Whatever Is Beautiful

A place to focus on whatever is lovely, admirable, pure, true, & excellent - So basically, Richonne 😋

[whateverisbeautiful]

Now we need the MP of every MP pinned. But fr thank you for this!! It give us richonners life.

Thank you! 😊💗 Making this the pinned MP of every MP 👌🏽

Richonne in Retrospect (S3 - S6)

Reveling in Richonne (S3 - S7)

Reveling in Richonne (S8-S11)

Richonne Top 30

Reveling in Richonne (TOWL S1)

Richonne in Retrospect - The 💋 List

[whateverisbeautiful]

I’ve always found it interesting that the group seemed intimidated or scared of Rick while Michonne still seemed calm and comfortable around him. Do you think Rick was aware of that difference?

Yes! 😊 I think this was extremely refreshing for Rick and I love this aspect of their dynamic. They say to be loved is to be known, and Rick got to feel deeply known, seen, and understood by Michonne. Every time Michonne responded to his intensity with unwavering composure, Rick seemed quite captivated. Like he’d finally met his match and someone he could be all of himself with without judgment. When he’s staring her down in the woods and she doesn’t back down, when he asks if she has a problem with that approach in Clear, when he bites someone’s neck and Michonne isn’t afraid of him at all and instead assures him he’s okay, and when she steps up to the plate in the barn when Aaron wants the group to go to Alexandria. Those are just a few of the moments that come to mind for me when I think about how Rick would’ve noticed that Michonne responds differently to him than the rest.

And I think overtime it made Rick know that in Michonne he’d found a true partner who could stand beside him and even take the lead at times. Part of why I always say Michonne is Rick’s source of sanity is because anytime he hopped off the deep end, she was always there to help him find his way back because she understood how he operates, and it didn’t make her scared of him; it made her empathize with him because a lot of what’s in him is in her too. That’s one of the many things that’s so special about Richonne, is that they didn’t just get each other in theory, but in a very personal way where they could relate to each other. And I love that, as intimidating as they are to those they come across, with each other, they both were able to be loved, known, and embraced as their most honest human self. 😌

[whateverisbeautiful]

Watching season 9, episode 6, I find myself deeply affected by Michonne's situation. 💔☹️ Her sadness and emptiness were clearly seen, as her heart longed for Rick, making it seem as if she's lost, even though she was present as a mother and leader of the Alexandria community. 🥺 She then started wearing Rick's clothes; what was the reason behind this? ❤️‍🩹

Yeah, that time is one of the saddest for me to think about because of how deeply somber it was for Michonne. 💔 I think about how she told Ezekiel it’s harder the second time around, because it already took so much for her to come back after what she lost at the beginning. And then to open your heart just for it to get so wounded all over again from losing her son Carl and then her soulmate, is very painful. She’s very resilient to have kept going after that. And I love that wearing Rick’s clothes was part of how Michonne healed and remained close to him. She often finds a lot of sentimental value in items that remind her of her loved ones. Wearing Rick’s clothes was a way to feel like he was still with her and they were still connected. It also probably helped her feel like she was garnering some strength from Rick, the way Carl felt wearing Rick’s hat.

Michonne and Rick had expressed in different scenes throughout the series that they wanted to take on the future together, and I love how Michonne was still determined to take on the future with Rick, even when he was away. When the 6-year time jump happened, she was still so in love with him, and it warmed my heart to see that desire to still do life together communicated through all these different ways, including wearing his clothes. Especially her wearing Rick's denim shirt that he wore during so many memorable Richonne scenes. 🥲

[whateverisbeautiful]

What are the differences between Michonne's and Lori's approaches to parenting? Who among them demonstrates the greatest nurturing qualities?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this, thanks! 💗

It’s interesting because we really only got to see everyone's parenting styles in an apocalypse, which are such unique high-stakes circumstances. So their approach to parenting pre-ZA and post-ZA likely had some notable differences. But regardless, I think Michonne has so many great qualities as a parent. She exhibited such a good balance of carrying authority while still being warm and relatable with her kids. I think something that made Michonne and Carl’s relationship special was that they got to build a foundation of friendship first, and then that camaraderie between them was able to remain even when Michonne became his stepmom. Michonne had set the tone early that she wasn’t going to be manipulated or played by little Carl, while also allowing him to be real with her and her to be real with him. And Carl really appreciated the way Michonne operated with him. She made him feel like he wasn’t just a little kid to write off, while also making him feel safe enough to be a kid who needs her nurturing, too. And I feel she did the same with Judith and RJ. Raising them to be survivors who still get to enjoy a childhood. She’s really TV's most well-balanced character to me.  Michonne had a more selfless nature than what we saw from Lori, which made her nurturing side more evident and well-rounded. Michonne's bond with each of her kids was so heartwarming to watch.

