Played byJeffrey Dean Morgan, Negan first appeared inThe Walking Deadat the end of the season six finale. It’s here that he becomes the main antagonist after killing several beloved characters on the AMC series. Throughout thehit zombie show, Negan has demonstrated a penchant for violence, and has become one of the most complex and, perCinema Blend, even best characters on TV right now.
AsThe Walking Deadmarches towards its series finale, now is a great time to look back at Negan’s best moments. Indeed, as the series developed, so did his character. And while hisredemption is a complicatedissue, he has effectively become accepted into the main community. Here are his best moments inThe Walking Dead, ranked.
7Understanding His Backstory
One of the most important parts of understanding Negan’s character inThe Walking Deadis gaining an understanding of his backstory. He has been on a wild journey, and we understand much more humanizing aspects to his character when we learn about everything he’s experienced and suffered. We learn of how the failure of his marriage impacted him and the horrible circumstances with which it ended. All of this shed new light on his character, and, more significantly, it changed the way many viewers may have felt towards him thereafter.
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6Negan Arrives at Alexandria
In season 7, episode 4 ofThe Walking Dead, Negan and the saviors arrive at Alexandria for the first time. Rick had set aside items for them, however, they end up taking all of their weapons and beds, leaving everyone else defenseless. The episode features interactions between Negan and Gabriel, which are comical as Negan makes note of Gabriel’s creepiness.
5Negan Gives Up Lucille
In season 10 ofThe Walking Dead, Negan does some soul-searching when Maggie comes back to Alexandria, causing him to move out for his own protection. He carries a bat, which he has named after his wife, Lucille, and in one episode he buries the bat, allowing himself to finally say goodbye to her and let go. He allows himself to move on from the trauma he held around his wife, which effectively marks one of his more poignant moments in the AMC series.
4He Hit Rock Bottom in Prison
In season 10 ofThe Walking Dead, Maggiereturns to Alexandriaand convinces Michonne to hand over the keys to Negan’s cell. She realizes that Rick’s decision to allow Negan to live with him is not a kind one and that he has hit rock bottom. We see how broken he is by what has happened to him in life and the choices he has made, and it’s the beginning of the brutal process he has to undergo to rebuild himself.
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3His Relationship with Judith
Negan bonds with Judith throughoutThe Walking Dead, making it one of the most unexpected friendships of the series. We see that he has a soft spot for children, and he admires Judith’s bravery throughout the series. He saves her when she runs into the snow after Dog, and returns her to Michonne, showing that his character has more layers than we know.
2Season 7 Finale
The season seven finale ofThe Walking Deadsees Rick teaming up with the scavengers to attack Negan. Negan is aware of these plans and attempts to outsmart them. What’s more, he almost kills Carl in front of Rick; however, the Kingdom arrives, and an all-out war ensues. It’s an action-packed episode where we see Negan’s character at his most desperate — and his worst.
1Negan vs Alpha
Negan teamed up with Alpha inThe Walking Dead, which initially shocked audiences; however, we quickly discovered that he was a double agent working in tandem working with Carol, who was seeking revenge after the death of her son at the hands of Alpha. Alpha intends to kill Lydia for betraying her, and Negan ultimately kills Alpha to protect her in a twist of events.
