The Walking Dead showrunner: Negan is on a Western-esque journey

Several years have passed in The Walking Dead universe since Negan was taken captive. Confined to a jail cell in Alexandria, the world has vastly changed around the villainous character. What does it have in store for him now that he’s free?

Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) has been an enormous part of The Walking Dead since his physical introduction in the season six finale (He’d been mentioned by name several times before actually appearing) and the notorious “line-up” that would eventually cost Abraham and Glenn their lives in the season seven premiere. For better or worse, the character commanded the screen throughout the following two seasons before finally being defeated (but not killed) by Rick Grimes.

After slitting Negan’s throat and ordering doctors to save him from dying – thus honoring Carl’s memory by letting mercy prevail over his wrath – Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira) locked him away in a jail cell, and that’s where he remained for six years of show time. Now that he’s escaped, however, showrunner Angela Kang suggests that Negan will go on quite the journey.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Kang commented:

"“We’ll [also] find out what happened with Negan, now that he has broken out of the jail cell. We get to tell a really, I think, pretty cool story with Negan, as he goes on an adventure of his own.”"

When asked how Negan’s path differs from the comic storyline in which he opted to remain in his cell rather than escaping, Kang went on to say:

"“It’s not exactly the story that was in the comics, but we thought that it would be really interesting to see. Negan has wanted out of that cell. He kind of got to a point where he was like, “Just kill me.” Then we saw him after the big time jump kind of in a place of semi-acceptance of his fate, but he’s always wanted something more.He learns some pretty interesting things while he’s out there. I think it’s really great to see Jeffrey do this really interesting almost Western-esque journey that I think will be fun for fans of Negan to see.”"

Though he is single-handedly responsible for several of The Walking Dead‘s most devastating deaths, the show has hinted at his redemption through Carl’s vision for what Negan could be, and Negan’s own actions and interactions while he’s been locked up. Will this be the journey that alters his status from villain to anti-hero?

Find out when The Walking Dead returns on Feb. 10.

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