Rick Grimes

Cốt truyện khởi đầu (2003–2004)

Trước khải huyền xác sống, Rick từng là một sĩ quan cảnh sát ở Cynthiana, Kentucky. Trong một vụ đấu súng chống lại lũ tội phạm tẩu thoát cùng với đồng nghiệp người cũng là bạn thân của anh, Shane Walsh, Rick bị thương và tỉnh dậy một thời gian sau đó trong bệnh viện không người. Sau khi Duane Jones nhầm Rick với một xác sống và đánh anh vào đầu với một cái xẻng, cha của Duane là Morgan đã nhận giúp đỡ Rick và cho anh biết những gì đã xảy ra khi anh ở trong cơn hôn mê. Muốn tìm kiếm vợ Lori và con trai Carl, Rick hướng tới Atlanta, nơi được đồn đại là một trại tị nạn có sự bảo vệ tốt. Xe Rick bị hết xăng và anh dừng ở một trang trại. Rick tìm ra rằng những người chủ ở đó tự sát trong nhà. Rick chạy ra ngoài và nôn rồi tìm kiếm trong nhà kho của họ nơi anh tìm được một con ngựa. Khi đến nơi, Rick được giải cứu khỏi một đám xác sống lớn bởi một người sống sót tên Glenn, người đã đưa anh tới khu trại nơi Rick đoàn tụ với vợ Lori và con trai Carl, cũng như Shane. Sự căng thẳng giữa Rick và Shane về khả năng lãnh đạo nhóm và về tình cảm của Lori đã dẫn đến một cuộc chạm trán mà có kết thúc là Carl bắn Shane để bảo vệ cha mình. Sau đó, Rick dẫn dắt nhóm đi khỏi Atlanta, cố gắng tìm nơi trú ẩn an toàn khỏi "những thứ đã chết mà chưa chết". Kế hoạch dàn xếp định cư trước đó của Rick đổ bể khi cộng đồng mà anh tưởng là an toàn đã bị xác sống xâm chiếm, dẫn đến cái chết của một người trong nhóm. Lori Grimes, vợ Rick, hổ thẹn thừa nhận với Rick cô đang mang bầu (được cho là con của Shane), nhưng Rick vẫn có ý định chăm sóc cho đứa bé  Carl Grimes, con trai Rick, bị bắn vào lưng bởi một người đàn ông tên Otis, người đã hộ tống Rick và Tyreese, một thành viên mới tham gia vào nhóm Rick tới nông trại của Hershel Greene và gia đình ông. Nhóm ở lại đó một khoảng thời gian ngắn trước khi Rick bị đứng trước nòng súng của Hershel và bị ép phải rời khỏi nông trại. Khi đang du hành trên đường một lần nữa, hai thành viên trong nhóm đã phát hiện ra một nhà tù, nơi họ làm thành khu trú ẩn và định cư.

Cốt truyện tại nhà tù (2004–2008)

