The Walking Dead Finally References Rick Grimes’ Brother, Jeffrey
Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3, episode 3, “El Sacrificio”.Throughout the past 15 years, Rick Grimes has been the most crucial survivor in The Walking Dead‘s TV universe, yet his forgotten family member hadn’t been mentioned until Daryl Dixon came along. Having been introduced in the very first episode, Rick’s influence was felt immediately, with the captivating character only growing and developing over the following seasons.
From a loving father delighted to reunite with his family, to a vengeful leader who would do anything to protect his group, Rick underwent significant change throughout the series, cementing himself as a TV icon. Sadly, Andrew Lincoln exited The Walking Dead in season 9, but he eventually reprised his role in the show’s finale before fully returning in The Ones Who Live.
Here, Lincoln delivered some of his best TWD performances as Rick Grimes, and it felt like we had learned almost everything there was to know about the character. However, Daryl Dixon season 3 just referenced his brother from the comic series, confirming Jeffrey does exist in the TV universe despite the protagonist never mentioning him during his Walking Dead journey.
Carol Indirectly Mentions Jeffrey Grimes During Daryl Dixon Season 3, Episode 3
Melissa McBride as Carol leaning on something and looking into the distance with blood on her head in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
While loyal comic fans may have given up hope of The Walking Dead‘s TV adaptation ever mentioning Jeffrey Grimes, Daryl Dixon season 3 finally acknowledged his existence. Surprisingly though, it wasn’t Rick who mentioned his brother; instead, Carol indirectly brings up the forgotten Grimes family member during a conversation with Antonio in “El Sacrificio.”
With Carol’s shoulder injury from the premier yet to fully heal, Antonio offered to change her bandage as she was bleeding again, leading to the two chatting and getting to know each other better. Being a Spanish native, Antonio eventually mentions Barcelona, to which Carol replies, “Barcelona? I have a friend whose brother lived there, back before.”
Given that Jeffrey was in Spain during the apocalypse in his one and only comic appearance, it feels like a certainty that Carol was referring to him. Although we’ve never heard Rick mention him, clearly, he must’ve told the group about his sibling at some point, hence why Carol mentioned knowing someone in Spain.
It also doesn’t make much sense for any other survivors to have family in Barcelona, as the franchise hasn’t indicated that anyone else is connected to the European city. Therefore, Daryl Dixon season 3’s Jeffrey Grimes reference provides a long-awaited payoff for fans who have been eagerly awaiting the character’s introduction for almost a decade.
Is Jeffrey Grimes Still Alive In The Walking Dead TV Universe?
Jeffrey Grimes sitting on the deck of a boat and smiling in The Walking Dead: The Alien comic
Unfortunately, Jeffrey suffers a tragic demise in the source material, as he is bitten by a walker while traveling towards the US, but it remains unclear if his TV counterpart shares the same fate. Although we’ve had our first mention of the character, there is very little to indicate whether he is alive or dead, other than Carol’s single line.
Her tone is relatively somber, and the fact that she used the word “lived” over “lives” may suggest Jeffrey is already dead in the TV universe. That said, if he was in Spain when the outbreak happened, it’s hard to imagine confirmation of his death making it back to the US, meaning Rick probably doesn’t know what happened to his brother.
This means Jeffrey’s fate is still completely up in the air, and unless he is introduced in some capacity, whether as a living character or through a flashback, it will probably remain this way. However, now that The Walking Dead has officially stopped ignoring Rick’s brother, there is a small chance he will feature in the future.
The timing may feel weird, given it’s unclear if Andrew Lincoln will return as Rick ever again, but with Daryl Dixon mentioning Jeffrey for the first time in the TV universe’s 15-year history, fans can be optimistic that he is still alive out there somewhere, and we could potentially even see him at some point during Daryl’s spinoff.
Will We Ever See Jeffrey Grimes Appear On-Screen?
A close-up of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes looking seriously to the side in The Walking Dead
Now that Jeffrey is officially part of The Walking Dead TV series’ canon, the real question is whether we’ll see him appear on-screen or not. The idea of Rick’s brother interacting with some of the franchise’s most iconic survivors is certainly tantalizing, and it’s hard not to get excited about the prospect, but it also isn’t entirely realistic.
His role in the comics was minuscule at best, with the character appearing in a one-shot issue titled The Walking Dead: The Alien. Although it is canon to the comic universe, The Alien is hardly pivotal to the overall story, suggesting Jeffrey isn’t either, despite being related to the main protagonist.
Daryl Dixon Season 3 Episodes
Release Date
Episode 1 – “Costa da Morte”
September 7, 2025
Episode 2 – “La Ofrenda”
September 14, 2025
Episode 3 – “El Sacrificio”
September 21, 2025
Episode 4 – “La Justicia Fronteriza”
September 28, 2025
Episode 5 – “Limbo”
October 5, 2025
Episode 6 – “Contrabando”
October 12, 2025
Episode 7 – Solaz del Mar”
October 19, 2025
Additionally, while it would be nice to see Rick Grimes reunite with Jeffrey, his reunions with Daryl, Negan, Morgan, and many more characters feel much more important. As a result, bringing Jeffrey into the narrative now and turning him into a key survivor not only feels too late, but it’s also not the story Rick needs if he does come back.
Still, despite how unlikely it looks, Daryl Dixon taking place in Spain does make Jeffrey’s on-screen debut possible. At the very least, it gives The Walking Dead a chance to explain what happened to him, and Daryl learning this information and bringing it back to Rick would only make their long-awaited reunion more emotional.
Overall, Jeffrey Grimes making an appearance could still be on the cards despite how long the franchise has waited, but it feels more likely that the reference was more to appease fans, rather than the start of a major storyline.
Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Danai Gurira, Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chandler Riggs, Steven Yeun, Lennie James
The Walking Dead is a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television series The Walking Dead in 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
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