Michonne Hawthorne ( ) (later Michonne Grimes in the television series) is a fictional character from The Walking Dead. The character also appears in media adaptations of the series, most notably the television series of the same name, in which she is portrayed by Danai Gurira. Armed with a katana and harboring a mysterious past, in both the comic and TV series Michonne has a prominent role in the conflict between the town of Woodbury led by The Governor, and the Prison group.
In the comic book series, Michonne is a former lawyer as well as a divorcée with two missing daughters. Her conflict with The Governor is much more violent in the comics, enduring sexual assault before mutilating him in revenge. Michonne's mental state deteriorates after many losses, bringing her closer to Rick Grimes, who shares similar trauma. At one point, Michonne runs away to Oceanside, and her absence is explored in a 3-episode mini-series by Telltale Games, exploring her departure and living life at sea.
Michonne's backstory is altered in the television series, having lost a three-year-old son named André Anthony. In the television series, Michonne's trauma and guarded nature gradually diminishes as she slowly recovers and finds herself opening up and investing in a community of Rick's core group. Her conflict with The Governor is motivated by his attempt to kill her after leaving the town under suspicion that he is dangerous and trying to protect her friend Andrea. In addition, her relationship with the Grimes family is explored in more depth. She also develops a romance with protagonist Rick Grimes, becoming a mother to his children, Carl and Judith.
The character has been critically praised, often regarded as a fan-favorite in both mediums. Michonne was voted #86 on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes and Gurira's performance has been well received.
Appearances Comic book series
Early storylines (2005–2008) Michonne is introduced as a mysterious woman armed with a katana. She first appears towing two armless, jawless zombies in shackles and causes no small consternation among the group. She saves Otis from zombies and follows him to the abandoned prison where the group is based. She immediately bonds with Tyreese, recognizing him from his days in the NFL, and shares his passion for weightlifting. They sleep together, precipitating Tyreese's breakup with Carol Peletier; Michonne and Tyreese then become a couple.
Post-prison (2008–2010) After the events at the prison, she returns to look for the RV survivors and puts Tyreese's reanimated remains to peace. When she finds only footprints, she begins to follow them and stumbles upon Rick and his son, Carl. She saves Carl from a zombie and joins up with Rick and Carl. She bonds with them and keeps Rick's "conversations" with Lori secret. They rejoin other surviving members of the group at Hershel Greene's farm. Michonne travels with the survivors in search of safety, and inquires about Morgan Jones' whereabouts.
Alexandria (2010–2012) When the survivors locate the town of Alexandria, a safe haven from the undead, and think they have finally been given an opportunity to rest, Michonne has a difficult time relinquishing her sword, as seen with her confrontation with Alexandria resident Douglas. Another resident, Olivia, persuades Douglas to allow Michonne to keep her weapon. Michonne settles into her new "home" and even hangs her sword above the mantle. She recalls all of the horrific ways she has used it to survive, and finally proclaims, "I am through with you." Michonne begins to let her guard down, and Rick asks Douglas if there is a job for her in the community. Since there is no need for lawyers, Douglas recommends making her a constable to uphold the law in Alexandria.
War against Negan (2012–2014) Michonne and Abraham are clearing zombies away from the Alexandria Safe-Zone perimeter when they are surprised by an unknown man, later revealed to be named Paul "Jesus" Monroe. Jesus reveals he has traveled from a community nearby and wishes to establish an alliance between them all.Kirkman, Robert (w). The Walking Dead #92 (December 2011), Image Comics. Rick lashes out at Jesus, knocking him unconscious, and Michonne helps in tying him up. Rick, Michonne, and Abraham set out to scout the area for an impending threat, but realize Jesus was telling the truth, and Rick decides to work with him.Kirkman, Robert (w). The Walking Dead #93 (January 2012), Image Comics. Rick, Michonne, Jesus, Glenn, Carl and Andrea travel to Jesus' community, the "Hilltop".Kirkman, Robert (w). The Walking Dead #94 (February 2012), Image Comics. Along the way, Paul helps the group defeat walkers even with his hands tied, proving his trustworthiness.
Disappearance and The Walking Dead: Michonne (2014–2016) After the war, there is a time-skip. Michonne is not seen for a long period of time. Rick states that he still misses her "even after all this time."Kirkman, Robert (w). The Walking Dead #131 (September 2014), Image Comics. Michonne's disappearance is explained in the video game.
Final issue (2019) Michonne's last appearance comes in the final issue of the comic series, decades after the tragic murder of Rick. By this point, societies around the world have been restored significantly and walkers are now the oddity rather than the majority. An adult Carl is tried before Michonne, now a High Court judge in the Commonwealth, for the crime of killing walkers Hershel Rhee kept as a travelling show feature, as they are now viewed as property. Michonne determines Carl not guilty, ensuring a peaceful resolution for Carl and his family.The Walking Dead #193
Television series Season 2
Michonne makes her first appearance as a hooded figure near the end of the second-season finale, "Beside the Dying Fire" (though at the time Danai Gurira had not been cast for this role), wherein she saves Andrea from a walker by decapitating it with her katana, which features a triquetra on the inner crossguard. As in the comics, she is accompanied by two chained walkers, side by side with their arms and lower jaws removed to prevent them from attacking. In removing their ability to eat, Michonne effectively tamed these walkers. Michonne has demonstrated economic uses for her pet walkers, such as using them as human pack mules by loading supplies onto their backs as well as a camouflage/repellent, as their presence and scent fools other walkers into thinking those accompanying them are also walkers.
