The Walking Dead: Dead City premieres on AMC this coming June and even though a The Walking Dead TV series has been on screen for 12 years now, it has come to our attention some people may not know who are Maggie and Negan.
As the two main characters in The Walking Dead spin-off miniseries, we should probably get to know them better. While most would know that the comics and TV series varied at times from each other, let’s discuss both mediums.
Maggie
In The Comics…
Maggie first appeared in the comics during The Walking Dead #10 and is the daughter of Hershel Greene. She had one child, named after her father, with series regular and eventual husband and later widowof Glenn. She is the sole surviving member of the Greene family and after Carol’s death, she becomes the adoptive mother of Sophia.
After Glenn’s death, Maggie and her daughter move to the Hilltop Colony and, eventually, convinces the population to fight against the Saviors, successfully removing Gregory from power and becoming the leader. Several years after Rick Grimes’ death, Maggie became an important figure of the new world and the president of the Commonwealth.
Maggie was one of the comic book series characters to last from their first appearance through the final issue The Walking Dead #193, nearly the entire run.
In The TV Show…
Maggie is a main character and a survivor of the outbreak and is portrayed by Lauren Cohen. She was introduced into the series during Season 2 Episode 2. She is the daughter of Hershel and Josephine Greene, stepdaughter of Annette Greene, older half-sister of Beth, younger stepsister of Shawn, and the last known surviving member of the Greene family.
She is the widow of Glenn Rhee and the mother of Hershel. She was the leader of the Hilltop Colony, and was one of the four co-leaders of the Militia, along with Rick Grimes, Ezekiel, and Cyndie before its disbanding. At some point after Rick’s assumed death, she left the Hilltop alongside her son to join Georgie’s group and search for new communities.
Six years later, Maggie returned to Virginia with her son after a dangerous group attacked her and her people’s home, only to find out that Glenn’s murderer is out and living among her friends and that the dangerous group had followed her back to Virginia. With Alexandria in dire condition, Maggie led a group of survivors back to reclaim her previous village and defeat the Reapers in order to replenish the community’s food supply, all the while, her feud with Negan came to its peak, with the two choosing to part ways with each other.
Upon Alexandria’s encounter with the Commonwealth, Maggie retreated back to the defunct Hilltop, having disapproved of their system and morals. Six months later, she made contact with an in-crisis Riverbend at the hands of the Commonwealth Army, where she reunited with Negan and became an enemy of Lance Hornsby, as well as Leah Shaw, an ex-Reaper recruited by Lance to assassinate Maggie, who was ultimately unsuccessful. After the eventual defeat of the Milton regime, Maggie received a formal apology from Negan for the death of her husband, which she was unable to accept, but began working on moving past her hate and bitterness, recognizing that Negan was both sincere and truly trying to change.
Maggie subsequently rebuilt Hilltop into a thriving community once again. A year later, Maggie continues living there with her son, leading the community with a rekindled interest in the future and exploring unknown territory beyond the scope of the new world.
Although Lauren Cohen was absent from the series from a time, she was one of the longest tenured characters on the show and was in the final episode of the main series.
Negan
In The Comics…
Negan was first introduced in The Walking Dead #100. He was the former leader of the Saviors. He used his authority and resources to subjugate other communities tribute to the Saviors, in exchange for protection against zombies. The communities join together and start a conflict against the Saviors, which ends up with Dwight taking charge of the Saviors, now willing to cooperate with the communities. Negan is then incarcerated, receiving a life sentence.
Two years later, Negan joins the Militia, having previously given advice to Rick during his time in prison. He has proved his loyalty multiple times, primarily by saving Rick and Dwight, though his loyalty has been met with skepticism. Negan eventually gains Rick’s trust by taking care of the Savior conflict, but leaves Alexandria to find another shelter to inhabit.
Several years after Rick Grimes’ death, he continues to live as a hermit in an abandoned town, being visited sometimes by Carl Grimes. He also made a proper grave for Lucille, finally forgiving himself, acting as a changed and better man.
Negan is considered as one of the most recognizable comic book antagonists over the past 20 years. His final issue in the comic book series as The Walking Dead #193, but was absent from the series from between The Walking Dead #175-192.
In The TV Show…
Negan is a main character and a former antagonist, as well as a survivor of the outbreak in AMC’s The Walking Dead played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. His first appearance was much anticipated and came during Season 6 Episode 6 in one of the most violent episodes of the series.
He was the former leader of the Saviors. He used his authority and resources to subjugate other communities tribute to the Saviors, in exchange for protection against walkers. After a war against the Militia of his formerly subjugated communities, he was defeated, which ended up with Daryl Dixon taking charge of the Saviors, now willing to cooperate with the communities before its disbanding. He was taken as a prisoner to the Alexandria Safe-Zone, receiving a life sentence.
Negan remained imprisoned in Alexandria for seven and a half years, until Gabriel Stokes failed to properly close his cell door, allowing him to escape. After seeing how the world had changed, Negan chose to return to Alexandria and his cell rather than be alone. He has also developed a close bond with Judith Grimes. After saving Judith during a massive blizzard, Negan was allowed to take on a role in the community under supervision.
During the Whisperer War, Negan is freed from his cell by Carol Peletier and sent to infiltrate the Whisperers in order to kill their leader, Alpha. After helping the Coalition to achieve the victory in the war, Negan came to terms with his past and chose to stay in Alexandria despite the danger of Maggie Rhee seeking revenge upon him for his earlier actions. In a search for supplies for the communities, he is forced to confront with Maggie as they work closely together throughout the ordeal. Knowing his fate is inevitable when the conflict against the Reapers concludes, Negan decided to leave Alexandria to find another shelter to inhabit.
Following his departure from Alexandria, Negan joins Riverbend where he marries Annie who becomes pregnant with his child. Drawn into the conflict with the Commonwealth, Negan is reunited with his allies. After expressing genuine remorse for his murder of Glenn, Negan and Maggie make some peace with each other and Maggie allows Negan and Annie to live at the Hilltop.
Negan lasted until the series finale in 2022.
Put The Past Behind Us
In Dead City, Maggie and Negan travel into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland; the crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty and terror.
Maggie witnessed Negan murder her husband with Lucille, his lucky baseball bat, and has every reason to never work alongside him. However, as the main series continued they grew closer and closer knowing things change. We expect this to be at the forefront of the upcoming series and are excited to see it play out.
The Walking Dead: Dead City hits AMC on June 18, 2023 for a six-episode miniseries.
