'The Walking Dead' Season 6 SPOILERS: Truth Behind Rick Gimes And Michonne's Romance

There is little doubt that one of the most jaw-dropping moments in episode 10 of AMC's The Walking Dead Season 6 was the unexpected hookup between Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira). However, showrunner Scott Gimple has just revealed that he has been planning "Richonne" since the beginning of the AMC series!

"It was a story I was interested in pursuing for a long time, even before I was running the show," Gimple admitted to TVLine. "Then, starting Season 4, my overall goal was to bring them to a unique place of respect and intimacy, possibly leading to romance."

But why did it take so long for Rick and Michonne to actually hook up in TWD? Gimple explained that it was finally the right time for them to see that they deserve each other.

"At this point in the story, the characters have fought their battles and won their home, their safety," he said. "Over the past weeks, they've found a certain peace. And that's when these two characters could realize what they had."

As exciting as it may be for Rick and Michonne to finally find peace in each other, some viewers are still wondering how Rick could move on so quickly after the death of Jessie (Alexandra Breckinbridge). However, Gimple revealed that the events that happen in "The Next World" actually take place weeks after what happened in "No Way Out." In addition to that, Rick's relationship with Jessie actually led to him realizing what would be possible with Michonne!

"The Jessie relationship was critical for Rick in opening up that side of himself, for having a larger personal world, to have something more than survival," he said. "Jessie's impact on Rick was making him see that he is a whole person and he can live a full emotional life, despite the state of the world, despite the history he's had."

Find out what happens next for "Richonne" in The Walking Dead Season 6, which airs on AMC every Sunday nights.