Rick và nhóm ổn định ở nhà tù nơi họ gặp những tù nhân cũ không trốn thoát được. Rick và Dale sớm quyết định là có càng nhiều người càng tốt tại nơi ở mới này, và thuyết phục Hershel và gia đình ông rời trang trại và tới ở với anh tại nhà tù, khi mà trang trại đang ngày càng trở nên không an toàn. Khái niệm "nhà tù là một nơi trú ẩn an toàn" nhanh chóng biến mất khi Rick và Tyreese tìm ra rằng con gái Tyreese, Julie, chết trong một cuộc tự sát chung bất thành với bạn trai của cô. Julie trở dậy và biến thành một xác sống, điều làm lộ ra sự thật rằng tất cả mọi người đã bị nhiễm bệnh với loại virus bí ẩn kia, dù bị cắn hay không. Sau sự việc này, các tù nhân cố gắng hòa nhập với nhóm Rick, nhưng hầu hết chỉ gây ra những kết quả kinh khủng. Điều này dẫn Rick tới lần giết người đầu tiên của anh, nạn nhân là Dexter, trong một cuộc xung đột có vũ trang với những tù nhân khác. Vài tuần sau cuộc xung đột, Rick, Glenn và một người phụ nữ bí ẩn biết sử dụng kiếm katana tên là Michonne, tìm kiếm một máy bay trực thăng đã rơi gần đó, nó đã dẫn họ tới một thị trấn mang tên Woodbury, Georgia. Ở đây họ gặp một người đàn ông có biệt hiệu là Thống đốc (The Governor), người đã dẫn dắt Woodbury bằng việc thao túng họ một cách tàn nhẫn cùng những thủ đoạn khôn lường. Bị lừa bởi sự hiếu khách giả dối giống như những cư dân khác ở Woodbury, Rick cuối cùng bị chặt rời bàn tay phải trong khi bị tra hỏi vị trí của nhà tù. Khi Thống đốc thấy rằng Rick sẽ không bán đứng gia đình mình, hắn quyết định tra tấn Glenn và Michonne thay vào đó, nhưng vẫn thất bại trong việc tìm địa điểm nhà tù. Rick trốn thoát khỏi thị trấn cùng với nhóm của anh và một đồng minh mới là người ở Woodbury, tên Alice Warren, sau khi Michonne trả thù Thống đốc bằng cách hành hạ và "cắt xẻo" hắn. Rick vui sướng đoàn tụ với gia đình sau sự giam hãm tại Woodbury. Alice cũng cập nhật cho Lori về tình hình mang thai của cô. Alice đỡ đẻ cho Lori và đứa bé được đặt tên là "Judith". Tuy nhiên, hạnh phúc chưa được bao lâu thì Thống đốc tìm ra được nhà tù và bắt giữ Tyreese và Michonne. Hắn nói với những người đi theo hắn rằng nhóm Rick là những kẻ xấu. Trong cuộc tấn công vào nhà tù lần cuối cùng, Tyreese bị xử tử trước mặt nhóm như một hành động để dụ họ bước ra khỏi nhà tù, sau đó cả hai bên đều chịu tổn thất nặng nề. Lori và Judith bị giết hại khi họ cố gắng chạy thoát.

Cốt truyện sau nhà tù (2008–2009)

Carl giận dữ và đổ lỗi cho Rick, cho rằng anh là người chịu trách nhiệm cho những mất mát của họ. Rick cũng bắt đầu có những ảo giác về vợ mình. Rick, Michonne và Carl là những người sống sót sau vụ tấn công nhà tù, trở lại trang trại của Hershel và đoàn tụ với những người còn lại của nhóm đã rời đi trước vụ tấn công. Họ gặp một nhóm những người sống sót đang trên đường đến Washington, D.C, bao gồm Abraham Ford (thủ lĩnh), Eugene Porter (một người đàn ông tự nhận bản thân có hiểu biết về phương thuốc chữa) và Rosita Espinosa (bạn gái của Abraham). Trên đường đi tới D.C, nhóm gặp nhiều mối nguy hiểm. Khi Rick và Abraham đi bằng đường cao tốc liên bang tới quê nhà của Rick, họ chạm trán một toán cướp, chúng đe dọa họ và đã cố tấn công tình dục Carl. Rick, bị làm mờ bởi sự giận dữ, cắn nát họng của một trong số những tên cướp, làm xao nhãng những tên còn lại. Abraham bắn tên cướp đang dí súng vào đầu mình và an ủi Carl trong khi Rick đâm tên cướp còn lại cho đến chết. Rick sau đó gặp lại Morgan ở thị trấn quê nhà của ông. Morgan đã trở nên bất ổn định sau cái chết của con trai ông. Rick, Abraham, Morgan và Carl gặp phải một bầy xác sống lớn, chúng đã đi theo họ về khu trại. Sau khi đã phải chịu đựng một vài tổn thất, nhóm gặp gỡ một cha xứ tên Gabriel Stokes và chạm trán một nhóm những thợ săn ăn thịt người.

