TWD: The Ones Who Live: Here's how long Rick and Michonne have been apart

Spoiler alert! If you have not yet watched The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 1 or are behind the show, please note there are spoilers ahead. Go stream the episode on AMC+ before reading.

Rick and Michonne are back! Well, not back together (yet). But both Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira are once again gracing our screens as the iconic characters Rick and Michonne Grimes in the latest The Walking Dead spin-off, TWD: The Ones Who Live. Do you know how long it's been since the couple last saw each other?

Fans last saw Rick Grimes in season 9 episode 5. Everyone, with the exception of Michonne, presumed Rick to be dead. After all, who survives an explosion? None other than Rick Grimes does, of course! Since Rick's disappearance, Michonne has been searching, pausing only after giving birth to her and Rick's son, Rick Jr. (or RJ, for short). But after finding possible evidence that Rick is still alive, Michonne continued her search.

In The Ones Who Live episode 1, fans catch up with Rick. Audiences learn how (and who) saved Rick's life, where Rick has been all this time, and how desperate he is to escape his current situation. Now, Rick and Michonne don't reunite just yet! We'll have to keep watching, but, to prepare. Here are some things to know and remember.

Rick and Michonne have been apart for almost a decade

Let's do some quick math. Rick and Michonne's son is about eight years old. But Rick didn't even know Michonne was pregnant when he disappeared. Rounding things up, this is almost nine years. Yet, their love for each other and their family remains strong. Sadly, this means that Rick has not only never met his son, but Rick has no idea he even has a son. One can only imagine that, upon learning this, Rick will be even more desperate to get back home.

What do you think of the series so far? I know we're only one episode in, but it's shaping up to be a great, much-needed story that will hopefully bring fans some closure. Here's when the next episode is coming out and how to watch so you don't miss any of the action.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode schedule

New episodes will drop weekly on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on the AMC network. You can also watch on AMC+ or the streaming platform you have replaced cable with, such as FuboTV.