“The Walking Dead” marked another major exit Sunday, but like the last character of similar magnitude to leave, the departure wasn’t feet first, but rather designed to continue expanding the brand elsewhere.
Still, if it’s a boost to those efforts, losing Gurira surely deals a blow to the main program, which has already had key players siphoned off for various offshoots.
AMC hasn’t appeared concerned that the various extensions will dilute the original, which continues to lumber along — still formidable by the current standards of TV ratings, if a shadow of the juggernaut that it once was.
As for Michonne’s sendoff, the series employed an interesting what-if device, illustrating other directions that her life might have gone in had she not made the decisions that brought her into the show.
That included, at the beginning and end, the arresting image that introduced her, with a pair of armless zombies in tow designed to keep other “walkers” at bay.
Granted, having her drugged and hallucinating felt a bit manipulative. But the approach offered a way to commemorate her journey since joining the show in the third season, offering a reminder of the character’s personal arc over that span. That included showing mercy toward Virgil (Kevin Carroll), even after he lied to and imprisoned her.
Like Rick, Michonne isn’t gone or forgotten, but she will be missed. “The Walking Dead” has seen its share of comings and goings over the years, but if history’s any guide, there are certain casualties — and a level of star power — that aren’t easily replaced.