Alexandria (2009–2011)

Trên đường đến thủ đô, họ tìm ra rằng nhiệm vụ của họ là bất khả thi vì Eugene Porter đã nói dối với họ về phương thuốc. Họ quyết định vẫn tiến tới D.C bởi vì khoảng cách gần, và họ khám phá ra thủ đô đã bị xâm chiếm giống như các thành phố lớn khác. Tuy nhiên, mặc cho tất cả những cản trở đó, họ được tuyển mộ bởi Aaron để tới ở tại một thị trấn cô lập và an toàn ở rìa Washington, được gọi là Alexandria Safe-Zone. Mỗi người cố gắng tìm kiếm lại sự cân bằng của cuộc sống thực, nhưng Rick không tin tưởng người lãnh đạo của thị trấn, nghị sĩ Mĩ đương thời Douglas Monroe. Rick sớm trở thành một viên cảnh sát ở Khu vực an toàn, cố gắng giữ sự yên bình cho thị trấn, nhưng rốt cuộc cuối cùng cũng bị ép buộc phải giết Peter Anderson, một người đàn ông bạc đãi vợ và con, hắn cũng là người giết Regina Monroe, vợ của Douglas, trong một cuộc ám sát nhằm vào Rick. Rick vì đã trải qua rất nhiều sóng gió từ ngày còn sống ở nhà tù, dần dần lấy lại vai trò lãnh đạo cho đến khi anh hoàn toàn trở thành người đứng đầu Khu vực an toàn Alexandria, sau khi Douglas mất đi
On the way to the capital, they find out that their mission is bogus as Eugene Porter has been lying to them about the cure. They decide to still push on to D.C. because of their close proximity, and they find out that the capital is as infested just as the other major cities. However, despite these set backs, they are recruited by Aaron to stay in a secluded and secure township on the outskirts of Washington, called the Alexandria Safe-Zone. Each person tries to find a semblance of real life, but Rick doesn't trust the leader of the town, former U.S. Congressman Douglas Monroe. Rick soon becomes the Constable of the Safe Zone, attempting to keep the peace in the town, but is eventually forced to kill Peter Anderson, a man who was abusing his wife and child and soon murdered Regina Monroe, Douglas' wife, during an assassination attempt on Rick's life. Rick having been through so much since the prison, slowly starts resuming more leadership-like roles until finally Rick assumes leadership of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, after Douglas soon finds himself losing his grip on life, and his leadership position exacerbating as a result of this. The town becomes endangered after a scavenging group's attack attracts a nearby horde of walkers that quickly breach the town's defensive walls. Morgan and Jessie, are two of several casualties in the distress of the situation. As the survivors fight for their lives, several people are killed and Rick's son is grievously wounded by a gunshot to the head. Using the combined strength of all of those remaining in the community, the survivors fend off the horde and Rick tends to Carl, whose condition is very dire. Following the attack, however, Rick concludes that the undead can be beaten if the survivors put their differences aside and work together. Rick mentions that this is the first time in a very long time that he has hope for the future. Rick's mindset on survival changes and he gradually develops an optimistic outlook on the community and its true potential. Later, Carl wakes up from his coma, initially with minor amnesia. Rick worries that the son he knew is gone, as he shows no grief over Lori's loss. A small insurrection is later formed, but the situation is defused without bloodshed and Rick forgives the transgressors. Rick and Andrea continue to bond and become very close concerning Carl in his coma. Andrea develops feelings for Rick. However, Rick resists out of fear of what might happen to him in the event of her death.

Networking communities (2011–2012)

Paul Monroe, an ambassador from a community of two-hundred survivors called the Hilltop Colony, visits Alexandria to start a trading network with Rick's community. After some mistrust, Rick agrees to go to the Hilltop Colony and starts the trading network. At the Hilltop, Paul Monroe admits that the Hilltop Colony have enemies, and explain of the infamous Negan, who some speculate may not even be a person. The group learn of the Saviors, the Hilltop's rivalling community, who frequently terrorize them and threaten to damage their community if they are not brought half of their supplies. Rick agrees to defuse their conflict in exchange for half of their supplies. Rick's group are ambushed by a group of the Saviors after they leave the Hilltop Colony. Rick's group retaliates, killing them. He sends the lone survivor back to Negan with a warning to stop terrorizing the residents of Hilltop and that Negan and his men can pay them half of everything they have in exchange for his protection. Rick and Andrea return to the Safe Zone to discover Abraham has been murdered and Eugene is being held hostage. Residents of the Safe Zone discover the Saviors are outside of the walls, as they quickly respond by killing them. Rick and several others including Glenn and Maggie decide to go back to the Hilltop Colony where Glenn and Maggie plan to live. However, Negan makes his appearance to the survivors surrounded by his men, taunting the survivors before brutally beating Glenn to death. Rick and the others watch on in horror and Maggie and Sophia later leave Rick to go to the Hilltop. Now realizing the full scale of Negan's army, Rick intentionally gives in, allowing Negan to take all of Alexandria's supplies.

