The Walking Dead Season 9: 4 Ups & 1 Down From 'The Obliged'

Ups...

4. The Symbolism In The Bridge

For the most part of Season 9, the survivors have spent their time working away on re-building a nearby bridge. Almost a passion project for him, Rick has taken it upon himself to lead such a mission, asking for help from every single one of the nearby communities - including the Saviours. For our protagonist, the project is a means of connecting the former foes, and bringing everyone closer together.

But it also means a whole lot more. The Bridge is metaphorically representative of Rick Grimes' mission during the ninth season. He is attempting to literally bridge the gap between the communities. In The Obliged, the conflict in said communities is more evident than it ever was before, and as the groups are now at each other's throats, the bridge begins to collapse. What's more, we know that Rick's journey is coming to an end, which is further represented in the collapse of the bridge.