Episode 1 of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has fans thinking they’ve spotted a major clue for a CRM uprising.
There are still plenty of walkers to be found in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, but they’re not the biggest threat. That would have to be the CRM, a self-governed military organization that houses and protects the citizens of Philadelphia.
The CRM has made appearances throughout The Walking Dead’s spinoffs, becoming a force to be reckoned with. In the latest show, Rick finds himself in their clutches and is forced to become a soldier to survive.
A complex and political organization, there are plenty of obstacles surrounding the CRM. One underlying element has been kept quiet until now, but some eagle-eyed fans have spotted a clue that hints towards a big CRM plot point.
Walking Dead fans spot clue hinting at civilian uprising against the CRM
On The Walking Dead subreddit, one user shared a screenshot from Episode 1 and drew attention to a small detail. “In the scene where Rick meets up with Esteban in the city, you can see two men holding picket signs meet up in the foreground,” they said, accompanied with the below image:
“Thought it was a neat addition, considering the little bits of info we’ve been given so far in this show and [World Beyond] about the city itself, and also in the scene prior Okafor mentions the CR is nearing a tipping point, with a reckoning coming soon.”
In the screenshot, there’s a resident holding a picket sign that says: “CRM transparency now!” This could be a reference to the ongoing promise by the CRM to eventually revert power to its citizens.
“For those who don’t know, the Civic Republic’s Founding Compact states that the CRM is granted autonomy for 10 years, and then would be subject to civilian oversight,” another user explains. “That deadline has long since passed, and more and more CR civilians are pushing for said transition.”
Other comments suggest that Rick might even be the key to unlocking a civilian uprising against the CRM.
“Yeah, it was made clear in WB that the military were acting outside the reach of the government, carrying out illegal activities in secrecy, war crimes,” another comment said. “If Rick can rally factions inside the city, or rather a resistance movement (which is probably already in place, inside the CRM itself), he’ll take-over.”
While Rick and Michonne’s battle against the CRM continues in Episode 2 of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, there’s still plenty of episodes to go. If a revolution inside the city of Philadelphia occurs, it might not be the worst thing.
