The Walking Dead Japanese phone mystery: Here's what it means, and how it connects to AMC's wider universe

If you've seen the latest episode of The Walking Dead season 10, you'll likely have some questions.

In Michonne's final episode before she re-appears in The Walking Dead movies, she finds the iconic boots of her former, presumed dead, partner – Rick Grimes – on a boat that has apparently washed ashore to Virgil's island. 

Not only that, but among the findings is an iPhone with a sketch of what appears to be Michonne and Judith, with Rick's name written on the screen alongside a series of Japanese characters. What does this all mean? And how does it connect to AMC's upcoming trilogy of movies? 

First of all, The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang confirmed in an email to Insider that the Japanese message translates to "believe a little longer", though stopped short of clarifying what that could be interpreted to mean, calling it "a hint at some larger story that took place."

It's likely that Anne, the cult leader last seen flying off with Rick in The Walking Dead season 9, wrote this message, alongside the drawing of Michonne and Judith, given that she was partial to portraiture during her stint on the mainline show.

As for the boots, The Walking Dead chief content officer and executive producer Scott Gimple told Talking Dead (via ComicBook.com) that "both Rick Grimes and Andrew Lincoln would not give up those boots very easily", suggesting that everyone's favourite post-apocalyptic sheriff must have been forced into a difficult bargain of sorts. 

Here's hoping the remaining episodes of The Walking Dead season 10 shed more light on this unravelling mystery. 

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