If there's anything we know for sure in "The Walking Dead," it is the fact that every Detail is important. And while Season 8 premiere was full of Easter eggs, the following episode had just one, well-hidden detail for the eagle-eyed viewers -- a detail that planted a seed for some serious theory-crafting. But before delving into the theory itself, let's provide a context for it first, shall we?
What happened in 'The Walking Dead' Season 8 Episode 2?
As described in the previous post, "The Walking Dead" 8x02 featured a pretty intense scene of Rick fighting to the death with one of the "Saviors." After the initial struggle, he was able to get on top and kill the man.
But it was only when he entered the room where he found a baby in the crib that Rick realized that the man was just protecting his daughter and not the guns as he initially thought. But despite all the guilt he was feeling upon realizing this, Rick eventually continued his search for guns which resulted in Morales pointing a gun at him. And while the question of what will happen to Rick remains on top of everyone's mind, the fans are also wondering about the fate of that baby. With that said, it's no wonder the new theory has emerged. Now let's get to it.
What is this theory about?
As YouTuber "Make A Path Present" pointed out, the stuffed rabbit toy we saw in the crib next to Gracie is actually the same one Judith was carrying in the "Old Man Rick" flashforward from Season 8 premiere.
But that could mean a couple of things. The one explanation includes the idea of Rick coming back for Gracie only to find her dead. So he will just take the toy with him and give it to Judith. But if Gracie is alive, Rick would definitely take her with him to Alexandria which further implies that there are actually two girls at the time that flash forward was taking place, we just happened to see only one of them.
However, there's a third, darker explanation for all of this. What if the girl we see in the flashforward is actually Gracie? And yes, we are aware that everyone, including the episode director Greg Nicotero, is calling this girl "older Judith," but they could be doing this intentionally to give the fans the element of surprise.
But if this girl is Gracie, does this mean that Judith will die? Well, it certainly wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility because, in the comics, she never makes it out of the prison alive. And also, Judith's death could explain why Rick was so upset in the second flashforward from Season 8 premiere. Perhaps he was grieving over the death of his daughter. However, this is still up for debate.
Before making up your mind about this, we strongly recommend watching "Make A Path Present's" video down below for more information about this theory.
