The Walking Dead: Is Negan Coming Soon?

Readers of The Walking Dead, the graphic novel series, recognize Negan as perhaps the most evil, sinister human being Rick Grimes has come across at this point in the zombie apocalypse. His introduction to the TV series is something that fans are both dreading and anticipating. Hints of his debut have already been tossed into the show, but as we come closer to the end of the current season, will we actually see the leader of the Saviors before the summer break? Andrew Lincoln seems to suggest so, and I’m inclined to agree!

Before I continue, I must say that because we are discussing a key comic book character and the wicked things he has done, this article will contain MAJOR COMIC SPOILERS! Please stop reading now if you haven’t read up to issue #100 so as not to spoil some of the most shocking moments from the comic series. You have been warned!

More from The Walking Dead

With Rick Grimes and the others now firmly inside the walls of the Alexandria Safe Zone, showrunner Scott M. Gimple is keeping the current storylines pretty similar to how they play out in the comics. I initially pictured a longer journey to Washington D.C. with Aaron leading the way, but not only has the whole group already made themselves comfortable inside, Rick has even met Jessie and become the town constable. It’s not long before the group is at the ASZ before they start hearing about the dastardly Negan, meaning his introduction to the show could come sooner than originally thought.

Those who know about Negan know he is most infamous for brutally murdering Glenn in one of the most shocking moments of the series. His method of execution was, of course, a beating with his signature barbwire bat named “Lucille.” The powers that be behind the TV series definitely were teasing Glenn’s death in the Season 5 opener when a Terminus butcher nearly clocked Glenn with a bat, scaring comic book readers for sure. They again put fans on edge when Glenn found a baseball bat in the recent mid-season premiere, and a lot of them expressed their concern on Twitter.

Glenn finding a baseball bat may foreshadow his death.

I think that Scott M. Gimple knows what he is doing and the teases of Glenn’s death at the hands of Negan are deliberate. However, I think Gimple’s going for a swerve. With all of this obvious foreshadowing causing fans to see Glenn’s death coming this way from a mile away, I think the smart thing to do is to throw the fans a curveball and have another unfortunate sap take Glenn’s place (similar to how Hershel Greene adopted Tyreese’s comic death). Glenn’s death scene in issue 100 is too iconic not to incorporate into the show, but if Glenn himself is the victim, the shock value wouldn’t be nearly as high as it was in the books as this time we would all see it coming.

With only a few episodes left until the end of the season, there doesn’t seem to be enough time to build a big storyline with Negan and his band of misfits he calls “Saviors.” However, the timing should be perfect to start building towards his entrance, leading to his debut in the Season 5 finale. I could easily see the season closing out with somebody coming face to face with Lucille. Will it be Glenn, just as it was in the comic series? Or will they really surprise us and have him whack another fan favorite like Daryl Dixon, as some fans are afraid of? In any case, it’s not going to be good.

The Walking Dead continues tonight on AMC at 9/8c.

Home/The Walking Dead