Now in its eleventh season, AMC's undead adventure is as strong as ever even without the iconic Rick Grimes. With many viewers having stuck with The Walking Dead since the beginning, fun throwbacks are almost always welcome and can lead to some incredibly satisfying and exciting TV moments.
Whether it's Alexandria, The Sanctuary, Glenn, or Morgan, the show's places and people have been through it all, and have undergone great changes as a result. When The Walking Dead gives a nod to a classic moment, whether it's a well-hidden Easter egg or blatant callback to a hugely significant event, fans lap it up.
9 The Opening Credits Are A Callback Treasure Chest
The Walking Dead's opening credits have long been a fantastic place for a spot of nostalgic treasure hunting. Since the show's early seasons, fans have been searching for little nods to moments passed amongst the sounds of Bear McCreary's chilling theme music.
Standout inclusions feature the likes of the very red-handed machete that was used to kill the cannibalistic Gareth, the pocket watch that Hershel gifted to Glenn, Carol's knife, and the hanging glass from Negan's last stand against Officer Friendly himself, Rick Grimes.
8 Andrea Knows How The Safety Works
Andrea may have rubbed a large portion of The Walking Dead fans the wrong way, her poor decision-making and often stubborn nature made her somewhat irritating at times, though even with this in mind, her death remains one of the show's most tragic.
Back in Season 1, Andrea held Rick at gunpoint, but Officer Friendly was kind enough to teach her how the safety works. Gun training followed for Andrea under the guidance of Rick and Shane, and then moments before her death in Season 3, her last words to Rick are to reassure him that she knows how the safety works, regarding the gun with which she is about to end her own life.
7 Glenn Is An R.V. Expert Thanks To His Old Friend Dale
Dale was a mentor and more importantly a great friend to Glenn, and the old man with the R.V. passed on as much of his knowledge as he could to Glenn in Seasons 1 and 2.
Years after Dale's tragic death, Glenn was on the road with Abraham and company when the group ran into vehicle troubles. Glenn immediately solved the issue by taking a battery from an R.V. He knew exactly where to look, and though Glenn never mentions his old friend, the look of sorrow in his face tells the story, Dale's teachings were still serving Glenn long after his passing.
6 Dr. Jenner's Words Ring True In "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be"
One of The Walking Dead's greatest callbacks isn't actually seen on screen, it appears as an episode name. Season 7, Episode 1, titled "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" saw the horrific and heartbreaking deaths of both Glenn and Abraham, and never before nor since has Rick Grimes been so truly defeated in a single showdown.
The episode's title calls back to Season 1, when Rick manages to persuade Dr. Jenner to allow his group a chance to escape the soon-to-be-exploding CDC building. Rick tells Jenner that he's grateful for the opportunity to live, then Jenner replies, "The day will come when you won't be." Few could have predicted just how bad things would eventually get for Rick and his friends.
5 Glenn's Well Wishes Over Walkie-Talkie Continue
Glenn's introduction back in Season 1 was initially of the audio-only variety, as he called out to a helpless Rick Grimes through a walkie-talkie. Glenn's first words remain fan-favorites and perfectly summed up the heroic pizza delivery boy as a character.
Fast-forward to Season 6, with Rick and Glenn separated on a dangerous mission, Glenn wishes Rick good luck over a walkie-talkie in a touching throwback to the pair's first exchange. They wouldn't be Glenn's final words to Mr. Grimes, but they certainly left an uneasy feeling in the audience members regarding Glenn's fate.
4 The Heroes Will Always Have A Job To Do
Season 6 would offer up multiple callbacks through Glenn Rhee's dialogue, and one of the more touching is when Glenn says "We all have a job to do." The significance of the phrase, of course, is that it has long been something of a catchphrase for the Greene family, stemming from Hershel, played expertly by the late, great Scott Wilson.
Hershel's daughters, Beth and Maggie, each used the phrase as their own, and Glenn saying it showed just how much Hershel's wisdom and Maggie's strength had rubbed off on him over time.
3 Questions Still Require Answers, & It's Still A Common Courtesy
In The Walking Dead's very first episode, Morgan takes in an overwhelmed and injured Rick. After Mr. Grimes shows some reluctance in answering Morgan's questions, Morgan says "I ask, you answer, it's common courtesy."
Season 6 would bring about Morgan's sensational return as a series regular, and when giving vague answers to Rick's questions about the time passed, Rick repeats the classic line from their first meeting. Most fans couldn't help but smile on hearing the line again, it makes for one of The Walking Dead's most enjoyable throwbacks.
2 The Chokehold Is Still Illegal
Way back in The Walking Dead's first season, the lovable little Dixon brother burst onto the scene after some cleverly placed build-up dialogue, and moments after endearing himself to fans, Daryl's erratic behavior called for some Rick and Shane intervention.
The cop duo subdued Daryl, and in the midst of the scuffle, the crossbow king called out the use of the chokehold for being illegal, gifting fans one of the show's most hilarious moments. Many years later, Rick and Daryl threw down once more, and after Daryl got the upper hand using that same move, Rick Grimes reminded Mr. Dixon that the chokehold is still illegal.
1 Judith Follows In Her Big Brother's Footsteps
Judith Grimes may not have faired so well in the comics, but in the AMC's show, she is alive and well underneath the family sheriff hat. Judith made her first appearance as a wise-beyond-her-years 10-year-old after the time jump in Season 9, and she made a serious statement upon doing so.
Judith saves a group of survivors as they're under attack from the undead. It makes for an exceptionally cool scene, but even more so when taking into account that she saves these survivors in identical fashion to how big brother Carl did way back in the prison in Season 3. It's clear that heroism runs in the Grimes family.