Season 3
In the episode "Walk with Me", Michonne and Andrea are taken by a group led by Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) from a nearby town called Woodbury, run by the Governor (David Morrissey). Andrea, having been severely ill after spending eight months on the road, embraces the town's sense of community which Michonne resists, suspicious of The Governor and his leadership.
In the episode "Say the Word", Michonne ultimately decides to leave alone after failing to convince Andrea to leave. In the episode "Hounded", Michonne's suspicions of The Governor's true nature prove to be true as Merle and his men go after her under the orders of killing her. However, Michonne kills two of Merle's men and escapes. She then spies Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) on a supply run in a nearby town and overhears directions to the prison where they are staying, but Michonne is not able to make contact with them as they are ambushed and kidnapped by Merle. A wounded and weakened Michonne soon arrives at the prison with Maggie and Glenn's basket of infant supplies. In the episode "When the Dead Come Knocking", Michonne is brought into the prison, albeit cautiously, by Carl (Chandler Riggs) and Rick (Andrew Lincoln), who directs Hershel (Scott Wilson) to tend to her wounds. Michonne informs them of Glenn and Maggie's abduction by Merle, of the Governor, and of Woodbury.
During a mission to rescue Glenn and Maggie with the prison group, in the mid-season finale "Made to Suffer", Michonne finds the Governor's zombie daughter, Penny, whom she kills despite his pleas not to. During a hand-to-hand fight, she stabs him in the eye, causing him to lose it. Andrea's arrival and intervention at gunpoint prevents Michonne from killing the Governor.
In the episode "Clear", Rick has her join him and Carl on a weapons run to Rick's hometown, where she bonds with the two and eventually earns their trust. She confides in him about his hallucinations and tells him she used to speak to her dead boyfriend.
Season 4
In the season premiere "30 Days Without an Accident", Michonne comes back to the prison from her tireless search for the Governor which has proved unsuccessful. By this point, Michonne seems to have dropped her guard significantly while staying at the prison, as she is shown joking with Rick and Carl. In the episode "Infected", Michonne is about to head back out on her search, but tries to get back in when a walker attack is announced and she injures her ankle. Beth (Emily Kinney) tends to her wounds, and asks her to watch Rick's baby Judith; when Beth leaves the room, Michonne breaks down crying as she cradles the baby. In the episode "Dead Weight", Michonne and Hershel are taken as hostages by The Governor. In the mid-season finale "Too Far Gone", The Governor ultimately decapitates Hershel with Michonne's katana. Rick's group opens fire, and Michonne rolls away and unties herself. The Governor orders his group to kill everyone at the prison, and they attack, breaking down the fences with their vehicles. When the Governor is punching Rick in the face, Michonne impales him through the chest with her katana killing him and escapes as the prison is overwhelmed by walkers drawn by the noise. In all of the confusion, the surviving members of the group have become separated from each other.
In the mid-season premiere "After", Michonne takes two new walker pets and travels through the woods. While sleeping, she has a nightmare about her former life. The nightmare reveals that Michonne lived a comfortable life with her boyfriend Mike and her young son Andre before the apocalypse. While walking through the forest, she encounters a walker that looks disturbingly similar to her. Realizing the walkers will not attack her because they think she is already dead, Michonne chooses to embrace life instead and cuts down the entire herd of walkers. Following this, she has an emotional breakdown and has a brief monologue addressing Mike. Later in the episode she investigates footprints belonging to Rick and Carl and follows them to a house that they have taken shelter in, crying when she sees them.
In the episode "Claimed", Michonne joins Carl on a run for more supplies in the neighborhood and reveals more about her past in an effort to cheer him up. She reveals she had a three-year-old son named Andre Anthony who died shortly after the outbreak began. Rick, Carl and Michonne are forced to travel in the direction of a camp known as Terminus because a group of men intrude on their house. In the episode "Us", Michonne, Rick, and Carl are following a set of train tracks, and it is revealed that the group of men have been tracking them. In the season finale "A", Michonne, Rick and Carl are nearing Terminus. In the night they are ambushed by the group of marauders and held at gunpoint. Daryl, who is travelling with the marauders, attempts to reason with the leader – Joe (Jeff Kober), to no avail. Joe orders his gang to beat Daryl to death, before telling Rick his group will rape Michonne and Carl before assassinating him. Enraged when Dan (Keith Brooks) tries to rape Carl, Rick snaps and brutally kills Joe by biting out a chunk of his throat. In the following confusion, Michonne manages to get hold of a gun and kill two marauders. With the marauders dead, the reunited gang continue to Terminus.