THE WALKING DEAD Showrunner Confirms R.J. is Rick Grimes’ Son but Not All Fans Are Convinced

While last Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead posed a bevy of questions, the biggest and most shocking reveal (hands down) was that Michonne (Danai Gurira) has a new son; named R.J., showrunner Angela Kang confirmed that the young man is the seed of Rick’s loins, explaining that the plot-point was eluded to back in Season 9, episode 3; she told EW:

“That is Rick junior, R.J., who’s scampering around. In episode 3, they go, ‘Well, let’s maybe start planning for the future in other ways.’ That was part of their hopefulness, that they believed that they could build a world where children could thrive. The kind of tragedy of it is that Rick was not around to see this happen. But for Michonne, it’s just another person that she is fighting for, and that she wants to keep safe, but it’s part of what plays into some of the philosophy and decisions behind how Alexandria is run, which is a big part of the story going forward for the season.”

Related Article: Top 5 Questions from Last Night’s Episode of THE WALKING DEAD

While the word of the showrunner must be considered canon, not all Walking Dead fans are convinced; their main sticking point is that R.J. seems too young to be Rick’s son. If it’s been 6 years since Rick was kidnapped by Jadis as part of a slave trade, Jr. should be over 5 years old—but he seems only barely verbal. Indeed, R.J. is played by Antony Azor; while the young actor’s age isn’t common knowledge, The Walking Dead Wiki describes his as “a toddler American actor”. Toddler is a term used to describe a child between the ages of 12 and 36 months.

So, what gives? Is this a case of continuity taking a back-seat to storytelling or something else? Did Michonne have a relationship after Rick (Andrew Lincoln) disappeared (and was presumed dead)? Worse, is R.J. the product of a sexual assault, one that perhaps explains why Michonne has become so untrusting since the time jump—and even how she got the X-shaped scar over her left kidney?

There are 2 more episodes of The Walking Dead in 2019 before the show goes into hibernation for a midseason break. Perhaps we’ll learn the truth about R.J.’s conception—or perhaps we won’t. One thing is for certain: Fans of The Walking Dead will be keeping our eyes on the tyke with a mixture of tenderness and suspicion.

What do you think of the appearance/introduction of R.J. in last Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead? Do you have doubts that Rick is truly his father? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!

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