[whateverisbeautiful]

What caused Michonne to have trouble sleeping through the night in season 9, episode 4? Could it be because of her hormonal shifts during her pregnancy?

I do like to think that part of her restlessness in season 9 was pregnancy-related - on top of the established reasons like her pull to keep fighting the fight, even as she lives a more domestic diplomat life during the day. I feel like Michonne and her famous Rick Grimes made RJ in 9.01 while they were away at the Sanctuary. I also feel like she had so much hope in what they were building and knew they were going to need to blend their survivor side with their civilian side to make this society work, so she was staying sharp on the survivor/fighter end and trying to be proactive about any threats that could threaten what they were building by going out at night to take down walkers.

It’s interesting that Michonne was seemingly keeping her walker-slaying outings from Rick at the time. Had Rick not been taken, I think her sleepless nights were something that she would have eventually told Rick about, especially after Negan tried to get into her head about why she goes out there in 9x04. I also sorta feel like Rick might’ve already noticed she was going out, but wanted to wait a bit to give Michonne the chance to tell him on his own. The way that man took note of her every move, I can see him being aware of what she was doing. I also imagine that when she learned she was pregnant, she put it together that that could be part of what was contributing to her restless nights.

[whateverisbeautiful]

In the fourth episode of season one of TOWL, when Michonne left the apartment, do you think she truly made the decision to return home and abandon Rick? Maybe she thought Rick wouldn't pursue her at all? My heart breaks for them, but knowing whatever circumstances they encounter and face in the future, they'll always find and return to each other like pieces of a puzzle. ❤️

I can recall the moment in S3 of TWD when Michonne first arrived at the prison fence and found Rick there, when she also found Rick after the prison collapse caused by the governor in S4, when she found out that Rick is alive after she thought the walkers ate him in S7, and when she found Rick 8 years later after the bridge in S1 episode 1 of TOWL. ✨

They are truly soulmates and they remain connected no matter where they are. ❤️

I am curious about your perspective on it. 🌸

I love this. Rick and Michonne really are soulmates who find each other every time. 🥹 And since they are truly magnets, I think even if Michonne had left that apartment and gone home, it wouldn’t have been the final time she and Rick saw each other. They’d come back together at some point, as always. Wrote out the rest below 💗:

I do think when Michonne walked out in ep 4, her going home in that moment was legitimately on the table because I know Michonne would feel like one way or another she’s getting back to her babies. And if Rick had continually refused to go with her, it would be a soul-crushingly hard decision to go home without him, but I think she ultimately would feel like she has to return to their kids no matter what.

Although I feel pretty confident, even if she went home, she’d have devised some sort of plan to gather people in the group and get Rick out. Even as he was breaking her heart in ep 3 & 4, Michonne didn’t lose sight of the fact that the CRM had really taken a serious toll on Rick mentally and physically. So I feel like even if he kept refusing to go home, she’d know it was his imprisoned mindset and fear making him feel that way, not because staying is just what he wants.

I think she’d still want to make a plan to break him out if she had made it home. But it’s lowkey difficult for me to even picture a scenario where she leaves and makes it all the way home without Rick having first come to his senses and running after her. 

When Michonne stands up to leave, I think she really does feel like if he’s not going to budge, then she has to go home alone because she wouldn’t want to spend any less time away from her kids. But she and Rick are so interconnected that I think she also thought surely if he physically sees the act of her walking out the door, it’ll snap him out of it to realize how devastating it would actually be for him to get what he “wants” and have her leave.

And her pausing in the hallway to me suggests she still had hope that her Rick would show up and open the door and make it clear he doesn’t want her to leave because she didn't want to leave him either. But when Rick doesn’t open that door, I don’t think Michonne was just bluffing about feeling like she actually does have to go. I do think she wasn’t exactly rushing out of the building tho lol. Like, even her pausing at the front door, yes, there are walkers, and all she has is a kitchen knife and a lamp pole, but I like to think that pause also had to do with wanting to give Rick a bit more time to come to his senses and go after her. And sure enough, he does.

