AMC’s The Walking Dead season 10 came to a climactic end with “Here’s Negan.” A loose adaptation of a standalone graphic novel of the same name, “Here’s Negan” took an honest and wholehearted look into the tragic past of one of the cruelest villains in the history of the show, and teased potential plotlines to come in the final season.
Starring alongside his real-life wife, Hilarie Burton Morgan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan acted his heart out in a powerfully moving performance that told the previously unknown story of the man that Negan used to be, and the major events that shape who he chooses to be in the future. The Walking Dead season 11 is set to premiere in August but until then fans are abuzz with every major reveal of the episode, and theories on what comes next for Negan, Maggie, and the rest of Alexandria.
Huge Reveal: The Timeline Confirmed
Between the lack of clarity on how many years have passed and the scattered time jumps, fans have long been perplexed on how many years it has been since the outbreak. The first flashback in "Here's Negan" gives a definitive answer - a little over 12 years ago.
The title card "12 Years Earlier" flashes on the screen before the audience sees Negan tied to a chair and begging for his life. Other flashbacks confirm that it had been less than a year since the outbreak, so it is safe to say that overall, it has been roughly 12 to 13 years.
Fan Theory: Lucille Will Appear In A Negan Spin-Off
There has been quite a bit of talk amongst fans - and even Jeffrey Dean Morgan himself - about the possibility of a Negan spin-off, and now that the audience has been introduced to the strong-willed and honestly, badass Lucille Smith (yes, that is Negan's last name), the possibilities for a deeper exploration into the ex-villain's past are endless.
If Negan survives the end of the series, a spin-off could follow him into what's next while flashing back to his past with Lucille, and how he came to become the charismatic but cruel leader of the Saviors.
Huge Reveal: Negan Found Lucille
Negan has always had a deep connection with the barbed-wired cover bat that he calls Lucille. A mental stand-in for his dead wife, Negan was rarely seen without his signature weapon in hand in earlier seasons, but it has been a long time since he has seen, much less held his trusty bat.
"Here's Negan" gave fans a reunion years in the making when he finds Lucille buried in the field where he fought Rick all those years ago. Despite the time that has passed, it's clear from the way that he looks at her that the connection that he has with the weapon is still incredibly strong.
Fan Theory: Little Hershel Will Kill Negan
Little Hershel Rhee is an adorable mix of Maggie and Glenn. He is sweet, resourceful, funny, and seems to be able to survive on his own in a pinch, but could he eventually become a killer? A major storyline that is hinted at for season 11 is whether or not Maggie will finally take her revenge on Negan, but some have speculated that it might be Hershel that strikes the final blow.
Currently, it is unlikely that Hershel knows that he lives in the same neighborhood as his father's murderer, but when he finds out and sees how much pain it causes his mother, who knows what could happen?
Huge Reveal: Negan’s Villainous Origin
Negan was lazy, inconsiderate, and unfaithful, but he wasn't always a killer. He didn't even have the stomach for putting down Walkers. "It doesn’t bother me [...] but I’m worried that I’ll get used to it,” he tells Lucille earnestly. The same man that taunted his victims as he bashed in the heads of their friends didn't want to get used to killing anything.
Losing Lucille broke something inside of him. She was the reason that he tried to control his temper. She was the reason that he wanted to be a better man, but once she is gone, something snaps. He relishes the moments that he "sees red" instead of running from them.
Fan Theory: Daryl Will Protect Negan From Maggie
Negan and Maggie are currently in a stand-off, and it seems that the closest thing to friends that Negan has are Judith and Lydia. Things don't look so good for him if Maggie decides that she's had enough, but someone else might come to his rescue.
Norman Reedus commented on Negan's place in Alexandria. "He's a new guy. And I think he's kind of finding family with our group now." Family is a strong word to use, and some believe that Reedus might be hinting at a kinship between Daryl and Negan in season 11. Daryl is a good man, but it remains to be seen if he would ever save Negan from Maggie.
Huge Reveal: Negan Burned Lucille
One of the most powerful scenes of the episode is when Negan sits in front of the fire, teary-eyed, and apologizes to his wife for everything that he has ever done to hurt her. Juxtaposed with the scene where he sets his home aflame with a turned Lucille inside, Negan decides to let go.
He gives his beloved bat to the flame, just as he did Lucille all those years in the past. A chapter is closed for Negan. He is no longer the intimidating, bat-swinging cult leader. He's a man that wants redemption, if only because it's what his wife would want for him.
Fan Theory: Negan Will Sacrifice Himself Saving Maggie Or Hershel's Life
Negan tells Lucille that he is going to do her fighting for her now. He wants redemption. He wants to be the man that she saw him as when she stayed with him through his affairs and his trouble with the law.
Negan is ready to turn over a new leaf and do what has to be done to earn Lucille's approval. It would be a poetic end for Negan if a man so good at surviving, lost his life protecting the wife and child of the man that he murdered in cold blood.
Huge Reveal: Negan Went Back To Alexandria
Carol not only freed Negan from a life sentence in Alexandria's jail cell, but she also offered him a home. Taking him out to a cabin in the woods, Carol decides that the best thing for their group is for him to be away from them, but Negan decides to take his chances in Alexandria.
Carol may no longer have a guilty conscience, but if looks could kill, Negan would already be skewered from the look that Maggie gave him when he came walking back into town.
Fan Theory: Negan Wants Maggie To Kill Him
Negan is a smart man, and he is always two steps ahead. He has a good reason for every word he says, and every expression on his face. That makes his smug smirk at a stone-faced Maggie so perplexing, especially after Carol informed him that Maggie will kill him if he continues to live in Alexandria.
That begs the question: Is that what Negan wants? He has killed, maimed, and abused so many people since the outbreak. He may think his only true redemption is in death. Until then, he'll live as a good man, and let Maggie make up her mind.