War against Negan (2012–2014)

Rick remains at conflict with Negan and the Saviors. Carl reveals to his father that the Saviors live in a factory. Paul Monroe tells Rick that they should see Ezekiel, the leader of the Kingdom. Ezekiel, residing in a high school, greets Paul Monroe and welcomes Rick to his community. He agrees to work with Rick, and explains that he has another visitor, Dwight, a Savior secretly working against Negan. Rick, initially angry with Dwight's appearance, eventually forms an alliance with him, but remains wary of whether to trust Dwight or not. During the war, the Alexandria Safe Zone, the Kingdom and the Sanctuary suffer many losses. Rick rescues Andrea and Carl when the Alexandria Safe Zone is bombed by the Saviors. Maggie, now the de facto leader of the Hilltop Colony, relocates the residents to the Hilltop, where all three communities unite. Negan arrives at the Hilltop Colony as the Saviors break down the front gates and swarm the community. Rick orders the survivors to open fire, destroying the truck that smashed through, killing several Saviors in the process. During the firefight, Rick takes Nicholas and Aaron to box in the attackers. While they take cover, Rick unknowingly leaves himself vulnerable from behind. Negan, who separates from the other Saviors with Dwight, finds Rick at a close distance and demands that Dwight shoot him with his infected crossbow. Dwight shows some hesitation, but is ultimately forced to shoot Rick. An arrow pierces Rick's side, taking him down, but Dwight's loyalties are revealed to be on Rick's side as he has not succumbed to the infection. He confronts Negan, showing his perspective, and Negan finally understands Rick's view of rebuilding society. In response, Rick slashes Negan's throat before Negan breaks his leg. Negan passes out, before he is saved by a doctor. Rick chooses to imprison Negan, believing that watching the regrowth of civilization from behind a cell is a better punishment than killing him. Dwight takes over as leader of the Saviors, supporting Rick and the war is won.

Post-war/time skip (2014–nay)

An indefinite number of years later, Rick and the others have rebuilt Alexandria into a thriving sanctuary. He welcomes newcomers, Magna and her group who are initially wary of the safe haven, but eventually come to understand the running of the community. Carl convinces his father to let him relocate to the Hilltop Colony to become a blacksmith apprentice, which Rick agrees on. Rick reunites with Maggie Greene and her adoptive daughter Sophia as he brings Carl to the Hilltop. Rick leaves Carl under Maggie's care. Unaware that his son has joined Alpha and the Whisperers, a tribe of thousands who disguise themselves as walkers, Rick reunites with Michonne as a ship arrives revealing her presence. He is concerned by her behaviour, telling her to sort out her issues and move on after the loss of her daughters. Later, as Michonne and Rick go to Alexandria to attend a fair that has been planned months in advance, they discover Carl is missing and decide to go after him, along with Andrea. Alpha, however, confronts them, and points a gun at Rick's head as she marches him up to an unknown building where he sees thousands of Whisperers. Michonne's sword is also smeared with blood. Alpha decides to leave her daughter Lydia, who has feelings for Carl, with Rick, believing her to be a weakness. She criticizes Rick's leadership and trying to re-establish society as it had been, before telling him she has marked a border. As Rick reaches the border, he is horrified to find many civilians from each of the four communities decapitated, including Ezekiel and the pregnant Rosita. Michonne begins to cry as Andrea solemnly asks him what they do next. Rick decides to tell the communities, who take it terribly. He is attacked by two of the citizens. One man made it out alive, the other, Morton Rose, the husband of one of the decapitated victims, did not. He starts training the people of the joined communities to fight against walkers as well as the Whisperers.