It makes me think part of why one of the first things Michonne asks Rick in their big bedroom discussion is why he went after her when she left the apartment. I feel like both in this conversation and when she walked out of the apartment, she wanted Rick to see that the decision to stay together had already been made; now it was just a matter of embracing it.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello! How are you? I hope you are doing well! So I just recently (within the last few hours) rewatched S6 E9 "No way out" for the millionth time: I was wondering about the moment Sam was killed and Jessie's reaction. How do you think Michonne was feeling in that moment; watching Sam get killed by walkers and watching Jessie's reaction to Sam being devoured and killed by walkers?

Hi! Thank you. 💖 It had been one of those tougher weeks for me. 😅 But getting to take some time to reflect on these questions is always a welcome change of pace, so thank you for asking.  Seeing a young kid taken out by walkers would’ve been a horrific sight, and I think Michonne sympathized with Jessie going through that as a mother, especially. The chaos of that moment all happened so fast, but I’m sure seeing a mother scream in agony at the loss of her son could’ve triggered flashbacks for Michonne of losing Andre. Also, as a mother tho, I think her biggest concern in that moment would be Carl - even before he got shot. So she’d feel for Jessie losing her child so brutally in front of her, while also being very focused on making sure all the noise and commotion didn’t lead to Carl now being put in harm’s way. 

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello, I've been thinking about whether Rick has apologized to Michonne. Michonne told Rick about his back and forth behavior, stating that he's hurting her, and that isn't how he shows his love in episode 4 of TOWL. Do you have any scenarios about that? ❤️‍🩹

I've thought about scenarios for this, too. 🥀I can see Rick being so deeply moved by being back with his family and getting to do life with them. And sometimes in the beginning, maybe he’d be looking at his kids and Michonne at home and feeling really guilty that he almost chose not to come back to this, and that without Michonne fighting for him, even when he pushed her away, he might’ve missed out on all these precious moments he’s now present for. I could see after one of their family nights, when Rick and Michonne are alone getting ready for bed, Rick comments on how he almost missed out on the best thing that ever happened to him, and that he’s so sorry he made her think for even a second that he wouldn’t come home. I can see him directly apologizing for how he hurt her, and I feel like Michonne would then remind him that they’re here now and that’s what matters most, and he doesn’t have to carry guilt because, like she said in ep 5, being back with their family is more than enough. Plus, while she appreciates words, Michonne seems like an actions-over-words person. So the way we know Rick would show how committed he is to their family through actions would be what most effectively communicates how determined he is to not hurt her again.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hi there ✨

I'm thinking about how Michonne and Mike were in their past relationship. Do you think they were similar to Rick and Michonne in terms of their openness and communication with each other? Do you think Michonne and Mike had an affectionate and sweet relationship? Just how does Michonne show love to Rick? I don't want to imagine it because my heart is for Richonne only but I'm really curious about it.

From Michonne's statement to Rick that she only feels safe when she's with him, do you think Mike was a partner who didn't prioritize Michonne's well-being? Although he was there, I didn't think he checked on her as Rick and Michonne do every day and night as part of their nightly routine.

It seems like Mike wasn't entirely dedicated to Michonne because of the way he gave up easily instead of protecting her and their son and also Michonne seemed to be the one who always ran outside to get supplies. In my opinion, he was a man who didn’t deep dive into what Michonne's feelings were and was constantly late to come home from work while also being high with his friend pre-ZA. What are your thoughts?

Good question! I definitely don’t think Michonne and Mike’s relationship was on a similar level of openness and communication. I believe Rick and Michonne introduced each other to a higher love, where they felt more seen and understood than ever before. Michonne felt safe enough to be all of herself with Rick, including being someone who sometimes needs to not be strong and just be vulnerable and comforted. Whereas perhaps with Mike, she felt like she couldn’t fully depend on him to hear and see her when she’s vulnerable or depend on him when the going gets tough. I think Michonne is someone who speaks her mind, so I imagine she still did that with Mike, but I just think maybe Mike was more passive when it came to taking her words to heart and taking action.

