The Mind-Blowing Aftermath: Unveiling the Unseen Events After The Walking Dead's Epic Finale!
Discover the captivating events that unfolded between The Walking Dead's thrilling conclusion and the gripping saga of Dead City From shocking alliances to heart-wrenching betrayals, this article unravels the epic tales that shaped the post-apocalyptic world
Summary
Maggie's leadership of Hilltop had to relocate due to the community being destroyed in a fire, and its new location is closer to Manhattan.
After the attack, Negan ensured the safety of his wife Annie and their son Joshua by sending them away. However, Maggie's lingering resentment towards Negan resurfaced in Dead City, resulting in her ongoing mocking remarks towards him, even though she had previously shown signs of forgiveness.
The time gap between The Walking Dead's conclusion and The Walking Dead: Dead City allowed for significant developments to occur offscreen. In the last encounter between Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) in The Walking Dead, they appeared to part ways on neutral terms. Notably, Maggie's anger towards Negan seems to have diminished, and viewers witness her taking on a leadership role in the rebuilding of Hilltop. Additionally, the presence of Negan's pregnant wife, Annie, suggests a potential semblance of civility between Maggie and Negan.
However, Dead City presents significant changes, with certain narrative moments either skipped or recounted retrospectively. Apart from the evident location shift, several years have elapsed since the events leading up to Dead City, prompting curiosity about the exact events and reasons for these notable differences. Based on the available information, we can discern some of the events that occurred within The Walking Dead universe during the period between the main series' conclusion and the first episode of Dead City.
10 Maggie's Hilltop Community Moved Locations
At the beginning of season 8, Maggie assumes leadership of Hilltop after she, Rick, and their group attack The Sanctuary. Hilltop, previously a museum-turned-community with farmland and a substantial wall, is subsequently destroyed in season 10 due to the actions of The Whisperers and Negan. In the premiere of Dead City, Maggie mentions that they had to relocate after their assistance in "burning it down."
Although the specific location of Hilltop's new settlement, known as The Bricks, is uncertain, it is evident that it is no longer in Virginia. Travel depicted in Dead City suggests that the journey to The Bricks is not significantly long, and the settlement seems to be closer to Manhattan and the New Babylon Federation. While Maggie does not provide an explanation for this move, it is likely due to practical reasons such as trade or convenience.
9 Negan & Annie Had A Son Called Joshua
In The Walking Dead season 11, Annie, Negan's new wife, is introduced as a survivor from the former Riverbend group. In episode 14, she surprises the audience by revealing her pregnancy. With the significant time jump between The Walking Dead season 11 and the pilot of Dead City, it becomes evident that Annie had already given birth by the time Dead City began. Negan himself confirms this in episode 3 when he mentions his family. Considering the timeline of The Walking Dead, it can be inferred that Joshua, the baby, should be at least 4 years old by now, since Dead City takes place 5 or 6 years after the main show concludes.
8 Negan Split From Annie & Joshua
Negan's elusiveness in the beginning of Dead City can be attributed to his status as a fugitive. He shares a distressing incident where Annie, who didn't return one night from a trade, was brutally attacked and robbed. In response, Negan took decisive action by eliminating the five culprits responsible for the assault. Fearing for their safety, Negan sent Annie and Joshua to Missouri while he remained on the move to protect them. This explanation conveniently justifies Negan's abandonment of his family, a decision that contradicts the care and affection he displayed towards Annie in season 11 of the main show.
7 Negan Adopted A Young Girl Named Ginny
After parting ways with Annie, Negan seemingly found himself in the company of new companions before arriving at Dead City. Negan formed a friendship with Ginny, a young girl who had lost her father and was unable to speak. In episode 1, Negan reveals that he encountered Ginny while seeking refuge on a farm following her father's demise about a year before the events depicted in Dead City's premiere. Negan taking Ginny under his wing could be seen as an attempt to alleviate his guilt, as he confesses that he was responsible for the death of one of the five men, who happened to be Ginny's father. While this claim may be untrue, Negan's instinct to protect a child without parents might stem from the remorse he harbors for leaving his own family behind.
