“What’s the difference?” I asked him. “Between the love of your life, and your soulmate?” “One is a choice, and one is not.” ― Tarryn Fisher (x)

Great parallels and speak volumes.  Damn, I just felt so bad for Rick back in Season 1 and 2.  Just like night and day from Season 3 forward.  Hmm.  Not crapping on Lori, but by that point, she and Rick were just done.  Too much water under the bridge.  But the reactions of each woman to those traumatic events is very telling and how Rick responds to each woman’s response is very telling as well.  One he shut down and shut her out, and the other he felt secure and let her in.

I understand that she may have “loved Shane” but lets not forget that a few episodes before, LORI was the one telling Rick that Shane was dangerous and that he was saying that Rick couldn’t take care of his family and that the baby was his. She knew that they had just been in a physical fight about the same topic. Why she was trying to act shocked that Rick killed him, pretty much before Shane could kill Rick is beyond me. I can understand being upset about Carl having to put him down, but to push Rick away? Totally unacceptable.

I loved the scene at the prison when they’re trying to decide whether to kill the prisoners and Lori’s like “Whatever you have to do to make us safe” and Rick looks at her like “Yeah I’m not falling for that again” lol

I don’t particularly hate Lori or strongly love her but to her credit, despite what she asked Rick to do, I imagine it was quite shocking to hear her husband killed his best friend. A best friend that she also had her own relationship with. Be careful what you wish for and all that jazz. SWC spoke on the topic and said in that moment Lori was afraid that Rick was becoming the very thing that Shane had been, a fear that only grew worse after his Ricktatorship speech. He spoke of killing Shane quite bluntly with none of the struggle he usually had, something Lori and the viewers were all used to at that point in the story.

I don’t think it’s really fair to compare that scene to the Richonne scene in A. Michonne didn’t have a long, complicated history with The Claimers. Michonne didn’t have to fear what Rick was becoming because she met him at such a low point. A (the episode) takes place later in the ZA where all the characters have came to terms with what survival means in this new world and can accept the murdering and move on.

Although Lori pushing Rick away always chapped my ass but hearing SWC helped me see the character’s POV a bit better.

When I made this, I didn’t intend to make any commentary about the Rick/Lori versus Rick/Michonne dynamic. I happened to notice events lined up kind of similarly for season finales (”Beside the Dying Fire” and “A”). Rick sought comfort from a close female companion (Lori, Michonne) in the aftermath of having to do something horrible (killing his best friend, kill the Claimers – in both instances with a hunting knife). I thought it would make a cool gifset. But now having read it has provoked some commentary, it got me thinking about the two events – how they were alike and how they were different.

Of course the situations are not entirely the same. Rick had a history with Shane. Hell, he loved Shane. Lori knew that, and Lori loved Shane as well, which is why the shock of Rick having to kill Shane – and Rick admitting he wanted to do it – is so much more severe (plus it’s possible the brunt of Lori’s reaction was due to hearing Carl had to be the one to put down Shane’s reanimated corpse). Whereas the Claimers were complete strangers who presented themselves as a threat at random. As such, the emotional stakes were not equivalent. Once-trusted and well-loved family friend versus random strangers who came out of the woods.

However, I do think Lori’s reaction and the icing Rick/Lori did of each other during the winter was indicative of the fact she either held a grudge against Rick for the fact he killed Shane, or she couldn’t deal with the “new Rick” that had emerged in the apocalypse, which is a basis for comparison. She couldn’t be there emotionally for Rick. 

I think for many fans, what has always been odd about this scene is that Lori always told Rick she wanted him to talk more. To express his feelings. And when Rick finally does that, bearing the darkest parts of his soul – something that couldn’t have been an easy admission – Lori slaps him away. I know she’s wrestling with her own hurt and shock, and I feel terrible for Lori and how conflicted she must be, but… I dunno. It’s just very off-putting.

Rick made it clear that Shane tried to kill him. That Shane was leading Rick on for a while. That Shane had it in his head Lori and Carl were his. It makes complete sense Rick would just want it over. In Rick’s mind, his friendship with Shane was long dead. Shane was a liability – as Lori herself had told Rick just a day or so ago (”Shane thinks I’m his”). 

Lori never saw Rick kill Shane. The words she always longed to hear Rick speak telegraphed the brutal truth to her – and she pushed away Rick when he really needed to hear, “It’s okay.” While Lori’s horror is sympathetic and I don’t fault her for how she reacted, she still wounded Rick very deeply at a moment he was incredibly vulnerable. 

Michonne saw what Rick did to the Claimers, and also overheard his conversation with Daryl where he admitted he thought he went too far, but she accepted him when he needed to hear it most (”You okay?” “Yeah.” “I’m okay.” “I know.” “How?” “Because I’m okay too.”). Michonne in this transaction admits she knows Rick is only alright because she is “okay too.” Her affirmation of this monstrous-side of himself is like manna from Heaven for Rick. 

Did Michonne have an easier go of accepting Rick? Yes. She didn’t care about the Claimers (while Lori cared for Shane); Michonne had done monstrous actions herself (while Lori had not done the same). 

But Michonne isn’t Rick’s wife. Michonne had not been telling Rick to talk to her. Rick did what Lori wanted – took care of Shane, opened up to her – and had the door slammed in his face. Lori is Rick’s wife, and as such Rick probably expected her to be more open to him – especially after he spilled his guts.

If the situations were the same? We can only idly speculate as to how Lori would’ve responded to seeing what Rick did to the Claimers – if she would’ve been okay with it, or reacted more like Abraham’s wife after she saw Abe’s brutality. We’ll never know.

