Love him or hate him, Negan is the monster antagonist The Walking Dead needed. He’s dominated our heroes like no one ever has, and now they’re scrambling to mount a counterattack.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s portrayal of Robert Kirkman’s terrifying creation has been nothing short of spectacular. The bat-wielding behemoth made a hell of a first impression – by killing two main characters and breaking Rick’s spirit.
While antagonists like Gareth, Dawn, and The Wolves proved to be interesting, we haven’t seen a clear-cut formidable villain like this since The Governor died a few seasons back. He continues to claim loot and lives with no signs of slowing down. But even though he’s in a good spot now, are cracks starting to show in his system?
“Let’s meet the man.” That’s what Simon said before Negan debuted for the very first time. Also as a side note, I’m loving Steven Ogg’s performance on the show. I’m sure my fellow GTA fans will agree!
But why is Negan so terrifying? What makes him so formidable? How has one guy with a baseball bat got our heroes in such dire straits? This is a question many people have had during Season 7. But it should be noted that while Negan is the season’s primary antagonist, he isn’t necessarily the threat – at least on his own.
With an army of followers committed to enforcing his system of rules, Negan is the first villain to have our heroes on the ropes for more than a few episodes. Any time we see him, he’s got backup. While our old pal Phillip had Martinez, Shumpert, and even Merle for a period of time, Negan has an army.
Negan’s territorial monopoly of ultimate decision-making in the region means that any of the tiny little communities that attempt to cross him and his hierarchy of loyal followers will wind up on the business-end of a baseball bat. But has Rick found the solution?
Numbers. At the end of the day, that’s what Negan has. Whether its his enforcers who demand tributes paid in full on-time every-time or the residents of The Sanctuary who do their part to keep the place standing, they are all indeed Negan. Another side note – interesting how Terminus was also referred to as a “sanctuary” in the show. But their batboy’s swing is clearly inferior to Negan’s.
Rick’s strategy is clear – unite the small communities Negan has been victimizing and turn the numbers in their favor. But even if he gets the guns from Oceanside and enlists the help of Jadis and The Heapsters, he still may not have what he needs.
Even if Ezekiel comes around like the citizens of The Hilltop did, it’s still going to be a close fight. Tactically, The Saviors have the advantage because they’re more loyal to one another and have extensive experience fighting together. They’ve been referenced as “brothers and sisters in arms and operations.” Even if it was a tongue-in-cheek statement, it is somewhat accurate. But what happens if Negan’s ego causes all of that loyalty to dissolve?
As a character who seems to thrive off profanity, polygamy, and power-games, Negan loves to show his dominance. Even when he wins, he continues to flaunt his victory and push the envelope. This could very be his undoing.
Of course, relationships of dominance always escalate. Rick realized this quickly, seeing that the treatment of the Alexandrians by The Saviors was only going to get worse and worse. That’s what convinced him to fight. And it seems like Negan’s constant gloating to Dwight about Negan’s relationship with Sherry has finally caused “D” to have second thoughts about his position.
Now with Negan’s wives (and probably a few of the residents) looking for a way to sabotage the system, the writing may be on the wall. Eugene is also effectively an inside man, acting as one of Negan’s main advisors while spinning him the same tale he told Abraham.
I’m not saying he won’t be able to rebound, but his affinity for “breaking balls” may come back to haunt him.
Looking for more Walking Dead content? Subscribe and follow us today! A full review of “Hostiles and Calamities” will be uploaded soon!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR4YNcki4XjRAqJU7w3kHMw
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joeandjoshtalk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeandjoshtalk