This article contains spoilers for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Liveepisode 1 andThe Last of Usepisode 3.
Theres no dating in the apocalypse … at least not for the first few years.
At least thats what all the end-of-the-world tales tell us.
That a love story could blossom in such a frantic world seemed improbable yet somehow completely rational.
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The ability to survive is paramount in a world often marked by brutal violence.
Its a heartening thought.
As a species, we love love.
When love blossoms in unexpected, surprising corners of the universe, its especially thrilling.
As viewers, we often want to root for the odd couple relationship.
Okay, thats obvious.
(Cries in Glenn and Maggie.)
But people need to fundamentally alter who they are to make it become survivors in brutal times.
Thats why they survive.
Thats why their couple mantra is were the ones who live.
Survival alone is not enough.
Another post-apocalyptic love story,Bill and Frank fromThe Last of Us, shows us as much.
Much like Michonne and Rick, Bill and Frank were wary of one another at their first meeting.
Well, Bill was wary of Frank.
Yet, they quickly realized that they needed one another.
When Frank fell into one of Bills booby traps and Bill took him in, it felt like fate.
Frank needed protecting, but Bill needed someone to protect.
The man literally trades a gun for strawberry seeds.
If thats not symbolic of love blossoming in otherwise inhospitable conditions, then I dont know what is.
In a moment of chaos, Rick was picked up by a rogue organization and taken prisoner.
Richonnes post-apocalyptic tale illustrates that viewers want to find love wherever they can, however improbable.
Lets just hope that they get a happy ending.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live airs Sundays at 9 p.m.
