Unveiling the Fate of Annie and Negan's Child in The Walking Dead

In The Walking Dead: Dead City episode 1, Negan's partner and child are noticeably absent. Despite the efforts to redeem Negan's character, the whereabouts of Annie and their unborn child remain a mystery. Negan is now seen traveling with a new character named Ginny, while Maggie confronts him about the missing duo. Although Negan evades the question, the episode subtly provides hints about Annie and the child's fate.

Negan Is Separated From Annie & His Child In The Walking Dead: Dead City

It is evident that Negan has been permanently separated from Annie and his child in The Walking Dead: Dead City episode 1. The season 11 finale of The Walking Dead showed a one-year time jump where Negan was in good spirits, even sending a gift to Judith, indicating a positive situation with his family. However, several years have passed since then, as seen by Hershel now being a teenager, leaving a significant gap where Negan's fortunes could have taken a negative turn.

This is not a recent development either. Negan mentions to Maggie that he was already traveling alone when he met Ginny on a farm, without providing further details about Annie and their child. It appears that whatever happened to them occurred some time before The Walking Dead: Dead City. There are three possible scenarios to consider. Annie and their child may have tragically passed away. Alternatively, it is possible that only the child died, leading to the breakdown of Annie and Negan's relationship. Lastly, Annie and their child may still be alive, but Negan's darker side resurfacing could have caused them to distance themselves from him.

Annie's Disappearance Could Be Connected To Negan's Wanted Poster

The location of Negan's former partner and their young child will continue to be a lingering mystery throughout the narrative of The Walking Dead: Dead City. This enigma may potentially be linked to another unresolved question surrounding Negan - his wanted poster. At the beginning of The Walking Dead: Dead City, Negan is being pursued by marshals from the New Babylon Federation, who accuse him of committing various acts of violence. The specific details and context of these atrocities are still undisclosed, but during Negan's conversation with Maggie, he ominously acknowledges, "I believe I've paid for my past actions."

The incident that brought Negan to the attention of law enforcement in New Babylon could have been in retaliation for something that occurred to Annie and their child, similar to Negan's rampage following the death of Lucille, as depicted in the original Walking Dead TV show. It is also plausible that Negan's actions not only attracted the attention of a marshal but also frightened Annie enough to separate their child from him. Until the missing parts of Negan's timeline between The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: Dead City are unveiled, the truth remains uncertain.

The Walking Dead Can't Retcon Annie & Negan's Child

The handling of Annie and her child's absence in The Walking Dead: Dead City must offer a more fulfilling explanation than what has been mentioned. It is crucial for the spinoff to maintain the narrative consistency of the main show's ending, as disregarding inconvenient parts could potentially harm the overall continuity of the franchise. For Negan to make the decision to leave his wife and child, there must have been a significant event or circumstance that influenced him. If they were to have died, this should strongly shape his character development moving forward. The resolution to the mystery surrounding Annie should not be a transparent excuse to remove two characters solely because they posed an obstacle to Negan's trip to New York.

The Walking Dead: Dead City continues Sunday on AMC.