Aaqib Majid
Season 11 marked the end of *The Walking Dead*’s main series, but the world it created is far from done. The story has been carried on by spin-offs such as *Fear the Walking Dead*, *The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon*, *The Walking Dead: Dead City*, and *The Ones Who Live*. However, fans still have a number of unanswered concerns and mysteries that remain after years of storytelling and a vast amount of content. While some are more about discarded plotlines or individuals that just disappeared, others are narrative holes. The fandom continues to speculate, theorize, and rewatch episodes in an attempt to piece together the truth because of these unsolved riddles. These are the top seven mysteries that the show left viewers wondering about long after the last credits had rolled.
The origins of the virus itself are one of *The Walking Dead*’s oldest and most fascinating mysteries. The show never explains the origin of the virus, how it spread over the world, or whether it was a man-made bioweapon, but we do know that eventually the whole population got infected—everyone becomes a walker upon death, regardless of how they die. In *The Walking Dead: World Beyond*, a post-credits scene alluded to a French facility and a more hazardous version, but it left more questions than it answered. Was it a mishap? A war act? The distorted evolution of nature? Although the comic’s creator, Robert Kirkman, previously claimed that the genesis was unimportant to the plot, fans have continued to wonder.
Next is the mystery surrounding Heath, a beloved character played by Corey Hawkins, who disappeared in Season 7 during a supply run with Tara. He was fending off walkers one minute, and then he vanished, leaving behind nothing but his spectacles and an enigmatic RV with a PPP card on the ground. Heath’s trade to the CRM (Civic Republic Military) was later confirmed behind the scenes by showrunners, although the explanation was never shown on screen. Even *The Ones Who Live*, which had a strong CRM focus, never brought up his story again. Did Heath survive? Was he subjected to experiments? Unless he reappears in a later spin-off, fans might never find out.
One of the most enigmatic organizations in *The Walking Dead* universe is the Civic Republic Military itself. Subtly introduced in a number of shows, the CRM is portrayed as a highly developed, dictatorial organization with extensive resources and cruel methods. They are in charge of kidnapping Rick Grimes and imposing fascist-style social control. We still don’t fully comprehend their hierarchy, their ultimate objective, or how they maintained such a strong civilization in a post-apocalyptic world, despite the fact that entire episodes and spin-offs have been devoted to them. While other groups were having trouble finding canned food, how could they keep up with helicopters, fuel, cutting-edge weapons, and science labs? Since Major General Beale is no longer among them, who is in charge? Although the CRM is a strong force, it is still unclear how much of an impact and motivation they have.
What happened to the rest of the planet is another big enigma. With only fleeting glimpses of how the pandemic impacted areas like Georgia, Virginia, and portions of New York and France, *The Walking Dead* is heavily focused on the United States. However, what about South America, Africa, Asia, or Europe? Has the pandemic been effectively contained in any countries? Are there any unaffected regions or administrations in operation? With the exception of a few fleeting references in *World Beyond* and that French laboratory scene, the apocalypse’s worldwide reach is still unknown. Without any areas of resistance or survival, it’s difficult to imagine that the entire globe suffered the same fate.
In relation to survival, the destiny of the apocalyptic children, especially Judith and RJ, remains an unsolved subplot. Even though she was raised by fighters like Daryl, Carol, and Michonne, Judith is still a child by the conclusion of the main series. However, the timeframe advances as new series keep adding to the cosmos. Will Judith follow in her parents’ footsteps and become a leader? Is RJ merely a supporting character or does he ever play a bigger part? Although Judith and RJ’s destinies are still up in the air, the final episode offered a glimpse of a better future as they watched the sunrise. Are they being kept for a spin-off in the future? Do they have more significant responsibilities to play in the world’s transformation?
Longtime fans are still perplexed by the true nature and intent of the experiments in *The Walking Dead: World Beyond*. Researchers from the CRM were depicted conducting graphic and ethically dubious experiments on test subjects, possibly even utilizing real humans for infection investigations. Were they attempting to create a weapon, a cure, or both? And why hasn’t it been covered in other franchise sections if they were on the verge of something important? Despite being mostly unexplored, this subplot appeared ready for development, particularly in a show like *The Ones Who Live*. Though not enough to provide us with specific answers, there are allusions to cutting-edge research and perhaps reanimation suppression.
Last but not least, some abandoned communities continue to suffer. From Georgie’s enigmatic civilization, which provided Maggie with the blueprints for windmills and printing presses, to the Vatos in Season 1, the series introduced us to dozens of survivor tribes.
Even while many character arcs in *The Walking Dead* were completed, these unresolved strands demonstrate the complexity of the show’s universe and its propensity to leave things open, whether on purpose or not. Future spin-offs might explore some of these mysteries, while others might stay unanswered indefinitely, contributing to the Reddit threads and fan theories that have sustained the program long after its conclusion. The unresolved mysteries are a big part of what makes *The Walking Dead* such a gripping and expansive epic, whether you find it annoying or fascinating.