Casting

Rick Grimes is portrayed by Andrew Lincoln, who was cast as part of the television adaptation in April 2010. Prior to attaining the role, Lincoln had no prior knowledge of the comic book series. "I didn't even get a script the first time —I got sides, because it was so top-secret," he stated. "I was really intrigued and put myself on tape. They got back very quickly from Hollywood and gave me the script." Lincoln approached a bookstore (Mega City Comics) in the London Borough of Camden, where the owner introduced him to the comics. "That's when I went to a comic-book store in Camden, and said 'Have you heard of this comic book?'. The owner showed me this shrine they had to the comic, and said 'This is our most popular and successful comic, and in my opinion, one of the greatest graphic novels of the last ten years'. That's when I got into it."
In preparation for the role, Lincoln sought inspiration from the American drama series Breaking Bad, as well as western film High Noon (1952). Since he felt that The Walking Dead emulated western cinematic works, Lincoln found High Noon to be very useful in projecting a country-like character for Rick Grimes. The performance of Gary Cooper and the moral structure of his character was also cited as an influence; "He's a divided man, between his responsibilities and his marriage. He's not like the Clint Eastwood figure, the loner. It's more complicated than that. He's got a softer heart, so that was definitely an inspiration for me as well." Lincoln avouched that it was difficult to perfect a southern American accent. "I worked really hard on the accent," he stated. "I suppose if you're asked by one of the great channels in America to lead their show, you want to start off getting that right. I worked hard on not just the accent, but also on being American and getting into the feel of that." He traveled to Atlanta three weeks before production of the first season began, and worked with a dialect coach while there. Although weapon training was required, Lincoln had previous experience with weaponry training in the British six-part television series Strike Back (2010).
Executive producer Gale Anne Hurd initially didn't expect Lincoln to portray Grimes. Upon hearing the announcement, Writer Robert Kirkman felt that Lincoln was an "amazing find" and added that he accurately embodied the characteristics of Rick Grimes. "Writing Rick Grimes month after month in the comic series, I had no idea he was an actual living, breathing human being, and yet, here he is. I couldn't be more thrilled with how this show is coming together." Although he was initially shocked upon hearing of the concept of The Walking Dead, Lincoln thought that the script for "Days Gone Bye" was well written. He stated: "I read it and thought it was well written, and I put myself on tape just for one scene. I didn't know who was involved at this point." The following day, Lincoln's agent called him about the development of the pilot, to which Lincoln called it "kind of like a dream list".
Lincoln announced his plan to leave the show in mid-2018; he cited that due to spending at least half a year for filming in America while his family was in England, he felt it was time to end his role to spend more time with his children. Lincoln is slated to portray Grimes for six episodes of the ninth season prior to his departure. Lincoln said he had been talking as early as the show's fourth season about leaving the show with showrunner Scott Gimple, and had initially made plans to leave after season 8's conclusion. However, during the 2017 San Diego Comic Con event, taking place during the middle of season 8's production, Lincoln realized he could not leave his fellow cast members at that point, and decided to wait and leave the next season, giving the showrunners enough screentime to set up Rick Grimes' departure from the show appropriately. While Lincoln has left acting, he has expressed an interest in directing a future episode of the series, and plans to shadow a director during the ninth season to learn the ropes.

