Negan's Tactical Move that Would Have Surpassed Rick (The Walking Dead Confirms It)

Attention: Contains spoilers for The Walking Dead: Dead City episode 4

In The Walking Dead: Dead City, a significant reveal discloses how a single decision determined Negan's fate during the All-Out War. Throughout an entire season, the neighboring communities engaged in a relentless battle against Negan and his followers, resulting in significant losses. However, Rick and his allies ultimately emerged victorious, compelling the Saviors to surrender. Furthermore, Rick defeated Negan in a decisive one-on-one confrontation in the finale of season 8.

Negan Would've Won The War Against Rick If He Still Had The Croat

The Alexandrians and the Saviors engaged in a series of battles several years ago in The Walking Dead timeline. Despite the passage of time, the outcome of the All-Out War remains one of the most significant events in the franchise's history. Its relevance is still evident today, as demonstrated by Maggie and Negan's discussion about it in The Walking Dead: Dead City. Maggie pointed out that their victory in the All-Out War was made possible by rallying others to join the fight, emphasizing the potential for Croat's defeat. Interestingly, episode 4 implies that this outcome could have been different if Negan had not made one personnel change.

The Walking Dead: Dead City has shed light on the fact that prior to the conflict with Rick Grimes in the main series, the Saviors suffered the loss of a crucial ally. Surprisingly, the main antagonist of the spinoff was not only a Savior but also Negan's trusted lieutenant at one point. A flashback revealed that Negan discovered the Croat's horrifying act of torturing children, which led to Simon taking his place as Negan's right-hand man on The Walking Dead. While Simon's costly errors contributed to their downfall, it is likely that such mistakes would not have happened if the Croat had still been present.

How The Croat Would Have Changed The Walking Dead Seasons 7 & 8

The Croat revealed in episode 4 of The Walking Dead: Dead City that his loyalty to Negan would have remained intact if he hadn't been banished. Expressing regret over his absence during the battles against Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom, the Croat acknowledged the immense destruction caused by Simon, Negan's right-hand man. Despite the character's unstable demeanor in Dead City, it is reasonable to assume that the Saviors would have achieved greater success had he remained by their side. In fact, the chances are high that the Alexandrians would have struggled to overcome Negan without the Croat being expelled.

If the Croat had not remained loyal to Negan, the outcomes of various scenarios in The Walking Dead seasons 7 and 8 would have been different. One notable example is the brutal annihilation of the Scavengers. Negan sought revenge on Jadis for aiding Rick, prompting him to send Simon to the junkyard with the intention of killing one of them. However, Simon had his own agenda. Believing that Negan's approach was too lenient, Simon provoked a confrontation with the Scavengers, resulting in a devastating massacre of Jadis' group. Consequently, Jadis took Negan captive in "The Key." The Croat proved to be accurate in his assertion that Simon never truly listened to Negan.

In contrast to Simon, the Croat held a deep respect for Negan's methods and overall leadership. While he would have used brutal tactics if he were in Simon's position, his unwavering loyalty to the Saviors' cause suggests that he would have followed Negan's orders and only executed a single Scavenger, as per Negan's original intent. This would have effectively prevented the coup in the latter part of the season. Simon's rebellion, albeit halted by Negan, unnecessarily burdened Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character, especially considering the challenges already present with Alexandria and the Hilltop. This ultimately weakened the Saviors and exacerbated their difficulties.

Furthermore, the Croat's inclination towards torture indicates the additional hardships that the protagonists would have had to endure. At various points in the timeline, Gabriel, Eugene, and Daryl were all held captive by the Saviors. The Croat would have undoubtedly resorted to torturing them for information and may have succeeded, particularly with Eugene, who was not known for his pain tolerance or bravery during this period. The Saviors' repeated visits to Alexandria could have also involved torture. Rather than merely instilling fear through displays of power, the Saviors could have adopted the Croat's methods by inflicting physical harm and potentially crippling Alexandria's ability to fight back.

The Croat Probably Would've Killed Carl In The Walking Dead

At least one Alexandrian would likely have died if the Croat had occupied Simon's position in season 7 of The Walking Dead. In Dead City, Simon stated that they had a moral boundary and would not harm children. However, the Croat disregarded this rule and continued to work with Negan. If Carl had attempted to kill Negan, as he did in the Sanctuary, it would have surely led to his death. Although Dwight prevented Carl from succeeding, Negan surprisingly showed him some favor and gave him a tour instead.

Given the Croat's indiscriminate killings, the fact that Carl was just a child wouldn't have made a difference. This unforgivable act would have greatly affected Rick's morale or provoked immediate retaliation. However, the Alexandrians were not prepared for war at that time, and engaging in conflict would only have resulted in defeat. Unfortunately, Rick still lost Carl in the end, but if he had died at the hands of the Saviors in season 7, the consequences for Alexandria would have been catastrophic.

Did Negan Lose Because He Was Too... Nice?

The content suggests that the reason for Negan's loss in The Walking Dead franchise was not going far enough. This was implied by the Croat's comments and a flashback in episode 4 of The Walking Dead: Dead City. Season 11 of The Walking Dead also hinted at this when Negan admitted that he should have killed everyone in the lineup, not just Glenn and Abraham. It is noteworthy that Negan was known for his ruthlessness and cruelty, but The Walking Dead: Dead City implies that he could have been even worse, and that this would have been more effective. However, the reality is that Negan's lack of brutality was not the issue. His evil actions and mistreatment of the people he had enslaved ultimately led to a rebellion in Alexandria. Although having the Croat on his side could have ensured his victory, it would have been hollow since his true desire was for the Alexandrians to work for him.