The final scene and line of AMC’s The Walking Dead: Season 4 was directly inspired by creator Robert Kirkman’s comic. What works in the comic isn’t always appropriate for the small screen, such as the abhorrent acts committed by the Governor on Michonne that were toned way back. As it so happens, Rick Grimes’ proclamation to wrap up Season 4 used a word in the comic that was replaced for TV.
If you haven’t seen Season 4 of The Walking Dead then I highly recommend turning back now as the following is considered a major spoiler. You have been warned.
When Rick and his group including Daryl, Carl and others reach Terminus, they are violently shepherded into a railroad boxcar as prisoners by Gareth and his creepily calm companions. In the boxcar Rick discovers most of the rest of his missing “family” including Glenn and Maggie. While the group has been reunited after nearly a year apart, they’re also cooped up like chickens and have no idea what’s coming next from their captors.
Clearly incensed, Rick tells his people that the captors don’t know what’s coming to them because, and I quote, “they don’t know who they’re screwing with.” In the comics, that line was slightly different by a single word. It reads, “they don’t know who they’re fucking with.”
The extra pinch of vulgarity goes a long way in identifying Rick’s state of mind at the time and where Season 5 is headed. That comic-inspired dialogue in its original form was recorded on set by Andrew Lincoln and you can watch it for the impact of the F-bomb by Rick below.
The uncensored version of The Walking Dead Season 4 finale Rick proclamation was likely lifted from the Blu-ray and DVD release that arrives in stores on August 26. Season 5 of The Walking Dead premieres in mid-October.
