The 9th season sees Rick taking a different, more diplomatic approach to his role as a community leader. Rick insists on sparing Negan and imprisoning him rather than kill him, even though many disagree with this. Ultimately, this decision leads to Negan's own quest for redemption, which continues to cause ripples in "The Walking Dead."
Rick joins Michonne in caring for Judith and R.J., which seems to at least partially return him to his early life. He tends to the land and works in service of the community rather than trying to get everyone to bend to his will. Not surprisingly, this leads him to have greater influence than ever among the people of Alexandria.
Though at this point Rick has lost so many beloved people in his life, it's important to note who has stuck around. Even in Rick's worst moments, Michonne has remained steady as a rock and she has helped him each step of the way. She rallied behind him even when Rick was a broken man and he gets to a place where he can finally be there for her as well.
Judith and R.J. benefit from Rick's new, less desperate outlook, and they all remain affected by the memory of Carl. Meanwhile, Rick finds a new brother figure in Daryl. While the two argue early on, Rick finds trust in Daryl that allows him to build a closeness that's a far cry from what he once had with the conniving and malicious Shane. Even after so much loss, Rick still puts family at the center of his world, even if it doesn't look like what he once imagined.
