The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes, Carol & Jadis Now Share An Impressive Franchise Record

The biggest success of The Walking Dead franchise is arguably its worldbuilding, and the seven Walking Dead spin-offs each show a different perspective and dynamic that ties into the wider apocalypse. The Walking Dead timeline shows its characters adapting to the zombie apocalypse over 13 years, which allowed the franchise to develop wildly different cultures and settings, like Hilltop, Oceanside, and The Kingdom. While each of The Walking Dead's spin-off shows introduces a new setting, some characters are familiar, with many original Walking Dead characters either making cameos or becoming the main protagonists.

Though The Walking Dead features an ensemble cast, the original protagonist is undoubtedly the heroic former sheriff Rick Grimes, whose ambiguous Walking Dead ending was resolved in The Ones Who Live. However, the first original Walking Dead character to appear in a spin-off was Morgan, who became the main protagonist in Fear The Walking Dead. Morgan joined the spin-off series in season 4, and later, other Walking Dead characters crossed over to Fear The Walking Dead. Now, many original Walking Dead characters have appeared in a spin-off, but Rick, Carol, and Jadis have appeared in the most.

Rick, Carol, And Jadis Have All Appeared In 3 Different Walking Dead Shows

Carol Has The Potential To Appear In More Walking Dead Spin-Offs

Several of The Walking Dead's most iconic characters have their own spin-off shows. However, before Rick was reunited with Michonne in The Ones Who Live, he appeared in an episode of Fear The Walking Dead, which also featured Carol before she joined Daryl in his spin-off, extending the title to Daryl Dixon: The Book Of Carol. Jadis may not have been a fan favorite, but she has central roles in The Walking Dead, World Beyond, and The Ones Who Live. Just one of these three original Walking Dead characters remains active, making a fourth spin-off appearance possible, though unlikely.

Daryl Dixon was originally set to star both Daryl and Carol equally, but Melissa McBride, who plays Carol, exited the Walking Dead spin-off show before it began filming. AMC's official X account stated that the required relocation to Europe was "logistically untenable" for McBride. However, Carol returned to The Walking Dead franchise, joining Daryl in France. Daryl Dixon season 2 ended with the two traveling to England, believing it to be their best chance at returning to the US. Carol is confirmed to star in Daryl Dixon season 3, making her the character with both the widest and longest-lasting Walking Dead character arc.

Why Jadis' 3-Show Streak Is The Most Impressive

Jadis Is One Of The Walking Dead's Most Complex Characters

Of the three characters with the most spin-off appearances, Jadis has had the most main roles. Rick and Carol were two of the main protagonists in The Walking Dead, and Jadis was a central character for a short period. However, both Rick and Carol's roles in Fear The Walking Dead were brief cameos, while Jadis has had a central role in all three of the Walking Dead shows that she has appeared in. This is not only impressive but understandable, as each series revealed more about The Walking Dead's mysterious Jadis, while Rick and Carol's motivations were already established.

Jadis, with her unusual language, her ambiguous loyalties, and her junkyard home made her one of the most complex characters in The Walking Dead. Jadis regularly changed her allegiances and even her name throughout The Walking Dead franchise, often being known as Anne. Jadis turned from villain to ally in The Walking Dead season 9, but returned as a villain in The World Beyond and The Ones Who Live. Still, her final scenes humanize her once more, as she tells Rick that she wishes she had died an artist, recalling her Walking Dead life, making sculptures in the junkyard.

More The Walking Dead Characters Will Likely Join Rick, Carol, And Jadis

It Is Possible That Daryl And Morgan Could Reunite In The Walking Dead Universe

Many characters who have appeared in two Walking Dead series have resolved their stories, like Michonne, leaving it unlikely that they will appear in a third, like Rick, Carol, and Jadis. However, some younger characters may have more adventures, and RJ or Judith could eventually appear in a third Walking Dead spin-off, or even their own series. Another probability is that two characters with a common goal might reunite. Based on this, while Morgan is the only original Walking Dead character without a spin-off, it looks more likely that he will appear in Daryl Dixon, his third Walking Dead series.

Morgan and Daryl have a common goal in that they are both still looking for Rick Grimes, so, with Daryl Dixon season 3 confirmed and its protagonists wanting to return to the US, it is likely that Carol and Daryl could meet Morgan if he ever appears again. However, The Walking Dead characters' personal missions do not always take a straight path, so although Morgan could eventually appear in Daryl Dixon, his quest to find Rick could take him to a different Walking Dead spin-off series, like the Negan and Maggie-focused Dead City.