This has been bugging me all week since the premiere and I have been thinking that maybe Rick thinks or knows that he is ill somehow and the old man Rick scenes are his fear and thoughts about this as he goes forward into war?

He seems to not have the spring in his steps as before and they linger on several shots where he is physically somewhat reserved in almost imperceptible ways but what if he knows he is really sick and these scenes are his imagining the future with this ?

It would help explain his obvious condition in the scenes and how everyone else looks normal while he looks like crap.

Rewatching just the cold open again these same thoughts flashed in my mind.

And now after the scene above the wall with Gabriel Rick looks like crap again and is moving pretty slowly,I think they wan tus to notice that something is not right with him.