But I have always felt like, while Michonne and Mike weren’t each other's person, their relationship wasn’t as unhealthy as Rick and Lori’s. Rick and Lori’s marriage was going to fall apart, apocalypse or not. I get the sense that the partner Mike was before the ZA was flawed, but likely wasn’t as problematic as the partner he became after the stress and pressure of the apocalypse. The Mike we saw in the season 4 flashback wasn’t giving a checked-out or incompetent vibe, and I don’t think Michonne would’ve been attracted to a man like that. So I feel like maybe Mike was adept at navigating their old world, but couldn’t adjust to the new world, and it made him want to check out and give up. And being so focused on that made Michonne feel like she was fighting for their family’s survival all by herself.

Michonne does say she missed Mike even before he died in season 4, so I feel like she might have been accustomed to Mike not being present with her, which is vital to a healthy relationship. Even if Michonne and Mike had stayed together, had the ZA never happened, it still wouldn’t have been close to the love supreme she found with Rick. I feel like Mike and Rick are an example of the difference between just having a partner and having a soulmate. And with Michonne telling Rick during the TOWL proposal that it could only ever have been him, she knows she found her one and only soulmate in Rick.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Following Rick's disappearance on the explosive bridge that Michonne witnessed. Have you thought of any ideas or scenarios for what she did during the first days, nights, and weeks without Rick by her side? What is your opinion on how she dealt with it? Who is the one who stays with her during those dark times in the team family?

I always imagine this time period being so bleak for Michonne. 😥 She says when Rick was gone, she was lost, so I feel like those first few days and nights were not only super painful but disorienting. Losing Carl was already devastating, and then to lose Rick about a year and a half later, it had to feel so cruel to have lost Andre and Mike, open herself up so fully to her Grimes family, and then have Rick and Carl taken from her, too. She had told Rick in season 7 that she wanted to take on this world and this life with Rick by her side, and in season 9, they were prepared to keep doing that in so many ways, so it had to be so depressing for her to now have to consider the future without him.  Wrote out the rest below ❤️‍🩹:

Michonne is extremely resilient, but I feel like those first few days might’ve been the hardest for her to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I always wonder about what it looked like returning home on the day Rick blew up the bridge. Because the way Michonne reacted to the explosion, still wanting to run to him and having to be held back, I could see Maggie and Carol having to do some real convincing to get Michonne to head home and not spend the rest of the day searching every ounce of that water for Rick.

I think this was such a lonely time for Michonne, too, and that having Judith to raise was one of the biggest things keeping her present. I could see Michonne starting the search for Rick the very next day and spending her days out searching for Rick with Daryl, and then coming home to make sure Judith still got time with her at night. Maybe the first day or two, Maggie and Carol stayed with Michonne and Judith after helping bring Michonne home. But sadly, I think they’d go back to their communities and lives pretty quickly, and that Michonne didn’t feel nearly as supported as she should’ve been by some of the people she’s known the longest.

And this is where I think Michonne and Rosita’s bond really strengthened, because I think Rosita was one of the ones who was there for Michonne the most. And also Siddiq. After the time jump, they seemed like they got close and talked candidly, so I think Siddiq was someone who comforted her in dark times, too. I feel like maybe that’s even how Rosita and Siddiq started to get to know each other better, because of how often they were being a support system to Michonne after Rick.

Daryl seemed genuinely close to Judith and RJ after the time jump, so I feel like, in the beginning, he probably showed his support more through relentlessly searching for Rick, but after RJ was born, he reduced his search a bit to be around more and support Michonne and the kids. I wish we had known whether or not he told Michonne about the scheme he and Maggie pulled that day.

I also often think about how Michonne would’ve first told Judith about what happened to Rick. In another show that I love, the father dies, and the mom has to tell her kids. Her kids are teenagers, so it’s a different situation, but she has a moment where she has to collect herself before entering the home her kids are in, and she’s determined to be strong for them as she breaks their hearts with the news. I could see Michonne having a similar moment where she stands on the steps of her home and fully breaks down, but collects herself as best as she can to enter the home and try to explain to Judith that her dad’s not coming home. 

I don’t think Michonne ever just concretely told her kids that Rick died. So, even with Judith telling RJ about how Rick went to heaven, I think Michonne might’ve told them that Rick was gone and there’s a chance he’s somewhere on earth, or he’s in a much better place called heaven. That way, the kids could feel a bit comforted either way, despite the lack of closure.