So the comparison is flimsy in that the circumstances are stacked against Lori as she realistically would have a much tougher time dealing with the situation emotionally than Michonne in the other scenario (close friend being killed versus creepy strangers), but ultimately the parallel still stands with regard to Rick being accepted in one finale and not in the other. 

For the sake of discussion and all of the above considered, I think it’s a good comparison, mainly because it’s about what Rick needed in the moment from his companion. He always felt that Lori did not back his decisions when he needed her to; when everyone else was doubting him, he needed her to believe and trust in him. She didn’t come through for him on a lot of occasions. Yes, Lori felt shocked and pained by the news; but her words and actions were always so conflicting and pulled Rick in many directions.

Now, both instances with Rick killing Shane and Rick killing the Claimers is an important part of his character development. We get to see the extremes he would go to in order to protect the ones he cares about. AL said it best when speaking about how Rick had a gun and could have shot Shane, but chose to use a knife as a big ‘Fuck You’ for all that Shane had done; a stark difference to the guy who was apologising to walkers in S1.

It was shocking to watch Rick tear out Joe’s throat with his teeth and then gut the other guy. He knew it would’ve been shocking for Michonne and the others to witness, but the writers chose to give us a scene with Rick specifically checking on Michonne after it all happened. He needed to know that she was okay with what he had done and she was. Her trust and belief in him has helped him become a better leader. She has this calming influence on him for some reason.

I always think back to the bullet scene in ‘Clear’ when Rick relays his plan for finding more guns and asked if Michonne had a problem with his approach. He is so used to people questioning his actions that he asks her this question as if anticipating a fight. When she tells him she doesn’t have a problem, he is taken aback as he’s already to argue his point. He’s surprised by her answer and goes on to thank her twice for advising him not to step on the welcome mat and for taking one of the bags he was carrying; Rick began to act civil towards her. I think he did so because she gave him what he needed in that small moment; someone who trusted his judgement when they were gearing up for war. He was under a lot of pressure and doubting himself, he didn’t need another earful of how shitty a leader he was, not in that moment.

For me, I don’t see this as a comparison of Lori and Michonne because how could it be? Both women represent different things to Rick. No, it’s about Rick, his actions and what he needs from those around him to help deal with the shit that he does.

P.S. Thanks @notascientist for the gifset :)

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Parallels or to compare, I just find these moments similar. 

I adore these scenes so much. “I love you. That’s all I got” - beautiful, honest and a little sad. It still gets me *sighs* Rick is still a great guy, even with much weighing on him. I love how we see a different side of him when he is with his ladies. There are two common threads in these scenes: 1. Rick showing vulnerability and (unwittingly or not) needing reassurance after making a huge call for the group. 2. Rick making sure his lady is okay.

aww I love your comment!

Even Lori approves:)

‘Callies continues to keep in touch with friends from the Walking Dead cast and crew, though she no longer keeps up with the story. She's aware that her on-screen husband Rick (Andrew Lincoln) has moved on, pursuing a romance with sword-slinging warrior Michonne (Danai Gurira). For those wondering, the erstwhile Lori approves of the relationship.

"Andy used to describe Rick like a shark: unable to sit still, always in motion. That was his explanation for constantly leaving his wife and son," Callies says. "In a non-apocalyptic world, you would say, 'Until you can sit in one place and be with the people you love and the people who love you, you're never going to be happy.' But the world is an apocalypse. I don't know much about Michonne's character, but it seems to me that she's a warrior. Maybe what Rick needs is the idea that he doesn't have to constantly run away from a family that needs him too much. Instead, he can trust somebody who is every bit as capable as he is. Maybe there's peace in that.

"I will say that whoever it is in terms of who Rick is hooked up with, I think Lori only wants him to be happy," she continues. "They went through so much together. And they'll always be connected, because they have children together. If Rick's happy, then Lori's happy. That's what matters."’

requested by anonymous.

I’d forgotten about this moment in the TimesTalks interview until recently, but it seems more relevant now than ever given the current arc, and what is to come. I’ve written analysis about this subject before over on my old account @ricky-grimes - Jessie is the “Ghost of Lori”. 

Ron’s my oldest boy. He’s about your son’s age. I could introduce them. If that’s okay with you and… It’s just me.

fangirl challenge - [3/10] families

2x10 // 4x16

SOMEONE PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK LORI WOULD THINK OF MICHONNE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH CARL AND RICK

BECAUSE I AM CURIOUS WHAT SHE WOULD THINK OF IT

I think she’d want Rick and Carl to be happy. Michonne would die for Carl, and while I can’t really say exactly what her relationship with Rick is (a strong friendship/understanding, with the possibility of more), if Michonne and Rick did get together, I think Lori would want him to have that type of relationship. I think deep down both Lori and Rick felt they weren’t good enough for each other and it hurt them both deeply. There were many sides of Lori she never wanted Rick to see, and Rick was the same way with Lori. If Rick can have a relationship that is honest and full, then I think Lori would be happy (and I think she and Rick were on the way to having that again, for the first time in many years, when she died).

So I think she’d be happy for them, and grateful to Michonne, especially because of how much Michonne loves Carl.

oh this really shows it better. at first it was a glimpse of hope of them rebuilding their relationship, then the walker attack, he's desperately want to find Lori but she's gone. that feeling of too late. Lori loving him always.

…But I loved you. I love-I love you. I couldn’t put it back together. I should have said it. I should have said it.