Richonne: The Movie

This post contains spoilers from the most recent season of The Walking Dead.

There are some people who are against the romantic pairing of Rick and Michonne (portmanteau: Richonne) on The Walking Dead. I know. I know. Those people are why we can’t have nice things.

Some find the relationship creepy – don’t even get me started on all the ways that’s not only stupid, but offensive – while others find it odd because they view the two like family. Since Michonne has become a second mother to Carl, it’s ridiculous that anyone would be surprised that Rick might begin to view her as a spouse, a partner, an equal and all that those things imply. Even Andrew Lincoln’s mom has been wanting this romance to happen for years.

Anti-Richonne viewers say the relationship “came out of nowhere.” The only way the two of them having sex in the The Next World episode could be seen as coming out of nowhere is if the person viewing it had never seen a second of the show prior to watching the two of them on the couch, and someone told them that Rick and Michonne just met. Anyone else who has been watching since the beginning knows this relationship was cultivated and born from mutual love and respect. Also, within a day or two of meeting Glenn, Maggie offered to have sex with him and no one has a problem with that “out of nowhere” romance.

But perhaps my favorite (and by favorite I mean, it makes me roll my eyes so hard I almost pass out) argument against Rick and Michonne being in love is that “she’s so strong; she doesn’t need a man!”

Ah, the Strong Black Woman trope.

Carol’s strong, yet people constantly want her paired with Daryl even though their relationship has felt more like a mother and son. Maggie is strong, but people swoon over her and Glenn. Why is Michonne not deserving of finding love? Why can’t we view her as being soft and loving with someone other than Rick’s kids?

In response to the “it’s too sudden” cries, Vimeo user Brittany Butler made this fantastic video, editing together all of the important scenes that led to Richonne. It’s an hour and a half and plays like a sweet love story… with blood and guts.

Even if you’re not aboard the Richonne ship, I think we can all agree that Brittany is the real MVP. That’s the kind of dedicated fan we love at Project Fandom.