Robert Kirkman Debunked The Walking Dead’s Biggest (And Most Annoying) Fan Theory
If this theory turned out to be true, it would've been a total disaster.
The most talked-about fan theory about The Walking Dead was the coma dream theory that suggested that the entire storyline of the show was just a dream of the protagonist, Rick Grimes. The theory still pops up even though the original show ended almost a year ago.
The theory stems from the pilot episode of the series, where Rick, a sheriff's deputy, is shot and falls into a coma. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies.
Fans speculated that Rick never actually woke up and that the entire series is just a figment of his imagination while he's still comatose.
However, Kirkman has firmly dismissed this theory. During a Q&A session at the Walker Stalker Cruise 2018, he stated, "He is definitely not in a coma, I promise."
He went on to say that such a plot twist would be a "terrible story" and compared it to the infamous Dallas storyline where an entire season was revealed to be a dream.
Ross Marquand, who portrayed Aaron in the series, also dismissed the theory. He expressed his hope that the theory isn't true, stating it would be "the saddest thing ever" if his character's metal arm and all the other events were just part of Rick's dream.
Pollyanna McIntosh, who plays Jadis in the series, debunked another fan theory that suggested the 'A' and 'B' classifications used in the show referred to Rick's blood type and were part of his dream.
This theory suggested that Rick was subconsciously integrating the outside world into his dream, but McIntosh ruled out this twist.
Despite the theory being debunked by the creator and the cast, it seems to have a life of its own, resurfacing every couple of years. At least we know that the universe won’t be concluded with the confirmation of the coma theory.
We'll finally get to see Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, again after he left in season 9. He's coming back in the upcoming spinoff now titled The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, set to premiere in 2024 on AMC and AMC+.
Sources: Robert Kirkman on Twitter, ComicBook.com, Serieously on YouTube