I also envision a scenario where Michonne learned she was pregnant very shortly after the bridge (since I think she was already pregnant with RJ before Rick brought up wanting to build for the future with a kid). I think she’d have a few days of just feeling like he was lost, and so was she. And then those pregnancy symptoms would start showing and clue her in to taking a test. And I think the news of their baby would have brought her so much joy and so much sadness that Rick wasn’t going to be by her side to raise the baby they wanted together. But I think the pregnancy also would make her feel like this is a reminder to keep building for the future that she and Rick wanted, and to keep leading the others forward, since, as Rick said, she’s the one who can. 

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hi! I hope everything is okay with you 😊

I've been curious about the flirting situation between Rick and Jessie. Do you think Michonne had any idea or awareness of it at that time? Her observant nature is particularly noteworthy. Do you think she felt bothered inside if the answer is yes? I'm pretty sure at that time, I think she was developing feelings for Rick, but she was not entertaining the idea of it.

And after they became an official couple, was there any possibility that Michonne mentioned to Rick about the flirting things between him and Jessie? They are very open to one another and they talk about anything and everything every night before they cuddle and sleep.

I'm happy to know your thoughts. 😊

Thanks! Hope you’re well! I agree this stretch of story was when Michonne had fallen for Rick but wasn’t letting herself entertain/embrace it yet, since she still hadn’t let herself assess what she wants just for her. One thing I’m always glad about is that Michonne wasn’t involved in that messy storyline. I wrote out the rest below 😊:

That’s true, how Michonne is very observant, and especially can read Rick really well, so I think under different circumstances, she probably would’ve picked up on something going on with Rick and the Jessie situation early.

But I think about how Michonne admits to Rosita that she felt like she’d been asleep in ASZ. She was going through her own adjustment journey when they arrived in Alexandria. Rick was having a super hard time adjusting, too, and it was one of the first times that Rick was actively keeping secrets from her. So I think those things had the two less aligned than usual, making it harder to pick up on things. But after Rick crashes out and she has to knock him out, I think Michonne knew by then that Rick’s involvement in the Andersons’ situation had more than just one motive. 

That’s another reason I always dislike that the Jessie stuff continues into season 6, because it felt hamfisted just to align somewhat with the comics leading up to the hand chop. If Michonne observed in 6A that Rick was drawn to Jessie, I think that would even further prolong her entertaining the idea of wanting more with Rick herself. But also because she's so observant and astute, I personally feel like whenever Michonne realized the nature of Rick and Jessie’s dynamic, she’d also be able to tell that Rick was operating from an unhealthy place that was more about his own issues than having developed any kind of deep feelings for Jessie.

Regarding whether Jessie came up after Rick and Michonne became a couple, at first, I leaned toward thinking she didn’t get brought up again. Rick had known Jessie for barely three weeks before she died, and to me had stopped feeling a draw to her even before then. Plus, after Rick and Michonne become a couple, they pretty immediately have to start dealing with the Negan situation, so I feel like they had so much else on their mind going forward - especially each other. 😌

But then I also could see them having a conversation about when they first started catching feelings for each other, and Rick would say sometime before they even got to ASZ, which could lead Michonne to teasingly question what the Jessie situation was about then, and Rick explains that he was in the middle of losing his mind during that time.

I feel like if Jessie ever did come up between Rick and Michonne, it would be lowkey similar to how she came up when Andy and Danai took that trip down memory lane lol. Like Michonne lightheartedly mentioning how Rick was doing the most being a vigilante when they first got to Alexandria, and Rick trying to say something about how he was doing that stuff to protect the community and not because he had caught feelings. Either way, if it came up, it wouldn't be a big discussion. Just something mentioned quickly, if at all, since Rick and Michonne are secure in trusting the other’s love and devotion. 