Characterization

Rick Grimes has been described as a man that emphasizes moral standards. Lincoln summated: "His intentions are good, though his decisions may be bad many times. He's complicated and flawed, which I find fascinating because it makes him human. He sort of erodes over time because of the world he lives in, and there's nothing more satisfying than playing a character that changes irrevocably, so I embrace all of that." Lincoln added that Rick was a somewhat inflexible leader, which he opined could potentially put Grimes' group in danger. Despite these assertions, he affirmed that the complexities have molded him into a decisive and peculiar character. "I also think Rick's inflexibility is both a part of his character and a reaction to what's happening around him. This situation [...] has brought qualities out in people that are both good and horrible. And certainly, as I was playing him, I felt Rick [consistently] needed to have a mission, otherwise he was just stagnating. You see this in several characters. They have to keep moving. Without a horizon, they flounder. And it was a big call for Rick to go to the CDC [...] in the fifth episode, but he was looking long-term. I find that admirable, because he's looking to the future for his family, for a cure, and for sanctity."
In both media, Rick adopts a more dark and assertive nature as the story progresses. In the comic, he is faced with dealing against a murderous sociopath that claims the life of two group members, as well as an attempted suicide indirectly provoked by his close and trusted friend. Perhaps the most significant moment, he is eventually put under physical and mental torture by The Governor as a result of vulnerability and mistaken trust, ultimately causing him to become crippled and causing the death of many within the group, including his wife and newborn child. The first hand witnessing of the savageness around him leads him to gradually adapt a more primal mindset, becoming less affected by violence and death (at times brutally murdering/mutilating people). Similarly, his perspective becomes increasingly deluded, as his decreased trust in people and decreased tolerance level leads him to take no issue in risking the life of an innocent. This is specifically shown as Rick struggles when eventually being given the chance to return to normalcy. He is however shown to be very protective of those who have suffered alongside him and most protective of his son, Carl, which leads to him being caring and considerate to them one moment and cold and detached the next. Later in the series, after his wife's death and his son suffering from amnesia after being shot, his long friend Andrea helps him see a brighter future for the community they reside in called Alexandria and Rick begins to embrace his leadership position, as well as start a relationship with her. He then begins a trading network with other communities, which is threatened by the tyrannical Negan who is eventually subdued and imprisoned. He continues to grow and expand his community, and create safety perimeters around Washington, DC to travel to other communities.

In the second season of The Walking Dead progresses. Kirkman discerned that the second season revolved around Grimes' ability to emerge as a credible leader, proving to the group that he can adequately protect everyone in the group. He continued: "This is one more thing emerging where you see that this is a guy who can gun down people when they're a threat and can definitely handle himself when it comes to walkers but also cares about people. He's going to retain some of that humanity, and that's very important for these characters. It makes Rick stand head and shoulders above other people, like Shane, in this world." The gradual change is largely attributed to the death of Sophia Peletier, whom he shot after she had turned into a walker in "Pretty Much Dead Already". These characteristics become more prominent in "Nebraska", and again in "18 Miles Out". Robert Kirkman felt that "Nebraska" demonstrated that Rick Grimes was not delirious, as Shane accused him of being.
The end of this episode proves to Rick that that's not the case. This entire season has been leading up to the moment where he shot those two men. Shane has been beating it into his head that he isn't fit for this world and needs to be a harder man and be able to make the hard decisions. Over the last two episodes, we've seen Rick be the one that has to step up and shoot Sophia when no one else can. We've seen him in the blink of an eye take out two guys who are a clear threat to him and everyone else that's with him. This is really the beginning of Rick emerging as a clear leader and answering that thing that Shane's been saying all this time.
After the death of his wife in the television series, Rick faces a downward spiral to the point of relinquishing his leadership position in the prison community by the end of the third season. At the beginning of the fourth season, Lincoln described Rick as a man "repressing his brutality for the sake of his son". However, at the end of the fourth season after losing the prison and suffering more losses, he described Rick as "a man accepting brutality for the sake of his son", following closely to the comic in which he bites the throat of a marauder who threatens to assassinate him and assault his son. He further assessed that "Rick is a man who has made peace with the brutality within him that's inherent in him along with the moral sense that is just as valid a part of him. Rick is psychologically the strongest he's ever been. Because he's realized that the only way to stay alive – to keep his son alive in this new world – is by actively embracing all sides of his personality including darkness, fury and rage."
In the fifth season, Lincoln asserted that "Rick is [...] at the most complete place he’s been ever since the apocalypse started. He’s a man who doesn’t doubt himself anymore, and he’s accepted his brutality as much as his humanity. So I think he’s in an incredibly powerful and dangerous place." He also described him as being a leader once again, who is much more uncompromising as he "[drags] a lot of [the group] into a place that is darker, more brutal." Entertainment Weekly assessed that "This is the Rick viewers most assuredly need after watching him mope around on-and-off for two seasons after having very bad thing in the world happen to him. And it’s the Rick that the rest of the survivors need as well if they are going to continue to keep on keeping on."

