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Aside from the circumstances of how it happened, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has made a massive change to the loss of Rick Grimes' hand.

Warning: Spoilers for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 1

Summary

• The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live brings a pivotal moment from the comics to the small screen by having Rick Grimes lose his hand, although it is his left hand instead of his right hand.
• The loss of Rick's hand is a significant challenge for him, but not as difficult as in the comics where he had to relearn many everyday tasks. His left hand being cut off allows for a slightly easier adjustment.
• Changing which hand Rick loses was a practical decision for the show, as it made filming and action scenes easier. It also adds a narrative element, as Rick's decision to cut off his hand shows his control over his own fate in this life-altering event.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live made a massive change to the loss of Rick Grimes' hand in Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comics. Having his hand cut off was a pivotal moment for Rick in the source material that happened early on in the story. And thanks to the series premiere of his spinoff with Michonne on AMC, the franchise has finally brought this key development to the small screen.

In the comics, Rick lost his hand to the Governor, meaning it happened in the early part of The Walking Dead's run. The TV version of the character, however, kept his hand throughout all the adventures based on the comics. But while it's true that the franchise moved past that period of Rick's life years ago, that didn't stop The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live from adapting it regardless. For that reason, both the timing and the circumstances of the event differ considerably. Interestingly, both are superficial changes in comparison to the other detail the show altered.

The Governor cut off Rick's hand in retaliation for the character refusing to reveal the location of his group's headquarters - the prison - in The Walking Dead #28.

Rick Grimes Loses His LEFT Hand In The Ones Who Live

The biggest difference between the comics and the show in regards to this moment in Rick Grimes' Walking Dead journey is that the comic hero lost his right hand. In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, Rick was among the prisoners deployed by the Civic Republic Military during an operation in the woods. To make sure the prisoners remained under their control, the CRM bound chains to one of their wrists, allowing them to function as leashes. Having seen this excursion as a way to break free, Rick cut off his left hand, the one that the chain is linked to in the episode.

Both instances, obviously, amount to a life-changing ordeal. That said, there is a sizable discrepancy in just how trying this loss is for the two Walking Dead characters. In The Walking Dead comics, Rick had to relearn how to go through multiple facets of everyday life, including shooting. Rick was always considered a good shot in the comics, but that largely stemmed from the practice he had using his right hand. Having lost his dominant hand, the one he used to accomplish most tasks, Rick struggled greatly in adapting to this new situation.

Of course, the loss his left hand should still be considered a massive adjustment for Rick, but perhaps to a lesser extent. Rick needing help killing the walker at the beginning of the episode was evidence of the challenges it's giving him, but it's also important to note that this was hard for him because he was trying to use a weapon he usually held with two hands. Rick will likely continue to deal with this problem, but it's not quite the same as it would be if he lost his right hand. The processes he uses for one-handed tasks won't need to be completely relearned.

Why The Walking Dead Changed Which Hand Rick Loses

The decision to cost Rick his left hand works well for the show from a practical sense. Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman has acknowledged that taking Rick's hand away posed a unique creative challenge, as it forced various scenes to be drawn and approached differently than it would be for a character with two hands. Understanding that the same obstacle would plague the show, Kirkman avoided Rick's hand amputation scene in the main series.

Taking away his left hand, though, allows Rick and Michonne's spinoff to keep this important event while also lessening its impact on the show at the same time. Presumably, it makes shooting his scenes easier for Andrew Lincoln and the production as a whole. Plus, there's the matter of the action, which Rick is heavily involved in. Despite lost his hand recently, Rick is still incredibly dangerous. This fact was on display during his heated fight with Okafor in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 1. There's no question that the loss has affected him, but it hasn't ruined his ability to fight. He should be able to continue shooting effectively as well.

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What's more, the change also makes sense from a narrative standpoint. Unlike what happened in the comics, Rick getting his hand cut off was his own choice in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Rick was able to consider the potential consequences of his actions in advance. Since the whole plan was premeditated, it's likely that Rick only went through with it because he believed that he could navigate the zombie apocalypse without his left hand if necessary. The comic character had no such control over this life-altering event.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live releases new episodes on Sundays on AMC.

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