Walking Dead: Why The CRM Is Destroying Its Allies – Theory Explained

Why does the CRM take out its own allied communities in the Walking Dead franchise? The CRM (Civic Republic Military) is the only antagonist group thus far to complete a hat-trick of appearances in The Walking Dead, Fear The Walking Dead, and Walking Dead: World Beyond – and these mysterious villains look primed for an even bigger role as the narrative expands into spinoffs and movies. As demonstrated very clearly through all 3 shows, the CRM are not the most ethical folks. In The Walking Dead, they abducted random survivors such as Heath. In Fear The Walking Dead, CRM soldiers kill anyone who so much as says “hello,” and in World Beyond, the military outfit has committed one atrocity after the another.

The Civic Republic is a massive community totaling at least 200,000 residents, based somewhere in the United States. They’re engaged in the “Alliance of the Three” alongside 2 other major Walking Dead settlements stationed in Portland and Omaha. Aside from boasting its own advanced military, the Civic Republic offers a normal life, but The Walking Dead hasn’t yet revealed who’s in charge, how residents gain entry, or how many stations the CRM controls.

Aside from its sheer size and scale, one major trait sets the CRM apart from other villainous Walking Dead factions – killing its own allies. Almost every inter-settlement squabble in The Walking Dead is sparked by resources (the Saviors oppressing other communities, the Whisperers protecting their territory, the Reapers invading Maggie’s Meridian community, etc.), or in extreme cases, ideology (Teddy’s apocalypse cult in Fear The Walking Dead). The CRM is unique, wiping out entire civilizations it’s already allied with. What in the name of Rick Grimes is going on?

The CRM Destroying Campus Colony & Omaha Is The Start Of Something Bigger

Red flags were already out, but the CRM’s first real act of villainy came in The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 1, with the unprovoked destruction of Campus Colony. A satellite of the Omaha settlement, Campus Colony was on the Civic Republic’s side, and only hours before the attack, the CRM’s Lt. Colonel Elizabeth Kublek had been delivering a speech as an honorary guest. Campus Colony was in no way a threat to the CRM (its numbers approximately 200 times smaller), nor did the college crew have anything the CRM wanted in terms of food, supplies or land.

After Campus Colony’s decimation in Walking Dead: World Beyond season 1, it seemed the CRM might’ve simply exploited their smaller allies just to gain a few good scientists (the Bennett family), then ensured the new recruits had no home to return to. In World Beyond‘s season 2 premiere, however, Elizabeth presides over the total destruction of Omaha – a much larger community of almost 100,000 people. This tragedy actually happened before the Campus Colony incident, and Elizabeth describes both atrocities as “just the beginning.”

Evidently, the CRM’s plans reach far beyond personal grudges, dwindling resources, or even bringing together the best scientific minds. Something much bigger is afoot – and it could affect the entire Walking Dead universe.

The CRM Really DOES Want To Cure The Zombie Virus (But For Different Reasons)

The only clue Elizabeth has given as to the CRM’s endgame concerns the group’s scientific studies. Elizabeth promised the Bennett sisters that research on the zombie virus was underway – where it came from, how it works, and most importantly, how it can be countered. Walking Dead: World Beyond proves Elizabeth wasn’t lying for once. CRM territory contains facilities filled with scientists (like Dr. Bennett) making genuine progress toward understanding the outbreak. All evidence suggests the CRM really does intend to develop a cure (or the closest thing to it) for The Walking Dead‘s devastating zombie virus… but there’s a catch.

As revealed in Walking Dead: World Beyond season 1, scientists such as Dr. Bennett aren’t privy to everything the CRM gets up to. Bennett’s partner (in both the lab and the bedroom) has her own orders, and is leading a secret project for which she reports directly to Elizabeth.

While the CRM certainly seems to be working toward a cure, could it be secretly plotting to weaponize the virus also? Selectively choosing who gets infected and who doesn’t, or immunizing some while letting others turn, would be an awesome power. This might explain why Bennett is being kept in the dark (he’d obviously refuse to conduct such awful research), but his process of finding a cure will no doubt help the CRM turn The Walking Dead‘s virus into an asset.

Theory: The CRM Is Selecting The “Fittest” To Restart Humanity (& Killing The Rest)

It’s amazing how The Walking Dead‘s CRM can wipe out entire communities, then tout themselves as humanity’s greatest hope with a completely straight face, but one potential explanation neatly ties together these violent actions, the CRM’s genuine intention to save humanity, and the shady experiments being conducted in secret… The Civic Republic could be a coalition of hand-picked individuals designed to restart America’s population with only the best, brightest, and strongest people left alive.

Before the destruction of Campus Colony, Elizabeth made sure to extract Dr. Bennett, a genius scientist making steps toward understanding the zombie virus. She also ensured the safety of Hope and Iris Bennett, who both showed promise as budding young scientists, and this process might provide a snapshot of how the Civic Republic operates. The CRM introduces itself to prospect partner communities as an ally, then sets up an “exchange program.” Essentially, this means Elizabeth can pick out those who are “worth” from among any given community – based on intelligence, survival skills, athleticism, etc. – and bring them safely into the Civic Republic’s fold. Once a settlement has been bled dry of candidates, the remainder are destroyed. Not only does the mass slaughter ensure any new recruits can’t return home, it means the CRM will eventually control the entire population.

Walking Dead: World Beyond showed this genetic selection in action at Campus Colony with the Bennetts, and it’s safe to assume the same happened at Omaha before its destruction. Portland should be watching its back very closely. This theory also aligns with one of the very first CRM details revealed back in The Walking Dead season 8 – the “A” and “B” categories captured prisoners were separated into.

And for the CRM to ensure its “survival of the fittest” philosophy is maintained, it must protect the worthy while letting the rest be ravaged by the zombie virus. Dr. Bennett’s research will prove instrumental in creating a weaponized, selective zombie virus that allows the likes of Elizabeth to decide who lives and dies in the rebuilt world.

The CRM’s Genetic Cleansing Could Recreate Rick’s Walking Dead Comic Ending

AMC’s The Walking Dead TV adaptation has already ruled out a comic-authentic ending. In Robert Kirkman’s original story, Rick Grimes discovered the Commonwealth was separating residents into elite and lower classes, and led a revolution to turn the city into an equal society that joins with Alexandria to reclaim a large chunk of U.S. soil from zombie occupation. Since Andrew Lincoln has already departed The Walking Dead, that obviously won’t be happening in live-action.

If the CRM really is saving those deemed worthy starting a new population and massacring the rest, the Civic Republic would essentially become a more extreme Commonwealth. Thanks to clues Michonne discovered in The Walking Dead season 10, it seems Rick Grimes is already working to bring down the CRM, and this storyline will likely be paid off in Lincoln’s upcoming The Walking Dead movie. Instead of merely stopping a rival community dividing citizens into classes, Rick Grimes could be the man who stops the CRM safeguarding the future for those with desirable genetics.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
(3631 Articles Published)

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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