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello~ ☺️

The scene in which Rick confessed to Michonne that Judith was not his biological daughter, and also about Lori and Shane's affair. What do you think Michonne's mind is running and feeling about that? Your observational skills are always top-notch, so I'm curious to know your thoughts on that. 🤗

I appreciate this, thanks so much! 🥰 And this was a really good question. Michonne’s expression when Rick tells her this always looks really empathetic to me. She already had a lot of respect for Rick as a parent, and then to learn that he’s been taking care of a baby that he knows isn’t biologically his boosted her respect for him even more. Wrote out the rest of my thoughts below 💗:

To take responsibility for any newborn that isn’t yours in an apocalypse is already a sign of a selfless heart. And then to know that the baby was conceived by your own wife and best friend, who moved on suspiciously quickly...to me, one of the things that would really affirm to Michonne is how much Rick loved Carl. Since I do think Rick claiming Judith had a lot to do with Carl initially. 

I thought about how when Judith is born, she and Rick have one thing in common - they both have one blood relative left alive, and it’s the same blood relative: Carl. And in the beginning, that was a strong enough link for Rick to raise her, so Carl and his sister could be raised together, and Carl’s family wouldn’t have to be even more broken up than it had already become. And I believe from there, Rick came to view Judith no longer as just Carl’s sister, but his daughter, and the little individual she is. 

The timing of Rick's sharing this with Michonne is telling. He knows Michonne is having trouble accepting being under Negan’s rule, and so, as he and she so often do, he levels with her through vulnerability to share something that, understandably, was difficult for him to accept at first. His journey of claiming Judith wasn’t as immediate as it was with Carl and RJ, but I believe Rick absolutely did come to genuinely love and accept Judith.

I personally feel he told Michonne this at this time because he was expressing that, at first, the origins and circumstances surrounding Judith were tough and even burdensome, but they didn’t feel that way forever. And at this point, he’s trying to have some hope that their situation with Negan won’t permanently feel that way either. 

Michonne might’ve heard some little murmurings about Lori and Shane’s affair from the group, prior to Rick telling her. But I think it moved Michonne to learn that for Rick, it wasn’t just a possibility that Judith wasn’t his biological daughter, but rather he was certain she wasn’t, and yet he didn’t fight for her any less or treat her as less valid than a biological daughter.

And Michonne would feel like that’s another area where she and Rick relate, because she, too, claimed this little girl as her own despite not being biologically related. And while the pain attached is quite different, it wasn’t easy for Michonne to be around Judith at first, either because of losing Andre, and now she views the girl as her own. So she’d respect that it wasn’t easy for Rick to raise this baby, but he fully claimed her as well. I like to think Michonne also got that Rick viewed her as a mother to Carl and Judith because he knew from personal experience how you can be a parent regardless of blood. 

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello helloooo! 🤩

I would love to know your opinion on this one. 🙂

I recall the moment when Lori spoke with Hershel about her concerns regarding her pregnancy, as she believed the baby had passed away. She also mentioned that her husband (Rick) hates her and her son (Carl) can't stand her. Do you think Carl knew that his sister was Shane's, not his father's? Has he already come to know about his mother and Shane's affair and betrayal?

Thanks for asking my thoughts! Sorry, it took me a bit to answer since I wanted to give these questions proper time. And this is a question I’ve often wondered about, too. I feel like if Carl had found out about Lori and Shane’s betrayal and them being Judith’s parents, it would’ve been a pretty notable plot point at some point. Since the show never confirms he knew, I think maybe he didn’t know. (Even tho I think Carl should've got to know, and that eventually Rick might've told him if he'd had the chance to get older) It’s possible Carl overheard some stuff from others about Lori and Shane being together tho. I could see if Carl had his suspicions about whether Lori and Shane were the reason Rick was extra distant from his mom, but I think it's likely that he left the world, never knowing for sure that Lori and Shane were together and created Judith.

So, with Carl being so angry with his parents in season 3, I think that was largely rooted in the way his mom and dad were still having similar conflicts and tension, even after the world had fallen apart. Like Rick and Lori’s communication wasn’t healthy before the apocalypse, and they’d spend a lot of time avoiding addressing their issues and just sitting in tension. I’m sure Carl sensed a lot of that growing up and felt stuck in the middle at times. Perhaps Carl was hoping their new ZA circumstances, and Rick essentially “coming back from the dead,” would have made his parents put aside their issues, but then the issues between them only worsened. I could see Carl being disappointed that his parents are still having similar old-world issues, even if he didn’t know exactly what was causing them. And then, with his feelings toward Lori specifically, I wonder if he also felt fearful about his mom being pregnant in an apocalypse with no certified doctors, and that fear over his mom’s vulnerable state manifested as anger and frustration from Carl. 

