The first full trailer for explains a four-year-old mystery in universe. Set years after Rick's exit from the main show, the upcoming spinoff continues the stories of both Rick and Michonne, whose activities have been the subject of much speculation for some time now. The final minutes of only provided a tease of what they've been up to, and courtesy of , a much deeper glimpse into their next adventures has finally been offered.
For years, has carefully concealed details of Rick's status in the franchise. For the most part, it's only thrown out breadcrumbs. These came in the form of a few Rick Grimes references in
, , and, of course, Michonne's season 10 exit. In the episode in question, Michonne stumbled upon information that hinted at Rick's survival. This big twist came with questions of its own, and one in particular was answered in trailer.
The clue that proved to Michonne that Rick was still alive was a phone that had his writing on it. Curiously, there were some Japanese characters on it as well. At close inspection, fans have been able to determine that it means "
," but the full context of the phase was unclear. And while this interpretation has been confirmed by showrunner Angela Kang, an explanation was never offered in-universe [via ]. That changed with the release of trailer. In addition to revealing the translation, the episode exposed its true meaning, which pertains to Rick's hope of seeing his family again.
Michonne's friend told her that the Japanese words mean, "," which goes hand-in-hand with the tone of the trailer and what was teased of the story. Just before this moment, Rick was shown saying, "" These lines highlight Rick's chief desire at this time: getting back to his family (who were pictured next to the words).
It would appear that the Japanese writing was a reminder to himself that he needed to keep believing that he could accomplish this goal. These words being used to give Michonne the same comfort reinforce that notion.
The inclusion of Rick's phone in the trailer underscores this idea that it's always been a hint at what Rick and Michonne's next story would be in universe. In a sense, it symbolizes what looks to be the theme of
. The footage carries a hopeful tone as it emphasizes Rick and Michonne's determination to find each other. This faith, or their need to "," is poised to be what drives both of them forward in what may be a long journey to a Rick and Michonne reunion.
