Rick led his people to the Alexandria Safe Zone outside Washington, D.C. where he became the leader and eventually one of the four co-leaders of the Militia - a joint group of communities in the area with Hilltop Colony, Kingdom, and Oceanside. The Militia was formed to combat the extortionist group known as the Saviors, led by Negan Smith, that terrorized all four communities. The Militia waged a war against the Saviors and won. However, Carl was bitten during the war and died. Rick was inspired by Carl's dream of rebuilding civilization and decided to spare Negan and sentenced him to life in prison, which was controversial to his allies as they wanted Negan dead. Eighteen months after the war, Rick sacrificed himself by blowing up a bridge to keep a herd of zombies from overrunning Hilltop. Presumed dead by his loved ones, Rick was rescued by former ally Anne and taken away by the Civic Republic Military (CRM) on a helicopter to the Civic Republic, located in the former city of Philadelphia
After being conscripted as a consignee, Rick tried numerous times to escape and return home to his family, including amputating his left hand in a failed attempt. Despite being recaptured, he managed to smuggle clues onto a boat where it was later found by Michonne. Rick eventually agreed to join the CRM through the means of his ally, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor, who planned to reform the CRM from the inside alongside strong and trusted individuals like Rick and Pearl Thorne. Initially, Rick planned to use his position as a way to escape, working his way up through the ranks and becoming a Sergeant Major. However, Rick lost his way after years of being gone from his family. Eight years gone, Rick unexpectedly reunited with Michonne, and the two planned their escape. Following the briefing by Major General Johnathan Beale about a division in the CRM's upper ranks who were actively committing atrocities for continental superiority, Rick and Michonne destroyed the division, including Beale, and successfully exposed their genocidal acts to the Civic Republic. With the Civic Republic reformed to allow free movement, Rick was finally able to return home to the Commonwealth with Michonne, reunite with Judith, and meet his son, R.J