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hi there! Thank you again for your incredible work, I love your thoughts on Richonne. I am rewatching TWD now (season 3 rn) so when I see interactions between Rick and Michonne I just love to come back here and read your perspective about those scenes. I don't remember if you have answered it already (sorry if that's the case) but what are your favorite Richonne fanfictions and do you have other wip you are working on?

Hi! Thank you so much! 🙏🏽🩷 I’ve always wanted this blog to be a place where we can relive all the details of Richonne’s story together, so it really makes me happy to hear you're revisiting these posts during your rewatch. I like this question too because I’ve been super into reading Richonne fics this year. And I have been so impressed by the talented writers in the Richonne fandom. I equally enjoy the AU ones and the ones that take place in their post-apocalyptic world, and I love the way they capture Richonne's soulmatism. There’s a lot I’ve enjoyed, but here are 5 completed stories and writers that came to mind when thinking of some of my favorites:

1. Blank Slate by can08writer - I love it when there's a great concept, and then the writer just knocks the concept out of the park, and that was this story to me. 2. A Place to Call Home & The After by WorksbyThia - I think I've mentioned this writer before because the stories are so good, and I love getting to really sink into the world for an extended time. I legit choked up because of how invested I was in the characters crafted. And without spoiling it, there's a choice made surrounding an antagonist, and also an ending that was so well done that it made me wish the actual show had made those choices 3. Married at First Sight by love.devil.movies.baby - I’ve loved multiple fics from this writer, and especially the way this story in particular captures why Rick and Michonne are great leaders together 4. My One Wish by Richonne4Life - I read this one multiple times because I love the heartfelt interaction between two characters I've always longed to see interact 5. Masibe Happy, Sibemunye by Rblythe08 - I loved this writer's text message stories so much that it led me to their fics, and I enjoy each of those so much and their creative angle. 6. Right Where We're Supposed to Be by Tigerwalk - this writer has a way of vividly describing the characters' emotional journey so beautifully that I'll sometimes have to just pause and appreciate how perfectly worded a sentence is. I really like the community between the familiar TWD characters in this story, too.

And the list really could go on. It's cool too that some of the fics will feel so aligned with the way Richonne’s love was depicted in TOWL, and then I’ll look at the date some were posted, and many were written years before, and some before Richonne even became a couple. It just goes to show how much these writers understood how special Rick and Michonne’s love is.

As for me, I do have works in progress! I went from waiting to see if one fic idea would hit me to write, to now having 5 different stories I’m working on. So I’ve been living in 5 different worlds as I develop them lol. And similar to my approach with this blog, I try to make sure that if I start something, I finish it, so that's why it’s taken a bit longer to share, since I’m aiming to finish a whole story before posting it so that I can be sure it's completed. But one is nearly done, and I should be posting it soon. I don't know all the terminology yet, but the first one is going to be a little more rooted in the actual series, and the others are more of a story of their own. And then I still want to rank the top 10 best scenes of The Ones Who Live. I’ve been in the fic-writing world when I have free time, but I definitely want to go back to my roots, too, and do those breakdowns for TOWL’s Top 10 when time allows.

I'm just really grateful that Richonne has fed us so much that we can still be reveling in their story in 2026, and that there are still people writing excellent fics and meta about Richonne. Also, I wanted to say that I really appreciate all the supportive comments I’ve seen and the respectful disagreement, too. Because recently there have been several messages in my inbox and others with offensive language toward Michonne, and I don't know what the agenda is besides interaction and rage bait, but it won't be getting either here. I'm glad this continues to be a safe space for us to enjoy, celebrate, and share our thoughts, which certainly don’t always have to be in agreement but shouldn't be vitriolic. So thank you to you and everyone who's here in good faith and who has stuck with me and stuck with this blog. There is more to come. I'm working on it, and I hope that you'll enjoy it. 😊

[whateverisbeautiful]

I was rewatching the Richonne segment of 9.4 and I think Michonne already knew she was pregnant at that point. The restlessness she had and when she Rick and Judith were playing in the background Michonne was standing by herself, with her hands on her back, there’s a reflective look on her face. Almost tortured by her thoughts, but also contentment and a happy secret. I know she was focused on the charter, but I think there’s more there. Also, in the episode before she was caressing her stomach at the family fun day picnic. So she knew she was pregnant before he mentioned working on a baby (RJ being conceived at the Sanctuary in 9.1), but maybe she was not confident enough to let Rick know.

