The Epic Plot Twist: Unveiling Negan's Fate & Mind-Blowing Walking Dead Universe Revelations in the Season 1 Finale of Dead City

Summary

The first season of The Walking Dead: Dead City lays the groundwork for upcoming plotlines and unveils the New Babylon Federation as a fresh community and a possible adversary.

With the objective of uniting the various factions of Manhattan against the New Babylon Federation, The Dama seeks to enlist Negan due to his captivating persona and notorious reputation.

Negan exposes Maggie's lies, realizing that she has been deceptive throughout their journey. In season 2 of The Walking Dead: Dead City, Maggie contemplates whether to rescue or kill Negan. The finale of season 1 sets up the future and has major implications for AMC's wider Walking Dead universe. Ginny and Perlie are quickly dealt with, allowing Maggie and Negan to continue their journey to New York. Negan, always observant, quickly figures out that Maggie has been lying to him the entire time. However, he is unable to avoid being traded to the Croat in exchange for Hershel's release. Note: spoilers ahead for The Walking Dead: Dead City episode 6.

What The Dama Wants With Negan Explained

Maggie and Negan embark on new journeys, while "Doma Smo" sets sights on the future. Perlie's arrival home unveils the enigmatic New Babylon Federation, and Dama unveils her ulterior motives for capturing Negan. Meanwhile, Maggie discovers a fresh purpose in life as she acknowledges shortcomings in her parenting abilities. The first season of The Walking Dead: Dead City concludes with both Maggie and Negan venturing into a new chapter, promising an even more thrilling return to New York City in season 2.

In The Walking Dead: Dead City, the entire premise focuses on the Croats' desire to obtain Negan for a mysterious purpose. Episode 5 introduces Lisa Emery's character, the Dama, as the true villain of the spinoff. However, it is only in the finale that the Dama's obsession with Negan is explained, albeit in a secretive manner. The Dama anticipates a war between her group in Manhattan and the New Babylon Federation. During the season 1 finale, Walking Dead: Dead City subtly reveals why through a sequence set in New Babylon. The leader of the Federation interrogates Perlie about the Croat's use of zombies for energy. By putting the pieces together, it becomes clear that New Babylon is after the Dama's methane, much to her discontent.

Realizing that her forces would be overpowered, the Dama recognizes that bringing together the scattered factions of Manhattan is their best chance for survival. This daunting task requires someone with the charisma, ruthlessness, and supervillain background of Negan Smith. The Dama has heard tales of Negan's actions from the Croat, who is informed by a former Savior named Jerome. Jerome witnessed the war between Negan's Saviors and Rick's group during seasons 6-9 of The Walking Dead.

In The Walking Dead: Dead City, it remains unclear whether Negan is enthusiastic about reverting back to his former self. On one hand, Negan has gone through significant personal growth since those days. On the other hand, everyone he cared about is now gone. When the Croat nostalgically recounts a past massacre, Negan oddly agrees that those times were "beautiful." However, whether Negan is willing to cooperate with the Dama is irrelevant. The Dama strongly implies that unless her demands are met, she will have Maggie's son killed, invoking fear by displaying Hershel's severed toe as an unspoken threat.

Whether he chooses to don the leather jacket again or not, the conclusion of Walking Dead: Dead City hints at the return of the notorious Negan in all his malevolent glory for season 2. With this, it is highly likely that Negan will establish Manhattan as a grander, enhanced version of the Sanctuary. While there won't be the bothersome presence of Rick Grimes to challenge his dominion this time, a clash between Negan's newfound followers and the formidable New Babylon Federation appears to be inevitable, becoming the core narrative of the spinoff's next installment. As long as the enigmatic Dama continues to hold sway over Hershel's fate - or rather, his feet - she is bound to be the primary antagonist in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2.

Did Negan Really Kill Ginny's Father?

The atmosphere quickly changes from sweet to sour as Negan reveals a shocking truth to Ginny. He confesses that her father was among the men he killed in New Babylon, and his apparent protection of her was merely a debt he believed he owed. The conclusion of The Walking Dead: Dead City leaves an unanswered question about the authenticity of Negan's harsh words towards Ginny. It is highly probable that the revelation about her father's demise is true, as it explains Negan's abrupt decision to take on a surrogate daughter after abandoning his own family. This claim also aligns with Negan's previous attempts to seek redemption by forming a bond with Judith, almost as if he believes that children hold the key to salvation.

However, it is likely that Negan's statement of "you're just a debt I had to pay" is a deliberate falsehood aimed at driving Ginny away from him and towards Maggie's community in New York, along with Perlie. Negan prioritizes Ginny's safety above all else and would rather have her resent him while being secure in Maggie's community than risk her getting caught in the crossfire and facing danger. Despite potentially murdering her father, Negan has developed a genuine paternal bond with Ginny and is fully committed to ensuring her a bright future.

Regardless of whether his claim is true or not, Negan's strategy proves successful. Hints in The Walking Dead: Dead City suggest that Ginny is now eager to distance herself from Negan and fully embrace her role within Maggie's newly formed Hilltop community. Firstly, she refuses to reclaim her old shirt when Perlie brings it back from the truck - this is the same shirt that Negan had tenderly placed over Ginny while she was sleeping in the first episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City. Secondly, Ginny's concern for Negan prevents her from sleeping peacefully during her initial time in Maggie's community, whereas the conclusion of the finale shows her sleeping peacefully, indicating a shift in her attitude towards Negan.

