The Walking Dead: 10 Greatest Rick Grimes Moments

You could make a very good argument for this being the single greatest Rick Grimes moment. The Season 4 finale is interspersed with flashbacks of Hershel telling Rick at the prison that his violent ways have made him a poor father. Rick agrees with Hershel and puts his guns down. Those words and Rick putting his guns down ring loudly throughout the episode, which makes the ending all the more brutal.

Stuck in a sticky situation, captured by the Claimer Gang, with his hands tied, and his son about to be abused and killed, it was hard to conceive of how Rick would escape his dilemma. It says a lot that most of us watching could not have predicted what he would do next. As the Claimer leader, Joe, grabs Rick to make him watch Carl be assaulted, Rick instead bites his throat, ripping out his carotid artery.

The savage moment showed how far Rick had come in four seasons, as well as the lengths he would go to for those he loved. Hershel's words rang hollow that night.