The Walking Dead has plenty of mysteries surrounding the franchise, but The Ones Who Live indicated that one huge question may never be answered.
The Walking Dead has had countless mysteries since the series began back in 2010, but one of its biggest questions may never be answered after The Ones Who Live. Rick and Michonne’s spinoff brought back two of the franchise’s most important characters while developing one of the biggest villain groups the show has ever seen. The CRM was a major part of the spinoff, but Rick and Michonne defeated them in The Ones Who Live‘s finale, seemingly ending this arc. With the antagonists no longer a focal point, one seven-year mystery looks unlikely to ever be solved.
Given the franchise is constantly continuing through spinoffs and new shows, it is no surprise there are still some stories that haven’t been fully resolved. The Ones Who Live also created some unanswered questions with its finale, which helped build anticipation around The Walking Dead‘s future. However, one mystery from the main show looked like it may be uncovered in Rick and Michonne’s spinoff, yet it remains unsolved. The puzzle was supposedly tied to the CRM, but with the group now defeated, The Walking Dead‘s biggest question may never be answered, leaving one character’s fate a permanent mystery.
Heath’s Absence In The Ones Who Live Suggests His Disappearance Will Never Be Solved
Heath’s Association With The CRM Wasn’t Uncovered In The Ones Who Live
Heath (Corey Hawkins) was an important side character in The Walking Dead, but the reason behind his season 7 disappearance is unlikely to ever be revealed. Although Heath only joined the show in season 6, he was surprisingly written out the following year and his fate was never confirmed. Hawkins left the show due to other acting opportunities, which left his character’s story unfinished. Showrunner Angela Kang did speak about Heath, confirming he was traded to the CRM by Jadis, but this was never highlighted in the show, nor has the character been seen since his disappearance.
With his exit being tied to the CRM, it seemed like Heath would return in The Walking Dead spinoffs, or at the very least, that his story would be given some closure. Unfortunately, despite The Ones Who Live exploring the CRM in depth, there was no mention of Heath and Hawkins didn’t reprise his role. Rick and Michonne’s spinoff was the perfect chance to address Heath’s fate, but given that the puzzle around the character has gone on for over seven years, the series choosing to ignore this huge mystery suggests it will never be answered.
Why The Lack Of Clarity About Heath Is So Disappointing
Heath Had The Potential To Become A Pivotal Character Before His Disappearance
Although Heath wasn’t The Walking Dead‘s most important character, the lack of clarity about his disappearance is still disappointing. Characters like Aaron and Gabriel weren’t overly important when they were first introduced, yet they became some of The Walking Dead‘s best characters, proving Heath had potential. Since Hawkins left due to other opportunities, he clearly had the acting skills to make his character stand out if given the right story. Considering how much Rick’s departure changed the series, Heath could have become a more central character towards the latter end of the show had he been given a proper opportunity.
After the Morales mystery from season 1, it is clear Walking Dead fans are curious about characters disappearing, especially someone who could have played a pivotal role like Heath.
This doesn’t change the fact that Hawkins chose to leave the show, but it does mean his exit should have been handled better. After the Morales mystery from season 1, it is clear Walking Dead fans are curious about characters disappearing, especially someone who could have played a pivotal role like Heath. Therefore, Heath’s fate needed some sort of in-universe explanation, as opposed to simply being mentioned by Kang in an interview. The Walking Dead‘s lack of clarity about what happened to Heath makes him feel like a throwaway character, which is disappointing considering what he could have become.
Could Heath’s Mystery Still Be Solved In The Walking Dead Universe?
The Walking Dead Still Has The Opportunity To Address What Happened To Heath
While the chances of Heath’s mystery being solved seem slimmer than ever, The Walking Dead still has the chance to address this unanswered question. Despite the CRM being defeated in The Ones Who Live, the faction still exists under the oversight of the Civic Republic. With the Civic Republic opening its doors and becoming a peaceful community, the main survivors may choose to move there or at least help rebuild its defenses. Having the central characters spend time in the community could lead to them discovering Heath since he was likely traded to the CRM as a B.
This means he could still be alive in the Civic Republic, which Rick and Michonne never actually visited in their spinoff. They weren’t allowed into the main community, but there is a chance Heath was, which means a future crossover series could reveal he is still alive within the Civic Republic. Given the overall story appears to be moving away from the CRM, it is still incredibly unlikely that the mystery around Heath is uncovered. Both The Walking Dead and Corey Hawkins seem to have moved on from Heath, but the door to his return isn’t completely shut.
