Summary

Negan's charismatic portrayal by Jeffrey Dean Morgan made him an iconic villain in The Walking Dead.
Morgan revealed he would have changed Negan's storyline with Glenn to keep him alive, impacting the show's direction.
Glenn's death by Negan had a significant impact, including a drop in viewership and a shift in the show's focus.

The Walking Dead had various villainous characters throughout its run, from The Governor to Shane Walsh. However, arguably the most iconic was Negan, the leader of The Saviors, who was shown to have little to no remorse. Yet Jeffrey Dean Morgan's charismatic portrayal of the character allowed him to become an iconic one for the series.

Joining The Walking Dead in the final episode of the sixth season, Negan quickly made his mark on the series and then performed some dastardly deeds throughout the remainder of his time on the hit show. Even though Negan ends up becoming one of the best characters in The Walking Dead, that doesn't mean every single decision is perfect.

The Walking Dead: Negan's Redemption Wasn't Deserved

From sadistic warlord to buddy-cop anti-hero — here's why Negan's redemption arc across The Walking Dead and Dead City feels so forced.

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By Lucy Owens

Morgan recently spoke to First We Feast to promote his new show, Dead City, which continues his story in the world of The Walking Dead. During that interview, he revealed the one change he'd have made for Negan's storyline within the show if he had a chance, which happened to be linked to his Dead City co-star, Lauren Cohan.

"I’m just gonna say this, it would have made both our lives easier, maybe not kill Glenn. It would have shifted the stories in a lot of ways, but maybe you [Cohan] wouldn't be mad at me."

Of course, Glenn wasn't the only character whom Negan killed during his unforgettable debut on The Walking Dead, as Abraham was also killed. However, as an original character in the series, it was Glenn's death that hit the hardest, particularly since a pregnant Maggie was forced to sit and watch what ended up being one of the most brutal deaths in the history of The Walking Dead. While the show altered plenty of storylines from the comics, the death of Glenn was kept in, and it ended up being a shocking moment that fans of the show never forgot.

Glenn's death took place after Daryl opted to punch Negan in the face for killing Abraham; however, Negan had previously warned the group not to step out of line. At that moment, he punishes Glenn, instantly establishing Negan as a character whom people shouldn't want to cross. Comic fans were pleased to see the story brought to life in all of its gruesome detail, and it ended up being one of the most memorable and iconic scenes in the history of The Walking Dead, which featured no shortage of them.

Of course, had Negan not killed Glenn, it would have had a profound impact on the show, changing the plot drastically. It would also have made the current Dead City spinoff a very different series, as the chemistry between Negan and Maggie wouldn't be the same as it is. Morgan's decision to keep Glenn alive would also have helped The Walking Dead as a show because even though it was a comic-accurate storyline, it did lead to a drop-off in viewership that the show never recovered from. Many fans felt that it was an example of the show focusing on shock factor, horror, and gore rather than continuing with the character-driven storylines that had taken place up until that point. The decision was made to stay true to the source material for The Walking Dead, but Morgan might be spot on about the change he'd have made in hindsight.

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