Ok, enough child molestation and open sores. Aeghgah, this has been the most disgusting discussion on these threads so far. Damn you RK. When the next issue coming to answer all of these questions already?!

 

Wow, after everything Rick has been through, an arrow to the side seems like a crappy, anti-climactic way to go. I remember reading an interview with Kirkman where he said something along the lines of the better the character, the more gruesome the death he gives them, as a kind of respect. Though I suppose if the arrow is tainted and Rick turns, that could get pretty gruesome...

 

An arrow through the stomach is a pretty poetic way to go, all things considered. It won't prohibit him from doing his job...for a little while. And it'll give him a chance to say goodbye to everyone he cares about- Carl, Andrea, Michonne, the survivors that have all looked up to him and will now have to think for themselves.

If this is Rick dying, it could be a very beautiful ending.

 

To my mind, there is in this number 123 a panel "proving" that Dwight's disloyalty towards Rick's group is not something we could dubt of (excuse my French, but i do am French and my English kinda sucks). When Negan Lucilles the head of that guy by the end of the issue, we can see Dwight shooting a man in the shoulder whereas he is only a few feet from him. We saw in the past that Dwight is very accurate when he uses his crossbow, so it seems pretty obvious to me that he intends to be credible to Negan's eyes in this assault part and he does what he can to avoid killing, especially Rick because he needs him to end Negan. I guess this excludes the tainted arrow theory.

In my opinion, this arrow is nothing but a cool cliffhanger for that issue. I'm down with the people who say Rick can't die because of a Dwight.

But all this doesn't tell me why Dwight didn't kill Negan when it was just the two of them :zombies_confused:

 

Im actually leaning towards it being tainted and Rick being
a goner/: check out 124 cover looks like Rick has a fever

 

I hand't seen it. I wouldn't be surprised it's nothing but a troll to make readers think it was actually tainted. But you may be right of course, we'll find this out soon!

 

Having your liver/pancreas punctured with an arrow would probably give anyone a fever...tainted arrow or not. I'm hoping that the arrow is tainted and that Negan is stupid for believing that the "muck" will infect someone without testing it.

 

So basically, Rick's toast.

 

I think Rick's going to die next issue. RK said that this issue will show his final fate. He's dying. And he's getting killed by my favorite character who didn't even want to kill him. :/

Get your tissues ready guys, it's happening in 6 more days.... If I'm right, it's going to be quite the event, right? Especially for anyone that's been reading the comics since for years now.

I mean, look at Carl and Andrea in 125 and 126, Carl especially. That kid is in a dark place now, and I think we're going to know why.

 

You might be reading too much into something Kirkman said. RK loves playing games with us. If Rick's "final fate" is to die then who's to say it's not years from now after the comic arcs are over?

 

Here are my thought on 123 and beyond:

 

I can see Rick going out that way. Putting down the ultimate evil to save his son and the others. That is what a true hero does. And Rick is a true hero.