4. His Relationship With Carl Will Be Strained
Despite Rick's flaws as a leader, you can't fault the love he has for his son. You only need to look at his reaction when Carl was shot in season 2 to see that even in zombie hell, Rick wants his son to survive. In one of the darkest moments of the show, Lori suggested that it may not be the worst thing if Carl didn't survive in this world. Of course, Rick rejected this idea and, since Lori's death, his bond with his son appears to have grown stronger. But how is Carl going to react to the news that his father has essentially condemned a fellow member to an untimely death? It could go either way really. Carl may believe Rick's assertions that Carol killed two innocent people and she needed to go. Or he may think that his father is finally losing control. Or he could believe everything, but still feel that it was the wrong move. We can see that Carl still has a deep admiration for his father, and understands the difficult job he has taken on. When he first put on Rick's hat and badge, it was quite a cute moment in a show sparse with them. But this has developed and he has now fully grown into a sort of mini-Rick. He is adept with a weapon and has a level head (perhaps even more so than his father). But if he decides to take his father's side, what kind of effect will it have on him as a person? Carl has had to grow up incredibly quick and has adapted well considering the circumstances, but this may be asking too much of him. The innocence that he once had has been slowly eroding and may disappear completely if he accepts Rick's decision. So will Carl remain on Rick's side? Will he see it as a necessary precaution and stand by his father's decision? Or will this shatter the faith he once had and take him on a rebellious path? Either way, it's going to have a significant and perhaps irreparable impact on their relationship.