How Negan Figured Out Maggie Was Lying (& When)

Maggie's deceit becomes painfully obvious in The Walking Dead: Dead City episode 2 when Ginny is served a slice of bread, exposing Maggie's lie about the Croat stealing her grain. Negan, however, remains unaware until episode 6 when he finally realizes the truth. Without explicitly stating what tipped him off, Negan grows suspicious upon discovering that Maggie already knew Ginny had followed them to New York. His instincts heighten when Ginny breaks her silence and tries to explain herself after months of silence.

Negan's realization that Maggie has known the Croat's whereabouts since the beginning of their journey serves as the final blow to her fabrication. In episode 1, Maggie mentioned her suspicion that a building emitting smoke twice a day could be where the Croat is located. When the Croat drives straight to that very building in episode 6, Negan becomes even more convinced that Maggie has not been completely honest, especially considering Ginny's peculiar behavior. Maggie's terrible poker face only worsens her case.

Will Maggie Rescue Or Kill Negan In Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2?

As the first season of The Walking Dead: Dead City comes to a close, Maggie comes to the realization that her obsession with seeking revenge on Negan has consumed her life, to the detriment of her son's well-being. The finale, titled "Doma Smo," ends with Maggie acknowledging her mistake and making a decision: "I don't know how, but this thing with Negan... I'm gonna finish it. So that I can just let it go." This statement can be interpreted in two ways: either Maggie plans to save Negan in the second season of The Walking Dead: Dead City, or she intends to kill him.

If Maggie has truly come to the understanding that spending years seeking revenge for Glenn's death was misguided, it would make sense for her to want to undo that revenge. This would involve returning to Manhattan and rescuing Negan from the clutches of Dama, with the intention of reuniting him with Annie and their child. This act would demonstrate that Maggie has finally let go of her hatred towards Negan. However, it is also possible that the phrase "finish it" means Maggie intends to bring an end to her feud with Negan by killing him in the second season of The Walking Dead: Dead City. This would effectively remove the focal point of her unhealthy obsession, as she believes she can never move on while he is still alive.

What Happened To Hershel While He Was Captured

Flashbacks in The Walking Dead have revealed that even before being captured, Maggie's son exhibited behavioral issues. These traits can be traced back to the character Hershel in Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comics, where he is portrayed as exceptionally unpleasant. Despite the significant risks and sacrifices his mother made to rescue him, the troubled teen displays ingratitude. It is possible that Hershel's current moodiness is simply the result of typical teenage hormones, but there may be a more sinister explanation, with Glenn's son potentially turning against his own mother.

Once safely inside his mother's truck, Hershel shocks everyone by expressing that he actually felt safer while in captivity with the Dama. To further complicate matters, Maggie discovers a surprisingly flattering portrait that Hershel had drawn of the Dama, who herself admits that Hershel "felt safe" while being held prisoner by her. It is evident that Hershel was already dissatisfied with his mother's parenting, and it is possible that he has been influenced by the Dama's indoctrination, despite the fact that she ordered the removal of one of his toes. Whether Hershel will ultimately betray his mother in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 remains uncertain, but it is clear that his resentment towards Maggie is far from resolved.

Perlie Lies About Killing Negan (& Sets Up A New Walking Dead Villain)

The enigmatic New Babylon Federation has been referenced throughout season 1 of The Walking Dead: Dead City, but only makes a single appearance in the season finale when Marshal Perlie Armstrong finally returns home. Interestingly, Perlie deceives his superiors in New Babylon by claiming that he was compelled to kill Negan after a pursuit through Manhattan. This falsehood is necessary for Perlie to maintain his position as a marshal. Having developed a bond with Negan during their time together in New York, and having learned the motivations behind Negan's actions, Perlie chooses not to administer the Federation's version of justice. However, he has no intention of confessing this decision to his boss anytime soon.

By informing New Babylon that Negan is deceased, Perlie also ensures that all wanted posters and search efforts will be halted, allowing Negan to live freely once again and potentially reunite with Annie and Joshua. Nevertheless, Perlie's lie subtly exposes a crucial secret about New Babylon. The falsehood serves as confirmation that Perlie lacks confidence in his community's ability to show mercy, understanding, and fairness, which aligns with the Federation's history of public hangings, various murders, and lack of trials throughout The Walking Dead: Dead City thus far. To further solidify his position, the leader of New Babylon directs a thinly-veiled threat toward Perlie's family.

Perlie's turbulent association with the leadership of the New Babylon Federation positions this expansive and newly formed community as another nefarious entity within the universe of The Walking Dead. It aligns them alongside the CRM as a formidable potential menace to the primary survivors in Alexandria and the Commonwealth. Regardless, it seems highly probable that Perlie will reunite with Maggie in Manhattan for the second season of The Walking Dead: Dead City. This time, their objective will be to retrieve the Croat's methane and deliver it to their unscrupulous superiors.