6 Oceanside Recovered After Lance's Attack In Walking Dead Season 11
In episode 16 of The Walking Dead's 11th season, Lance Hornsby stakes the claim of Hilltop, Alexandria, and Oceanside as Commonwealth territories. During his time in Oceanside, he decides the fate of the residents by flipping a coin, with the Commonwealth soldiers rallying them together. This brings up questions about whether the community has regained control and if the residents have managed to survive. Dead City provides insight into the effective operation of Oceanside post-attack, as a teacher from The Bricks introduces Ginny to a group of children as a member of the community.
5 Negan Moved His Family Near The New Babylon Federation
4 Hershel Became A Real Brat
In the third episode, Negan clarifies that he and his family resided just outside New Babylon, which is presumed to be near The Bricks and Manhattan. This contradicts the last known location of Negan according to the audience, as Maggie explicitly told him in the final episode of Season 11 of the main show that he and his family could stay at Hilltop because he had "earned his place." The reason for his move could be attributed to the relocation of Hilltop, a desire for a fresh start with his family, or to give Maggie the space she needed to heal and reach a point where seeing Negan no longer caused her pain.
Hershel, who was rather quiet during the last season of the main show, takes center stage in Dead City when he gets captured. Being a teenager, it's not surprising that he exhibits moodiness. However, in episode 6 of Dead City, he takes it up a notch by making sarcastic remarks and engaging in unexpected arguments with Maggie, who saved him from the Croat. His behavior, which can be seen as bratty, stems mainly from his perception of Maggie's obsession with Negan. By expressing his feelings of being ignored with the words, "You never see me," Hershel sheds light on his sense of abandonment. While Maggie has expressed her frustrations regarding Hershel's anger towards her, this particular scene emphasizes her lack of awareness regarding his true emotions, as she cannot come up with a valid refutation to his claims about her all-consuming hatred for Negan.
3 Maggie Made A Deal With The Croat
At first, Maggie's connection to the Croat is weak. He is portrayed as a merciless leader who seizes her community's grain and abducts her son. However, as the season progresses and Maggie persists in her insistence that Negan accompany her, a hidden motive emerges. In order to regain her son, Maggie agrees to deliver Negan to the Croat in exchange. Despite pretending that she needs Negan's assistance due to his history with the Croat, the Croat manipulates Maggie's pain and rage towards Negan to manipulate her into fulfilling his desires.
Although the Croat acknowledges that he has heard stories about Maggie and Negan, he suggests that she has her own reasons, be it revenge or retribution, which make her willing to jeopardize her only remaining loved one's life for a man who caused the death of her husband. By exploiting Maggie's negative emotions towards Negan and using them as leverage, the Croat successfully ensures her cooperation and ultimately achieves his goal of capturing Negan.
2 Maggie's Resentment Toward Negan Returned (& Got Worse)
By the end of season 11, Maggie admits uncertainty about forgiving Negan. However, in Dead City, she contradicts this by continuously criticizing him. This seeming regression is important because it reinforces the Croat's method of enforcing their deal.
Hershel also shares this resentment, telling Maggie that she has always been overly cautious about Negan. Negan himself acknowledges that no apology will ever fully heal her wounds, and even suggests that she shouldn't let go of her anger. The repetitive nature of her hatred may become tiresome in season 2 of Dead City.
1 Negan's War Against Rick Became A Walking Dead Legend
In the final episode of season 1 of The Walking Dead: Dead City, the Croat reveals that he is aware of Negan's conquests and brutal killings, highlighting how well-known and widespread Negan's leadership of the Saviors and his ruthless tactics are. This knowledge greatly influences the motives of the Croat and Dama, as they see Negan's reputation for ruthless leadership and unapologetic conquests as essential for establishing dominance over neighboring communities. By harnessing Negan's power, they aim to become an unstoppable force that even the New Babylon marshals cannot penetrate.
