Apart from The Walking Dead’s most recent (supposed) loss, fans of the AMC horror-drama couldn’t help raising a familiar flag at an apparent injury Rick suffered over the course of Sunday’s hour. We’ve seen plenty of characters losing one appendage or another, but could Rick’s hand have finally reached the chopping block?

You’re warned of some light spoilers for The Walking Dead comics from here on out, but one of the franchise’s earlier shocks took place when Woodbury’s villainous Governor took a machete to Rick’s right hand, an injury that affected everything about the character’s daily life from then on. Series creator Robert Kirkman has even admitted some regret over the decision, noting how often it forced him to rethink Rick’s ability to operate in any given situation.

Walking Dead Season 6 Rick Hand
Image Comics
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One of the more iconic images of the series, fans of AMC’s adaptation have long wondered if Andrew Lincoln’s Rick might eventually suffer the same injury, even with The Governor having long since passed. That speculation resurfaced this past Sunday, as Rick was seen to have visibly sliced his hand in an exchange with a walker, tending to it the rest of the episode.

Thankfully, The Hollywood Reporter got some straight-forward confirmation from showrunner Scott Gimple, that no, the incident will not require amputation of Rick’s hand, nor will said injury ever necessarily come about:

I’ll give you an absolute because I’ve been dealing with a lot of ambiguity in storytelling here in protecting the story: Rick’s hand is safe. You can proclaim it from the mountaintops: His hand is safe! He will be wrapping it. There will be some ointments involved.

This isn’t the first time an in-character injury has sparked speculation of Rick’s hand, but granted so many opportunities, it doesn’t appear as if The Walking Dead will ever venture as far as crippling its lead. As with Kirkman’s regret, the injury would also require effects work for every subsequent shot of Rick, or at least use of a prosthetic, a tall order for The Walking Dead’s seemingly unlimited future.

In the meantime, The Walking Dead Season 6 will continue with this coming Sunday’s 90-minute “Here’s Not Here.” Hopefully, no one living loses a hand there either.

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