You know what? It was one year ago today -- February 25, 2018 -- that Carl Grimes died in The Walking Dead episode "Honor." Season 9 is currently airing, including a six-year time jump, giving us a seriously badass young Judith Grimes. Their mother, Lori Grimes, died after giving birth to Judith in Season 3. The three Grimes family stars gathered for a family photo (sans Rick ... and Shane) during the 2019 Walker Stalker Cruise:
They really did do a good job with the casting! Chandler Riggs as Carl, Sarah Wayne Callies as Lori, and Cailey Fleming as Judith do look like they could be related. Now, where is Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes? Also, they should add Jon Bernthal as Shane, since he's basically acknowledged as Judith's real daddy.
In November, showrunner Angela Kang told Insider why they cast Cailey Fleming as the now roughly 10-year-old Judith Grimes:
Cailey just had the most amazing read. Me, and the other executive producers, we all just sparked to her. She just had this kind of liveliness and light and such intelligence in her eyes, and just made such great choices. [...] We were looking for the best actress and it just happens that she looks so much like Sarah Wayne Callies, who played her mother, and also bears a striking resemblance to Chandler, her brother. It felt like all the pieces fell in place.
Judith Grimes is not quite the last Grimes standing, since it was revealed in the time jump that Michonne gave birth to a son, RJ. Rick Grimes has yet to meet his son, but we as viewers know Papa Grimes is not dead, he's just on a new adventure that we'll follow when Andrew Lincoln gets his films up and running.
Carl Grimes' death was a big shock for The Walking Dead TV show, since Carl continued to have a major storyline in the comic book, especially in the current Whisperers arc. Without him, Carl's story seems to have shifted on TV to (ugh) Henry, but also to the new hat-wearing-sheriff in town, Judith. It's exciting to think of what her future might hold.
Seeing three Grimes family members together made some Walking Dead fans a bit misty-eyed. Lori never really got to meet Judith. Her dying words were for her son Carl. Do you remember this scene?
Every person in that scene is now gone, except the baby. Lori. Carl. Rick. Maggie. We may see Maggie again next season, and Rick has his own movies coming. And baby Judith is now truly a Little Ass-Kicker.
Carl barely got to know Judith either. He loved her -- and he's the one who suggested her name -- but he died when she was still about 4. Do you think she remembers much about him? Hopefully nothing happens to Judith and RJ moving forward and they can grow up as close siblings (along with little Gracie, who was adopted by Aaron).
The Walking Dead Season 9 continues Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC, as one of the many shows airing in the 2019 midseason.
