One of The Walking Dead comic series’ most enduring romances officially started with one of its most iconic quotes; according to author Robert Kirkman, the tense moment in which Andrea declared “we’re the ones that live” to Rick Grimes, their relationship fundamentally changed, leading them to eventually end up together.

The Walking Dead Deluxe #94 – written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard, and fully-colorized for the first time by Dave McCaig – contains the author’s annotations on the process of writing the issue, as well as his retrospective analysis of how the series developed over time.

As Kirkman noted, this moment “sealed the bond” between Andrea and Rick, subtly signaling the evolution of their close relationship into something more; the love between the two ultimately endured until The Walking Dead’s penchant for tragic endings invariably struck.

One Of The Walking Dead’s Most Triumphant Quotes Led To Its Greatest Romance

The Walking Dead Deluxe #94 – Written By Robert Kirkman; Art By Charlie Adlard; Color By Dave McCaig; Lettering By Rus Wooten

In this scene, Andrea establishes herself as Rick’s equal not just on a narrative level, but within their group of survivors – forging the already strong connection between the two into something unbreakable.

Though it led to a great love story, the scene from The Walking Dead #94 that precipitated the start of Andrea and Rick’s romance is a confrontation, as Rick tries to put his increasing desire to protect Andrea ahead of the best interests of their group. When Rick tries to find a pretext to keep her from going on a dangerous mission, Andrea rebukes him angrily. She declares:

I’m going and I’m not going to die. I’m going to prove to you that you’re not the only one who survives. Haven’t you been paying attention? We’re the ones that live, Rick. We’re the ones who survive. Time after time, it’s us.

In the immediate context of the story, it is a triumphant moment: Andrea effectively forcefully declares herself a main character of equal value to Rick, who is effectively the comic’s protagonist.

In The Walking Dead Deluxe #94, Robert Kirkman cited the more long-term implications of this moment: it signaled the beginning of Rick and Andrea’s relationship. Kirkman wrote:

This issue also features Andrea’s line, “We’re the ones that live.” Which I believe eventually evolved into “We don’t die,” If I’m not mistaken. It sealed the bond for these two characters, and really solidified their connection.

In this scene, Andrea establishes herself as Rick’s equal not just on a narrative level, but within their group of survivors – forging the already strong connection between the two into something unbreakable. It makes sense, then, that they would come to view each other as the only romantic option; if it was not evident to both by this point, The Walking Dead #94 made it clear to Rick and Andrea that they understood one another better than anyone else in the world.

The Walking Dead’s Rick & Andrea Love Story Had An Unsurprisingly Brutal Ending

The “Ones That Live,” But Not Forever

As Kirkman continues to revisit Andrea and Rick’s romance – and their inevitable respective tragic deaths – in The Walking Dead Deluxe , it will be especially exciting to get more of the author’s behind-the-scenes perspective on the evolution of their love story.

The Walking Dead #192 featured the death of Rick Grimes, the shock of which was only overshadowed by the abrupt, unexpected conclusion to the series with the following issue. Andrea, meanwhile, met her fate thirty issues earlier in issue #167. Her death was one of the comic’s most gutwrenching; in large part, the tragedy of it was accentuated by the fact that, for so long, she had been right – her and Rick had been “the ones that live,” until suddenly they weren’t anymore.

Andrea’s demise brought this moment from The Walking Dead #94 full circle; though readers didn’t recognize it at the time, it effectively signaled the beginning of the comic’s final act. As Kirkman continues to revisit Andrea and Rick’s romance – and their inevitable respective tragic deaths – in The Walking Dead Deluxe, it will be especially exciting to get more of the author’s behind-the-scenes perspective on the evolution of their love story. For many, the Andrea-Rick comic relationship is the bestThe Walking Dead franchise has to offer, and the Deluxe reprint offers the chance to chart it in detail, step-by-step.

The Walking Dead Deluxe #94 is available now from Image Comics.