Walking Dead episodes will arrive on AMC beginning on February 28, 2021.
While TWD is known for staging large-scale zombie apocalypse mayhem, the six bonus episodes will by necessity be smaller and more character-driven, as the show is forced to scale back cast and crew sizes due to COVID restrictions. Indeed it was previously revealed that one of these character-focused episodes will revolve around Maggie, while another sends Aaron and Gabriel on an adventure involving guest star Robert Patrick. As AMC just announced, another of the episodes will show what Daryl did during his long period of self-imposed exile after Rick’s disappearance, while another shows what happened to Eugene’s group after being captured at the end of the season 10 finale.
But for fans of The Walking Dead and especially fans of Negan, the episode focusing on the former Big Bad is probably the most exciting of all the bonus installments. The last of the six set to be released (via Hilarie Burton) enters the picture, obviously in flashback form. The synopsis then teases that Negan “comes to a conclusion about his future,” a hint that the long-time character may in fact be set to exit the show.
As fans of the Walking Dead comics know, Negan’s journey in the pages of Maggie faces off against him, but ultimately refuses to kill him despite his pleading for her to end his misery. Indeed, another bonus episode sees Maggie and Negan coming face to face, as was revealed in a recent behind-the-scenes video.
It remains to be seen exactly what The Walking Dead does with Negan in his episode, but there is a strong hint in the synopsis that Negan’s arc on the show is drawing to an end. Of course, season 11 is set to be the final season of the show anyway, so some Negan resolution is coming regardless. As for Negan getting a spinoff, Morgan says it’s still possible, but frankly the best move would be to give the character a proper send-off after a confrontation with Maggie and not revisit him again. The emotional power of Maggie finally facing Negan with a chance to kill him would make for a great moment, and it would be a shame to see The Walking Dead deprive fans of such a showdown. After that, Negan should be allowed to simply vanish as he does in the books.
Source: AMC