Dead City: Negan’s motivation to squander the second chance given to him by Rick Grimes

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As a gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in the post-apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead, I’ve seen characters evolve, falter, and rise again – but none quite like Negan. His journey from ruthless villain to reluctant hero was captivating, leaving me on the edge of my seat.

Regardless of personal feelings towards him, Negan made significant efforts toward redemption throughout The Walking Dead. Rick Grimes granted him a fresh start, and by the end of the series, he not only assisted others in combating the Commonwealth but willingly departed from the communities. Years later, his narrative unfolds in The Walking Dead: Dead City, with his tragic story of losing his wife and son yet to be resolved. In the second season of the spinoff, we find Negan revisiting his villainous past.

At the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, a brief sneak peek was unveiled for the next season of “Dead City.” In this forthcoming narrative, set in post-apocalyptic Manhattan, characters such as Maggie (played by Lauren Cohan), Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Hershel (Logan Kim), The Croat (Željko Ivanek), The Dama (Lisa Emery), Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles), and others will reappear, contributing to the ongoing tale.

At the close of season 1, Negan was exchanged in order to free Hershel from The Croat and The Dama’s custody. These two individuals desired Negan to ally with them, allowing The Dama to rule over the New York gangs. In a tense encounter with this formidable woman, she intimidated Hershel to make sure that Negan would comply with her demands.

Why would Negan risk it all to revert to his villainous ways?

In episode “Wrath” of The Walking Dead’s season 8, Negan and Rick engage in a fierce fight. When Rick gained control, he implored Negan to consider his proposal for peace, which was important for Carl (Chandler Riggs), who had recently passed away. Touched by the loss of Carl, Negan agreed with tears streaming down his face. However, Rick ended up slitting Negan’s throat with a shard of glass as the Saviors watched on. Rick ordered Siddiq (Avi Nash) to attempt a rescue, while Maggie let out a shocked scream in the distance.

Rick defied his feelings towards Negan, driven by his son’s desire for peace, to uphold that wish posthumously. Despite the atrocities Negan inflicted on the communities, there was no affection between them. Yet, Rick, motivated by his son’s memory and wanting to distinguish himself from Negan, chose to spare his life. This decision was not easy for Rick, leading him to declare, “My compassion triumphs over my anger.” Indeed, Carl was correct; the cycle of retaliation needed to end.

For Negan, being put behind bars was a worse fate than death. The world continued to go on without him and he learned some valuable lessons going forward. This eventually led him to Annie (Medina Senghore), who would become the mother of his son Joshua.

Moving on through time, we find ourselves in the desolate urban landscape known as Dead City. Here, Negan finds himself estranged from his family, and is forced into an alliance with Maggie. However, Maggie deceives him in this partnership. In front of a mysterious figure called the Dama, she reveals a tiny box containing Hershel’s severed pinky toe. She warns Negan that she has more to offer if needed. It turns out that Maggie had lengthy conversations with a young boy before his release, and from these talks, she gained insight into the man who killed Hershel’s father. This understanding led her to believe that Negan felt accountable for the boy and would comply with her requests to protect him.

Is there just one reason pushing Negan back towards his old position as the Saviors’ leader, seemingly discarding his second opportunity at redemption? Could it be that he has kept his malevolent nature hidden for too long and it inevitably reappeared?

The Walking Dead: Dead City returns to AMC and AMC+ in 2025 with its second season.

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2024-07-31 21:39