Critical reception

Rick Grimes was named the 26th Top Comic Book Hero by IGN, and Lincoln's portrayal of Rick Grimes has been generally well received by television commentators and audiences. He was nominated for a Saturn Award in the category for Best Actor in Television. IGN's Eric Goldman stated that Lincoln fit into character very well; "For much of the pilot, he's on his own and exudes a lot of believable, shocked emotion, as Rick tries to process what he is seeing." Although he cited that his accent was "dodgy" in the pilot installment, Leonard Pierce of The A.V. Club observed that Lincoln became more relaxed as the series progressed. "His body language and expression here is totally different now than when we saw him before. He's a fast learner."
As the second season commenced, critics became keen to the character development of Grimes in several episodes, particularly in "Nebraska." Reviewing the episode, Los Angeles Times' Gina McIntyre felt that Rick emulated Justified character Raylan Givens, while Zach Handlen of The A.V. Club observed that Rick was morphing into "something of a badass." Handlen added that it marked a turning point for Grimes, which established his position "as a guy who can do what needs to be done." Scott Meslow of The Atlantic commented that "there's the surprisingly swift, violent dénouement, when Rick guns down Dave and Tony before they can do the same to him. It's a necessary action, given the circumstances, but it also rings in an honest-to-god character change for our hero, who, having dispatched zombie Sophia, seems to have developed a new recognition of the ruthlessness and self-centeredness it may take to survive in this new world order."
The growing tensions between Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh have been well received by television critics. In a review for "Bloodletting", Joe Oesterle of Mania.com commended the performances of Lincoln and Bernthal. Oesterle wrote, "Andrew Lincoln and Jon Bernthal [...] gave a fine bit of acting, and I found it interesting how the character Rick started looking and walking a little bit zombish after giving blood. The scenes between the two men were moving, and if you listened close you could decipher the main differences between these two cowboy cops. Rick is bound and determined to get back to his wife and let her know their son is in mortal danger, without ever doubting his own ability to successfully complete the mission, while Shane on the other hand is not quite as automatically selfless and heroic."
Several critics lauded Grimes' interactions with Walsh in "18 Miles Out." Writing for CNN, Henry Hanks said that "Rick made it clear to Shane that he had to respect his rules from now on." Alex Crumb of The Faster Times evaluated their physical confrontation as "wholly satisfying", while Entertainment Weekly writer Darren Franich appreciated the fight scene involving Grimes and Walsh; "The Shane/Rick fight was great, a brilliantly extended scuffle that started out with an air of boys-will-be-boys pettiness but quickly escalated into something genuinely homicidal." Berriman of SFX summated: "It's shocking when Shane hurls a wrench at Rick’s head, but even more shocking that Rick is prepared to cut and run and leave him for dead. Rick's change of heart when he looks down at the two dead walkers on the floor and is reminded of the friendship between himself and his former partner is a beautifully played moment, which speaks volumes without a single line of dialogue being uttered. The fact that, come the end, he's willing to trust Shane again after all that has gone on between them is genuinely touching."
By the start of season three, Rick's character arc developed him into a more world-weary, cynical, ruthless, and hardened person. Erik Kain of Forbes said that Rick started out as "the voice of reason, a calm presence, and an earnest leader" in the first two seasons, but had developed into an "anti-hero" by season three. Tom Ward of Esquire noted that Rick was almost a completely different man by the end of the fifth season: "He may resemble the clean-cut law enforcer from the first season, but inside, 'stuff' and 'things' have changed the man with the highest zombie kill count in history...Has Rick become the show's villain? After Rick and his group slaughtered the members of Terminus, Andrew Lincoln voiced that "[i]n Seasons 1, 2, and 3, and half of 4, Rick was a man either restraining or denying a brutal part of his personality, in order that his children grow up and, hopefully, have a father that was morally sound. A father who could give a good value system to his children. The difference in [Season five] is that there is no safe haven."
In the seventh season, Zack Handlen for The A.V. Club was critical of the morality of Rick and Tara raiding Oceanside. He assessed, "...we are forcibly reminded of The Walking Dead's greatest weakness: Rick Must Always Be Right (except when he’s trying to fight against his destiny as a leader). The people of Oceanside almost immediately lose what little distinctive identity they once had, falling in line like they were just waiting for some bearded dude to show up and start ordering them around, and there’s no acknowledgement of the weirdness of this, of how close Rick’s tactics are to the very man he’s trying to destroy".