Unmasking The Villain: The Croat's Secret Role in The Walking Dead

The main villain in The Walking Dead: Dead City is the Croat, portrayed by Željko Ivanek. As a former member of the Saviors, it raises the question of whether this cunning character appeared in the original The Walking Dead TV show. When Negan, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, made his entrance, he brought along a sizable army of Saviors. Some of these followers, like Simon played by Steven Ogg, were prominently featured, while others, such as Dwight portrayed by Austin Amelio, became recurring characters. However, there were also those who blended into the background.

In The Walking Dead: Dead City, another one of Negan's former comrades emerges - a tough and merciless survivor known only as "the Croat." In episode 1, not much is revealed about the Croat, except that he kidnapped Hershel during an attack on Hilltop 2.0 and that he used to be aligned with Negan at the Sanctuary. Considering the large population of Negan's community, it is possible that the Croat may have been lurking in the shadows while Rick's group fought against the Saviors in seasons 6-8 of The Walking Dead. Now, he takes center stage as the formidable antagonist in Negan and Maggie's spinoff.

Dead City's Croat Was Not In The Walking Dead

Željko Ivanek's character did not make an appearance as a Savior in The Walking Dead. In The Walking Dead: Dead City, his encounter with Negan and Maggie marked his first involvement in AMC's zombie apocalypse series. When Negan and Maggie discuss Željko Ivanek's character during the first episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City, it suggests that any conflicts between Negan and the Croat had already occurred prior to Rick Grimes declaring war on the Sanctuary.

According to Negan's flashbacks in The Walking Dead, the Saviors were established around 8 months into the zombie outbreak, following the death of Negan's wife, Lucille. By the time Rick Grimes and Negan Smith clashed in The Walking Dead, approximately another year had passed. This leaves a significant time frame in which the Croat could have potentially joined the Saviors, experienced a falling out with Negan, and ultimately left the group due to "creative differences." This provides a clear explanation for why Željko Ivanek's character did not appear in the main Walking Dead TV show.

Where The Croat Was During The Walking Dead's Timeline

After debunking the notion that the Croat was involved in any destructive activities in Alexandria, it is pertinent to inquire about his actual endeavors between The Walking Dead season 6 and The Walking Dead: Dead City. It appears that the Croat journeyed from Virginia, the location of the Sanctuary, to Manhattan, New York, where he formed his own group of miscreants who make the Saviors seem benign in comparison. Upon arrival in Manhattan, the Croat took control of the area, devising strategies to manipulate the island's zombie population through the use of loud music while isolating his territory from the rest of the world.

Although the Croat's affiliation with the Saviors likely lasted only a year or so, over a decade has passed since then. While Hershel was still in Maggie's womb when Negan first emerged in The Walking Dead, he now appears to be in his mid-to-late teens during The Walking Dead: Dead City. This indicates that the Croat has been his own leader for a significantly longer period than he ever served under Negan. This extended period of autonomy not only allows the Croat to establish himself as a formidable threat in his own right, but it also suggests that the malevolent ruler of Manhattan has spent countless nights brooding over his grudge against Negan.

The Walking Dead: Dead City continues Sunday on AMC.