the series overall.

The loss of Rick’s hand would be a significant moment. If it happened before the upcoming spinoff series, viewers could expect a flashback to the moment it happened. If such an occurrence is slated to take place, then audiences will definitely watch those events transpire. No matter what, audiences will see what happened because such an event occurring off-screen doesn’t align with the style of The Walking Dead Universe.

Where Has Rick Been?

Since Rick’s departure in season 9, it’s clear he’s been held against his will. Otherwise, he would have returned to his family, which he appears to have attempted numerous times. He can be heard in the teaser saying he tried and failed to get away, indicating he’s in a prison-like environment.

Having sustained serious injuries during the explosion when he was presumed dead by his group, he was in no condition to venture out on his own. Who retrieved him and why has yet to be fully explained, although audiences have seen the same organization in Fear the Walking Dead, which suggests their wide-reaching ability. Hopefully, the upcoming spinoff offers a deeper explanation as to how and why the mysterious organization exists.

Will Michonne Actually Find Rick?

There’s arguably nothing more fans of The Walking Dead want than the return of Rick Grimes. His character was rightfully at the center of the series from the beginning, and his absence from the show was palpable. While it made sense, given how much death the group encountered throughout their journey, Rick’s presumed death created a shift in the series that was hard to realign, especially when his storyline was left so open-ended.

Thankfully, given the trajectory of Michonne’s story arc, it’s highly likely she’ll eventually find Rick in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Given she left her children behind in order to search for him, the payoff wouldn’t be worth it to viewers if she returned empty-handed. The teaser for the new series already highlights the love shared between the two, so that theme will likely play out even more as the new show unfolds. At some point, fans will see Michonne find Rick. Although, whether she’ll find him in one piece is another question. Nonetheless, it’s all but guaranteed Rick and Michonne will inevitably be reunited.

Whether Rick lost his hand sometime in between the events of The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, audiences won’t know anything for sure until February 2024. Although, given he lost his hand in the comics, it’s a safe assumption that if he hasn’t already, viewers will likely see it come to fruition before the conclusion of the newest spinoff. While every series in The Walking Dead Universe has strayed from the comics at some point, the loss of Rick’s hand could easily find its way back into the fray.