So my question is do you think she knew at that point and if so, how badly do you think it affected her that she didn’t tell Rick that she was pregnant before the bridge? And do you think if Rick knew it would’ve changed anything at the CRM?

This is an interesting one because I also believe Michonne was already pregnant by the time Rick brought up having a kid, but I hadn’t considered the idea of Michonne knowing she was pregnant before Rick was taken. I lean toward Michonne not knowing for sure that she was pregnant until after the bridge. My initial thought was that if she knew she was pregnant, she wouldn't have kept that news from Rick for long, especially once Rick brought up wanting them to have a baby. When he brought it up, that seems like it would have been a natural point for her to bring up that she knows or strongly thinks she’s pregnant already.

But then again, she was going out at night to kill walkers, seemingly without Rick knowing, so there could be some things she hadn’t told Rick yet. What I could see is that, with Michonne having been pregnant before with Andre, maybe in those early season 9 eps she started recognizing some of her current symptoms as pregnancy symptoms, and so it crossed her mind that she may be pregnant, but she didn’t confirm with a test or anything yet.

And I’d hope if she didn’t share the news or her gut feeling with Rick, it’d be more because she wasn't sure if she was actually pregnant, and with all their rebuilding and losing Carl, she wanted to wait for the right time to bring up her hunch, rather than not feeling confident to tell Rick or worrying he wouldn’t be happy about it. But even if she had a feeling she was pregnant, I don’t think she knew confidently until after Rick was taken.

And if Rick had known Michonne was pregnant before being kidnapped, I think it would have been extra painful for him to now not only have fading memories of his loved ones but also have no memories created with the child he and Michonne made. I could see him worrying sick about whether Michonne and the baby had a smooth time with the labor after what happened with Lori. He’d tell himself they’re resilient and alive out there, but not getting to know for sure would eat away at him and might have prompted him to cut off his hand to escape in year two rather than year five.

I always appreciated that Rick was as determined as could be to get back to Michonne and Judith, and that they were, of course, motivation enough to keep fighting to get home. I think knowing about the baby would further remind Rick that he's missing out on so much of his family. It would heighten the years away feeling excruciatingly long, knowing each year is a year that his wife and daughter are navigating the world without him, and his baby is growing up without ever knowing their father.

[whateverisbeautiful]

Hello 👋🏾. I pray all is well with you & yours🙏🏽. I have a question about a fanfic I'm in search of, hopefully you're either familiar with it or can guide me where to search to locate it. It's a ZA Richonne fic. At some point Rick was busy chasing after Jessie so Michonne was fed up waiting so she and Scott date. When Rick sees it he ends it with Jessie because he sees he's about to totally lose Michonne & comes to his senses. He & Michonne get together & she gets pregnant 🤰🏾 by Rick , with twins no less. Even with that Scott still wants Michonne & he begs her. I think Tobin even hand makes cradles for the twins. I hope that I've given you enough info about it, to help with it. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽💐💐💐

Hey! Appreciate the prayers, thank you🙏🏽😊 I haven’t read a fic with that description but hopefully if someone sees this they’ll know and can put it in the comments to help you locate it 🩷

[whateverisbeautiful]

🙋🏽‍♀️, I hope all is well with you🙏🏽. I have a question: do you recall a cast member saying that Danai was instrumental in Andy quitting smoking, it could've been DG or even Andy himself. It was around s5 or s6.

Thank you in advance for your help & what you do for #Richonners 🙏🏽🤗💐

Hi @dillie60! 🩷 I hope all is well with you, too, and thank you for these kind words. Love our Richonne fandom.😊 And yeah, that’s something I had heard about too. I remember hearing it said that Danai helped Andy stop smoking by suggesting using lollipops instead, since she knew that for some, smoking is more of an oral fixation, and lollipops are a helpful substitution. I’ve never known the original source of where that info came from, so I didn’t know if it’s confirmed or not. But when they were doing TOWL promo, and Andy teased about Danai helping fix him on screen and off, I always wondered if that comment was a little rooted in her helping him quit smoking. If that is something she helped him with, then that’s yet another really sweet element of their bond.