Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2, episode 6, “Bridge Partners are Hard to Come by These Days”.
Negan is undoubtedly one of the most iconic villains inThe Walking Dead’shistory, but after spending years trying to make up for his sins,Dead Citymay have just put him back on the villain path now that he has replaced the Saviors. Throughout the spinoff show’s second season, characters like the Dama, Bruegel, Navaez, andThe Walking Dead’s New Babylon Federationhave cemented themselves as key villains, alongside the Croat, who was already a major threat in season 1. However, they could all pale in comparison to Negan if he really is returning to his evil ways.
His arrival in the franchise proved how menacing he was while controlling a group of people, as Negan was one of themost powerful villains inThe Walking Deadwhile leading the Saviors. Of course, he has remained a capable survivor ever since, butwith the Saviors at his disposal, it felt like Negan was capable of anything. Fortunately, the evil faction is long gone, but there are plenty of other dangerous groups still around in the zombie universe, and with Negan taking charge ofDead City’s deadliest community, I’m worried about what the future holds for him.
The Former Saviors Leader Now Has A New Group He Is In Command Of
Although he never had any plans to lead another group, the Dama’s death alongside the Croat being banished unintentionally put Negan in charge of the Burazi. He was brought into the fold to help unite Manhattan’s factions by any means necessary, as The Dama wanted to exploit Negan’s charm and charisma alongside his ruthless side, which had mixed success. His manipulation and quick thinking managed to get Bruegel onboard, but it was these same traits that sawNegan hatch a plan to kill the Dama’s rat, leading to a huge fallout between the Dama and the Croat.
Their feud caused the Dama to burn to death, and with the Croat and Negan’s tensions finally reaching a boiling point,Negan told his former Saviors follower to never come back after getting the better of him. As a result, Negan became the Burazi’s acting leader by complete accident, once again putting him in charge of numerous soldiers. He has yet to abuse this power quite as he did in the original series, but controlling such a large group is giving flashbacks to his days with the Saviors, and there are already signs that he is slipping into old habits.
It Feels Like Negan Is Slipping Back Into His Villainous Persona Again
Negan’s Actions Are Beginning To Resemble His Old Personality
Having worked so hard to put his Saviors persona behind him, it looks like Negan could once again be going down that dark path, asDead Cityseason 2 has offered glimpses of his worst traits. While he didn’t mistreat every one of his followers, there is no denying Negan abused his power while leading the Saviors, and his snappy comments towards the Burazi soldiers mimic that.When Annie and Joshua arrived in Manhattan, Negan told the Burazi to send them back to Tennessee, and after they looked puzzled, he raised his voice, shouting at the faction members.
It was a small, subtle detail, but one that proves Negan is finding it easy to slip back into such an authoritative position. Likewise, the decision to send his family away may seem like a noble sacrifice to keep them safe, but it also enables his more sinister behavior since they won’t be around to see it.Negan has also been inseparable from his electrified baseball batin recent episodes, as he has carried it around pretty much everywhere he goes, which feels reminiscent of how attached to Lucille he was during his days as a villain.
Episode 5: “The Bird Always Knows”
July 02, 2025
Episode 6: “Bridge Partners are Hard to Come by These Days”
Episode 8: “If History Were a Conflagration”
July 13, 2025
He had to overcome his inner demons and acknowledge his past mistakes to let go of his dark side and burn his original bat, butDead Citylooks dangerously close to bringing his darker persona back. It may still be a little early to say that Negan will become a fully-fledged antagonist once again, but if he continues on his current trajectory, it’s not out of the question forThe Walking Deadto reintroduce all his evil attributes and this time, there will surely be no redemption story.
