The Chilling Aftermath: Maggie Embraces Vengeance in the Battle Against Negan

The Walking Dead: Dead City tackles the impactful theme of Glenn's death, as Maggie is compelled to collaborate with her former enemy, Negan. The Walking Dead caused a significant divide among its viewers with the introduction of Negan in Season 6. In the comics, Negan infamously bludgeoned the beloved character Glenn to death with a baseball bat, while the rest of the survivors were forced to witness the horrifying act. Season 7's premiere episode depicted the brutal deaths of both Abraham and Glenn, leaving a lasting impact on the series.

The intention behind this Walking Dead sequence was always to disturb and unsettle the audience. However, for some viewers, it became the breaking point that led them to disengage from the show entirely. Glenn's death has left a lingering shadow over The Walking Dead, especially for Maggie, his widow. In later years, Maggie had to learn to coexist with Negan, who had made efforts to redeem himself. Although Maggie admitted she could never truly forgive him, they eventually found peace with one another.

In the spinoff series Dead City, Maggie and Negan find themselves in a situation where they are compelled to work together in order to rescue Maggie's son, Hershel, from New York.

Walking Dead: Dead City Episode 1 Is Built Around Glenn's Death

In The Walking Dead: Dead City episode 1, Maggie's son is taken hostage by a group of raiders, leading her to seek help from Negan, who has a connection with the group's leader, the Croat (Željko Ivanek). However, the opening of Dead City suggests that Glenn's death still weighs heavily on Maggie's mind. While surveying Manhattan, Maggie is attacked by a walker and, consumed by anger, brutally kills it with her weapon, reminiscent of Glenn's murder.

Later, there is a haunting scene where Maggie continuously relives Glenn's death in her nightmares, interspersed with shots of her son Hershel. Even Negan acknowledges that despite thinking their previous conflicts were resolved, Hershel's abduction has reignited Maggie's unresolved emotions about Glenn. The first episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City makes it evident that this unresolved chapter of their history is far from settled.

Dead City Turns Glenn's Walking Dead Death Into A Legend

As if the challenge of infiltrating a Manhattan overrun by walkers to rescue her son wasn't already overwhelming, The Walking Dead: Dead City introduces a new marshal named Perlie Armstrong (played by Gaius Charles). Marshal Armstrong is on a relentless pursuit of Negan, who stands accused of murder. Offering a glimpse into the severity of Negan's punishment, the marshal describes a gruesome method of execution involving a slow and agonizing dissection. Furthermore, the marshal shares the harrowing tale of Negan's heinous act of killing Glenn in front of his pregnant wife, highlighting Negan's infamy within the expansive world of The Walking Dead. This anecdote also demonstrates how Glenn's tragic fate has transformed into a legendary tale, passed down through time.

Why The Walking Dead Still Can't Move Past Glenn

For longtime fans of The Walking Dead, it can be frustrating that Dead City is revisiting the killing of Glenn once again. In previous seasons, this storyline was extensively explored, and it seemed like the show's finale had finally put it to rest. However, as Maggie confesses to Negan in the opening episode of Dead City, moving on from such a traumatic event is not easy. Negan's brutal slaying of Glenn was intended to inflict maximum pain on Rick's group, and it is truly remarkable that Maggie has not only resisted the urge to seek revenge against her old nemesis but has also commended his efforts to redeem himself, showcasing her incredible strength of character.

The Walking Dead: Dead City forces the pair into an uneasy partnership, so it's inevitable that the topic of Glenn would resurface. The Walking Dead franchise itself is also grappling with Glenn's death on a deeper level. As previously mentioned, his killing marked a significant turning point for many viewers of the show. Following the dual murder of Glenn and Abraham in season 7's "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be," The Walking Dead experienced a noticeable decline in ratings. Although the show remained successful in terms of ratings, it never fully regained its previous popularity.

Even Andrew Lincoln, the star of The Walking Dead, expressed remorse over how the scene was handled and believed that the violence was taken too far. At the time, many critics felt that this particular sequence excessively dwelled on violence for the sake of it, leaving a negative impression on the audience. Dead City not only uses Glenn's death to delve into the complex dynamic between Maggie and Negan, but it also continues to grapple with the impact it had on the show itself. Hopefully, once The Walking Dead: Dead City concludes, the characters, the series, and the viewers can finally move beyond this tragedy.

The Walking Dead: Dead City continues Sunday on AMC.